Deserted Rifle Ranges!

[jackson1]

Spending time at the range is one of my happiest pass times. The winter months I limit my shooting to skeet. I shoot with a couple of other old timers and we have a great time. No masks, no social distancing, just a good time had by all. We are a dying breed. What used to be a full parking lot with wait times, is now just a few cars. At least I get to park near the clubhouse. Sadly we do not generate enough income for the club. Last meeting we had to have a discussion about buying a half semi load of targets. Targets by the semi load were standard practice, twice a year. Same situation for our rifle and pistol ranges. Heck even the archery range is dead. Been through enough lean times to be prepared. Reminded my friends to prepare also. Most did not listen. Weekday mornings were my rifle range times and traditionally was never alone. Outside of just before deer season I am rather lonely now. My club is lacking in younger shooters or members. Our roster is declining, maybe we are just becoming extinct. The sad result of this is my dues will be going up. Yes I can and will afford it. Just hoping my life does not decline into video poker at the gas station.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Those of you talking about limiting your range time because of the lack of components, I say enjoy it while you can! Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow and who knows what the future brings.

 

[jelenko]

maybe we are just becoming extinct.

I think there is a key 'shift' driving the reduced participation in the shooting sports.
It's the shift from rural to urban. In 1940 over 40% of the people in the US lived in a rural area. While it seems like a very long time ago, in 1900 60% of the US population lived in a rural area. Today, it's 19%. For many people living in rural areas rifles and shotguns were simply another tool they used to survive/provide for their family. 'Everyone' knew about them and how to safely use them. There was enough space between people that it was much safer to fire a rifle.
In an urban setting it is significantly more dangerous to fire a weapon along with firearms no longer being a tool and familiar to the general population. Hence, in urban areas, broadly, firearms become dangerous things.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I shot at my range last Thursday for 5 hours. I shot at my range this past Tuesday for an hour. Both times no one else came to the range, however on Thursday I was shooting with my buddy. With the rain in the forecast until Saturday evening I will not be going back until Sunday after Church. I expect to see a few people then. We have a small crew of them there wannabe commandos than come out and train, if you can call it that.

 

[farmerjohn]

Those of you talking about limiting your range time because of the lack of components, I say enjoy it while you can! Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow and who knows what the future brings.

+1!! My friend, you nailed it. Starting 8 weeks of radiation treatment for cancer next week because surgery didn't get it all and I am determined to use up all I have put back. Powder, primers, bullets, new barrels and all. Thankfully I have my own pistol and rifle range here on the farm and don't have to drive, but take advantage of what you have while you can... John

 

[joshb]

I think there is a key 'shift' driving the reduced participation in the shooting sports.
It's the shift from rural to urban. In 1940 over 40% of the people in the US lived in a rural area. While it seems like a very long time ago, in 1900 60% of the US population lived in a rural area. Today, it's 19%. For many people living in rural areas rifles and shotguns were simply another tool they used to survive/provide for their family. 'Everyone' knew about them and how to safely use them. There was enough space between people that it was much safer to fire a rifle.
In an urban setting it is significantly more dangerous to fire a weapon along with firearms no longer being a tool and familiar to the general population. Hence, in urban areas, broadly, firearms become dangerous things.

That is spot on. It’s boiled down to city folk and country folk. What really REALLY chafes my brain is that we’re told we have to “accept “ all kinds of weird beliefs but good ole rednecks are “bad people”!

 

[jelenko]

That is spot on. It’s boiled down to city folk and country folk. What really REALLY chafes my brain is that we’re told we have to “accept “ all kinds of weird beliefs but good ole rednecks are “bad people”!

Yeah. Some part of it is being human - 'us' and 'them'. A big part is politics - politicians rally people around fighting 'them' and the media just loves it - so much drama.

 

[PigButtons]

+1!! My friend, you nailed it. Starting 8 weeks of radiation treatment for cancer next week because surgery didn't get it all and I am determined to use up all I have put back. Powder, primers, bullets, new barrels and all. Thankfully I have my own pistol and rifle range here on the farm and don't have to drive, but take advantage of what you have while you can... John

I pray that you have a full recovery.

 

[Cbashooter]

I always have too many equipment experiments and load developing chores going on in my range sessions that I don't want chit chat. I understand not everyone is like me though, but to comment directly at your post, I can bet you there will be even less people who want to spend the fuel to drive, and ammo is going to even more expensive with shipping costs rising. I'm properly caffeinated and still a debbie downer on this. Dang.

I'm similar to you .I go as far away as I can from everybody because I don't want a chitchat and lose concentration on what I'm trying to do. When I'm shooting my bench rest rifles And Schuetzen rifles I load from the bench and people will come behind me and just start talking and I basically can't shoot because I need to pay close attention.

