-
Chabot
Gun Club (outdoor multipurpose), Castro Valley
- San
Leandro Rifle & Pistol Range (indoor/outdoor), San
Leandro
- Richmond
Rod and Gun Club (outdoor pistol; shotgun)
- Target
Masters (indoor pistol), Milpitas
- Jackson
Arms (indoor pistol), South San Francisco
- Bullseye
Precision (indoor pistol), San Rafael
- Northbay Firearms
(was Montana Hawk) Out Of Business
- Livermore-Pleasanton
Rod and Gun Club (outdoor multipurpose), Livermore
- United
Sportsmen, Inc. (outdoor multipurpose), Concord
- Coyote
Valley Sporting Clays, Morgan Hill
- Los
Altos Rod and Gun Club (outdoor multipurpose), hills above Los Altos
- 6-B
Sporting Clays (shotgun), south of Tracy
- Coyote
Point, San Mateo/Burlingame border
- Field
Sports Park aka "Metcalf" (outdoor rifle and pistol),
south San Jose
- Reeds
Indoor Range (pistol), Santa Clara
- Birds
Landing (shotgun), Birds Landing
- Black
Point Game Bird Club (shotgun), near Novato
- Sacramento
Valley Shooting Center (outdoor multipurpose), Sloughhouse
- Sunnyvale
Rod & Gun Club (outdoor rifle/pistol)
- Markley's
(indoor pistol),Watsonville
- Martinez
Gun Club (shotgun), Martinez
- Yolo
Sportsmen's Association (outdoor multipurpose)Vacaville
- Willow
Pass Range and Tactical Training Facility, Concord
- Pacific
Rod and Gun Club (shotgun), at Lake Merced in San Francisco
- Circle
S Ranch, Petaluma
- Laguna
Seca Rifle and Pistol Range, near Salinas
- San
Jose Municipal Pistol Range (indoor pistol with ammo restrictions)
- Guns, Fishing, and Other Stuff in Vacaville
- Lincoln Rifle Club in Lincoln. Two range locations (indoor and outdoor)
- Favorite Gun Pages Elsewhere
- New
to the Bay Area and/or the Gun World?
- A
Special Note on Archery
- Administrivia:
caveats presented, ethics stated, comments welcomed
Chabot
Gun Club, 9999 Redwood Road, Castro Valley
A large, active club with a lovely regional-park setting and a no-nonsense
safety attitude, Chabot has many organized competitions (they do almost
all the acronyms, including DCM, PPC, IPSC, IDPA...), plus classes and
less formal activities (plinking) in rifle, pistol. Trap range for shotgunners.
No gun sales, and no rentals in the usual sense (DCM rifle matches and
some classes offer loaner M-1 Garands and .22 rifles). Steel core and
surplus ammunition are ok except the usual prohibition on tracer and incendiary
bullets. .50 BMG is OK on Mondays only. Beltfed is fine too but your
links must be no more than 10 rounds each. If you own an Off List (OL) rifle these are generally accepted. Bring your receipt from a
gun purchased within the last year and you shoot for free!
There is no rapid
fire allowed. One second between shots. No human sillouette targets
are allowed. Animal pictures and bullseyes are OK.
Rifle ranges go
from 20, 50, 75, and 100 yards. There is a 200 yard range open Friday
to non-members from 10AM to 12:30PM but call ahead to make sure a range master is on duty.
Pistol range is
from 7, 15, and 25 yards.
Trap shooting is
Fri-Su: 10am-4pm. 7 1/2, 8 or 9 trap (low base) loads only.
18.5" and longer barrels allowed.
For further information,
see their web site: www.chabotgunclub.com.
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up to the Table of Contents
Livermore-Pleasanton
Rod and Gun Club, 4000 Dagnino Road, Livermore
LPRG owns and occupies
54 acres and includes rifle, pistol, and trap ranges, and an outdoor
barbecue and recreation area. They also have a clubhouse with large screen HD TV and sofas. No .50 BMG allowed. Trap shooting (and
lots of it). Mostly a daylight club, but Tuesday nights during Daylight
Savings Time you can do trap shooting under the lights. Closed Mondays.
Range is open to Rifle, Pistol, and Trap shooting.
For more information, go to their web site: www.lprg.org.
Classes available to learn to shoot or hunt.
