Non-Range Place to Shoot - Bay Area?

[Phil3]

I live in the San Francisco bay area and shoot at a range, but would like to be able to shoot at some where I can rapid fire a gun without violating a rule, or shoot at things which are fun to hit (golf balls, etc.). Are there any lands or other places reasonably close to the bay area where I can this? I would be shooting handguns as well as rimfire and centerfire rifle.

Thanks,

- Phil

[Salty]

I've got a couple of ideas...

1) Los Altos Rod and Gun Club on Skyline (Santa Cruz Mtns.) has a 100 and 40 yard tin can line. They allow you to shoot any plastic bottle or can under 1 gallon and you can even fill it with water if you like. They also allow rapid fire of rimfire guns (no centerfire) on the 40 yard tin can line only. Don't bring golf balls or spinners or anything though because they only allow plastic bottles and cans. I've been there, it's pretty nice, the only downside is that they want you to place your "targets" exactly on the 100 or 40 yard line and no closer. Dunno about you but trying to hit a can with open sights on a pistol at 40 yards is hard as hell.

2) Clays... Most places will let you nail 2 shots as fast as you can... takes some of the rapid fire itch away.

3) Chabot Gun Club has a lot of rapid fire matches. I haven't been there so I can't comment.

4) Panoche BLM land and the northern Los Padres National Forest are within a few hrs drive. Haven't been to either so I can't comment.

5) Markleys in Watsonville doesn't seem to mind double or triple taps as long as you're staying well within the target. They will say something if you dump a whole mag, but there is always a couple people shooting doubles or triples when I've been there.


I hear what your saying though. Not to be able to rapid fire is a real bummer. Some places are super strict, and regardless of how many seconds they require between shots they'll yell at you if you shoot with any kind of cadence. In fact Los Altos is like that unless shooting cans with a rimfire. They have kind of a reputation for being super strict, no matter how benign the rule... It's a nice range though, just make sure to stay well within the rules otherwise the RO's will quick to put a damper on your fun.

[nagorb]

BLM Land in Ukiah you can rapid fire all you want.

[knucklehead 61]

panoche hills blm land rules for rapid fire & tannerite fun!
mag dumps, pistols in both hands, ma deuce, anything goes as long as it is cal legal.

[djbooya]

I live in the San Francisco bay area and shoot at a range, but would like to be able to shoot at some where I can rapid fire a gun without violating a rule, or shoot at things which are fun to hit (golf balls, etc.). Are there any lands or other places reasonably close to the bay area where I can this? I would be shooting handguns as well as rimfire and centerfire rifle.

Thanks,

- Phil

You can do what you want at Jackson Arms in South San Francisco except shooting odd ball targets....they'll let you use pistol/rifle and as long as you have control of the weapon.

[megavolt121]

Make friends with someone at Scotts Valley and go with them!

[ryang]

Jackson Arms in SSF allows rapid center mass shots if you can stay on target. Reed's Indoor Range in Santa Clara allows rapid fire and holster draw if you take a pistol class from them. Chabot has tactical pistol and carbine competitions almost every Saturday.

[yellowfin]

WTF is up with the bit on not holstering your sidearm when not shooting at most ranges here? I for one prefer to have something I'm not shooting on my person when walking down range than on a table that any idiot can walk up to and pick up and drive off with and/or start pointing at me.

[Salty]

Reeds allows holster carry, shooting from a holster, and even quick draw, but ONLY if you have taken and the class there. If you have taken the class, and you are a regular customer, and they know you, they will even clear out the right half of the range for you, allow you to go in front of the shooting benches, and shoot on a hot range. Being a LEO doesn't hurt either.

Thats nice.

Typical elitist mentality. I've seen PLENTY of cops at the range who have had a hard time just keeping it on the paper.

[nagorb]

Look at the holes in the floor at the shooting stations. Hear all the horror stories about people shooting themselves in the foot or leg when trying to holster or draw. There are excellent reasons ranges don't allow that kind of stuff - it goes wrong most of the time.

Reeds allows holster carry, shooting from a holster, and even quick draw, but ONLY if you have taken and the class there. If you have taken the class, and you are a regular customer, and they know you, they will even clear out the right half of the range for you, allow you to go in front of the shooting benches, and shoot on a hot range. Being a LEO doesn't hurt either.

This is actually quite a general observation. If the staff at the range knows you, knows that you are a LEO or similarly well trained, knows that you shoot well and can handle a gun, sees the fine and well-maintained gun you brought, and knows that safety is foremost in your mind, they will go out of their way to serve you well. If on the other hand you come in as an unknown person, an angry young man with a chip on the shoulder, a black T-shirt, ill-fitting clothes, an attitude, too much testosterone, and you either bring a cheap gun or rent something, they will not cut you any slack, and will be watching you like a hawk, and won't allow you to do anything but careful slow-fire target shooting from the bench. That's because people in the "angry young man with attitude" category make too many holes in their walls, floors, furniture, equipment, and occasionally customers.

Does anyone smell that

[audiophil2]

Bullseye allows controlled rapid fire as long as you know what you are doing.

[Inkman]

Go out to USI in Concord and look at all the holes in the support beams and overhead areas at the shooting benches. Asked a RO recently about the newish movable wood target stands they have on the 25 yd pistol range. He said they last about two weeks or so before they are so shot up that they need to be replaced, and most of the time they are only about 7 to 10 yds away. I certainly don't want those same types of shooters drawing from a holster anywhere near me when i'm out there.

Al

[WCW]

I live in the San Francisco bay area and shoot at a range, but would like to be able to shoot at some where I can rapid fire a gun without violating a rule, or shoot at things which are fun to hit (golf balls, etc.). Are there any lands or other places reasonably close to the bay area where I can this? I would be shooting handguns as well as rimfire and centerfire rifle.

Thanks,

- Phil

Come on up to Lake Pillsbury.

[yellowfin]

Look at the holes in the floor at the shooting stations. Hear all the horror stories about people shooting themselves in the foot or leg when trying to holster or draw. There are excellent reasons ranges don't allow that kind of stuff - it goes wrong most of the time.

Didn't seem to happen to me for the first 29 years of my life, nor anyone I ever met. Funny, it doesn't seem to happen much at all at ranges in just about every other state--right to carry states, that is. Hmm, I wonder why that might be... I suppose they figure I magically transformed into an ignorant jackass as they're used to seeing just because I temporarily moved here?