Where to shoot an AK in Memphis area?

[G27]

Hey guys, I searched but couldn't find anything - is there a range in reasonable distance of the Memphis area (I'm in Arlington) that allows 7.62 (or larger) rifles? I've been planning to pick up an AK47 but realized I don't know where I can shoot the dang thing!

If no public spaces are around and some kind soul wants to open his private range occasionally for some beer/cash/anything legal, let me know...

TIA,

[poak]

I think you can shoot AKs in Orange Mound...

[G27]

I think you need shoot AKs in Orange Mound...

Hahaha, fixed it for you...

[poak]

Haha, I accidentally drove through Orange Mound unarmed, when I was 17 and lost with a friend (we're from Nashville, didnt know our way around Memphis). All of the sudden, red lights and stop signs meant nothing to me...

[Smith]

reading the thread title alone brought too many jokes to my mind.

[G27]

Haha, I accidentally drove through Orange Mound unarmed, when I was 17 and lost with a friend (we're from Nashville, didnt know our way around Memphis). All of the sudden, red lights and stop signs meant nothing to me...

Haha, no doubt. I live basically on the other side of the county from there...

reading the thread title alone brought too many jokes to my mind.

Didn't think of that, but it is pretty funny in retrospect...

[Magiccarpetrides]

You all ever been to Fogo Da Chao(sp?) in Atlanta? Great place to eat (all you can eat cuts of meat) but 2 blocks down the road and it is straight up gangsta like 20 guys on each corner in their white T's...I know all about running some reds and stops.

[poak]

You all ever been to Fogo Da Chao(sp?) in Atlanta? Great place to eat (all you can eat cuts of meat) but 2 blocks down the road and it is straight up gangsta like 20 guys on each corner in their white T's...I know all about running some reds and stops.

Haha, I guess sometimes running reds and stops is LESS hazardous to your health than stopping for them!

[saintsfanbrian]

In or near Memphis the only place that you can shoot large caliber rifles with out buying the range approved ammunition is at Mid South Sports Shooters Association. You have to be a member and they require membership in the NRA and perform NICS checks on you. You have to pay an initiation fee and monthly/yearly dues. It is not hard to become a member but to only go out shooting once every couple of months it is not worth it to me.

I would love to get the West TN guys together on some ones property for a meet and shoot some time but I don't think it will ever happen.

[G27]

I've considered snapping up some land and creating my own private outdoor range, but that will require more than I'd like to deal with (like hiring a full-time RO). Hard to believe there's nothing out here for us...

[saintsfanbrian]

There was, the liberals made them close it. Shelby Farms had a range but some whiners complained that "bullets where whizzing past their ears" when they were walking on the trails that ran behind a 50' tall 50' wide berm. Unless some one was being EXTREMELY careless, there is no way that could have happened and the RO's there would not let you be that careless more than once.

[Guest bazookazilla]

I have been wondering what happened to the range there.

[Guest Grout]

I've been through places like that.People on this forum who say nobody will rob you if you open carry have obviously never been to these spots.Those dudes could care less if you have a gun.

[Guest jcramin]

Yep Memphis Sport Shooting Assoc. is about it, I joined last year. Dues are $240 a year, but they do have a one time fee of $400 when you first join. The purpose of that is to try and keep the people out who just want to come a couple times a year to site in a rifle. SO first year is $640 plus NICS check and NRA. Kids free spouse $25 a year. The $240 is pro-rated also, dues are due each June 1st. If you shoot at least once or twice a month its worth it over going to the indoor range and paying each time you go. They have all outdoor ranges from I think 15 feet up to 600 feet. Also have trap, skeet, sporting clay, IDPA, practical pistol, cowboy shooting, high power rifle, bullseye, muzzle loader. They even have FULL AUTO once in awhile.

SO, if you plan to shoot more than one kind of gun or compete, its a great place too.

J

[Im Neero]

The Shelby Farm range has by far the biggest berm I've ever seen. Any round fired at high enough of an angle to clear it would end up at the Borders at Kirby and Poplar. Sigh.

