I need a place to shoot....this week.

[Guest TankerHC]

Due to this move and a few other things I havent been able to get to a range since late March. Lately I havent had a weekend to do anything, I am going to find a range and go Monday or Tuesday. Dont care if I have to pay by the hour.

 

Whats the nicest range in the Dayton/Chattanooga area, or within 50 miles? I would prefer outdoor, have yet to shoot indoors where there was any hint of air conditioning, but if indoors it is, Ill sweat it out.

 

Thanks

Edited July 21, 2013 by TankerHC

[Guest TheDrip]

Monday or Tuesday, I would drive down and use Sumac Creek in Georgia. $5. No one will be there. The pistol lanes are doubled up with the 50 yard lanes. There is a small berm about 10 yards, then the proper berm out at 50 yards. Also a set of 100 yard lanes. For pistol shooting, bring target stands. For rifle, bring clothespins, as the target holders are posts with plastic net fencing between them.

 

In all my trips down there, even on weekends, saturday afternoons etc, I've only ever had 2 other people there at the same time as me, and they were shooting a single firearm between them.

 

For a friday/saturday shoot, Prentice Cooper is closer and free. I don't agree that their 'improvements' did anything but limit visibility and possibly increase the risk of an accident because of it. But it's free.

 

I have not shot any of the indoor/pay to use ranges around Chattanooga. The free (or near free) ranges have done just fine by me so far.

Edited July 21, 2013 by TheDrip

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Hi TankerHC

 

The only places I've been lately are Sportsmans Supply in Hixson (indoor range), Shooter's Depot off of Hwy 153 (indoor range) and Prentice Cooper WMA up on Suck Creek Mtn (outdoor range).

 

I think the Shooters Depot hours/days are longer than Sportsmans Supply. Some people think the fella who owns Sportsmans is too grumpy, but that doesn't bother me. When I've been in either place the air conditioning seemed to work fine. The lighting is a little brighter in Shooters Depot, as best I recall, but maybe Carl uses brighter light bulbs since I was last there.

 

Prentice Cooper range, I like the place, especially if it happens to be a day that doesn't have many idiots shootinng that day. It is a nice drive and beautiful scenery. For a long time it was open 5 days a week but lately only open Th, Fr, and Sa. Sunup to sundown. Last time I was up there a month or two ago it was closed for repairs. Hopefully it is open again by now. It is a free unsupervised range unless that recently changed. If you are a morning person and hit the place early on a weekday, maybe you would about have the place to yourself, or on the other hand maybe there are also early-rising idiots. I'm not a morning person and therefore don't know.

[Randall53]

I'd call these places before I drove down.  Sportsman's Supply on Hixson Pike is by the Krystal just off of hwy 153 and used to require a years membership to shoot at the range, They may have changed recently, but I doubt it. I don't know about Shooters Depot. I've been in the place twice and didn't have the pleasant experience others on here have posted, so I've marked them off my list, but I'd give them a call to see. Carters on 58 hwy has an indoor range, but I've never used it.  It'd be worth a call to see how access to their range works. I used to go to Prentice Cooper, but haven't been their in 4 years or more so I can't give an opinion on it.