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Bham Shooter
Posts: 609 Senior Member
"Range" report, insane prices, and I still prefer the XD over the Glock
Bham Shooter
Posts: 609 Senior Member
Y'all might remember that several months back I posted a thread about one of the LGS that has purchased an old Bruno's grocery store building with plans to convert it to a gun store in the front and a pistol/rifle range in the back. 25 and 50 yards, respectively. It was "scheduled" to open in September. Well, they finally opened last weekend. At my grandparents on Thanksgiving Day, my cool brother-in-law mentioned that he had driven by there a few times on his way to work and saw that it was opened, and we planned a trip for yesterday afternoon. I was excited since it is 1.25 miles from my front door, and the idea of being able to go any time without a 35 minute drive to the outdoor range that I might get to go more often.
Keep in mind that this is the same LGS that I visited once. Walked in, looked around, saw that their prices were a good 25-30% higher on everything than the other two LGS that are about 3 miles in either direction. Not sure why they picked a spot halfway in-between and thought they could charge more. Anyone with an extra 5 minutes to spare can save a good bit just by driving either left or right out of their entrance. But the range I have been a member of previously has a very good deal. I think it was either $10 or $12 for day use, but the monthly membership was $20. And with that you get the use of the members only ranges, which there are several, compared to the one public range right by the offices. And it was unlimited. You could go shooting every day if you wanted to, for as long as you wanted to. There is also a very nice indoor range down around my hometown. I think it is 8-10 lanes, up to 50 yards. And they charged an hourly rate of $7. I never asked about a membership since I live 3 hours away and figured I would just drop the $7 on the rare chance that I do go to shoot there.
So we walk in, and I was thinking the membership might be high at this place considering their gun prices, but maybe the hourly rate isn't that bad. I guess I shouldn't have been shocked that it was $23 for a daily rate and $350 upfront for membership. Yeah, you get unlimited use with your membership and one guest gets to accompany you for free, but they didn't offer an hourly or monthly rate at all. Every indoor range I've ever been to has been hourly. The one down home, the other one here in town, and another one I visited while on vacation one time. All of them were $10 or under for an hour, and provided eyes/ears if you didn't have your own. I guess I was just shocked at how high. I would have thought $15 for hourly rates. Maybe $200 for membership. Or maybe a $100 application fee and then a monthly fee of $25 after that. But we paid the fee since we'd planned on going and shot for about 90 minutes. First magazine was a little rusty, shooting a little low. Then I got into the swing of things and chewed a big hole in the middle of my target. My BIL brought his brother's Glock 9mm as well. How do you Glock guys put up with that awful, stiff, long trigger? I shot it fairly well, but putting a few magazines through it and then going back to my XD, man, night and day.
So, what do you guys pay for range fees/membership? Were they in line with what prices you have seen?
Keep in mind that this is the same LGS that I visited once. Walked in, looked around, saw that their prices were a good 25-30% higher on everything than the other two LGS that are about 3 miles in either direction. Not sure why they picked a spot halfway in-between and thought they could charge more. Anyone with an extra 5 minutes to spare can save a good bit just by driving either left or right out of their entrance. But the range I have been a member of previously has a very good deal. I think it was either $10 or $12 for day use, but the monthly membership was $20. And with that you get the use of the members only ranges, which there are several, compared to the one public range right by the offices. And it was unlimited. You could go shooting every day if you wanted to, for as long as you wanted to. There is also a very nice indoor range down around my hometown. I think it is 8-10 lanes, up to 50 yards. And they charged an hourly rate of $7. I never asked about a membership since I live 3 hours away and figured I would just drop the $7 on the rare chance that I do go to shoot there.
