Hi Virginia HTF,

    I'm back in Virginia on TDY, not military, and will be here for a while.  Anywhere where I can shoot an automatic weapon outdoors anywhere the NOVA area?  I heard shooters paradise burned down...any indoor options?

ThNks in advance!

Outdoors? Good luck. Try Blue Ridge Arsenal in Chantilly or Silver Eagle in Ashburn.

If you want to make a day of it, I'd suggest heading down to Commonwealth Criminal Justice Academy (CCJA) in Fredericksburg. They will be doing carbine classes next weekend according to the calendar on the website; you can do some real move & shoot then on their outdoor 360 degree range

http://www.ccjatraining.com/index.htm

Im sure the NRA will welcome you.

Blue Ridge in Chantilly is a hell hole, avoid at all costs. Good place to get shot.

If you don't mind driving a bit, The Cove Campground just west of Winchester permits full-auto - we've taken belt-feds out there.  This time of year you'll need a 4x4 to get back to the range.

I have seen people shooting full auto at the NRA in the past. If you get lucky they might put you on the single range in the back.

You can shoot pistol caliber class 3 at Sharpshooters(Formerly Gibert's) in Newington/Lorton and the facility is indoors.

I’m pretty sure F/A fire is prohibited at the NRA range during public hours.  (Granted, I have occasionally seen folks firing short, well controlled bursts and getting away with it, in addition to lots of just really fast semi-auto fire that could pass as F/A.)

The issue, I think, is basically minimizing the potential for damage to the range (which is pretty much being shot to pieces anyway).

At one time, it was possible to schedule a time with the Range Manager for F/A fire during non-public hours.  Don’t know if this is still true given how busy the range is nowadays with other events and training.

The test range next door is not part of the NRA indoor range and is not run by them.

The Range in Stafford rents Class 3 FA in pistol calibers.  I guess that may mean they allow the same for walk-ins.