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up to the Table of Contents
Los Altos Rod
and Gun Club, 14750 Skyline Blvd, Los Altos
A nice, friendly range
for rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting, offering plinking at cans and plastic
jugs at any time with any caliber on special 50 and 100 yard firing lines
(this is unusual in the area). They'll pull trap for your squad, or you
can bring or purchase biodegradable birds (just regulation
trap birds, not sporting-clays type) and use their hand traps. Try out
the red one that slings 'em at exceptional speed over a canyon so you
have plenty of time to fantasize that the unbroken thing is laughing
at you as it sails out of range. No skeet or sporting clays. $15
for the day, under 18 are half price.
Th-Su: 9am-5pm (Closes at 4PM in winter)
- 8 Manual Trap
- 1 Electric Trap (xtra $$$)
"Guns
requiring a special license to own" and .50 BMG are not allowed.
See their web site: www.losaltosrodandgunclub.com
Note: in the colder
months is can get pretty foggy and damp up there. Call ahead for conditions.
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San Leandro Rifle and Pistol Range, 3001 Davis St, San Leandro
An indoor pistol
range and outdoor pistol and rifle range. A few outdoor firing points
at 25/50 yards (smallbore rifle, any pistol) and 100 yards (centerfire
rifle). Only bench shooting allowed on centerfire rifle ranges, no standing or prone (they have
wooden barriers to prevent this). 14 indoor bays (magnum pistols not
allowed indoors). No shotguns allowed. Open 7 days a week. More info on their web site: www.slrifle.com
The facility is
right next to the city dump so on hot days be prepared for some smell.
Because they are so close to the Oakland Airport they have a concern
about ricochets on the outdoor range. For this reason they do
not allow Full Metal Jacket ammunition for the outdoor range
area. Be preparred to show the range master your ammunition when you
sign in. Picture ID required to shoot there.
Junior
club web site.
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up to the Table of Contents
Target Masters
West indoor pistol range, 122 Minnis Circle, Milpitas
An indoor range
with 17 shooting stations up to 25 yards and a gun store. Extensive night hours. Note:
An unaccompanied shooter who is not known to the staff and who
does not bring a gun of his or her own cannot rent one at this range.
So bring a friend it's more fun anyway.
No rapid fire (3 seconds
between shots) and no head shots on sillouette targets. More info at
their web site: www.targetmasterswest.com
Hours
Mon-Sat: 10 to midnight (gun shop closes at 10PM)
Sunday 10AM - 10PM
- Sales
and Rentals
- A fair assortment
of handguns are available to rent, and numerous new and
used handguns and long guns are available for sale. A person sharing your lane gets a discount. Ammunition and many
supplies are sold.
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Northbay
Firearms (was Montana Hawk) , Closed.
Just received this
email:
"Northbay
Firearms (was Montana Hawk) has gone out of business. The Cotati City
Council is refusing to let a new owner re-open the place, they don't
want any gun shops in their town, so it is closed for good."
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Jackson
Arms, 152 Utah Avenue, South San Francisco
Indoor pistol and
rifle range with sales and rentals. You'll also still see references
to its previous name, Aimark, and even its original name, Top Gun. See
their website: jacksonarms.com.
They allow handguns
(.22 short through .44 magnum), centerfire rifles in .223 only(you must use their ammo), and
shotguns (lead buckshot or slugs only, no birdshot). They prohibit the following
calibers: .30 carbine, .454 casull and .50 AE/Desert Eagle. Black Powder
firearms allowed Monday - Friday 11am-12pm only. You can only shoot targets that you buy there.
Because of some
bad experiences, their rental policy is strict: If you are there alone
you cannot rent a gun unless you bring your own gun. In other
words, if you already own a gun and just want to try out some different
types of guns, no problem as long as you bring along your own gun. This
does not apply to groups of 2 or more.
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6-B
Sporting Clays, 3100 West Gaffery Road, south of Tracy
Call ahead before driving out there: (209) 832-5672.
Field-style sporting clays in dry upland terrain, plus five-stand sporting
clays. Birdhunting excursions are also offered.
From southbound 580 or southbound 5, either one, go east on 132, then
south on Koster Road, then west on Gaffrey Road, crossing under I-5,
for a total of several miles on tertiary, or quaternary roads. No rifle or
pistol ranges are apparent, and I do not believe they have trap.
