Obscure and defunct shooting ranges

[Magilla26]

The Optimist range at the end of Davis street in San Leandro. It backed up to the bay.

[mstlaurent]

The entire state was a range when I was a kid. Drive out of the LA city limits and go at it. My dad was an LA assistant district attorney and knew the laws.

I know, I was thinking of all of the public ranges that there used to be up in Angeles NF. Center Range was just around the corner from the Monte Cristo Ranger Station. Kentucky Range was way up at the north end, just off the 14. Those were our two primary haunts.

[Dutch3]

Hutton Rifle ranch Topanga Ca. Golden Valley Skeet and trap Whiteman airport there now. Aqua Sierra Sportsmans club owned by Roy Rogers Chatsworth, Ca. Centinela Park pistol Range. Wes Thompsons Sand canyon, Ca. Litton Gun Club simi Valley Madera Road.

Where on Madera was that? I grew up in Simi and don't remember it.

[edgerly779]

franko he is asking about wes thompsons not texas canyon miles apart.

[edgerly779]

it was north of la avenue and north of the 118 which did not exist then.

[Dutch3]

it was north of la avenue and north of the 118 which did not exist then.

Oh, OK. I was thinking the other direction toward the Sheriff Station. I do remember when there was no freeway.

[Carcassonne]

There was one in Hayward for the Hayward Police Department. I think it was off Garin Ave

There was also another range near Lake Chabot. It was on the other side of the hill just above Juvenile Hall and the Looney Bin.

[97F1504RAD]

The Stoneman Range? Now an RC aviation facility.






I watched a cop shoot himself in the foot out there once, and no I don't mean he forgot to charge his mags or something and blew a stage, I mean he pointed his sidearm at his foot and pulled the trigger. That was also the first place I ever saw anybody shooting Major 9. Everybody who met him would check to see if he had all his fingers.

In WWII and for a while afterwards there was an Army rifle range on the North side of Leland, which is why there's a street in the area called "Range Road".

I tried to find the location of the old Brentwood Gun Club, but couldn't even find any scars. Which is weird, because I remember driving by it (private club) way back when, and thinking it was pretty easy to find. Must have houses sitting on the site now, maybe a member can pinpoint where it used to be. I wonder if the folks living in the houses might be lefties and freak out if they knew their house was built on a former gun range.

I think you may have got it. I know it did use to be used for PD training. I loved going there is not many knew about it and there was rarely anyone else there shooting besides me and my buddy when we would go.

[bergmen]

Santa Teresa Range south of San Jose. Used to be run by the Santa Clara Sherrifs Office.

It was one of the few that had a 200 yard range to sight in our deer rifles.

Dan

[Gryff]

The Optimist range at the end of Davis street in San Leandro. It backed up to the bay.

It's still there.

There was one in Hayward for the Hayward Police Department. I think it was off Garin Ave

A neighbor was HPD and took me up there once. I think it's funny that it's just above a high school, but nobody is losing their mind about it.

[holt7153]

Kentucky Range was way up at the north end, just off the 14.

Fun place but filled with drunk gangbangers with uzis. Sucks it shut down but it was probably a good thing.

[dozer wright]

Hmmm, Nobody mentioned the shooting range in Pacifica ?
Sharpe's Park, just below the highway. East of Pacific Coast Highway.

My Grandma was just teling me about Pacifica range . Interesting how shooting used to be in CA Seems lots of ranges everywhere . Pretty sad state of affairs we are in .
There is also a Range in the Basement of Alameda Police Dept .

[Dan_Eastvale]

The old Corona public and police range near the old golf course.

The Redlands range..

Encroaching housing killed both of them...

[pacrat]

OC Silverado canyon shooting range. No bones showing. All pink tile roofs now.

The "bare" bones still show on Google Maps. The range was just across the road from the Rangers Station. It was/is on Cleveland Nat Forest land. The Benches and "Old Charlie's" lookout tower are long gone. He was the absofreak'n epitome of an RO. Took no guff and cut no slack.

Retired USMC Master Sgt. I still remember him pulling his "Swenson" 1911 and ringing the 300 yd 18" gong with it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7469183,-117.6549778,18z/data=!3m1!1e3

Lots of good memories of that place. Foremost of which was meeting and being mentored by "Dean Grennell" who shot there often. Doing R&D for his articles. Who also happened to be a fervent Robert Heinlein fan like me. I didn't even know who he was, other than "Dean". Until Charlie told me how lucky I was for him taking the time to teach me the finer points of rifle shooting and reloading.

TANSTAAFL

[beerman]

San Gabriel Valley Gun Club

Silverado Cnyn Rod and Gun Club

Dont recall name but North End of Jeffries Rd in Tustin, in the OC.

SouthGate Gun Club, at west end of Stewart and Grey Rd

Long Beach Police Pistol Range...........now open to LB cops only

Standard Oil Refinery Gun Club.......El Segundo....source at refinery says it is now only used by El Segundo PD.

JR's Indoor Pistol Range....Long Beach...west side of Paramount Blvd just No. of 91 fwy.

Bell Pistol Range....indoor....basement of old Bell Theater. Gage Ave, Bell.

Those are the ones now gone within 20 miles of me.

You forgot a few..Whittier shooting range (right at the entrance of the old whittier dump)
Alhambra police range at whittier narrows (Public was welcome)
Interesting you mention South gate rod & gun club..my late uncle was a past president there.