So we walk in, and I was thinking the membership might be high at this place considering their gun prices, but maybe the hourly rate isn't that bad. I guess I shouldn't have been shocked that it was $23 for a daily rate and $350 upfront for membership. Yeah, you get unlimited use with your membership and one guest gets to accompany you for free, but they didn't offer an hourly or monthly rate at all. Every indoor range I've ever been to has been hourly. The one down home, the other one here in town, and another one I visited while on vacation one time. All of them were $10 or under for an hour, and provided eyes/ears if you didn't have your own. I guess I was just shocked at how high. I would have thought $15 for hourly rates. Maybe $200 for membership. Or maybe a $100 application fee and then a monthly fee of $25 after that. But we paid the fee since we'd planned on going and shot for about 90 minutes. First magazine was a little rusty, shooting a little low. Then I got into the swing of things and chewed a big hole in the middle of my target. My BIL brought his brother's Glock 9mm as well. How do you Glock guys put up with that awful, stiff, long trigger? I shot it fairly well, but putting a few magazines through it and then going back to my XD, man, night and day.
So, what do you guys pay for range fees/membership? Were they in line with what prices you have seen?
Replies
The other two ranges here charge $10 period, and you can stay all day. One is a pretty nice indoor range, albeit they only have a 15 yard range. The other is a somewhat trashy outdoor range but the guy is friendly and if it isn't crowded they let me take up the "CHL/Tactical Pistol Range" and do essentially what I want with my AR and pistol.
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
They have a 25 yard pistol range, 50, 100, 200 and 300 yard rifle range, plus trap and skeet range.
The outdoor ranges are all over an hour drive. The best is the one in Lockhart that i have met Chief and SS3 at a couple of times now. Day pass is $12. http://www.ctxpta.com/id1.html
-Mikhail Kalashnikov
The one I'm not a member at is, I think, $100 a year. It has a 100 yard rifle range with targets on skids that you can pull out at whatever distance you want as well. There's also a 25 yard pistol range and a skeet range.
The closest range is about 4 miles down the road and only $25 a year, with a $100 startup fee for new members (which wasn't enacted until after I joined!). It's a very basic range, pretty much just an old gravel pit with burms formed at 25, 50 and 100 yards. No target stands of any kind. Bring your own and dispose of it. They do have a clubhouse but I don't have a key. I think only senior members have them.
The nicest range is about 10 miles and cost $175 a year, with a $50 startup fee for new members. This place is huge. It has a competition pistol range, law enforcement only range, archery range, separate trap and skeet ranges, the "Utility Ranges" that include three 25 yard pistol ranges and 50 and 100 yards ranges- all with very nice covered benches and newly built target stands. Then there's the IDPA range and the 600 yard rifle range. That has all targets at one burm and shooting positions at 300, 400, 500 and 600 yards. There's also a club house with an indoor range in the basement. I find that to be useless though since it's only open a few hours at a time twice a week- when I'm not able to get there. This is a really nice place and they make constant improvements / upgrades. They even have very well stocked first aid kits at every range, which I haven't seen at the other two places. They can be a little over the top safety nazis though. I know, I know.... you can never be too safe. But sometimes you just want to tell them to relax a bit. I was there with my cousin and his friend once last year, shooting pistols. My cousin was shooting from 10 yards while his friend was sitting at the firing line inspecting the parts of his completely disassembled pistol. An RO drove up and jumped out of his car screaming at us because one guy was touching a firearm while another was forward of the firing line. I pointed out that it was in pieces all over the bench and he yelled back "It doesn't matter!" Umm, yeah it does. The gun was in pieces. Unfireable. An inert pile of parts. The guy looked like his head was going to explode.
When I visit my brother in Baton Rouge it's $15 all day with re-entry. Can draw and fire, rapid-fire allowed, targets on the electric pulley system, goes to 50 ft. Has a plate area. No rifles allowed.
If you are like me (and I'm sure many of you are) and spend literally an entire day at the range, the drive to the Lockhart range is well worth it.
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
I do when I drive out to the outdoor place. Or at least around 3+ hours. 35 minute drive out there, 15 minutes getting signed in, unloading the stuff, etc., 3.5 hours or so shooting leisurely (while contemplating which of BBS's handguns he wouldn't miss right away) another 10-15 minutes packing up and then the 35 minute drive home.
One reason I was a little excited to have a place 3 minutes from my driveway. But at those prices, no thanks.
