Author Topic: Where to shoot?  (Read 5985 times)

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Offline FASBOLD

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Where to shoot?
« on: December 15, 2012, 10:16:52 PM »
This is something that just amazes me, but is part of the "each state does it differently".

I grew up in Missouri and there are lots of public shooting ranges that are like county parks. You just drive up, park, go to the line and do your thing. I also know a lot of people with land where shooting any time is not an issue.

What I find in Michigan, a state that is big on hunting, that at least in SW Michigan, there are not many public ranges, to my knowledge. I have been in Michigan nearly 11 years, but have not gotten back into shooting until the past year.

I have been told that there is a range near Allegan, I think, but am not sure where it is.

When I bought my long guns, the gun shop just mentioned the gun clubs and the one near Allegan. I can understand them not mentioning that the competition in other towns have their own indoor ranges.

I learned of Freedom Firearms in Battle Creek from the calendar for January, when I was on the site yesterday, and was glad to see they have an indoor range. Beats trying to get permission from someone to go shoot on their land in the cold and rain. My neighbors with land outside town have moved, so I have to find someone else with land if I want to shoot close to home for no fees. I do have a co-worker who has a place were he shoots, but I have to get in touch with him in advance and schedule it. This co-worker did not know of anyplace else to shoot, since this place it at the neighbor across from his sister and does not need to look elsewhere.

If I can every come up with the money, I would like to buy a few acres suitable for shooting.

Freedom Firearms about 25 miles from my house, which is a lot better than another gun shop I learned of with an indoor range in Wyoming over 50 miles away.

I am sure that people who have been shooting in Michigan for a while know all the good places to go if they don't have easy access to land in rural areas. I am sure that most people find the place that works for them and stick with it.

I guess public land is good, but I like to know in advance where it really is no big deal to just go shoot, to avoid problems.

I know that I am not the only person who does not know all the free and inexpensive places to shoot in my general area.

If there are other gun shops that have ranges or places that are not too expensive, would it be in order to have a forum category for places to shoot?

I know there are a couple of gun clubs in my area, and I can see the value in joining one, but what about poor college students, or those who have tight budgets, those new to shooting?

The NRA website just lists gun clubs in my area, so until yesterday, I had no idea there were shooting ranges around here that were not part of a private club.
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Offline Raggs

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Re: Where to shoot?
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2012, 11:58:28 AM »
FASBOLD I know of a couple places that are pretty good, the first is kinda near to hastings, the other is in the southeast corner of Kent County. Not sure where you are but feel free to PM me and I will answer anything I can.

Offline Shadow Bear

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Re: Where to shoot?
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2012, 12:45:06 PM »
Stay tuned! We have quite a few members in the Kalamazoo area that will likely chime in with a number of locations near you.
Its not GUN rights, its HUMAN rights.

doesch

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Re: Where to shoot?
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2012, 05:51:53 PM »
The DNR has a decent website. As someone who went to college in Iowa I know exactly what you're talking about, it's nice to pull up to the state range and shoot without some range nazi bothering you or having to pay to use state property.

Shooting ranges by county:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10363_56074-131193--,00.html

Offline FASBOLD

  • Posts: 194
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Re: Where to shoot?
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2012, 08:15:56 PM »
@doesch

Thanks for the link. I came across that a while back, or on another site. It has two gun clubs, one it says the range is open to the public, but if I am not mistaken, if you go to their website, you have to go with a member. That's not exactly open to the public, as I understand it.

I don't recall the local Boy Scouts having their own shooting range. I will check that out.
"The people of these United States are the rightful masters of both Congresses and courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."
~ Abraham Lincoln
                     ****
"Too young to die, too old to take an ass whippin'."
~ Unknown