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Field
Sports Park ("Metcalf"), south of San Jose (408) 463-0652
It is a county-run
park with pistol and rifle ranges and both trap and skeet fields (bismuth
shot only, no lead). There are a variety of distances available, out
to 50 yards for pistol and 100 for rifle. There is also a 200 yard rifle
range used by two different DCM clubs for highpower rifle matches, which
makes for a club match almost every weekend. This range is open for
public practice the fourth Sunday of the month if a volunteer
rangemaster is available, so call first (for this or to ask them how
to get involved in DCM matches).
Operating hours are complex so see their web site: www.sccgov.org for more info.
- Instruction
- Call and ask.
Basic pistol, at least, is occasionally offered, though I do not know
of regularly scheduled instruction.
- Eats
- Looks like vending
machines.
- Sales
and Rentals
-
No gun sales or rentals. A small selection of ammo and basic supplies
is available.
I'm sure the locals
are quite used to giving further directions.
The San Jose Zouaves,
a Civilian Marksmanship Program and National Rifle Association affiliated
club that has various activities, most prominently highpower-rifle matches,
use this range: zouaves.org/zouaves/
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Coyote
Valley Sporting Clays, 1000 San Bruno Ave, Morgan Hill (408) 778-3600
Two sporting-clays
courses (Main and Mountain) plus 5-Stand. The place is a classy operation
in a beautiful, mostly-upland, though not waterless setting. "Reservations
are appreciated" required, in fact, for the Mountain Course.
A "training station" for Clays is available. Both American
and Olympic skeet are available with 2 fields for shooting.
** 22"
Minimum barrel length **
RENTS shotguns, golf cart and push cart rentals also available.
Beginner's Experience Package:
50 targets, 50 shells, Gun rental, eyes, ears, Instructor. 3 person
minimum.
Open to the public
year-round, though closed Mondays and Tuesdays except for special private
events. Open national holidays except Christmas. Some evening hours available during Summer months. More
info at their web site: www.coyoteclays.com
- Instruction
- Hunter education
is offered approximately once a month. "Certified professional
instructors are available for private lessons," and special classes
are offered from time to time.
- Eats
- Looks like vending
machines. A nonshooting function they have is renting out picnic facilities and the possibility of arranging catering.
-
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Reed's
Indoor Range, 1100 Duane Avenue, Santa Clara, CA (408) 970-9870
25 yard pistol range
with 20 well-lighted lanes, with firearms for rent. If you are one of
those people who don't want to keep your gun at home, they offer monthly
storage lockers for you. See their web site for more info: www.reedsindoorrange.com
Also check here
for their other shop in San Jose: www.reedssportshop.com
They feature a Monday Night Shooting League for people who want to try competitive pistol shooting.
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Bullseye
Precision Shooting, 1281 Andersen Dr suite K, San Rafael, (415) 453-7465
They have 10 lanes
and a wide verity of handguns available to rent or buy. Hearing and eye protection
is provided. They also provide a full range of classes from beginner
handgun safety to California Concealed Weapon Permit courses. Check
their web site for more info: www.bullseyerange.com
If you buy a firearm from them, you can shoot it during the 10 day wait period.
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Richmond
Rod and Gun Club, 3155 Goodrick Ave, Richmond (510) 620-9519
Rifle, pistol and
skeet in the East Bay, out there on Point Richmond.
Claybird shooting
is steel shot only (they'd probably accept bismuth)
because of the shotfall area. Wed, Sat, Sun: 10am-3pm. 18.5" and
longer (shotgun) barrels allowed.
There is a public 100-yard rifle range
(and a 200-yard range for highpower
matches and members' practice). Hours are Wed, Fri - Sun 9AM - 4PM. If you have military surplus ammunition or anything that attracts a magnet you might not be allowed to shoot it. Call ahead for information. A 25 yard public pistol range is also available.
This is a major range for IPSC, and SASS shoots here with the Richmond
Roughriders. They also offer Smallbore Junior rifle training.
See their web site for more information: richmondrodandgun.com
- Directions
- These are modified
from the Richmond
Hotshots IPSC page. From the Bay Bridge: Follow I-80 east. Take
the 580 west turnoff, which is marked 'Richmond San Rafael Bridge,'
near the Golden Gate Fields horse track. Proceed approximately 5.25
miles to the Castro Street exit. Stay to the right and make a right
turn at the stop light at the bottom of the exit ramp. This will put
you on Castro Street, which becomes the Richmond Parkway after winding
about for awhile. Follow the parkway for around 4 miles to the 7th
stop light (Goodrick Avenue). Turn left on Goodrick and proceed 0.3
miles where you will find the club on your left.
