Livermore Range is a joke

[M1A Rifleman]

Had Friday off and figured I'd hit the range as I had not been back since February. Get there 15 minuts after the 10 am opening, and every table was full even before the office was open to pay.

Seems they have changed policy and now allow you to stake a bench, unload, and sit while waiting around for the opening and pay. Meaning a person will need to get there at least 30 minutes before opening to get a bench.

Yea I know it has been busy the last 5 years (why I stopped going), and is now worse due to closures at Chabot and Concord, but what a joke.

[sealocan]

I've never been to Livermore but the whole bay area needs a lot more public and private (for $) ranges.

I do think there's a moneymaking business opportunity for some one or some company,
unless there's something I don't know about like outrageous insurance rates or city regulations against it.

[bug_eyedmonster]

I've never been to Livermore but the whole bay area needs a lot more public and private (for $) ranges.

I do think there's a moneymaking business opportunity for some one or some company,
unless there's something I don't know about like outrageous insurance rates or city regulations against it.

If there was more money to be made, I'm sure someone would have done it already. It's a shame, really. This is a lose-lose situation for us Average Joes. I, for one, cannot afford land to build my own range. I cannot afford the time to shoot as often as I'd like to support local ranges. Another byproduct of the growing cost of living here in the bay area.


Jerry


Jerry

[M1A Rifleman]

Another byproduct of the growing cost of living here in the bay area.

/\ This. Just a few more years till retirement and I'm out of this state.

[Merc1138]

Had Friday off and figured I'd hit the range as I had not been back since February. Get there 15 minuts after the 10 am opening, and every table was full even before the office was open to pay.

Seems they have changed policy and now allow you to stake a bench, unload, and sit while waiting around for the opening and pay. Meaning a person will need to get there at least 30 minutes before opening to get a bench.

Yea I know it has been busy the last 5 years (why I stopped going), and is now worse due to closures at Chabot and Concord, but what a joke.

Ok, and if they hadn't allowed people to put their gear down, you'd have simply been waiting in line instead and not gotten a table.

Either way, you'd have been waiting. How is that their fault? If anything, you were able to see that the tables were full without having to wait in line only to find out that one guy in line ahead wasn't alone and had another shooter waiting in the car.

[dyson]

I've never been to Livermore but the whole bay area needs a lot more public and private (for $) ranges.

I do think there's a moneymaking business opportunity for some one or some company,
unless there's something I don't know about like outrageous insurance rates or city regulations against it.

problem is which anti east bay city will allow a new range to open up in their area

[elSquid]

Filled up on a friday? Sheesh.

Looks like I'll be driving east to shoot...what are the best outdoor ranges in San Joaquin county?

-- Michael

[E92335i]

I haven't been back there since last December. Thought you had to wait and they give you an assigned seat number. So now just go there and save your bench and tell them the number?

[Mitch]

I've never been to Livermore but the whole bay area needs a lot more public and private (for $) ranges.

I do think there's a moneymaking business opportunity for some one or some company,
unless there's something I don't know about like outrageous insurance rates or city regulations against it.

Regulations would be a major stumbling block, but the biggest problem is simply the cost of real estate in the Bay Area. For whatever given acreage, it would be far more valuable for almost any other use than an outdoor shooting range.

[ChuckDizzle]

Filled up on a friday? Sheesh.

Looks like I'll be driving east to shoot...what are the best outdoor ranges in San Joaquin county?

-- Michael

San Joaquin Rifle and Pistol Range, commonly referred to as "The Linden Gun Range."

Rifles can be shot at 50, 100, and 200 yards if you qualify for the 200. I think qualification is a 4 inch 5 shot group at 100 yards. It's nice because the 200 yard range is usually sparsely populated and very chilled out by comparisson to the 50 yard range. They also have plenty of pistol lanes from 7-25 yards and you can shoot shotguns on the 25 yard lanes. Unfortunately no clays though. I think they also have a reactive steel plate station for pistols if you qualify for them as well. Around Halloween time you can bring a pumpkin to shoot too.

Entry is a little steep at $17 a person, but kids are free.

Edit: I would call ahead though if you plan to go and check what lanes are open. Occasionally they will close down the 200 yard range for competetive shooting matches.

[Carcassonne]

I've never been to Livermore but the whole bay area needs a lot more public and private (for $) ranges.

I do think there's a moneymaking business opportunity for some one or some company, unless there's something I don't know about like outrageous insurance rates or city regulations against it.

The main problem is lead contamination of outdoor areas. Shooting lead into a hillside is not as easy to clean up as shooting it into a backstop inside a building.

City and County regulations also plays a large part in why there are no ranges. Look at all the city and counties in California with their ammo sales laws.


.

[Sousuke]

No planning department within the bay area will ever approve a new outdoor range. Never.

And I doubt existing ones would ever be allowed to expand.

