I shot at the Circle S Ranch & Shooting range in Petaluma CA for the first time and this is my review and recommendations.
I normally shoot at the Diablo Rod and Gun Club in Concord CA.
BTW, Diablo club is the best Air Gun range in the San Francisco Bay area.
I only shoot bench rest at 200 yards with my Texan .257 LSS and shoot all day long 2 inch MOA.
I wanted to stretch out beyond 200 yards but there are only 2 other ranges that would suit my needs,
There are only 2 other air gun ranges that are close to my home in San Francisco for long distance shooting beyond 200 yards.
One in Sacrament CA which is too far for me to drive for only 1 day of shooting. I've been told that this range is probably the best range for Air gunners in California. They even have a 100 yard range for powder burners and air gunners. However, a non member needs special permission or have a special invitation to shoot at the 1000 yard range. I would love to be able to "try" to shoot my Texan beyond 600 yards if possible. There is a You Tuber with the same .257 Texan as mine that shot a balloon at 800 yards.
The other range is the Circle S Range in Petaluma CA. This range has a maximum distance of 300 yards and is the point of my post.
I researched the Circle S range and read lots of good and bad comments about this place. I wanted to experience it myself and reserved judgement.
From San Francisco, it's about 1 1/2 hour drive on a Saturday morning and the drive was not bad.
My first impressions when I first drove up, was that it was a "rustic" setting. No modern structures and with only a basic outdoor porta potty.
I introduced myself to the RSO named Billy who positioned me in the part of the range for shooting 100 to 300 yards.
Despite all the negative comments I read about the different RSO's at this range, I observed Billy to be a experienced range safety officer.
I brought my own targets and stapler to pin my targets at times the range was cold and walked the 300 yards to the stands. This is when I was told by a regular shooter, that the 1st 100 yards is through a "very muddy swamp" No kidding, I almost lost my tennis shoes in mud many times! You can tell who is a "regular" a this range, because they wear rubber boots up to their ankles.
The walk from the 100 yard stands and to the 200 and 300 yards stands are on a small dirt path going up hill. When you get to the stands, you simply staple your target on top of the previous target and start the 300 yards back to the benches. And yes, the last 100 yards is through the mud swamp from hell.
Here are my pros and cons for the Circle S Range in Petaluma.
Pros
Shoot all day long for $20
300 yard range ( btw, I shot 4-5 inch groups at 300 yards with my Texan .257 LSS) I probably could have narrowed my groups smaller if I didn't run out of air. I brought 2 full tanks which are 98 and 75 cubic feet and shot about 100 slugs.
Well run range by the Range safety officer.
All shooting positions are covered.
Cons
Walking the 1st 100 yards to the stands in a swamp.
The 100-300 yard shooters are positioned on cement benches in a special area of the range which are under a overhead shelter. This overhead shelter has a "brow" which prevents shooter from shooting above the 300 yard targets. I might be just the way I setup for bench rest shooting, but this "brow" is too low for my liking. With my F class bipod installed and at it's lowest position, I can see the "brow" in my scope when I zoom to 300 yards.
Range is way out in the "boonies" or farmland with no close places to eat or drink without driving 20 mins to somewhere modern.
Unlike my favorite, Diablo range where you can place your own paper or metal targets at any distance from 15 to 200 yards, shooter are limited to paper targets only at 50,100,200 and 300 yards.
On the Saturday I was there, the range was full of shooters. So you might have to wait for a shooting lane to become available.
Now that I know I can hit targets at 300 yards with acceptable groupings, would I go back?
Yes, definitely. But will wear boots or a wet suit.
I was the only air gunner on this day. The RSO said that a few air gunners come from time to time. But mostly rim fire shooters.
Many of the rim fire guys never have seen an air gun setup like mine and could not believe that I was shooting 300 yards with 4 inch groupings.
I'm sure they all went home and started Googling "air guns" LOL
Updated to add photo:
This is my 300 yard target and after first dialing in at 200 yards. It took me awhile to dial it in at 300 yards with light winds of 4 to 6 mph right to left.. Texan .257 LSS 990 fps 3000 psi 72 grain Griffin boat tail ldc hp slugs. I shoot tethered.
