Is this a decent place to shoot?  What is available there?  Costs?

I had never heard of it.

Just in case others want to know, it's in Camas, WA.

www.co.clark.wa.us/parks/englishpitpark.html

"There is also the English Pit up in Vancouver. You will have to buy a $7 annual membership plus $3 per entry. It is an outdoor range, but shooting positions are covered so you can stay dry. Probably your cheapest option unless you can bum an invite from Johnson Creek."

For the small difference in monthly cost, I'd rather go to Tri-County.

AND ALSO TO LET EVERYONE KNOW....
IT HAS CLOSED....

PROBABLY (ACCORDING TO SOME SOURCES) WILL BE CLOSED FOR GOOD....WAS OWNED BY THE COUNTY AND RUN BY SOME WILDLIFE LEAGUE OR SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINE, AND THE RO WAS KIND OF A SAFETY NAZI....HE GOT FIRED AND AS OF A MONTH OR SO AGO, THE RANGE IS CLOSED.

A NICE ALTERNATIVE IS 'CLARK RIFLES'  CHECK OUT THE RANGE AT WWW.CLARKRIFLES.ORG  IT'S ABOUT 20 MINUTES FROM THE I-205 BRIDGE...

I'M A MEMBER, BUT HAVE NO FINANCIAL INTEREST IN THE RANGE OTHER THAN THAT....
--CARLOS

Closed down.  Just heard it on the radio.  Good timing huh?

I good friend of mine lives 5 minutes from the place so when it shut down, we really felt it.

I always assumed it was owned by the RO and that's why he was being so strict near the end.

I always thought he was just trying to ensure no one would make a mistake that would cause the place to shut down.

Within the next 5 years that range will be around of alot of homes and businesses. I bet it wouldn't last long even if it did

The pit was infamous for that steep walk in.

It was a bitch to get into and out of when carrying a rifle, ammo, etc.

It was cheap - I'll give 'em that.

Quoted: I good friend of mine lives 5 minutes from the place so when it shut down, we really felt it. I always assumed it was owned by the RO and that's why he was being so strict near the end. I always thought he was just trying to ensure no one would make a mistake that would cause the place to shut down. Within the next 5 years that range will be around of alot of homes and businesses. I bet it wouldn't last long even if it did

On the radio (KXL) they said English Pit would close because the volunteer group running the range didn't want to endure the many "New" hassles thrust upon them.  The radio news segment then went on to say the ACLU go involved with a suit saying they could not exclude non-English speakers.  The group, wanting to maintain a safe range said understanding English is a must on a gun range.  The group backed down a little, saying a non-English speaker may bring a dedicated interpreter, but the ACLU said no go.

I don't know how much of the story is fact and how much is exageration, but the ranges spokesman made it clear the range will close in the near future.

...the ACLU got involved

[Rant]
American Crimial Lovers Union

(Fooken Commie Pinko Bastages)

[/Rant]

Are you friggin kidding me?
I didn't know all of this was going on.

I'd love to find a good source to figure out the entire story on this place.


The ACLU should be called ACLUEF

Ameican Civil Liberties Union Except Firearms.

I'd like the get the real skinny on English Pit, too. I was sorely disappointed a few weeks ago when I went up there to shoot and the gates were closed. Been calling ever since and getting the same message--seems to imply it might open again, but I'm not holding my breath. If the ACLU actually had anything to do with this, I'm going to be seriously pissed.

The RO was a safety nazi, but that's a good thing. Too many morons out there with more ammo than sense. If you followed the rules and didn't do stupid shit, he was a good guy. Did he really get fired?

If English Pit ain't closed for good yet, it's just a matter of time before it is. Some serious residential construction going on in that area. Suburbia and shooting ranges don't tend to mix well. Sucks. I liked English Pit (except for the benches).

CARLOS-DE-LA-CAPLOCK, what's the deal with Clark Rifles? Can a non-member just show up and shoot during their open hours? Are they AR-friendly?

SEG--
YEAH, YOU CAN JUST 'SHOW UP' (DURING RANGE HOURS) AND SIGN IN AND SHOOT...LIKE I SAID, NON-MEMBER FEES ARE LIKE $5 A HEAD (MIGHT HAVE GONE UP TO HELP FINANCE RANGE CONSTRUCTION....MIGHT BE LIKE $8???)  YOU NEED TO HAVE SAFETY GLASSES AND EAR PROTECTION (PLUGS OR MUFFS) THEY DO SELL THOSE CHEAP ORANGE PLUGS THERE FOR LIKE $1, AND SOMETIMES THEY HAVE EL-CHEAPO SAFETY GLASSES THEY WILL SELL TO, BUT DON'T COUNT ON THEM HAVING STOCK, BRING YOUR OWN!!!  TARGETS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT THE RANGE SHACK......

