Do You Shoot At A "Range"?

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Tarheel

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Oct 23, 2024
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Wilmington, NC
I am new to Air Rifles with one rifle: HW30s. Before I bought this rifle I looked into places to shoot. About 40 miles from my home is the Holly Shelter Game Lands - thousands of acres of game lands in Eastern North Carolina. They have a "Shooting Range" there that's closed Monday and Tuesday and open the other five days a week with a person on site that manages the range. They have one pistol range and a bunch for rifles (not Air Rifles) set at 200 yards. It cost $13. / Day to shoot - whether you shoot for 10 minutes or eight hours it's $13. And I want to shoot at maximum distances of 50 yards so the rifle targets at 200 yards does not work for me.
Close to home are commercial indoor ranges that are designed for pistol shooting with emphasis on Concealed Carry classes and pistol sales - again not really ideal for my situation. I asked one land owner I know if I could shoot on his land and he said no problem - there is no range there but I could set up targets - but it's deer season until Jan 1, 2025, and not the safest place to be and yesterday he changed his mind and I can't shoot there. Where do you shoot: on your own land, on someone else's land with permission, at a Range "Club" where you pay a monthly fee, or at commercial indoor and/or outdoor Ranges? It's depressing to me! Anyone else face this dilemma?
 
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My backyard.
range.jpg
 
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Private property is the way to go. Shot at a couple of ranges. All that starting, stopping, waiting on other people to go and return from down range is for the birds. Also ranges are not the safest places in my experience. When you have access to private property a range is only necessary when you're away from your property or property where you have permission to shoot.
 
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I shoot at home. I got a 10 yard and 30 yard range but residents behind the target and to the sides. I am in a City. However, I only shoot my low powered springers and pumpers there and seldom my louder RWS 350 or Xisco B28. 75 minutes away is a shooting range and hunting club. My shooting range during week days most of the time is empty. Sight in my airguns except my Daisy BB guns there. Shoot a firearm and while it cools I shoot my airguns.
 
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Private property is absolutely the way to go. I’ve also been a member of several Rod and gun clubs and those are also very nice depending on the club. Typically it’s all older guys who don’t actually shoot more than once a year so I’m the only one there 90% of the time :)

An actual shooting range is not conducive to productive airgun shooting. Constant cease fires, curious bystanders asking you why you’re shooting a pellet gun when you could buy a “real gun”, etc.
 
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I am fortunate that I have 25 & 50 yard capabilities in my back yard. But I also shoot up at a public range where we shoot Cowboy.

See if there is a range close to you where they shoot 'Cowboy Action Shooting'.

Normal CAS target bays are short, with maybe a 50-60 yard back berm (if there is even a berm at all). CAS steel targets are big and close for that game - There is even a saying within the Cowboy Shooting community - "There is no target which is too big or too close to miss."

Generally a great bunch of (older) folks, who love shooting, but even more love the camaraderie they have with their fellow CAS shooters.

And they can be a ripe audience for introducing air guns.

As we age, our bodies just don't keep up with some of the more physical activities such as shooting big powder-burners. Some participants have had to leave or significantly reduce their CAS shooting activities due to the physical impacts of aging on their bodies. But they still love to shoot, and many (in my personal experience) will flock to airguns like horses to water. The biggest hurdle for them is actually using a scope - many just don't have experience shooting scoped rifles (everything is open sights in CAS competitions). But they can be quick learners, and may soon be outshooting you!

So to see if you've got a local Cowboy Action Shooting club, look them up on SASS (the international sanctioning body):

https://sassnet.com/sass-clubs/find-a-club-near-you

You might find a very friendly group of shooters, who have a 'shorter' range available, and who ultimately might want to get into airgunning with you!
 
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If your yard is not an option, then you might continue your search for an accommodating landowner. My gun club has a 50 yard rimfire range that is perfect for air rifles, and during the week there is usually no one shooting. Most commercial or public ranges, as mentioned above, don't work too well for air rifles. It's almost like joining the army to shoot a little, and the army can take the fun out of anything.
 
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Bramezy said:
My yard. Also at a private outdoor range but i can shoot 25y and under at home. Wouldnt go to a range for a break barrel unless I was wanting to test at long distances. Can you make do at home? There are very cheap quiet pellet catches you can make that are small. Lots of ways to do it.
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I live in a patio home community. Small houses with very small yards and neighbors close on both sides. It is against the law to shoot an Air Rifle in the city limits - and I am in the city limits. If in violation of the ordinance and convicted they confiscate the offending rifle and other punishments apply! I was so excited to be doing this that now I have serious doubts about continuing.
 
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That is not a option here, or it is but with downsides.

Shooting clubs / ranges well first of all you need to be a member to shoot VS just pay for the time you use a lane ( which i assume you can in the US )
Also i am sure in the case of myself, they would not like me occupying a lane / bench for the 6-7-8 hours i often shoot in peak season.
And i know i would hate to just being able to shoot for 1 hour.
Even if when i have visited such places it do nok look as if bench starvation is a thing, last club i visited on 100 M they had like 10 benches and 2 was in use, and that was on a weekend.

Also in my case, being somewhat introvert, well i am not big on the coffee club like ranges VS the private circumstances i enjoy right now.
Even if i am fairly open minded when it come to engaging people around a common interest, it is after all a lot different than say breaking bread together.
So i would not mind visiting Soren Drost at his range or Viking airgunner for that matter, at least we have 4.5 mm in common
 
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Tarheel said:
I live in a patio home community. Small houses with very small yards and neighbors close on both sides. It is against the law to shoot an Air Rifle in the city limits - and I am in the city limits. If in violation of the ordinance and convicted they confiscate the offending rifle and other punishments apply! I was so excited to be doing this that now I have serious doubts about continuing.
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It is illegal to shoot air rifles in the city limits here too. I live in a typical 80's era subdivision with half acre lots. I have three neighbors that are easily visible from my back yard. I spoke with them about my air rifle shooting, and it is not an issue for them. They don't hear it, and I'm careful that I don't allow any pellets or furry targets to escape my property. I'm also concealed from view by a large hedge row, so someone would have to enter my backyard gate in order to see me. Your practical issue is not the law, but your neighbors and HOA situation. I'm not encouraging you to break the law, but no police officer is going to become involved in your shooting unless there is a complaint. Given my mental picture of your neighborhood, I think the risk of a complaint might be very real, and probably not worth taking.
 
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Tarheel said:
I live in a patio home community. Small houses with very small yards and neighbors close on both sides. It is against the law to shoot an Air Rifle in the city limits - and I am in the city limits. If in violation of the ordinance and convicted they confiscate the offending rifle and other punishments apply! I was so excited to be doing this that now I have serious doubts about continuing.
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Can you shoot inside? As in do you have enough length?
 
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I feel for people who jave to utilize a public range. Ive been lucky to grow up living in the rural areas where you can shoot whenever you want. The 2 time ive beeen invited to public ranges have had negative relults. One almost getting shot and the second deafened by gunshot. Its amazing how crappy and idiotic alot of humans are. Maybe the 2 times ive gome to a range i was unlucky but its enough to keep me away from them
 
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