Rod in San Francisco
I normally shoot at the Diablo Rod and Gun Club in Concord CA.
BTW, Diablo club is the best Air Gun range in the San Francisco Bay area.
I only shoot bench rest at 200 yards with my Texan .257 LSS and shoot all day long 2 inch MOA.
I wanted to stretch out beyond 200 yards but there are only 2 other ranges that would suit my needs,
There are only 2 other air gun ranges that are close to my home in San Francisco for long distance shooting beyond 200 yards.
One in Sacrament CA which is too far for me to drive for only 1 day of shooting. I've been told that this range is probably the best range for Air gunners in California. They even have a 100 yard range for powder burners and air gunners. However, a non member needs special permission or have a special invitation to shoot at the 1000 yard range. I would love to be able to "try" to shoot my Texan beyond 600 yards if possible. There is a You Tuber with the same .257 Texan as mine that shot a balloon at 800 yards.
The other range is the Circle S Range in Petaluma CA. This range has a maximum distance of 300 yards and is the point of my post.
I researched the Circle S range and read lots of good and bad comments about this place. I wanted to experience it myself and reserved judgement.
From San Francisco, it's about 1 1/2 hour drive on a Saturday morning and the drive was not bad.
My first impressions when I first drove up, was that it was a "rustic" setting. No modern structures and with only a basic outdoor porta potty.
I introduced myself to the RSO named Billy who positioned me in the part of the range for shooting 100 to 300 yards.
Despite all the negative comments I read about the different RSO's at this range, I observed Billy to be a experienced range safety officer.
I brought my own targets and stapler to pin my targets at times the range was cold and walked the 300 yards to the stands. This is when I was told by a regular shooter, that the 1st 100 yards is through a "very muddy swamp" No kidding, I almost lost my tennis shoes in mud many times! You can tell who is a "regular" a this range, because they wear rubber boots up to their ankles.
The walk from the 100 yard stands and to the 200 and 300 yards stands are on a small dirt path going up hill. When you get to the stands, you simply staple your target on top of the previous target and start the 300 yards back to the benches. And yes, the last 100 yards is through the mud swamp from hell.
Here are my pros and cons for the Circle S Range in Petaluma.
Pros
Shoot all day long for $20
300 yard range ( btw, I shot 4-5 inch groups at 300 yards with my Texan .257 LSS) I probably could have narrowed my groups smaller if I didn't run out of air. I brought 2 full tanks which are 98 and 75 cubic feet and shot about 100 slugs.
Well run range by the Range safety officer.
All shooting positions are covered.
Cons
Walking the 1st 100 yards to the stands in a swamp.
The 100-300 yard shooters are positioned on cement benches in a special area of the range which are under a overhead shelter. This overhead shelter has a "brow" which prevents shooter from shooting above the 300 yard targets. I might be just the way I setup for bench rest shooting, but this "brow" is too low for my liking. With my F class bipod installed and at it's lowest position, I can see the "brow" in my scope when I zoom to 300 yards.
Range is way out in the "boonies" or farmland with no close places to eat or drink without driving 20 mins to somewhere modern.
Unlike my favorite, Diablo range where you can place your own paper or metal targets at any distance from 15 to 200 yards, shooter are limited to paper targets only at 50,100,200 and 300 yards.
On the Saturday I was there, the range was full of shooters. So you might have to wait for a shooting lane to become available.
Now that I know I can hit targets at 300 yards with acceptable groupings, would I go back?
Yes, definitely. But will wear boots or a wet suit.
I was the only air gunner on this day. The RSO said that a few air gunners come from time to time. But mostly rim fire shooters.
Many of the rim fire guys never have seen an air gun setup like mine and could not believe that I was shooting 300 yards with 4 inch groupings.
I'm sure they all went home and started Googling "air guns" LOL
Updated to add photo:
This is my 300 yard target and after first dialing in at 200 yards. It took me awhile to dial it in at 300 yards with light winds of 4 to 6 mph right to left.. Texan .257 LSS 990 fps 3000 psi 72 grain Griffin boat tail ldc hp slugs. I shoot tethered.
Rod in San Francisco
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