YOU HAVE YOUR CHOICE OF 3 RANGES, A 'UP TO' 100 YARD RANGE WHERE YOU CAN SET YOUR OWN DISTANCE, PROBABLY 10 BENCHES....
A PISTOL RANGE, AGAIN, MAYBE 10 POSITIONS, 7-50 YARDS...COUPLE OF GONGS.......
AND THE RIFLE RANGE WITH ABOUT 20 BENCHS, 100-200-300 YARD TARGETS...YOU CAN FIRE EITHER BENCH/SITTING/PRONE/STANDING...SO IT IS A MULTIPLE POSITION RANGE...

USUALY JUST ONE RO PER DAY, ALL RANGES AVAILABLE, UNLESS THERE IS A SANCTIONED MATCH GOING ON...RO'S ARE ALL VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, SO NONE (I'VE SEEN, SO FAR) HAVE ANY PARTICULAR AGENDA...REALLY A GUN FRIENDLY RANGE...UNLIKE ENGLISH PIT.............

I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT...AND LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT SHILLING FOR IT, JUST A MEMBER..........

ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AND I'LL HAPPILY FIELD THEM...

OH YEAH, IF YOU BRING A BUNCH OF EBR'S, SOME OF THE OLD GEEZERS MAY WATCH YOU CLOSELY, AT FIRST, BUT IF YOU ACT SANE AND DON'T SCREW UP, YOU'LL BE ACEPTED...I WOULDN'T TRY ANY BUMP FIRING....MISSING THE BERM IS STRONGLY FROWNED UPON, BUT IF YOU WANT TO SIGHT IN/SHOOT FOR GROUPS/ PUNCH PAPER FOR FUN, IT'S DE PLACE!!!
--CARLOS

Thanks Carlos. Hopefully I can check out Clark Rifles this Friday (if I don't have to work). Need to sight in my new 6920 and IBM Carbine.

I remember going to the English Pit as a kid.  We passed it while going to the dump.  My dad would take the garbage to the dump on Sunday and we'd shoot afterwards.  Back then, it was an open range where you just walked up and shot.  There wasn't a fence or RO... in fact, it wasn't covered then either.  Went there once as an adult and found all the changes and that I had to pay... met the RO who was a real dick at the time and never went back.  Opted to drive a bit further to Larch Mnt. and shoot for free.

My brother lives not far from Clark's and he's taken me there a few times.  The RO was great, IMO.  He gave my brother and I chamber flags and sold us the glasses for a buck each.  My buffer indent came out and jammed up my carrier on my AR and the RO fixed it for me (not that I couldn't but he was just interested and wanted to help).  Funniest thing was when a deer walked onto the hot range.  Don't know why the reports weren't scaring it... probably deaf!  RO called a cease fire and walked out to scare it off.  

Went to Clark Rifles today for the first time. Nice facilities and a friendly RO. WAAAYYY out there, though (but beautiful view from the parking lot). I'm thinking about joining even though it is a good 45min drive. Cost was $10 for non-members to shoot for the day. Yearly fees are only $70 plus a $40 initiation fee for newbies. A bargain compared to other clubs in the area.

The RO there said that Clark County didn't want to pay the $80,000+ insurance fees for English Pit anymore. He hadn't heard that the English Pit's RO had been fired. I don't think he was--he recorded the message you hear when you call English Pit. I can't imagine he'd leave a message like that if he was fired. Met another former English Pitter at Clark Rifles who has shot there since the 1970s. He thought that all the development occurring in the area is to blame for shutting the range down. I'd have to agree. Sucks. I liked English Pit a lot.

The English Pit is not officially closed yet.  Vancouver Parks and Rec sent me an e-mail today saying they are trying to keep it open.   They sound sincere, not malarky.  They are calling me for input on Monday at my office so I am keeping my fingers crossed.  I am fighting for this one, it is 2 miles from my house.  I have sent them half dozen e-mails asking for the status of the range since it was temporarily clossed, obviously others must have too.  I will post what they say on Monday.      

Black_Rifle_Fan

Sounds like you are in a leadership position on this.  Best of Luck.

Regards,

Rick

Latest on English Pit Range is that Vancouver Park and Rec and Vancouver Wildlife League will make a decision September 1, it won't be the final decision but will set the direction. (Stay open or close for good) This facility has too many challenges to list here, put probably the biggest one is that all around it, the land is being developed.  So there is pressure to use this land for something more profitable than a gun range.    Anyway, if anything happens between September 1st and now I will post it.