You can follow the same route from the Richmond San Rafael Bridge
by exiting at Castro Street and going under the freeway to the left,
where you will be at the first stop light mentioned above.
- Eats
-
A snack bar offers sausages, pizza, etc. (possibly afternoon/evening
only).
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United
Sportsmen Inc, 4700 Evora Rd, Concord (925) 676-0237
Pistol ranges from 15 to 25 yards, rifle ranges from 50 to 100 yards. Human-silhouette targets may not be allowed. .50BMG is OK to shoot there. Surplus
FMJ ammunition might not be allowed. Use a magnet to check if
it's steel core before you bring your rifle ammo. Both trap and skeet
are available on certain days.
New shooters to the range are required to take a 10 minute safety orientation before using the range. This is only offered weekends. Clubs within the organization run various
competitions such as Action Pistol and metallic silhouette. Call them
about hours, and about any qualification requirements for the pistol
sports. There is a 200 yard range open to members only.
They now have a
web site at unitedsportsmen.com
- Sales
and Rentals
- No gun sales
or rentals. Some ammunition and basic supplies may be purchased.
- Eats
- Soda machines;
on weekends maybe a hotdog vendor in the rifle/pistol area. No eating
in the shooting area.
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Coyote
Point Shooting Range, 1601 Coyote Point Blvd, San Mateo, (650) 573-2557
The range is under
the direction of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department. The range
only allows .22 rimfire pistols (25 yard range only)and any caliber
rifles (100 yard range only). .50BMG might be OK to shoot. It is open to the
general public between the hours of 7:00 P.M. and 10:00 P.M. Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays. Saturdays and Sundays are normally for the exclusive
use of the Coyote Point Rifle and Pistol Club. It is closed on all the
major holidays. See their web site for more info: www.coyotepointrpc.org
The range is quite
strict about its rules, and also a perennial target for shutdown by
anti-gun forces; but is exceptionally clean and sparsely populated.
Parents will often bring their children to shoot there and padded mats
are provided for prone shooting. Several matches are conducted there
including .22 pistol, International Air Pistol and Rifle, NRA and USAS matches.
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Birds
Landing Hunting and Sporting Clays, 2099 Collinsville Rd. Birds Landing (707) 374-5092.
It is near the hamlet
of Birds Landing, which is north of Concord, on the north side of the
river on 1200 acres adjacent to Suisun marsh. Pheasant and chukar hunting is available. Apparently you take California 12
(the road connecting Fairfield to Isleton) to Birds Landing Road, which
intersects 12 at about the same place as 113, turn south, and follow
the signs. See their web site for more info: www.birdslanding.net
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Black
Point Game Bird Club 7711 Lakeville Rd. , Petaluma (707) 763-0076.
They now offer sporting
clays Wed, Sat- Sun. The physical setting is lowlands.
Members can shoot pheasant and chukar, which appears to be the main purpose of
the club, over their own dogs or dogs rented from the club. (Both membership
and a dog seem to be required for hunting.)
Operations less resemble a storefront business than at any other range,
and you may not find it obvious where to go and what to do a strategy
of wandering around and beaming a look of amiable disorientation toward
people may not be enough. But the folks who run it are very friendly
once located (hint: they're probably in the house-like building with
weather instruments on the roof, which is the office).
See web site for more info: www.blackpointsportsclub.com/
Directions.The
address is 7711 Lakeville Highway, Petaluma, but it is closer to Novato.
To get there, take California 37 to Lakeville Highway that's the
first light to the west of the Sears Point (California 121) intersection
and turn south. You will go a couple of miles down a gravel road (speed
limit 15), bearing left when there is an option (signs are posted at
most decision points). This is actually quite easy unless you mistakenly
take the Black Point Road/Atherton Boulevard exit,
which is further still to the west.
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Sacramento
Valley Shooting Center, 15501 Meiss Rd. Sloughhouse (916) 354-9668
Huge range with 100 yard (26 positions
covered 26 positions uncovered) and 300 yard (11 positions shaded) for
rifles. Shoot pistols to 50
yards (16 covered positions), Rim Fire (.22 cal) reactive target range
(8 positions uncovered).
