Any airgun guys San Francisco Bay Area shooting 400 yards + in BLM land?

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rodjava

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Sep 6, 2021
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San Francisco California, 94134 United States
www.allcalibers.com
Any airgun guys San Francisco Bay Area shooting 400 yards + in BLM land?

I want to stretch out beyond 250 yards with my .25 M3 and .257 Airforce Texan.
I live in San Francisco and would like to hookup with other shooters, airgun or power burners who know of BLM locations for long range shooting.

A range in Sacramento has a 1000 yard range but is only available to members. There is a range in Petaluma with a 300 yard range and is open to the public.

I want to shoot a minimum of 350 yards and possible max of 600 yards. I would like to make it a whole day or 2 at the right BLM if possible.

Rod in San Francisco
 
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Hi Rod

I've tried to go to BLM and national forest to shoot longer distances but found it to be damn near impossible. To be able to setup a target out at even over 100 yards is a challenge. The important part for anyone to thinking about shooting long range anywhere is the safety requirements, you need to follow the firearm guideline of not shooting within 100 yards of buildings and roads. In another word is you need to track 100 yards off road and then trek to how far you want to shoot, to shoot 300 yards you need to trek 100 yards plus 600 yards before you can fire off a shot onto your target. Or drive down the road, trek out 100 yards to setup your target and that still need minimum 300 yards of trekking through brushes. This is why I completely gave up on the idea of a ELR build I was close to buying earlier this year. If I have trouble with 100 yards how am I going to shoot 1000+ yards?

The only alternative to shoot beyond 300 yards is every second Saturday of the month there is .22 LR and airgun match at sac valley on range 6 which is on the 500 yards silhouette range. I know the match director and he shoots 22 airgun himself at all the matches against 22LR guys and he is cool with people staying a couple of hours after the match to shoot out to 500 meters. You can drive to all the target locations out to 500 meters to setup targets or just shoot the metal targets at every 100 meters. Cool part is even month it's offhand silhouette match out to 100 meters(you can shoot of bench as varmint class) and odd month is long range matches where 22 guys shoot to 300 meters and airgun guys shoot to 200 meters and no one will stop you to join the 22 LR guys at 300 meters. This is the only way I know to shoot pass 300 yards anywhere without being a member. I highly recommend just pay for the membership which is cheap and after one year you can upgrade to voting member status and gain access to the private ranges out to 1000 yards. They even have a free RV/camper area for members so you can spend a coupe of days shooting once you are a voting member. Keep in mind weekends the private ranges are very busy so check the calendar section but weekdays the private ranges are empty.

Here is the info for the match:

Smallbore Metallic Silhouette – Sacramento Valley Shooting Center

www.sacvalley.org
 
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qball said:
Hi Rod

I've tried to go to BLM and national forest to shoot longer distances but found it to be damn near impossible. To be able to setup a target out at even over 100 yards is a challenge. The important part for anyone to thinking about shooting long range anywhere is the safety requirements, you need to follow the firearm guideline of not shooting within 100 yards of buildings and roads. In another word is you need to track 100 yards off road and then trek to how far you want to shoot, to shoot 300 yards you need to trek 100 yards plus 600 yards before you can fire off a shot onto your target. Or drive down the road, trek out 100 yards to setup your target and that still need minimum 300 yards of trekking through brushes. This is why I completely gave up on the idea of a ELR build I was close to buying earlier this year. If I have trouble with 100 yards how am I going to shoot 1000+ yards?

The only alternative to shoot beyond 300 yards is every second Saturday of the month there is .22 LR and airgun match at sac valley on range 6 which is on the 500 yards silhouette range. I know the match director and he shoots 22 airgun himself at all the matches against 22LR guys and he is cool with people staying a couple of hours after the match to shoot out to 500 meters. You can drive to all the target locations out to 500 meters to setup targets or just shoot the metal targets at every 100 meters. Cool part is even month it's offhand silhouette match out to 100 meters(you can shoot of bench as varmint class) and odd month is long range matches where 22 guys shoot to 300 meters and airgun guys shoot to 200 meters and no one will stop you to join the 22 LR guys at 300 meters. This is the only way I know to shoot pass 300 yards anywhere without being a member. I highly recommend just pay for the membership which is cheap and after one year you can upgrade to voting member status and gain access to the private ranges out to 1000 yards. They even have a free RV/camper area for members so you can spend a coupe of days shooting once you are a voting member. Keep in mind weekends the private ranges are very busy so check the calendar section but weekdays the private ranges are empty.

