My son is stationed at Holloman. While visiting we wanted to shoot. He took us to a spot just east of Alamogordo, at the start of the mountain.  It's a rough patch of land where people just pull up and shoot into the dirt.  He says it's BLM property.

Why bother with gun ranges if you can just drive out and shoot anywhere?

It's nice not to have to drag out and set up your steel if you don't plan to make a full day of shooting. Occasionally someone will have something cool, or will be able to help diagnose issues.

 I saw a dude with one scope ring, another with two front sights, and a guy with shots all over the target happy with his "zero". It can be entertaining as well.

 Most of the guys at the range here are pretty cool, although I stay away during hunting season.

ETA: I do use BLM/Forest land the majority of the time.

I have the idea that owning a gun range would be a fun retirement plan.  I've shot with the Navy Marksmanship Team for several years, and while I'm not the best I know what I'm doing and how to teach.

In Illinois there's a real need for places to shoot and I've also seen a lot of people that don't know what they're doing. I want to help those people when they want it.

Owning one would be different than using one. There's a reason I avoid ours during hunting season, it's a public range. Also, regulations would probably make running one not fun.

BLM is great for informal shooting. Ranges offer distance shooting and a more controlled environment.

MAHA

Hello all..

My wife and I just moved here to NM (Hillsboro), we are both avid shooters and I am hoping to shoot to a 1000 yards. I've found two gun ranges, one in TorC (which is 600 yards) and the other is Butterfield (which will go to a 1000yds). But both of which is a good hour+ drive, but there is a lot of BLM land around us.

So, I can just go to any BLM land and shoot?  If there is a fence on BLM can I still shoot there? Also, if there is a gate with a chain but no lock, can I just open the gate and go in and shoot?

Yes you can shoot on the majority of BLM land and sometimes you will come across gates in certain spots that you might need to open but the majority of time you won’t ever need to open a gate. Just make sure if you need to open a gate that it is BLM land and you close it behind you.

Please get a good GPS app that you can download on your phone so you know where you are allowed to be at all times. There’s land that backs into Indian land and you definitely don’t want to be caught with a firearm on those lands, and some BLM land backs into private property out in the middle of nowhere so please make sure you are not anywhere you shouldn’t be.

Welcome to New Mexico, its a beautiful state with shitty people but the vast majority of shitty people aren’t out enjoying the beautiful land we have.

https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-programs/recreational-shooting/new-mexico