Shotgun, Trap, Skeet, Stand, and Sporting Clays.
New customers must earn a shooting certificate before using their 300 yard range.
They have a "member only" 1000 yard range! Click this to read more about it.
Visit their website for
more info: www.sacvalley.org
Warning:
Gets hot in the Summer!
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Sunnyvale
Rod & Gun Club, (408) 873-8255
11998 Stevens Canyon Road, Cupertino, CA 95014
Rifle, pistol, and
trap shooting as described on their web site: www.sunnyvalegunclub.com
Not a large place and no .50 BMG guns allowed. The public is welcome
but the range is operated by its volunteer members. Joining used to
be by invitation only, like a country club, but was recently loosened
up to encourage more participants.
Trap: ** 26"
Minimum barrel length **
$5 per trap round. They provide everything. 4 trap fields available.
Hours
Tuesday: 9am - 9pm (shotgun 5pm - 9pm)
Friday (rifle and pistol only) and Saturday: 9-5
First and third Sundays: 10-3
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Markley's
Indoor Range and Gun Shop, 14 Blanca Ln, Watsonville; (831) 722-6945
The indoor range
offers 21 shooting lanes out to 25 yards with automatic target retrieval. If
you're short on equipment, they rent ear and eye protection, and guns
of course.
Open to the public seven days a week, fees are $8/ hour.
Courses are offered in basic firearms safety, defensive sprays, hunter
safety and intermediate or advanced shooting. In Watsonville (behind
Ferrell's Donuts), which is off the above map but to the south of the
Bay Area on US 101. They also have a store-only location in Scotts Valley.
See their web site for more info: markleysguns.com.
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Martinez
Gun Club, 900 Waterbird Wy, Martinez (925) 372-9599
A small, friendly
club with a variety of shotgun activities, they were established is
1883 which makes them one of the oldest clubs operating in America.
They offer several fields of American trap and can throw International
(aka Olympic or bunker) trap. They also have skeet and sporting clays.
They ask 48 hours'
notice to throw sporting clays or bunker trap, and further require a
squad of at least 4 shooters for bunker. For the other games, no advance
notice is needed and individuals are welcome. As with any trap club,
check their bulletin or call first to see if one of the leagues that
rotate around the Bay Area clubs is shooting there that weekend.
See their web site for more info: www.martinezgunclub.net
Wednesday nights are family nights and youth programs are available.
- Directions
-
Take the Marina Boulevard exit off of I-680, but instead of going
west down Marina into downtown Martinez, go east. In about half a
mile you will see a road heading south, with a sign pointing toward
the club and a larger sign pointing the same way for the recycling/waste
transfer facility. The club is about half a mile down that road (Waterbird
Road); keep going straight at the place where the recycling traffic
forks off to the left.
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Yolo
Sportsmen, Woodland/Vacaville (530) 662-2349
Yolo Sportsmen's
Association (YSA) has a Pistol, Rifle and Shotgun range at the Yolo Municipal
Airport. Hwy 80, Woodland (up Vacaville way), then N Hwy 505 to Rt 29,
E for 3-4 miles.
Two shotgun ranges including 5-Stand sporting clays, plus
covered 10 yards and 25 yard pistol, 50 and 100 yard rifle ranges. Numerous events held
there; has a stocked pond for recreational fishing.
See this web site for more info: Yolo_Sportsmens_Association
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Guns, Fishing & Other Stuff, 197 Butcher Road, Vacaville (707) 451-1199
Gun range and large retail store just south of I-80. Open 7 days. They rent pistols and rifles, yes you can shoot rifles in their indoor range.
See their web site for more info: www.gunsfishing.com
Lincoln Rifle Club 424 G Street #203 Lincoln (916) 434-0308
Two ranges. 11 acres in size. The outdoor range features 32 covered firing points for Rifles and Handguns. Plus a 5 station 16 yard trap range. Facilities for shooting at various distances up to 200 yards. A variety of matches and training classes. Ladies night discount. See their web site: www.lincolnrifleclub.com
Willow
Pass Range and Tactical Training Facility, 4650 Evora Rd, Concord (925)
246-7822
Please
note: This facility may have closed. Call ahead first.