[Guest Grout]

Yep Memphis Sport Shooting Assoc. is about it, I joined last year. Dues are $240 a year, but they do have a one time fee of $400 when you first join. The purpose of that is to try and keep the people out who just want to come a couple times a year to site in a rifle. SO first year is $640 plus NICS check and NRA. Kids free spouse $25 a year. The $240 is pro-rated also, dues are due each June 1st. If you shoot at least once or twice a month its worth it over going to the indoor range and paying each time you go. They have all outdoor ranges from I think 15 feet up to 600 feet. Also have trap, skeet, sporting clay, IDPA, practical pistol, cowboy shooting, high power rifle, bullseye, muzzle loader. They even have FULL AUTO once in awhile.

SO, if you plan to shoot more than one kind of gun or compete, its a great place too.

J

$240 a year,Yikes! My memberships at CRC and CHRPC combined is only $225 a year.

[Guest moreland281]

I though you could shoot them on any street out there?

LOL

[tn hp]

I haven't lived in Memphis, on purpose, since 1980 and after my escape, moved to middle Tennessee. Does Shelby Forrest have a "sight in" range?

If not you may want to look toward Jackson. I think I recall hearing that there was a range in that area.

I used to live in Jackson and shot at the FOP range North of town.

[Guest 270win]

The TN Wildlife Resources Agency has a 50-100yd range in Bartlett that is open to the public. You can shoot centerfire rifles, handguns, and rimfires for a fee. I have never been to the TWRA range. The Memphis Sports Shooting Assoc range facility is excellant. It is the coughing up the 400 dollar initiation fee that is the tough part and has kept me from joining. 240 a year is pretty good for clays, trap, archery, rifle, and pistol. The best way to get your money's worth at the private club in Lakeland is to shoot 22 rifles and pistols.

[Guest clutepc]

reading the thread title alone brought too many jokes to my mind.

I feel better, I had a few that came to mind

[Guest Revelator]

I checked out MSSA's website. It seems like a lot of money up front, but it is a bargain compared to going to the range twice a month. I don't reload, so I buy my rounds there and with the range fee it comes to $40-$50, depending on if I get two or three boxes of ammo (I buy the cheap stuff in the orange box--$10 for 50). Twice a month and that's $1000 or more a year. But MSSA doesn't let you draw your pistol from the holster, so says the website. You can't even carry it in the holster when you're there, it says. To me that's a deal breaker. I'm not going to shoot at a place that won't let me do that. I shoot to train, and just picking the weapon up from the bench and firing is not training.

Yeah, Memphis kind of blows when it comes to finding a place to shoot something other than a pistol. It's a hike, but Brighton Arms up past Millington will let you shoot just about anything. They're pretty cool.

[Guest Phantom6]

I was going to suggest White Haven.... cause it's not any more.

Actually I'm sure that there are some fine folks that live in my old part of town. I just don't think I saw any of them as I went through the last time.

[deerslayer]

I checked out MSSA's website. It seems like a lot of money up front, but it is a bargain compared to going to the range twice a month. I don't reload, so I buy my rounds there and with the range fee it comes to $40-$50, depending on if I get two or three boxes of ammo (I buy the cheap stuff in the orange box--$10 for 50). Twice a month and that's $1000 or more a year. But MSSA doesn't let you draw your pistol from the holster, so says the website. You can't even carry it in the holster when you're there, it says. To me that's a deal breaker. I'm not going to shoot at a place that won't let me do that. I shoot to train, and just picking the weapon up from the bench and firing is not training.

Yeah, Memphis kind of blows when it comes to finding a place to shoot something other than a pistol. It's a hike, but Brighton Arms up past Millington will let you shoot just about anything. They're pretty cool.

Once you get "qualified" to use the Action Pistol range (and it's not too big a deal), you can unholster, reholster, draw, fire, fire two shots, draw and fire a full mag, shoot while moving, shoot at things that move, shoot at things that move while moving, and generally raise hell on the AP range. The best way to get qualified is to go and shoot an IDPA match on Saturdays or a USPSA match on Sundays (after you join). Whoever is running one of those matches is usually the one who will qualify you anyway. However, you don't have to be a member if you just want to shoot these matches.

[Guest Revelator]

That's cool. I did not know that. Shooting while moving is something I'd like to get into.

[Im Neero]

I think MSSA has those rules because people kept accidentally shooting themselves there. Like deerslayer pointed out, though, you can qualify to draw from your holster and all that good stuff.