Range junkies, how do you keep costs down?

[SixPointEight]

What range keeps your brass? That sucks. Is it actually a rule that you can't pick up even your own brass, or is it something they implement so that people aren't fighting for each other's brass?


My response to a range that refused to let me pick up brass would be to only shoot .22 there. I'd also shoot revolvers and slip the brass into my pocket. If they wanted to kick me out for that - let them.

Oh, and steel cased ammo. Though something tells me that if there is a range that won't let you pick up your own brass, I bet they won't let you shoot steel or aluminum cased ammo either.

+1, the ranges I've been to have signs that say, only take what you shoot, but if you ask the other shooters around if you can have theirs, the range workers don't mind that. I usually end up with more brass than I brought, that's how I like it. Tell the people next to you, "hey, I'll clean up your brass if I can keep it" and if they don't reload they're happy to let you. Even if you don't need that caliber to reload, someone will want it, you can sell that for what you do need.

[sniper5]

Range membership, reload, shoot smallbore as much as possible, buy bullets and casings on line, buy powder and primers locally (no hazmat fee), and I shoot revolvers and bolt action large bore so I don't have to chase down my brass. Most of my auto's are .22's.

[randy]

Ways to save money at the range. If you go in the morning bring a dozen donuts. If you go at lunch or at night bring a pizza or two. Do this a few times and you'll get some love from the range personel. If you don't they suck and you should shoot someplace else. People say tip the bartender when you go out drinking this is the same idea for a shooting range.

If your range lets you do reloads from your belt then. Load one round in the gun and two in the go to mag. Shoot one round reload shoot one round. There are a lot of drills you can do that don't eat up ammo. Figure them out and practice.

Now you've sucked up the the range personel, and gotten in some good practice that hasn't cost you a fortune. Down the road it will pay you back. The range staff will let you in on deals or give you some "leeway" when shooting and you'll be good at firearm manipulations. without going broke.

[rod]

I shoot in my back yard and save quite a bit on range fees. To save money on ammo, I don't.

[SixPointEight]

Oh I don't remember seeing anyone say. NEVER BUY RANGE AMMO. It's usually marked up so high it's not worth it.

[bsg]

i admire folks that do their own reloads. i'm thinking about an old colt woodsman for cheap plinking; but oh the cost....

-Brady-

[delisle]

For me, I shoot alot of .45. I have three pistols and one rifle that shoot it. So I reload, pour bullets, and build targets from scrap that I find. Also print out targets or use old fruit and veggies from home as targets when shooting at BLM.

I shoot locally in Riverside at a pistol range once a month ($30) and then once a month at a BLM range for long guns, which is essentially free because I am already in the area visiting family.

[checkenbach]

I shoot .22LR a lot, centerfire less, air rifle even less. I try to bring a mix of guns to the range to keep it interesting, and try not to have too much overlap in caliber or platform. I reload for all the centerfire I shoot, and am an internet whore for deals on free or cheap shipping on expensive items like bullets or ammo. I'm an auto technician and scrounge lead for bullet casting as well. I belong to USI, if you shoot on the open range days, you can shoot all you want(within the allowed time frame) and the targets are paid for by the club. I've also traded hobbies somewhat, I gave up some expensive RC sailplanes for some expensive guns. The guns will last much longer, and will be worth much more than some carbon and fiberglass sailplane parts sitting in a dumpster somewhere. I still fly less expensive plane though, gives me something to do on those too windy to shoot days.

[JAGACIDA]

Are you talking about Iron Sights?

Thanks for all of the input.

Some of things that I've already done are to buy ammunition in bulk online when I see good deals and to not buy ammo at the range. I also have a membership to an indoor range a couple of miles from my house and I print my own targets. I've consolidated my pistols to just two calibers, 9mm and 357. I mostly shoot 38spl through the 357 as 357 ammo prices are climbing.

The .22 suggestions were really helpful and seemed to be the number one suggestion. I never even thought of this route. I'll have to look into some conversion kits for my 9mm auto's or for a decent plinker pistol.

I'll also look into reloading. My father used to reload and has a single stage system that is no longer in use. I don't know much about reloading but if it saves money and allows me more range time then it's worth a look.

How do you reloaders handle ranges that keep your brass?

I asked the young lady who runs the place and she says it's OK to pick up your own brass. That was about a month ago.

[fliparch]

Yearly membership, focus on accuracy instead of speed.

THIS!

[checkenbach]

Oh, and get a T.C. Contender single shot pistol and a few different barrels, you'll be surprised how long a box of ammo lasts.

[Mendo223]

I just bought a couple of .22s for this reason. I expect my ammo costs to drop and my range time to increase substantially.

.22s definately keep the ammo costs down..but the ten round limit is really a drag. and sometimes it just lacks teh POP that i get a rush for that a high caliber rifle round will give me..

[Henry Hill]

Shooting .22lr is the best way.. In on this thread for later

[shinbone]

This is an interesting thread. When I got into shooting, the honeymoon ended fast when I realized what I was spending.

What I've come up with is to get a membership that gives you free range time. Go to the range with a plan and stick to it. Without one, its all about shooting just to shoot, which is cool, but it sucks up money. On days I want to shoot centerfire, I plan out the trip for accuracy. So I go, set up my target, and dryfire for 15 minutes with a snapcap. Then I load only 5 rounds per magazine and s-l-o-w fire. I think I spend about a minute per shot. I get out of stance after every shot and focus on how to improve my next shot. This keeps you from tiring out and getting wobblier towards the end. I collect my brass after every mag. After over an hour and a box of 50rds, Im mentally tired from all the focus. I score my targets, chat with the ROs, pay 2 dollars for the targets, and take off.. A session with firearms doesnt have to end at the range. I get home, clean my gun, clean the brass and reload them. Thats like 3+ hours out of my time and its well worth it. After that, Im calm, fully meditated, and can do other things like pay bills, work, gym, work on the bike, etc..

[Intimid8tor]

I'm definitely not at the range enough, but I did a couple things to keep it interesting.

Bought a 15-22 to shoot 22LR
Have an AR in 7.62 which is cheaper.
Have an AR in 9mm which is cheaper.
Watch for good deals and buy ammo and targets in larger quantities.
Keep my brass in case I ever get into reloading.
Go slow and try to center each shot.