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Hi Guys,
Ive been in LA 3 years, and I have yet to shoot out here. Ive been busy with other things but its bothering me and I miss it dearly. I still shoot when I go back east on trips, but not being able to shoot or hunt easily out here kills me and makes me want to move...but there is a lot of good things I have going on otherwise in Cali that benefits me staying here.
A little on me, I grew up on east coast in a place that shooting and hunting was normal and part of growing up. I went shooting in the spring, summers, and fall almost every night after sports practice. Lots of small game and varmit hunting. Dad was a big reloader, and I shot everything from black powder, to pistols, to assault rifles, and sniper and hunting rifles. I did a short stint in military, as well am a retired police officer. I worked patrol, SWAT on a major metro team, and full time police academy instuctor. So I always had tons of trigger time for my job, as well visiting my parents went shooting all the time, its a father son tradition. We hunt and shoot damn near everyday I visit home. Ranges back east are like $25-40 a year, indoor pistol, outdoor pistol and rifle, steel, sporting clays, fishing pond, indoor and outdoor archery. Its amazing compared to here and other places Ive lived like DC where range prices are insane, some you gotta buy ammo from them at prices more than retail, and safety nazi rules that do not allow you to train tactically or practical self defense.
Ive competed in IDPA, sniper, and SWAT shooting competitions. Id love to shoot steel out here, maybe try IDPA or IPSC, and I have an interest in learnin sporting clays/skeet/trap. Just so there is something firearms related I can learn to do and get away on weekends to have fun, and meet some people in the firearms community. Here in the South Bay area (Manhattan, Redondo, Hermosa), if you mention guns people look at you like you are a barbarian or a weirdo. So strange...Im a well educated guy, brand name academic undergrad schools, a masters in forensic science, and over half way done with a masters in sports performance enhancement psychology, and a very responsible citizen. But out here in Cali it seems like talking about guns makes you a looney.
So anyways, Im trying to see if there is an affordable way for me to learn some sporting clays or shotgun shooting sports since the ammo prices are still fairly cheap, and if there is a place I can shoot some steel and maybe train for IPSC, IDPA, or similar type competitions. I will have to buy a pistol out here Im guessing, with all the strict gun laws I didnt want to risk breaking any laws so left all my firearms back east minus one belly gun for personal protection, a pump shotgun, and an old argentine mauser in the long shot chance I got to do some hunting out here.
Anyone in the South Bay/Manhattan Beach area that might want to hook up for coffee and enlighten me on the shooting scene around here? Any kinds of hunting I might be able to get into without needing to take a week off to travel somewhere? And a place to learn shotgun shooting sports and maybe practice some steel shooting with a pistol?
I have plenty of handguns back east, but instead of risking breaking laws I might just buy a cheapo used Glock or something out here to use to plink if I find a range I can do steel at. Everything I have is high cap mags, and I know 10 rounds is the limit here.
Im also trying to network with law enforcement to find a range, but even in the law enforcement community and me being retired LEO including SWAT, everything out here seems so uptight, anal retentive, liability freaking out, and not wanting to help me find a place to shoot. So strange...back east, down south, I imagine in the western mountain states, you can hook up with other cops and departments let you shoot and train for free no big deal. Out here it seems so paranoid, and Im not even sure if cops out here are gun guys or its just a tool they have to use at work. I imagine some of the SWAT guys on the bigger teams must like shooting though, I hope!
Besides growing up shooting and hunting, and being a cop, Ive also spent 4 months working at Storm Mountain, www.stormmountain.com. If anyone is into long range rifle or sniper training, West Virginia is a long ways away, but an amazing place to train! I love it there ,its like tactical Disneyland!!
God Bless, Stay Safe
Matt
PS-Im also an off road guy, have a Jeep Rubicon with minor lift, winch, skids, etc, and an old 4runner with locker that should be okay for trails. Havent done much other than few big bear runs in the Jeep. Would love to find a crew of folks who enjoy the outdoors, shooting, hunting, and off roading. Im also a martial arts fan, doing muay thai and krav maga right now, and an avid powerlifter and olympic lifter. I played college football and was a Divison One strength and conditionig coach for a number of years.
