Shooting at the range. Not that busy ?

[NDAR15MAN]

Just wondering if you guys have noticed a big drop off in shooters at the range. Man I sure have here in Iowa. I mean no one is shooting this summer. Only guys shooting are big reloader’s that have tons of ingredients. Ones that that have enough stuff on hand that they can shoot for 5 years without buying a thing. Us guys that just shoot factory ammo no one shooting. I have been at the range 1x a week the last 3 Weeks. One guy showed up Today and shot 10 shots out of AR15 and 8 shots out of a 1911 pistol. That’s it. Guy said anmo worth more than gold. He just wanted to make sure sights were still on Incase he had to shoot a looter or out and out thief . Just wondering if you guys seeing the same thing ? MD

 

[NDAR15MAN]

Will opposite of what is going on at are range. Just wondering. MD

 

[CarlGeorge]

I go during the week and not on the weekends - so this datapoint may not be of use. But where I go it has seemed *a little* less crowded.

I think the larger indication of decreased volume of shooters (or, more specifically, that ammo is scarcer) is that the number of 9mm empties found on the ground seems to be down. Before this craziness I could go shoot 100 rounds and take home 600 empties. Now much more is getting picked up. That's how it was in 2013: You couldn't find bullets, powder, primers *OR* brass.

 

[vegas]

Summer is pretty brutal here so it gets busy in the mornings. Hard for me to judge as I am not a morning person but I think with any ammo run, people slow their shooting down to eek out their supplies.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Too hot. Ive had my shotgun club all to myself this summer and the rifle range still has blasters but not as many

 

[KMart]

I agree with the too hot. It is July and the temp is running close to 100 and the feels like is up to 105. Personally, I still go a couple of times a week and get there at 0630 for set up. Start shooting at 0700 and out by 0930. A few other regulars do the same thing. There is another group that shoots in the late afternoon as it is cooling down some.
From checking the log in sheets at the club, the mid day shooting is almost non existent.
Yesterday we had one of the monthly club shoots. The usual 8 showed up. Shooting started at 0900. We were done and out by 1100 and the range was empty.

I went through a couple of sporting goods stores last week and 9 mm and 223 blasting ammo was virtually non existent. Another reason not to participate.

 

[rebs]

Our range is seeing very few shooters also. Even the matches are drawing less shooters but I attributed this to the Virus. People are just being safe and staying home.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Here in Central Pa I shot the South Fork Rifle Club Peeking Groundhog Match on Sat. In 90 plus degree heat. 58 guns, most ever for this shoot. There was a match there also on Sunday, the regular Groundhog Match that had over 60 guns. On Sunday I shot the 400 yd Deer Match at Anderson Creek Sportsmen , 9 shooters which is bit below average for that match, 94 degrees. We lost 5 regular shooters because it was also the first 1000 BR match of the year at Reade Range. Most matches I attend here this summer are actually up in attendence.. Seeing a big increase in factory gun shooters and lots of Ruger Percision type rifles. During the week at several local ranges I shoot, rifle shooting might be down a bit during the week but lots of handgun shooters. On weekends lots of bang-bang 5.56 shooting and defensive shotgun shooting. Lot of matches here for those interested, it was a deciding factor that kept wife and I from moving to Idaho 15 years ago. I am glad I stayed here.Remember, when a match goes away from either poor attendance or lack of help, not only is it never coming back, but there will most likely never be a new one to replace it.So, if your at home watching NASCAR or the NFL or pretty much any other pro sport when there is a match, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM even more than the kneelers. Shame on you.No shells, little short on cash this week for entry fee. Get of the couch go help at match. It's always needed.

 

[LaMan]

The state operated range I frequent in Lakeland Fl. has been open since May 8, but it is only open for 50% capacity and you only get to shoot for one hour a day. Certainly not worth the trouble especially with 110 heat index, oh and they no longer answer the phone so you can at least cheack on availabilty. I'll have to pack up all my gear and head to my lease in Ga. to get any meaningful load work done.

 

[mdram]

went a couple of weeks ago on a saturday , they open at 9am, by 9:15 it was full
stopped by on a friday afternoon to check on some ammo
it was full

 

[okie]

just noticed here yesterday there were not many cars at the dealerships---real sparse, i dont usually look but it was obvious the cars were not there.

 

[jghoghunter]

I'm the president of Mifflin County Sportsmens Assoc.. We have more people at the range during the week more people at the range on weekends. I also run both of the matches at the club and have had record setting attendance at both matches this year. Side note: we have had more members join as of July 1st than we had in all of 2019. On average we are still getting 3-4 memberships per week and we will still get our big push in August which is our hunters. We have 400 acres you can hunt on for a membership fee of $80-100.

 

[rr2030]

The 2 public ranges I visit are both packed with shooters. The price to shoot has gone up at the outdoor range, The indoor range operates every other lane to full capacity, a reservation is required to shoot there. Both ranges are in Ventura county, CA.

 

[ronsatspokane]

Mornings on both weekdays and weekends have seen some busy times. As the temps heat up during the day the range empty's out. Lot of new members at my range.

 

[jmkasza]

My local range is open Fri-Sun and its been busy. They were closed for a while, but re-opened May 23rd and its been just as busy if not busier than last year. Mostly the same shooters, but a few new ones too. We seem to have plenty of ammo available in Idaho, but sssssshhh don't tell anyone.

 

[SPQR70AD]

Just wondering if you guys have noticed a big drop off in shooters at the range. Man I sure have here in Iowa. I mean no one is shooting this summer. Only guys shooting are big reloader’s that have tons of ingredients. Ones that that have enough stuff on hand that they can shoot for 5 years without buying a thing. Us guys that just shoot factory ammo no one shooting. I have been at the range 1x a week the last 3 Weeks. One guy showed up Today and shot 10 shots out of AR15 and 8 shots out of a 1911 pistol. That’s it. Guy said anmo worth more than gold. He just wanted to make sure sights were still on Incase he had to shoot a looter or out and out thief . Just wondering if you guys seeing the same thing ? MD

maybe the fact that a lot of shooters got tons of ingredients is why other guys cant find ammo to go to the range

 

[243Lapua]

I don't even go to the range during this summer months. I go starting October and just to verify my scopes are sighted. And this is in S. Texas.

 

[Retired Grunt]

My range never really closed down completely, just the matches. I did go out on a Saturday afternoon in mid May and was alone with some birds. More recently, there seems to be four or five shooters. Never overcrowded and hardly a wait to put up a target.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Myself and Linedrive301 go to our 300 yard range in Brandford Fl. at least once a week. I usually shoot 35-80 rounds. We talk a lot. Very seldom are there other shooters, maybe one here and one there. They don't stay long. Yesterday afternoon I was bored and went to the range to shoot my 10/22. I was signing in when one of the owners came up and told me he was setting up for a 2 gun match that starts a 6pm. We talked and said he was going to mow the piece of property on the west side outside the range past the berms, completely safe area. He had the pistol range set up with AR500 and the 300 yarder at 15 or more pieces on it. I don't shoot 2 gun, but it looks like it would be fun. I bet if I went today I could pick up a lot of Lake City brass.

Temps are up, right now it's 92*, heat index of 101, 60% humidity which is low for us. Forecast for a high of 95*.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I went this morning, fair amount of brass at the 100 yard line. Strange mix of 22 rf and 30-30? No one else there, the wheel on the gate was flat. So I propped up the gate and took the wheel/tire in for a new tube, hope the other old guys appreciate the repair.