FNG Cleveland area

[r6vr6]

Hi y'all. Moved down here from IN about a year ago. Been busy settling in and hitting cruise ins etc. The car hobby is winding down for the year and we would like to start getting some range time in.  I have applied to a couple ranges ( Cleveland and Chattanooga clubs) but neither have responded even though I sent introductory letters to each. ( don't know any members) Looking for a decent place to do some target shooting by myself and with the kids. Mostly small bore rifle and pistol but stretching out the 308 would be nice too. In IN I was a member of a range for about 15 yrs and it was nice to have a key to a more private area that might preclude sharing a range with people handling firearms in an unsafe manner. Before that we had our own property and range. Any help or tips would be appreciated. Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Edited October 31, 2021 by r6vr6

[KahrMan]

Welcome

[TripleGGG]

Welcome to TGO. 

Don't personally know about any of the ranges near you. 

It's not close to you but Oak Ridge Sportsman Association (ORSA) in Oak Ridge has a fantastic setup. 1800 acres. Pistol (indoor/outdoor), rifle (up to 1000 yards), Shotgun and archery. 

http://orsaonline.org/index.asp

I'm a member and have sponsored several new members. I live in Lenoir City. 

Edited October 31, 2021 by TripleGGG

[eRay]

Go online and look up Chilhowee Rod and Gun Club in Athens, tn. They have great facilities and are very reasonably priced. I was a member there until I moved to Lenoir City. They have meetings once a month. Go to a meeting and apply at the meeting.

 

[TripleGGG]

8 minutes ago, Eray said:

Go online and look up Chilhowee Rod and Gun Club in Athens, tn. They have great facilities and are very reasonably priced. I was a member there until I moved to Lenoir City. They have meetings once a month. Go to a meeting and apply at the meeting.

 

I forgot about that club. I was a member there when I lived in Sweetwater. Yes, it is an excellent facility. 

[joe4vol]

Welcome from Athens. 

[Sleep profit]

Welcome from Loudon. I will second ERAY suggestion 

[Jeb48]

Welcome from NE TN. Too far away to give suggestions on a range. I have set my own up behind the house and go to a public range in the Cherokee National forest when I want further distance or shoot things that might annoy my neighbors if I shoot too much at home. 

What do you take to the cruise-ins? I have a couple old vehicles and take in a few shows every year. Check out my profile page for a photo of one of them.

[r6vr6]

Cleveland has a really nice downtown cruise-in where they close it off the streets 4th Saturday of the month. The last show was this month.  We normally take this since we all fit in this one:

[Jeb48]

Looks like a nice cruiser.

[Gunner2k]

Thats super nice r6vr6.  I had a 68 caprice post less 4 door with a factory 427 bb.  I wish i still did.  I have a 66 chevelle ss clone now, i have had it for about 15 years.....been given the run around from so many people over the years......now it just sits in the garage with no front clip on it.......but all the motor work is done......need to find someone to put it all back together........maybe one of these days.......just kinda given up on it for now.

[bobsguns]

Back to shooting............................

There is a public range on Hwy 411 in Polk Co, just south of the McMinn Co line. It's almost right across the street from Savanah Oaks winery & the Amish market, or at least the roads are. 

Range fee is $4 or $5 per vehicle regardless of how many are in it. There is a restroom & the shooting benches are covered against rain & sun. 

The shooting area is "L" shaped, rifles on one side, handguns (shorter range) on the short leg. Many people like to try their handgun skill on the rifle side as well. It goes out to a hair over 100 yards, so not terribly challenging for anything above a .22LR but it's better than nothing. 

There's no RSO or any human working there. Most folks clean up their own trash but you've always got "that guy" who doesn't. Target stands range from minimal to non-existent, depending on the Forrest Service whims. I try to bring something to prop up a target on if I'm sighting-in, some PVC pipes I snap together to tape a target to for example. An old cardboard box also works well.

Given there's no RSO or staff, your safety is YOUR responsibility. Calling for a cold range, calling for a hot range, all that is shared by all the shooters. Keep in mind some shooters may not be from around here & don't know the etiquette of how to conduct themselves or their guns. Keep your head on a swivel & don't trust that someone knows what the hell they're doing just because they're shooting an expensive gun. It's no where near as bad as the Cheatham Co range, thankfully. 

If I'm by myself on the long range, I turn around every 10 feet or so to watch my gear. If your kids are with you, obviously they can stay with the gear while you change targets. The pistol range is no big deal. 

From downtown Cleveland to the range is a hair over 30 minutes driving time, IMO. The range road is gravel almost all the way, so don't wash your car the day before you go shoot. Jessica's Restaurant is just a few yards from the range road, on Hwy 411. Good food, nice prices. Good place for the kids. Benton Shooters Supply is also on Hwy 411, on the north edge of town. Prices aren't too great but a nice place to stop & kick tires. Ammo prices there are way too high, IMO. 

There's an indoor range on South Lee Hwy in Cleveland. I've never been there but an indoor range is always a good plan on a cold winter day, IMO. Here's their link:  Gun Shop

There used to be a decent skeet range & league there in Bradley Co but I don't know what its status is these days. Several years ago skeet shooting was a big thing in Bradley Co but that was before I moved here full time. 

Oak Ridge has a super nice range with long distance options. I think they have a couple of lanes for 1000 yards? Tullahoma used to host matches on their 1000 yard range. This is on Arnold AFB, so there's gubbermint issues to deal with when going there. I'd like to go watch some .50BMG matches sometime but with covid, who knows what's happening there? 

The Chattanooga gun shows at Camp Jordan used to be halfway decent pre-covid. I haven't been in a couple of years, so I don't know what's what there now. I know my former dealer used to do them as he lived in Chatt as a kid but he basically no longer does gun shows at all anymore. He was easily the largest dealer there at every show, so his absence is big loss, IMO. 

The Great American shows at the Nat Guard Armories are ok but nothing to get too excited about. A good way to kill a rainy day or take a gun to make a private sale on, IMO. Very few new gun dealers do those shows but it's fun to see the older used guns, IMO. 

I live in Benton, so if there's anything I can suggest or steer you towards (or away from), just shoot me an IM or something. I'm not too keen on Bradley Co but you probably didn't know any better.................    

[r6vr6]

Well still not heard anything back from the ranges closest to me going to try to hit the Chilohwee meeting on 12/20 to become a member. If any members see this and wouldn't mind sponsoring me please send me a pm. I would greatly appreciate it.

[bobsguns]

32 minutes ago, r6vr6 said:

Well still not heard anything back from the ranges closest to me going to try to hit the Chilohwee meeting on 12/20 to become a member. If any members see this and wouldn't mind sponsoring me please send me a pm. I would greatly appreciate it.

Not to be obnoxious, but the public range may well be your best bet, IMO.