Ive been in LA 3 years, and I have yet to shoot out here. Ive been busy with other things but its bothering me and I miss it dearly. I still shoot when I go back east on trips, but not being able to shoot or hunt easily out here kills me and makes me want to move...but there is a lot of good things I have going on otherwise in Cali that benefits me staying here.
A little on me, I grew up on east coast in a place that shooting and hunting was normal and part of growing up. I went shooting in the spring, summers, and fall almost every night after sports practice. Lots of small game and varmit hunting. Dad was a big reloader, and I shot everything from black powder, to pistols, to assault rifles, and sniper and hunting rifles. I did a short stint in military, as well am a retired police officer. I worked patrol, SWAT on a major metro team, and full time police academy instuctor. So I always had tons of trigger time for my job, as well visiting my parents went shooting all the time, its a father son tradition. We hunt and shoot damn near everyday I visit home. Ranges back east are like $25-40 a year, indoor pistol, outdoor pistol and rifle, steel, sporting clays, fishing pond, indoor and outdoor archery. Its amazing compared to here and other places Ive lived like DC where range prices are insane, some you gotta buy ammo from them at prices more than retail, and safety nazi rules that do not allow you to train tactically or practical self defense.
Ive competed in IDPA, sniper, and SWAT shooting competitions. Id love to shoot steel out here, maybe try IDPA or IPSC, and I have an interest in learnin sporting clays/skeet/trap. Just so there is something firearms related I can learn to do and get away on weekends to have fun, and meet some people in the firearms community. Here in the South Bay area (Manhattan, Redondo, Hermosa), if you mention guns people look at you like you are a barbarian or a weirdo. So strange...Im a well educated guy, brand name academic undergrad schools, a masters in forensic science, and over half way done with a masters in sports performance enhancement psychology, and a very responsible citizen. But out here in Cali it seems like talking about guns makes you a looney.
So anyways, Im trying to see if there is an affordable way for me to learn some sporting clays or shotgun shooting sports since the ammo prices are still fairly cheap, and if there is a place I can shoot some steel and maybe train for IPSC, IDPA, or similar type competitions. I will have to buy a pistol out here Im guessing, with all the strict gun laws I didnt want to risk breaking any laws so left all my firearms back east minus one belly gun for personal protection, a pump shotgun, and an old argentine mauser in the long shot chance I got to do some hunting out here.
Anyone in the South Bay/Manhattan Beach area that might want to hook up for coffee and enlighten me on the shooting scene around here? Any kinds of hunting I might be able to get into without needing to take a week off to travel somewhere? And a place to learn shotgun shooting sports and maybe practice some steel shooting with a pistol?
I have plenty of handguns back east, but instead of risking breaking laws I might just buy a cheapo used Glock or something out here to use to plink if I find a range I can do steel at. Everything I have is high cap mags, and I know 10 rounds is the limit here.
Im also trying to network with law enforcement to find a range, but even in the law enforcement community and me being retired LEO including SWAT, everything out here seems so uptight, anal retentive, liability freaking out, and not wanting to help me find a place to shoot. So strange...back east, down south, I imagine in the western mountain states, you can hook up with other cops and departments let you shoot and train for free no big deal. Out here it seems so paranoid, and Im not even sure if cops out here are gun guys or its just a tool they have to use at work. I imagine some of the SWAT guys on the bigger teams must like shooting though, I hope!
Besides growing up shooting and hunting, and being a cop, Ive also spent 4 months working at Storm Mountain, www.stormmountain.com. If anyone is into long range rifle or sniper training, West Virginia is a long ways away, but an amazing place to train! I love it there ,its like tactical Disneyland!!
God Bless, Stay Safe
Matt
PS-Im also an off road guy, have a Jeep Rubicon with minor lift, winch, skids, etc, and an old 4runner with locker that should be okay for trails. Havent done much other than few big bear runs in the Jeep. Would love to find a crew of folks who enjoy the outdoors, shooting, hunting, and off roading. Im also a martial arts fan, doing muay thai and krav maga right now, and an avid powerlifter and olympic lifter. I played college football and was a Divison One strength and conditionig coach for a number of years.
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