Here is the info for the match:

Smallbore Metallic Silhouette – Sacramento Valley Shooting Center

www.sacvalley.org
Click to expand...
qball,
Thank you for your time and thoughtful explanation why BLM is not ideal for long range shooting. I get it now why more long range shooters are finding alternative solutions. In my mind, I see BLM land as a large desert landscape where shooting a mile or more was possible.

I might look into the membership and voting membership to the Sacrament range. It's a 2 hour drive from my home in SF, but still might be worth the drive once or twice a month.

Thank again
Rod in San Francisco
 
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rodjava said:
qball,
Thank you for your time and thoughtful explanation why BLM is not ideal for long range shooting. I get it now why more long range shooters are finding alternative solutions. In my mind, I see BLM land as a large desert landscape where shooting a mile or more was possible.

I might look into the membership and voting membership to the Sacrament range. It's a 2 hour drive from my home in SF, but still might be worth the drive once or twice a month.

Thank again
Rod in San Francisco
Click to expand...


Definitely check it out. Also be sure to check out Diablo rod and gun airgun shooting events. They have tons of different airgun shooting events and style, nothing really long but can get to 200 yards and lots of great airgun people! I go there at least once a month for different shooting events and it’s about 2 hours 1 way but well worth it.

Edit: The sac valley public range can get out to 300 yards already once you quality (not hard at all), it's also cheapest range around and not charged by the hour like a lot of other ranges.
 
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qball, i'm already a member at the Diablo range and shoot only 200 yards every Wednesday and normally at lane #14. Yes a bunch of great guys and the Rso's are great too! I sent a email to the Sacramento Airgun coordinator and hope to hear back from him soon about shooting 500 meters at range #6. Wish me luck
qball said:
Definitely check it out. Also be sure to check out Diablo rod and gun airgun shooting events. They have tons of different airgun shooting events and style, nothing really long but can get to 200 yards and lots of great airgun people! I go there at least once a month for different shooting events and it’s about 2 hours 1 way but well worth it.

Edit: The sac valley public range can get out to 300 yards already once you quality (not hard at all), it's also cheapest range around and not charged by the hour like a lot of other ranges.
Click to expand...
 
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rodjava said:
qball, i'm already a member at the Diablo range and shoot only 200 yards every Wednesday and normally at lane #14. Yes a bunch of great guys and the Rso's are great too! I sent a email to the Sacramento Airgun coordinator and hope to hear back from him soon about shooting 500 meters at range #6. Wish me luck
Click to expand...


Did you email Dan that is hosting the small bore matches? The contact on the airgun page is no longer correct so please reach out to Dan. We hope to get the contact information on the airgun page corrected soon. If you have any trouble at all just PM me.
 
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I reached out to [email protected] from the airgun contact page.
That's probably why I havent heard back from him.
What is Dan's contact info?
qball said:
Did you email Dan that is hosting the small bore matches? The contact on the airgun page is no longer correct so please reach out to Dan. We hope to get the contact information on the airgun page corrected soon. If you have any trouble at all just PM me.
Click to expand...
 
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DOOMRIDER said:
How are you NOT able to find 1K yards on BLM??!!
There's plenty of room on BLM an hour north of SF.
Click to expand...

You certainly can but it’s a pain to find open areas that no other people are traversing. You can go 1000 yards into the BLM areas with no roads but that’s quite the trek to setup target to shoot. Shooting at rocks isn’t really a great way to to improve as I won’t have accurate measurement of the rock so I wont have any idea on my group size. Back in the days I can go to Mojave and Death Valley and setup targets close to the road but these days there are people EVERYWHERE! Call me lazy but it’s too much work for me, at the 1000 yard range in sac valley I just drive over and hang a big paper target. Zero worry about people, safety and comply with the law.

