Places to practice shooting.

[Clem Snide]

My first post. I have a permit to carry, pocket carry 380, 38 snubby, 9mm full size, couple of shotguns. The closest range to me is Bill's Robbinsdale. I've also used Stock & Barrel New Hope (now closed), Metro in Blaine. I can accept the cost of ammo, which I can buy cheap in bulk, but sheesh, add $20 a pop for range time and now I can't afford to practice as often as I'd like. On the other hand, I feel like I can't afford not to practice...especially since I carry and have guns at home for the sole purpose of self-defense. I'm in the camp that says you're better off without a gun than be no good with one.

So I started googling looking for places outdoors to shoot for free. For example, there's this from the DNR @ http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forest ... ml#hunting:

"Forest lands are open to hunting and to target, trap, and recreational shooting except where prohibited by law, posted or designated closed for management or public safety purposes, or otherwise restricted by this part."

Ideas, experiences about shooting handguns outdoors within, say, an hour of Minneapolis?

[tator2k]

Gopher Campfire in Hutch is $45/year for membership.

Or come visit one of our steel matches April - Oct.

Check them out under 'Other Events'

[hard h2o]

OGC In Oakdale is a great place to shoot.

[grimbeaver]

A membership at Metro brings your cost down but you would have to shoot a lot of indoor to make up for the cost. It pays for itself a little quicker if take up shotgun too.

Based on the locations you mentioend you might want to look at joining one of these two clubs:
Bald Eagle Sportsmen’s Association - http://www.besamn.com/ - Has public hours if you do not want to join
Beaverbrook Sportsmen’s Club - http://beaverbrook.us/ - Rifle and pistol are members only

[Sigfan220]

The state lands are not all that convenient. I would pay $20 any day to shoot for a little bit locally. Plus if you drive all the way out to the local gravel pit you never know who you will find. I have shot at these types of locations in the past and prefer to spend say $40 on a range membership. Plus Depending on where you live the forest lands are more than an hour drive.

[andrewP]

Bald Eagle Sportsmen’s Association - http://www.besamn.com/ - Has public hours if you do not want to join

Public hours are pretty cheap, and so is membership. Hard to go too far wrong, really.

[Lumpy]

Same problem here. I can pay to go to Bills in Robbinsdale five minutes from my house, or drive for nearly an hour to use an outdoor range. Pretty much any indoor range is going to have to charge what Bills typically charges to cover costs, and you're not going to find an outdoor range in the metro area core.

[photogpat]

I quit publicly telling anyone about the outdoor shooting opportunities within 2 hours of the Cities.

They get so trashed within such a short period of time - then anyone else who goes there thinks it's just normal to leave all their garbage, spent shells, targets, lumber, glass, furniture, TV's, etc.... behind. It's embarrassing that gun owners do this.

[Sorcerer]

I buy the 20 token pak at Bills. Brings the cost down to $13.37 per trip.

[Sigfan220]

I quit publicly telling anyone about the outdoor shooting opportunities within 2 hours of the Cities.

They get so trashed within such a short period of time - then anyone else who goes there thinks it's just normal to leave all their garbage, spent shells, targets, lumber, glass, furniture, TV's, etc.... behind. It's embarrassing that gun owners do this.

The state is taking notice. They shut down the state forest north of Red Wing to target shooting. They also shut down the public range between Red Wing and Winona. Even some ranges are bad, people have no respect or morals.

[karlobag]

BeaverBrook is now open from noon to 5:00 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. $15.00 for two hours on the range.

http://beaverbrook.us/_docs/Open%20Shooting%20Flyer.pdf

It is up Hwy 65 a ways. http://beaverbrook.us/

[Ghost]

Not outdoor, not long but I just found out last night that Thursday nights are ladies nights at Gander Lakeville. Had a lady with me so the lane was $12.50/hour plus tax. Not bad, thought I was going to pay $25.

[OldmanFCSA]

Places to practice shooting.


in the past - North Minneapolis was a hot spot

[Holland&Holland]

Places to practice shooting.


in the past - North Minneapolis was a hot spot

The have shot detection technology now so it is really frowned upon. Plus they don't allow you to set up your chrono so...

[SGW Gunsmith]

I'm fortunate to be able to have my range out behind my shop. I can shoot out to 200 yards and have quite a few metal plate pistol shooting targets. There are times when I need to share my range with some of the native residents that have been prowling about this land before I acquired it: