Those of you who have even remotely convenient access to a good rifle range should count your lucky stars. I live in Austin, TX and have to spend my shooting days paying $12.99/hr to shoot indoors at a 4.5 ft bench off of a bar stool two feet from some guy shooting 10 rounds per second from his glock...ok maybe not that fast but almost constant.

Sorry I just had to vent. There are no good ranges here for rifle...the only one is a private club 45 minutes from me which has higher barriers to entry than the auto industry.

Bottom line, be thankful

Fusino:

I went out shooting this morning. Got up at 5:20 am, jumped in the car, drove out to the desert, and shot several shots at 750 yards from field positions. Was back in my home office by 7:30, and I live in the Phoenix metro area.

Phoenix has got to be the best big city to live in if you like ot shoot.

I go out on public land, wait for the antelope to leave, and shoot at whatever range I want and never see another soul. I have to drive ten miles to do it. It is time to move to a less crowded area.

^^I'm seriously jealous...hopefully someday I can move out from the city.

I shot weds day pop off just under 400 rounds of rifle and pistol ammo. To do that I had to travel a long distance. Man a whole 30 feet from my walk out basement door. I can get 300 yards at the house. If I need to shot farther then I have to drive 5 miles to my 700 range.

Just to many dam trees here to get much farther.

If they built rifle ranges like goof courses every one would be shooting instead of chaseing little white balls around.

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Originally posted by fusino:


Bottom line, be thankful

As I stated on another thread, my heart goes out to those that want to shoot and face the upheaval of our changing world. I have been in this situation before and hate it! I worked three months in Nigeria one time without firing a shot! You can bet shooting was on the agenda when I got home!

Today I can walk out the back door..... Even have my own range and test area... I can only hope that someday you will be blessed with the same.

BigRx

Fusino,

That sounds like a very frustrating situation you've got. Hard to concentrate or "enjoy" your shooting under those circumstances.

I live in a rural area and am able to shoot right here on my property, so am very thankful for that as I know not everyone is able to do so. When working up loads it's so convenient to be able to walk outside behind the house and bench my rifle over the chrono and shoot a 5 round group to see how my groups and velocities are, etc. It's fun to take the wife and kids out to plink with their .22's and that makes for a wonderful afternoon on a nice day. My deer/coyote hunting spot is about 15 minutes from the house and in general there's lots of areas to go out in the desert or mtns and plink or hunt, hike, etc. Heck I've shot some coyotes and a couple bobcats from right off my front portch a few times.

The price I do pay for that enjoyment and convenience in regards to my hobby is that I drive an hour each way to and from work each day (which nowadays is quite a price with gas!). Also, to go to Walmart or a supermarket is a 43 mile trip each way (we've got a couple Mom n Pop stores here, but they're very tiny). It's a trade-off though and I do love living in the country. I've got my two horses right here and all kinds of critters the wife brings home - cats, dogs, a sheep (he's my weed control unit), etc. I wouldn't trade it for anything though, I live in the Mtns on a high ridge and have a spectacular view for probably 30 miles all to the south of me.

Shooting has been my hobby since I was 10 yrs old and so this is the life for me. I've grown to hate cities for numerous reasons, from crime to traffic to crowding, etc. The only thing I do wish is I had one of those stay-at-home Internet online jobs so I never had to leave!

^^Man, what a set up. I grew up in West Texas. Growing up in the country really infected me with a love of the outdoors. It's unfortunate I work in the city. That's why I'm working my ass off, so I can retire in 10 years while I"m still relatively young and move onto my own land somewhere to spend my golden years hunting!

I feel your pain. I live in Dallas and have access to several fairly good public ranges. However, it's only a matter of time before a few guys sit beside me with AR-15s, or some other similar semiauto and start emptying one clip after and pelting me with brass. Doesn't do too much good for my group shooting, but oh well, at least it is legal to shoot and I have a place to do it. I do have a lease where I can shoot as far and with as much peace as I want, but it's a 3 hour drive.

-Lou

You, sir, are living in hell! I have a small range about 20 minutes from the house that is locked all the time...that means there is usually nobody else there. I like it quiet while I'm working up loads or fiddling with my chrony. But that range only goes to 200 yards. So usually I go to a caliche pit on a ranch about 8 miles east of town and shoot there. I can get there in about 10 minutes and, again, I have the place to myself. Can get shots out to 350 yards before the mesquites start blocking my shooting lane. I have a hardened 8" steel gong that swings on a frame. I shoot that for practice and because I really like the clanging sound a hit makes. From hunting positions I can hit it with most of my rifles very consistently at 300 yards. It still makes a good noise that I can hear with my earmuffs on. I will pray for you.

About 3 years ago Ms AAZW and I bought some land in Colorado. Half of the backside borders Natl Forest and the rest BLM land. It is open enough so that I can shoot as far as I want. The land has a gentle ridge upon which we will build a house. Then I will be able to shoot right out my door.

When I had a house in MN I could shoot out to 800 yards about 5 min from the house. The porblem with that place is that the shooting lane was cut through some trees, effectively blocking the wind, so my wind practice sessions were not so great.

Check your PMs. Okie John

Oh yeah I forgot to mention that while I was there yesterday trying to zero my rifle, some idiot started shooting my target with his semi-auto AR-15 from three lanes away completely ruining my target.

So I politely go over to him and say, "Hey man I think you're shooting my target on accident." He proceeded to act like he had no idea what I was talking about, so I just gave up and left. I had to leave before I caused a scene.

fusino.....I can feel for you. When I lived in San Antonio back in the '70's it was a great place despite being the state capital. I was back for a visit a few years ago and it's amazing how it's changed and I was stunned at how the sky-line has changed. It seems like all the older, more interesting building have been torn down. Hardly seems as if you're in Texas anymore.

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Originally posted by fusino:
Oh yeah I forgot to mention that while I was there yesterday trying to zero my rifle, some idiot started shooting my target with his semi-auto AR-15 from three lanes away completely ruining my target.

So I politely go over to him and say, "Hey man I think you're shooting my target on accident." He proceeded to act like he had no idea what I was talking about, so I just gave up and left. I had to leave before I caused a scene.

Why would you be concerned about causing a scene? If the guy's being stupid, gently telling him so is the proper thing to do. If he is still being stupid, make a big hairy scene and try to get him kicked off.

To be honest, Fjold, it was his tone. I know he was being a jerkoff as I am only slightly observant. Now that being said, I am a pretty calm individual, but this was one of those times that I thought it better to leave it be. I could tell he was somewhat of a hothead; I do not react well to hotheads. I am actually proud of myself for leaving. Thanks for your input though

I have no problem with nice people who make mistakes. It's the jerks of the world that are the problem. By the way if you could go to this range, you would realize in 1 second flat that you would have to shoot someone to get ejected, which is why I didn't bother.

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When I lived in San Antonio back in the '70's it was a great place despite being the state capital.

You have been away a while. I didn't know that San Antonio was the state capitol in the 70's. I thought it was Austin.

I guess I am one of the fortunate ones. My rifle range is my back porch. I measured it with a measuring 'wheel' not too long ago, and from my back deck to the woods closest to my home is right at 450 yards, give or take 5 or 6 feet. Although, that is the only clearing on my property. The rest is prime hunting woods!

I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of you Texans going out to the desert. Or maybe get to be good buddies with a rancher around there.