On Target Indoor range in Laguna Niguel?

[Beetle Bailey]

Hello, I'm meeting up with someone from out-of-town to go shooting next weekend. He mentioned that On Target in Laguna Niguel is near where he'll be staying and asked if it was a good place to shoot. I usually go to Insight in Artesia when I shoot indoors, but that's gonna be a bit of a drive for him and he's not familiar with SoCal.

I've already done a search here and it's a 25-yard range that allows shotguns and rifles. Also, that they recently got new management. A friend told me it was a great range when he used to go there but hadn't been back since they got new management so he wasn't up to speed on it.

I'm interested in:

Rentals: How's the variety? Maintenance?

Staff: Friendly? Any special rules?

Prices? I'm not bargain hunting here, I just don't want us to get gouged. . .

Safety? Facilities? The usual. . .

Anyone care to share their personal experiences, good or bad? Or recommend other places in south Orange County? Thanks in advance!

https://www.on-targetrange.com

[Beetle Bailey]

Errr. . . anyone? It's a bit of a drive for me so it would be nice to know if it's worth the trip.

If not I guess I'll report back after I head down there. . .

[Dump1567]

I go there about once a month. Sign-in, get lane, and go shoot. When done, go get I.D. back and pay. No problems.

Not really state of the art. Just a target holder on a cable you can run out. (It is electric.) Sweep your brass into the range when your down (or keep it).

Don't know about rentals and I bring my own ears and eyes. Usually buy targets from them as they have a big selection. I bring my own guns and ammo also, but their rental selection looks decent. They're also a retail shop and sponser training classes.

It gets real loud if someone is shooting rifle next to you. I think they allow up to 300 win mag. No Shotguns.
Sunday is probably better than Sat.- less people. Don't shoot the target holders, they'll make you pay.
Good luck.

[AJD]

That's my favorite indoor range in OC. I live really close to the range in Brea, but sometimes I'd rather make the drive to On Target. The people there seem to be really nice.

[Riptide]

On Target allows rifles and pistols, but does not allow shotguns anymore. They use specific lanes for rifles and those lanes can be taken up pretty quick on the weekends.

It's a good clean range.

[Black Majik]

Ken,

It's a great range, the only range in OC other than the Sheriff's Range that has a 25 yard range. All the rest are 50 ft'ers max distance. Nice clean range from what I remember, though I haven't been there ever since they changed management. Not much to look at in their "store" anymore. The rentals are plentiful with nice variety. You'll have some options with everything pretty much in most common calibers. Glocks, HKs, 1911s, wheelguns, etc... Overall I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

If for some reason you don't end up at On Target, theres always the FiringLine HB! You can buy tennis balls there for reactive targets and they're a lot of fun to shoot.

[M24]

For rentals, you will need to buy their ammo...standard policy as most ranges I have been to.

They allow shooting of rifles, which can be unfriendly to newer shooters who are not familiar with the "loudness" factor rifles can produce in an indoor range. I took my wife there for her first time shooting a few months back, and we got placed next to 2 M1A shooters. I had fun...she didn't.

Overall, the range is nice to shoot. If memory serves, it was $15 1st shooter, $7 for the additional shooter, up to 3 in a lane. That's for the day, not per hour.

[WallySparx]

black majik, mind expounding on the tennis ball thing at firing line? as nearby as it is, i've yet to check that range out.

i often shoot at on-target after work, moreso now since my commute times have seemingly doubled since daylight savings time. great place, never had any problems. my only complaint is that they only use outside air to ventilate, so during the summer it can get really nasty in the range.

rentals: fair enough, plenty of variety in pistol calibers. i think the rifles they had were 10/22, mini-14, and sks if i recall correctly. $5 and you can rent whatever you want 1 at a time, i think.

staff: range from civil to friendly. on occasion it's taken me a little effort to get their attention when i first check in, but no biggie.

price: $15 for the lane as long as you want. i've run into waiting lists on saturdays, but never a problem any other day of the week.

safety: don't recall the last time i saw an unsafe customer there, and the ROs mostly seem to listen out for rapid fire (though people seem to get away with plenty of double taps)

[Beetle Bailey]

They allow shooting of rifles, which can be unfriendly to newer shooters who are not familiar with the "loudness" factor rifles can produce in an indoor range. I took my wife there for her first time shooting a few months back, and we got placed next to 2 M1A shooters. I had fun...she didn't.

I'm sure the muzzle brakes didn't help. Sorry to hear that. BTW, the guy I'm meeting up with is an experienced shooter so I am not too worried. However, since the max range is only 25 yards, I think I will just bring along my .22lr bolt-action rifle since I don't have a CQB carbine.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I think we'll just head to On Target.

[Moonclip]

Do you have to use special ammo for rifle calibers and if so how much is it? I'm mainly interested in function testing a Thompson Center Contender in .223 but I have a couple of guns in 7.62x39 I'd like to try out I haven't had time to try at an outdoor range.,

[Sheldon]

I bought one of my S&W 686 revolvers from that range on consignment. I brought along a few guns and my two sons figuring I would use the range since I was there. That day was really hot and it was even hotter in the range. I didn't even stay an hour as the kids were sweating bullets pretty quick. I don't know if the air conditioning was broke or if they just normally pump in outside air. That has been my only experience with that range as they are pretty far from me.

I was at the Insight range in Artesia to try to do a PPT. It looks like a really nice place to shoot. I want to go back there sometime and try it out.

[WallySparx]

Do you have to use special ammo for rifle calibers and if so how much is it? I'm mainly interested in function testing a Thompson Center Contender in .223 but I have a couple of guns in 7.62x39 I'd like to try out I haven't had time to try at an outdoor range.,

nope, no special ammo. you can even use wolf there.

[slick_711]

That day was really hot and it was even hotter in the range. I didn't even stay an hour as the kids were sweating bullets pretty quick. I don't know if the air conditioning was broke or if they just normally pump in outside air.

I know its a pain when its real hot/cold outside, but you'll find most indoor ranges function that way. It's actually fairly expensive to keep the blower system running all day to cycle the outside air, finding a way to condition that air (and fast enough to still keep the range smoke free) would be incredibly unreasonable from the range management's point of view. It sucks but rule of thumb for most indoor ranges is to dress for the weather outside.

During summer perhaps shoot mornings/evenings? I get asked all the time if theres something we can do about the temperature on the range (a few guys have asked if we could turn on the heater... then I can't help but laugh, guess they've never been out of SoCal). But the way the fan systems work its just not possible to condition the air in any efficient manner.

[maschronic]

+1 for on target!!! i got a membership there. i like it a lot better than firing line in HB.

[Beetle Bailey]

Well, I was at On Target today with BamBam-31 and I met up with the guy from out of town. Everything went smoothly and if it wasn't for the distance, I'd go back there.

Staff was friendly and courteous, facilities were great, and everyone was safe for the two hours we spent there. The only nitpick I can think of is that I'd like a light shining down from above so I can see my front sight a little clearer (I'm used to shooting outdoors in the sunlight). In other words, I really have no complaints.

Rentals: I was so busy doing other things that I forgot to get a good look at their rental selection, but I saw several .357 magnum revolvers as well as 9mm, .40 cal, and .45 auto auto-pistols. We rented a camo SIG 228, Springfield XD9, and a 9mm Beretta.

They also had a few longguns for sale but I was too busy chatting to get a good look at them.

Ventilation was fine, as the firing line never got smokey and as it's December, we didn't have to worry about hot air being pumped in from outside as I was warned.

One note for people interested in function testing rifles: per the website, no surplus ammo allowed.