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Pacific
Rod and Gun Club, 520 John Muir Dr, San Francisco (415) 586-8349
One of San Francisco's
beautiful city parks Lake Merced offers trap and skeet
shooting at a range near the city zoo. They are open to the public,
with discounts and special privileges for members of the club. There
is also a .22 LR rifle/air rifle-only range open to members by appointment. They have a Juniors Club as well, using Model 52 Winchester
match rifles from the DCM. Call for hours and days of operation.
The
club has been there since 1928 though it's still unknown to many shooters.
As is the case these days, membership is dwindling and money is tight
for this jewel of a club. Shotgunners are encouraged to come down and
enjoy shooting in a park-like setting right on the lake.
** 20"
Minimum barrel length **
** Steel/Bismuth shot only **
Non-members may be required to buy their ammuntion on site (no outside ammo).
Wed,Sat,Sun: 11am-5pm.
See their web site for details: www.prgc.net
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Circle
S Ranch, 1740 Tomales Rd, Petaluma (707) 762-4965
The greatest place
to shoot your rifle, pistol, and shotgun in Sonoma County is out in
Petaluma off 101 at Two Rock Coast Guard Station.. Nice people, free
good advice. 1 mile past the Coast Guard station on the right. Steady
crosswind that kicks up by afternoon. There is no food nearby to speak
of so bring food if you plan on staying all day. See this
web site for more details.
Ranges
Pistol: 7, 15, and 25 yards.
Rifle: 100, 200, and 300 yards.
Hours
Open to the public Thursdays thru Mondays 8 AM - 5 PM
Closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays.
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Laguna
Seca Rifle and Pistol Range, 1025 Monterey, Hwy 68, Salinas (831) 757-6317
The outdoor range
is open year-round Friday through Monday, but closed for some special
events at Laguna Seca Raceway (these closures are scheduled far in advance,
and you can find out about them by calling ahead).
Exact hours depend on season. See their web site for details: www.lsssa.org and www.co.monterey.ca.us/parks/lagunaseca_rifle.html
The Laguna Seca range is affiliated with the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
First time visitors will be given instruction and the rules. Eye
and ear protection must be worn (they are sold there along with targets)
and kids 18 or under must be accompanied by a guardian. There are separate
rifle and pistol ranges both of which are covered with benches. Target
ranges go from 25, 50, 100, 200 and 300 yards (uphill gong). Restrictions:
No full autos, no holsters, and no rapid fire.
Click here for a facility map.
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San
Jose Municipal Firing Range, 1580 South 10th St, San Jose (408) 275-1738
The San Jose Municipal
Firing Range (also known as the 10th Street Range) has Airgun shooting,
an Indoor Handgun Range, an Outdoor Handgun Range, an Indoor Rifle Range,
and an Outdoor Rifle Range. Instruction is available. Directions
and map here.
See their web site for more info: www.scvrc.com/10th_street.htm
The Range has five
INDOOR 50 ft firing points only with hand target reels (bring cardboard
as the very strong ventilation fans can blow your paper target around).
Some report that it gets a smokey in there despite the fans. All handguns
permitted, no Magnum or Hardball (FMJ) loads allowed. .22 cal smallbore
rifles only, no centerfire. The Range is open for the public every Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. And Saturday from 2:00
PM to 5:00 PM. It is located near the SJSU Spartan Stadium and the SJSU
Ice Rink.
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Some
Good Gun Pages Elsewhere
-
The
National Rifle Association,
standing up for the gun rights of all law- abiding citizens (even
those who don't yet know that they want their gun rights)
and also providing vast amounts of technical and procedural information
on guns and shooting.
- Action Pistol Shooting when, where, and how to get started in fun and competetive shooting.
- Calguns.net
The California firearms owner's home on the internet working together
to preserve our freedoms. Discussion forums, legal advocasy, marketplace.
- John
Dreyer's masters tips on bullseye competition. Best to read
it before the season starts, but better late than never. This is
also a good entry point into the Shooter's Webring for guided exploration
of a storehouse of knowledge that helps you win.
- Advice
on choosing your first handgun Good basic information about
one of the more imortant choices you may make.
- Women and Guns Magazine, available through that site or on
newsstands.
- California
Gun Laws An online research resource designed primarily for
use by attorneys and interested firearm owners. Easy access to and
facilitate understanding of the multitude of complex federal, state,
and local firearm laws and ordinances, administrative and executive
regulations, case law, and past and current litigation that defines
the California firearms regulatory scheme in theory and practice.
