Posted: 7/3/2013 3:37:09 PM EDT
| Is the public range still open and free of range nazis? Southern Arizona dirt shooting is banned for fire danger and was thinking of heading up there since I have a 4 day weekend. The Pima County range sucks when your used to unsupervised shooting. |
| If you have high blood pressure and or no body armor I'd stay home. You'd probably have more fun and be a lot more safe shooting bb or pellet guns in your garage. I went once saw people shooting when it was clearly a cold range, and informed a guy he was being muzzle swept then left. |
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With the CG range not have RO's is not really a good thing.
While I also share your dislike for RO Nazis, without them, there's no protection for your gear when you go downrange to check targets if you shoot by yourself. If you have a bunch of guns and gear at the benches your stuff is at the mercy of your neighbors. And you can't have your truck at the firing lines to lock your stuff in as you have to park your truck in the lot and carry everything through the gate. Couple that with the occasional wannabe gangbanger(s) at that range and all the typical dumbasses that cover you with their muzzles and its sometimes nice to have range officers to watch over things. Don't get me wrong, its a great facility for a municipal range but, overall, I'd rather shoot in the desert unless you have friends with you. |
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I'm talking about the public range in Casa Grande. I normally shoot at a friends ranch in Sonoita. It's a 55 mile drive each way. But it's leased BLM land and closed for target shooting. CG would be about th same distance from Tucson, if I went I'd go with friends so someone would always be watching the gear but Sonoita is 19 degrees coo,we than Tucson and CG is ten degrees hotter.
I may just suck it up and wait for the rains to come on and end the restrictions. |
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Fuck me, every time there is a question about the CG range people freak out and make it sound like you are going to get shot in the parking lot, robbed and raped.
I lived there for 10+ years (just moved away) and shot there regularly. On the weekends in the cooler months, yes there are dumbshits there that do really fucking stupid shit. Just like if you shoot in the desert you will find that too. Go now when it is hot, or go during the week, no problems hell you might be the only person there, on more than one occasion I have had the entire range to myself. I used to go to the range fairly often, easily 2 times/month on average prior to my daughter being born (a bit less since) and once maybe twice did I have some fool try to walk down range when others were shooting or do something really dumb. The most vivid case the guys did not speak English and were at one end of the range and we were at the other. We stopped and yelled at them, it was not a wise decision on their part and I would not do it, but maybe they thought since we were over 100 feet to their right they wouldn't get shot. I have seen guys muzzle sweep people at Joe Foss, Ben Avery, and myself got swept at the PPC. Training groups use the range, CCW classes, some matches and even some local gunboard group shoots happened there too. There are several "side" ranges as well that are anywhere from 50-100 yards deep so if the main bay is full or there are "questionable" people there, just go around to a side bay. |
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Quoted:
Fuck me, every time there is a question about the CG range people freak out and make it sound like you are going to get shot in the parking lot, robbed and raped. There are several "side" ranges as well that are anywhere from 50-100 yards deep so if the main bay is full or there are "questionable" people there, just go around to a side bay. Best post in this thread I've shot there many times. Often using the smaller side bays to do things you normally aren't allowed to do on public ranges. (Holster work, sprinting up and down the bay to increase stress, holding heavy shit in one hand shooting in the other, moving while shooting) I haven't been muzzle fucked, shot, or even harassed at the CG range. I even once asked a guy who was shooting a .22 pistol with his daughter on the 100 yard side bay if our guys could use that bay and he could move to one of the other open 50 yard bays. He said sure, I helped him move his targets, table, and cooler and then we shook hands and went on about our respective business. The CG range isn't this anarchy strewn, gangsta filled, death trap that some people seem to think it is. |
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It's a little of column a, little of column b.
I've had people with malfunctions turn their muzzle sideways toward me and start racking the slide a bunch (an AK and a hi point), and people handle loaded guns after cold line was called and friends were downrange. generally though, you can get a side bay to yourself and not worry about it. |
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Been shooting there for years, use it in every one of my shooting videos,
http://youtu.be/HcvGcs8neeg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkYGJvBtOSA I love it, great place. I go there mornings during the week, and MOST of the time it's not crowded, but once in a while it's full to bursting. Guess I promoted the place a little too hard. 
If you do go during the week there is one reason why a lot of criminals will be elsewhere...look at this overhead of the range and look just to the north of the public range http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/ElzyPearsonrangesatelliteview.jpg Casa Grande PD, Pinal County Sheriff and Border Patrol, among others shoot there all week, usually in the mornings. I haven't had anything stolen yet, BUT I practice a hot range with a loaded sidearm, and you will see almost everyone who goes there does the same thing, openly. That whole polite society thing comes to mind, seems to be working. Had a few idiot incidents, but after working at Jensen's range on Price for a while back in the day, AND out at Tucson Rifle Club for a while, I've seen idiots on supervised ranges, too. I like the place, going there tomorrow morning, meeting a buddy, only reason to go on a Saturday, oh, and he happens to be a highly skilled gunsmith. Drop by if you want to try a round or two in the brand new CZ P-09 pistol. http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/CZ%20P-09/base_zpsbf9d9b50.jpg |
Thanks for the info. I didn't get up there, thankfully the fire restrictions are over and my spot south of Tucson s open again. I do have find memories of the ARFCOM shoots there years ago. Had a blast even though a BP agent came over and asked to see my NFA paperwork. No drama, after I showed him how to read the forms he took off.
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