When I go target shooting I just want to focus on shooting, I’m lucky enough to have that awesome range only 35 minutes from my house and I’ll have access to all the private ranges and even be a RSO very soon.


EDIT: speaking of which, once I get RSO cert and become voting member I can book the private range for airgun social shoots! Hoping to setup regular monthly social shoots in couple of months. The private ranges are seriously awesome.
 
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qball said:
You certainly can but it’s a pain to find open areas that no other people are traversing. You can go 1000 yards into the BLM areas with no roads but that’s quite the trek to setup target to shoot. Shooting at rocks isn’t really a great way to to improve as I won’t have accurate measurement of the rock so I wont have any idea on my group size. Back in the days I can go to Mojave and Death Valley and setup targets close to the road but these days there are people EVERYWHERE! Call me lazy but it’s too much work for me, at the 1000 yard range in sac valley I just drive over and hang a big paper target. Zero worry about people, safety and comply with the law.

When I go target shooting I just want to focus on shooting, I’m lucky enough to have that awesome range only 35 minutes from my house and I’ll have access to all the private ranges and even be a RSO very soon.


EDIT: speaking of which, once I get RSO cert and become voting member I can book the private range for airgun social shoots! Hoping to setup regular monthly social shoots in couple of months. The private ranges are seriously awesome.
Click to expand...
Qball, your suggestion of a monthly social shoot at the Sac range is very thoughtful. You can count me in for any long range shooting. Thanks in advance.\
Rod in San Francisco
 
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DOOMRIDER said:
If you're serious about rolling out to BLM's Hunting Creek Camp an hour north of SF let me know.
During Spring & Summer I'm always looking for new spots in the Sierra Nevada.
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Doomrider,
If you ever plan a long range shoot in the Sierra Nevada's, I would like to join you. I'm already setup for any overnight or weekend trips while sleeping comfortably in my travel van.
Rod in San Francisco
 
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You have a few options if you want to do long range shooting in Nor CA 1] You could do BLM at a) Knoxville In Napa CO middle of no where not easy to get to. b) Panoche/Tumey Hills off I-5 not open year round sort of long drive. c) Snow Mountain Lake Berryessa also not the easiest to get to. 2] You could try National Forest land like Los Padres along the coast or El Dorado towards Tahoe and finally not free and has some paper work involved you could apply to hunt at Fort Hunter Liggett south of Salinas. I have been to almost all these places over the past 30 years it takes time and a lot of gas of course but if you like adventure hit the road and see what you find! PM me if you want more details.
 
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napairgunner said:
You have a few options if you want to do long range shooting in Nor CA 1] You could do BLM at a) Knoxville In Napa CO middle of no where not easy to get to. b) Panoche/Tumey Hills off I-5 not open year round sort of long drive. c) Snow Mountain Lake Berryessa also not the easiest to get to. 2] You could try National Forest land like Los Padres along the coast or El Dorado towards Tahoe and finally not free and has some paper work involved you could apply to hunt at Fort Hunter Liggett south of Salinas. I have been to almost all these places over the past 30 years it take time and a lot of gas of course but if you like adventure hit the road and see what you find! PM me if you want more details.
Click to expand...
This is fantastic intel which includes actual destinations. Thank you.
Rod in San Francisco
 
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rodjava said:
Any airgun guys San Francisco Bay Area shooting 400 yards + in BLM land?

I want to stretch out beyond 250 yards with my .25 M3 and .257 Airforce Texan.
I live in San Francisco and would like to hookup with other shooters, airgun or power burners who know of BLM locations for long range shooting.

A range in Sacramento has a 1000 yard range but is only available to members. There is a range in Petaluma with a 300 yard range and is open to the public.

I want to shoot a minimum of 350 yards and possible max of 600 yards. I would like to make it a whole day or 2 at the right BLM if possible.

Rod in San Francisco
Click to expand...
Just drive to south

San Luis Obispo Sportsmen's Association​

 
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Ashiii said:
Just drive to south

San Luis Obispo Sportsmen's Association​

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Ashiii,
Thanks for chiming in.
Yes, I discovered the SLO range a few months ago. I haven't gone yet. I'm now waiting for my next long distance air rifle to be sold in the US. The Altros M24.
 
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