My wife mentioned that maybe since it was all so new, and with it being hunting season (and the fact that the parking lot has been packed every time I've driven by the past week) means they're just charging more now to help pay it all off. Maybe so. But I just don't see many people paying $350 up front to use the place. Not when there are much more affordable options around. I mean, you are a gun store. I can either put $350 towards a gun, or $350 towards range membership. I surely can't do both.
forgot to mention that in my original post. The range was "hot" the entire time. We were on lane 1 of 12 for the pistols range. I really wish I had thought to take some pics. But it was well constructed, with steel dividers at each lane. A good height table area to put your guns, mags, and ammo. But unlike the other ranges I've been to, which were usually 20 hot, 10 cold every 30 minutes, there was no hot/cold here. The rules stated that a cease fire could be called by the range master (who was present the entire time, pacing back and forth behind all shooters) but that there was no distinct cold time.
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
Please clarify - I assume that's not $6 per round of ammo?!? If it's per round of skeet or trap, that's a pretty good deal. Range I worked the gun shop in front of was IIRC ten bucks per 25 shots of skeet or trap, $25 for a round (50 shots) of sporting clays (and it wasn't the full sporting clays experience, all targets were launched off of a set-in-place tower). And this was over ten years ago.
The range where I shoot charges only $8 per person, no time limit or gun limit. If there is a waiting line they'll urge you to take a break and let others shoot but they still don't charge per hour.
It's a nice clean 50-ft indoor pistol and 22 rifle range, about 25 booths. No membership fee either but they sell a discount card that gives you 20 visits @ $7 per punch.
One thing I like about this range, even though it's not large or fancy, is that if you're "known" they don't inspect your firearms or require them to be unloaded. You just come in, give 'em your card, and go into the range area proper, no biggie. For me, it works fine because then I can bring a pistol from home and start shooting with it in the exact condition it was for my SD.
Agree the XD/XDM is a better pistol overall and has a nicer trigger action than Glock. My new XDM .45 shoots beautifully. Of course, being a striker action, it doesn't compare with the sweetness of the SA 1911, but what does? Still, being what's essentially a DA system, the XD/XDM trigger is excellent.
Yeah, another thing that sort of bothered me about it. They guy asked me if we needed any (overpriced) ammo. I said we didn't, and he asked what we were shooting. I told him my XD 40, and he said he needed to see the ammo. It was just a mix of Blazer Brass and WWB, all FMJ stuff. I pull out a mag from my range bag and hand it to him. Gave me a mini-lecture about "next time, no loaded mags." Next time? Sorry, but I have about 10 magazines, and I took the time the night before to load them all. I'm not going to waste range time on loading magazines.
The gun was in a zippered case, unloaded, no magazine, and locked back to show the empty chamber. The magazines were in another case, loaded. And he was going to give me grief over having preloaded my range ammo.
Depending on the range around here, loaded mags are either allowed or not allowed. Usually not. At the LA range I go to, they don't care, just don't bring in a loaded gun. Except for your CCW. That's okay.
All the old timers (like me) go at daylight and start drifting off when the knuckleheads start showing up, around 10:00 AM, if it's a nice day.
I also have a place I can go for complete privacy (usually) where I take my own target stand and can set it up out to 300 yards. It is land owned by the company I work for and costs nothing, but it's a 40 minute drive from home, so I usually take a half day off and go from work.
The only indoor range I can go to charges about $20 for two hours, the best I can remember. I avoid it, mostly.
...working on a new 1000yd range next year...
The guys where I shoot are mostly LEOs or reserve, range is owned by a couple of retired, place is usually full of uniforms and such. The people keep a close eye on newbies -- it's not a huge range so they eyeball anyone coming in, say "Hi Sam" even though I'm not there all the time.
Anyone who's worked in any customer-related biz can relate, you quickly learn who's bumping into walls and who's not. "Can I help you?" I'll hear them, and they're very polite and helpful to newbies, but watchful. Regular customers, they just wave hello "Need any targets?" and so on.
All of these "clerks" being LEO-trained, they've got "cop eyes" and are very sharp. I've been hanging out, looking at guns and stuff, and I half-listen to them working. Regular customers, they just wave through. There's a setup area outside the soundproofed area where we can gear up, get our glasses and ear protection, and this big common table where shooters gather and chat. I've seen how the staff watch us, so they're not being lax.