[drkphibr]

Had Friday off and figured I'd hit the range as I had not been back since February. Get there 15 minuts after the 10 am opening, and every table was full even before the office was open to pay...

Wow, all full on a Friday morning. That's both good and bad news. Good news for the range ($), bad news if you wanted to shoot on a weekday and didn't anticipate the volume at that time/day.

I've noticed a number of changes @ Livermore over the last few months (some newer than others), such as:

1. Only 2 guns on the bench at a time. They say it's to reduce the potential of mixing up ammo if you have too many on the bench at once. I call BS on that one as what if your two guns are 9mm & 380...or 44 and 45 LC?
2. Newest is no standing while shooting a rifle. What will they consider an AR pistol if someone is standing?
3. No movement of ANYTHING (leaving/entering) during a cease fire. I actually like/agree with this. Don't want any of my stuff walking away while I'm grabbing my target down range.
4. 12 new lanes on the left side of the entrance. Originally for 22lr...now open to pistols at <25yds. Good IMO.
5. New burm work to change/remove 25yd 4' signs. Looks like they are going to a single 6' target stand. Will be interesting to see the grade work post closure EOM.
6. No guns in cases on ground next to bench, must be behind yellow line. Ummm, isn't a cased gun on the ground next to the bench the safest place for a gun? Never understood this one myself.
7. 2 hr time limit now being enforced. Good and bad. Good if you're waiting and want a bench without having to wait all day. Bad if you liked to shoot all day for a low fee ;-)
8. Never could understand (ESPECIALLY on busy Saturday/Sunday mornings) why they ask (and allow) each shooter how many benches they want. Should be a min/max per bench. Sucks to be behind the small group ahead of you that wants a bench for each person and that just so happens to be the last available benches ;-0 (and they end up congregating around one bench while leaving the others seemingly abandoned for large blocks of time). On a busy day with a waiting line, groups should not be able to get benches for each person...or they should come up with a min/max guideline when very busy.

All things considered, a great and friendly range IMO. Just my .02

[Mitch]

Never could understand (ESPECIALLY on busy Saturday/Sunday mornings) why they ask (and allow) each shooter how many benches they want. Should be a min/max per bench. Sucks to be behind the small group ahead of you that wants a bench for each person and that just so happens to be the last available benches ;-0 (and they end up congregating around one bench while leaving the others seemingly abandoned for large blocks of time). On a busy day with a waiting line, groups should not be able to get benches for each person...or they should come up with a min/max guideline when very busy.

What's the difference? If they do what you suggest, instead of a group of four checking in, four individuals will check in.

[Merc1138]

Wow, all full on a Friday morning. That's both good and bad news. Good news for the range ($), bad news if you wanted to shoot on a weekday and didn't anticipate the volume at that time/day.

I've noticed a number of changes @ Livermore over the last few months (some newer than others), such as:

1. Only 2 guns on the bench at a time. They say it's to reduce the potential of mixing up ammo if you have too many on the bench at once. I call BS on that one as what if your two guns are 9mm & 380...or 44 and 45 LC?
2. Newest is no standing while shooting a rifle. What will they consider an AR pistol if someone is standing?
3. No movement of ANYTHING (leaving/entering) during a cease fire. I actually like/agree with this. Don't want any of my stuff walking away while I'm grabbing my target down range.
4. 12 new lanes on the left side of the entrance. Originally for 22lr...now open to pistols at <25yds. Good IMO.
5. New burm work to change/remove 25yd 4' signs. Looks like they are going to a single 6' target stand. Will be interesting to see the grade work post closure EOM.
6. No guns in cases on ground next to bench, must be behind yellow line. Ummm, isn't a cased gun on the ground next to the bench the safest place for a gun? Never understood this one myself.
7. 2 hr time limit now being enforced. Good and bad. Good if you're waiting and want a bench without having to wait all day. Bad if you liked to shoot all day for a low fee ;-)
8. Never could understand (ESPECIALLY on busy Saturday/Sunday mornings) why they ask (and allow) each shooter how many benches they want. Should be a min/max per bench. Sucks to be behind the small group ahead of you that wants a bench for each person and that just so happens to be the last available benches ;-0 (and they end up congregating around one bench while leaving the others seemingly abandoned for large blocks of time). On a busy day with a waiting line, groups should not be able to get benches for each person...or they should come up with a min/max guideline when very busy.

All things considered, a great and friendly range IMO. Just my .02

So if I show up to the range with friends, we should be forced to group up together on the same bench? How are they going to dictate that? Putting a camera on the driveway to see who showed up together?

Now if they were allowing more than one bench per person, that'd be crappy. But you're complaining about one bench per person. Might as well go one step further and pair you up with a random stranger to share a bench.

Also, the no standing while shooting a rifle isn't surprising. I don't see how anyone but a midget(that's under 6' for you short people) could shoot further than a target posted at 10 yards there and not hit the overhang because it's so low. I couldn't possibly do it unless I was squatting.