And to answer the original thread topic.. I shoot 6 or 8 days a month minimum and this last couple years there are less and less people at the ranges

 

[jepp2]

I typically make about 50 trips to the range every year. And if you take out a few months I can't go (prairie dog trip, antelope and deer hunting etc.) that means I go more than once a week typically. I shoot all year long. I do notice when I go and the temperature is in the teens, I don't see anyone else at the range. Once the temp gets in the 20's, I see a few folks. Never too busy at our range unless an event is going on. We have 1200 members with turnover of about 100 each year.

 

[YEW PLUCKER]

I try to get out to the rifle range twice a week, even in the winter months. I belong to two clubs, one only 7 miles away, the other 12 miles so it's relatively convenient. I only shoot 10 rounds per range session, 5 at 100 and 5 at 200 yards just to stay sharp for upcoming varmint season and conserve components. Haven't done much predator hunting this winter.

These two ranges have been virtually deserted during the week. I would venture to say that after "sight in" for deer season, I haven't seen more than a dozen shooters at the range from late December until yesterday. Granted, I don't go on the weekends but in the past, I'd see at least 1 to 2 or more every time I went to the range during the week. With gas prices soaring, and ammo / component shortages, I imagine it will remain the same for the foreseeable future.

The good is that it's nice having the range without getting my eardrums crushed by muzzle breaks or being sprayed by flying case from semi-autos. The bad is that I miss the fellowship of fellow shooters although a lot of my buddies have passed on to the big range in the sky.

What about you guys - have you seen a significant decline in rifle range attendance?

I live in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. Even on the harshest winter days there is no shortage of shooters honing their skills or testing loads.

You gotta love it!

 

[55fairlane]

North East Indiana, I belong to 2 clubs, rifle range chair at 1, high power compilation at another.
Both clubs light use, the hard core high power guys (we shootban NRA 80 every Thursday afternoon) are still out in decent numbers

 

[K22]

+1!! My friend, you nailed it. Starting 8 weeks of radiation treatment for cancer next week because surgery didn't get it all and I am determined to use up all I have put back. Powder, primers, bullets, new barrels and all. Thankfully I have my own pistol and rifle range here on the farm and don't have to drive, but take advantage of what you have while you can... John

I will pray for you - my wife passed away last year from complications following cancer surgery, so I have a special sensitivity to this disease.

My neighbor has stage 4 cancer and the treatments have put it into remission and he is living a relatively normal life so keep up the faith, those treatments can and do work.

May God shine his blessing on you and your family.

 

[Rsadams]

My range is open to the public Tuesday and Saturday and that's when we throw skeet and trap because we have a range officer on duty.... I went Tuesday and there was the normal skeet shooters like myself and I ended up staying till the end of the day.... I worked RO duty out there for years before the club started changing but there was nobody in all day , not a single shooter.....

Now that gas is going up I bet the club will be paying ROs to watch themselves.... I try to stay on the good side of ammo shortages when they happen because I know they will end eventually and I have plenty of ammo for SHTF stuff etc.... BUT I wouldn't be surprised if the gas prices soar $7-$10 a gallon... That's what this administration wants.... I will wait it out like normal as long as I can but I bet there will be plenty who can't.... Price of groceries will skyrocket soon so you might want to figure out what brand of cat food you like now.... This may get bad...

 

[joshb]

My range is open to the public Tuesday and Saturday and that's when we throw skeet and trap because we have a range officer on duty.... I went Tuesday and there was the normal skeet shooters like myself and I ended up staying till the end of the day.... I worked RO duty out there for years before the club started changing but there was nobody in all day , not a single shooter.....

Now that gas is going up I bet the club will be paying ROs to watch themselves.... I try to stay on the good side of ammo shortages when they happen because I know they will end eventually and I have plenty of ammo for SHTF stuff etc.... BUT I wouldn't be surprised if the gas prices soar $7-$10 a gallon... That's what this administration wants.... I will wait it out like normal as long as I can but I bet there will be plenty who can't.... Price of groceries will skyrocket soon so you might want to figure out what brand of cat food you like now.... This may get bad...

........and it only took Joe a year and a couple months. Gotta be a new record! Get ready for the Great Recession. They won’t call it a Depression. The “Wokes” will have a new name for it.

 

[55fairlane]

........and it only took Joe a year and a couple months. Gotta be a new record! Get ready for the Great Recession. They won’t call it a Depression. The “Wokes” will have a new name for it.

The wokes will call it , re-education camp time, for you, God fearing, Gun holding, ferice individual......"welcome to we will break you, your will learn........."

 

[D Coots]

Ranges are dangerous. Just the other day a friend was at mine and a stray bullet did this.

 

[D Coots]

 

[rjtfroggy]

I went yesterday, only 2 others besides me were there. 45-50 degrees and calm winds I was expecting to see a few more at the benches.

 

[Shooter13]

Went to the range yesterday and couldn't believe there was no one on the rifle range! Nice day (65*) and a little wind (7-10mph) but I need to learn to shoot in the wind so a good day. There were 3-4 guys at the pistol range and one other guy came as I was loading up to go home. Components pricing and shortages and fuel cost will hamper this years shooting.