I don't know exactly how to describe it, but this smallish range is like "family", not a big radio advertiser, and since it's all 50ft indoor, folks who shoot long guns or shoot tactical go elsewhere. So I guess larger ranges are tighter on bringing in loaded guns and such. And I understand this.
For me, it's a pleasure to simply gear up and go inside to shoot. The regular customers are simply let alone and those customers know to behave and earn that respect.
Sometimes I've brought a newbie with me (often a gal -- women LOVE to shoot but are usually shy about asking -- but you single men can verify, "first dates" taking a gal shooting is a real treat). Anyway, If the guest is not a "gun nut", I of course have my pistol unloaded, and take time to show the guest how to aim, instruct on range safety, etc. This is naturally what we all do with newbies. But I've seen the staff watching me, and giving me a thumbs up. So they watch what's going on. And I've also been outside and heard "Bill, check out lane five, that guy doesn't know where to point his gun".
Anyway, bottom line, if I'm by myself or with an experienced friend, we just sign in and get to shooting, no examination of guns or ammo or anything else. For which I'm greatful. Often I'll bring in one of my SD pistols condition one and empty the magazine right away, firing all the "hot" SD ammo to verify that my pistol is ready to use and that I'm on target with the snappy ammo.
And in payback, I try to be a responsible and safe customer.
Most definitely to this one. Anytime I offer up a "Hey, I'm going to the range at X time, want to go?" I always either get a "Hell yes" or a "I have class/work/am in a coma/etc, can you please tell me next time you go?" As a side bonus, after doing both formal and informal instruction, women are far better learners than men in general, especially when it's younger women (early 20's) v. younger men.
Anyway Sam, the indoor place I go to in Lubbock sounds a LOT like your range. They've known me since I was 14, plus Dad goes regularly, and these days when I drop in (only a few times a year) they go "Hey Matt, what's up? What kind of target do you want?" They have no problem with me walking in with just a box of ammo in hand, borrowing ear muffs and glasses, going in and pulling out my CCW to practice. Of course, it doesn't hurt that one of the workers there instructed my CHL class when I was 19 and shoots IDPA with me. I usually stay after and tell tall tales. Great atmosphere to go shoot at.
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
Not a red cent...the range is a mile from my house, only requirements are to supply your own targets and clean up your mess. Usually some older guys there to help out with problems and keep any range idiots that show up in line.
Long range stuff takes place in any one of a number of pastures where we can reach out to 1K+.
Okay, you suck worse than Wambli. Wanna know why? This^^^^^. Firearms are a fine thing to have, but having the ability to use them? Priceless.
Needless to say, when I go I make a day of it.
Sako
Most of them do hunter shoots in the fall, but many limit the time and number of guns and charge PER gun. So the place I normally go, I have to spend at least 20$, and I may be able to bring more guns, I may not, depends on the crowd.
There is an indoor one by Calebib's place and that is like 20/hr.
There is a shooting place that is part of a state park anyone can join as well. I forget the cost, but you have to pay membership AND a state parks pass. So if you aren't a member and just want to go shoot one day, you'll pay 8$ to get IN to the park, then like another 15$ to get IN the range. Pricey, and very, very few options to shoot around here...go figure. Its not like you can dang near to Kansas, or Utah, or New Mexico, or Wyoming.....oh wait, yes you can. Land every where, not a place to shoot.
See, I wouldn't mind that at all. It would take me less time to do that than it did to load all my mags up.
:rotflmao: Amazing. What morons. Actually, it *could* have been required by their insurance... if so, that is another example of overregulating a business into extinction.
We have a very nice indoor range ~25 minutes away (16 25 yd lanes, 3 100 yd lanes) that charges ~$200 for an annual membership (shoot as much as you want), or ~$13 per visit. The only restriction is that since the rifle range is almost ALWAYS in use, there is a 1 hr time limit on the rifle range, then you have to go back and sign up again (get in the rotation) if you want to use it more.
The fix for that Glock trigger is as simple and cheap as a $12 3lb trigger replacement.
Luis
I pay $125/year for unlimited use of a variety of handgun and rifle ranges. But then again, you KNOW where I shoot......since you were the one who took me there the first time.
The 10mm connection is why I have a glock.