- The
Shooting Software Interest List (formerly the RSI Long List)
, a page of gun-related links.
- Mouse
ready? Machine ready? Click! Trapshooting on the net.
-
Randall Fung
makes aftermarket orthopedic grips for popular target pistols.
If you shoot bullseye or have been thinking about it, have a look.
- Archery?
Near Berkeley? Twanggggg! I am not involved in this sport,
but people occasionally ask, so I found a page that seems to contain
everything you'd want to know about Bay
Area archery .
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up to the Table of Contents
New
to the Bay Area and/or the Gun World?
All of the ranges
listed here either offer or can tell you where to find a National Rifle
Association-style basic safety class that meets California's requirements
for purchasing a handgun, or the Hunter Education class needed before
you get your first hunting license. Give them a call and you'll generally
find friendly, helpful people who have welcomed many a beginner into
the community of safe gun owners.
California law,
the house rules of most ranges, and good sense combine to require that
you enter and leave the premises with your gun unloaded, cased, and
(if it is a handgun) locked up. Transport must additionally be outside
easy reach of the passenger compartment. For further information, consult
one or more of these resources:
- Own a
Gun and Stay Out of Jail, California Edition by John Machtinger
- A book, available
at many gun stores or through a bookstore
(ISBN-13: 978-0964286450), in which an attorney discusses our numerous
and byzantine gun laws (plus Federal ones) in layman's terms.
-
- California
Firearms Regulations by the Department of Justice
- A faq (frequently asked questions) of typical issues that may face a California gun owner http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/faq.php
-
Peace Officers' Guide to California's Dangerous Weapons Laws by
Rick Bruce.
-
Published by Barbary Coast Publishing, you can also find it at amazon.com.
This is a quiz-type workbook intended for police officer training
programs. I have not read this book yet but it was recommended by
a correspondent.
About
These Ranges
All of the ranges
described on this page as "indoor pistol," to my knowledge,
rent handguns for use on the premises unless otherwise indicated, and
most also have handguns, ammo, and accoutrements for sale. Some also
deal in rifles and shotguns, and often will let you fire only
birdshot or .22 indoors if they let you fire long guns at all. Most
of the outdoor ranges neither sell nor rent guns, though most sell ammo
and basic supplies.
I would imagine
that most of the indoor and outdoor pistol ranges will let you practice
with airguns, and some have airgun matches once in a while.
The "shotgun"
ranges offer some combination of sporting clays, trap, skeet, and birdhunting,
but not rifle or pistol shooting.
Black powder is
usually restricted to outdoor ranges, and not all of them at all times;
ask also about their special rules for handling the stuff.
Beyond the basic
rules of gun safety, every range has its own rules and procedures. For
instance, some (mostly outdoor ranges) forbid human silhouette targets,
some prohibit rapid fire except in competition, and most around here
forbid guns that require a special license to own (for example, National
Firearms Act weapons like machine guns and sawed-off shotguns), at least
in civilian hands and/or on the public line. See the posted rules and,
if in doubt, ask a range officer.
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Administrative
Information
This page was originated
by Joe Chew, then upgraded by and handed over to dragunov.net. It consists
of the personal opinions and observations of the authors and their correspondents,
not any organization's official positions.
We did this as a
public service to law-abiding citizens who want to enjoy gun-related
sports or learn how to defend themselves (and stand up for our right
to do both). If you appreciate this, pass it along the next time you
get a chance to support these matters or guide a newcomer.
Before pinning your
hopes on conducting an activity at an unfamiliar range, especially
if a long drive is required, phone ahead and ask. The information
on this page is conscientiously maintained, but mistakes happen, and
sometimes changes occur faster than third-party web pages can keep up...
This page's mission
is to list proper supervised gun ranges. We respectfully decline to
discuss unmanaged places out in the country (however safe and well tolerated)
where the locals just go out and shoot and gun stores (however worthy)
that do not offer a range.
Many thanks to everyone
who has helped develop this page. If you've contributed and would like
your name here, write and say so. By default, names are left off, since
some people do not wish it to be known to the public that they're into
guns. But we appreciate all your efforts - and hope that you will drop
us a line if you find new information or an error so that the page can
be kept up to date.
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