Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I took Phreakdrive shooting today at Silver Eagle (approximately 4pm)- I had been there before; she had not.
The service was friendly and while some of the lanes were in use, it was not crowded and there was no wait (other than the obligatory time waiting for Phreak to fill out the first time waiver).
Things were pretty smooth, except there were some people in there getting instruction and the ended up sweeping us once or twice-this actually happened both times while the instructor was away from them grabbing new targets or a replacement rental gun so I am not faulting the Silver Eagle Staff for it.

All in all it was a smooth experience, though it was the first time I have ever been at a range and had a ceasefire called (the beginners next to us somehow had an issue-I think they just had a dud round in a rental revovler but they buzzed the intercom and called for it so we had a cease fire, once the safety officer saw the issue it was back to shooting for us..)


here are some pics:
Phreak's first target using the GSG Ak-47 .22 LR


In all honesty, her learning curve with the Rifle was way better than mine, and after she had got the first magazine thru it, her shooting improved, and was dead on at the 25 yds (max we had being in door)


Here I am shooting it again-i love plinking its a blast -but some people two lanes down were shooting an AR and i admit i felt a bit , well under powered lol


Phreak with the AK:



the GSG did jam once on the first magazine, (using Aguila Super HV .22) but after we cleared that -it ran fine through about 140+ more rounds
(it double fed a round and jammed -did the same thing thursday night with CCI stingers -could it be something about how I loaded the magazine or is the gun just finicky? anyone have an opinion?)


after we got done playing with the .22
we got serious and did a bit of revolver work with my Rossi 831R4 .38 special

this was phreak's first time shooting the revolver:




After this we had hit our hour but they didn't rush us off which was cool, I had the impression as long as no one was waiting we could of kept shooting but we had dinner plans so left.

Over all I like Silver Eagle and the staff is always polite (and it is about 5 minutes from where I live so ...)
A bit pricier than Blue ridge, but not to the point where it seems excessive.

And that's how i spent my Friday afternoon.

On an additional note, I find the ambient lighting on Silver Eagle to be ideal in comparison to Blue Ridge (only other range i have been too) but I would much prefer steel instead of safety glass dividers, -more because I don't necessarily see what the people next to me are doing

Silver eagle is nice but I prefer sharpshooters, a place nearer to me which is cheaper and they allow shotgun ammo.

Sounds like yall had fun though!

Thanks for the range report and for the pictures! Looks like a good time, for sure!

Haha I like the reference of "phreak" Your wife or girlfriend maybe. Phreak the actual first name? Silver eagle is a good place for what it is. Best indoor range I have been in. Looks like you all had fun!! Tell "phreak" to try locking her support thumb over her strong thumb when shooting the pistol. Makes for a much firmer and steady grip

Looks like a really nice range. Glad you had fun!

Phreakdrive is a new member to the forum! Anyways, I've been to most of the ranges around Northern Virginia - NRA, Sharpshooters, Blue Ridge, Clarke Bros, Cresap Rifle Club - so it was nice to hear a range report for Silver Eagle. There are some folks on this forum would not give them their business due to political issues which I could never really figure out... I visted SE once without shooting, just looking around, but I did check their fees and recall they were slightly higher than other places. Nice pics.

I had a bid issues with SE. I tried to go shooting with a 20 year old active duty Marine serving as a MP. SE would NOT allow them in without their parent or guardian. They required them to be there or give written consent. This person was home from japan serving our county and wanted to shoot a few rounds and they were denied by SE group. Just putting that out there. They advised the their rules are 21, at the same time countrymen and women are given BDU's a M16 and placed in foreign territory and told to represent the US. When they come home, they can even go to the range on a day and shoot with friend..... Got under my skin

Parent or legal guardian is the rule everywhere I've gone with my son.

I believe blue ridge is just someone 21 or older, we had shot there before together. Not hijacking the thread was just irritating and I refused to go there for long time. I make it up there sometimes to help teach friends/family, whoever. Heck i may even be there sat morning

N0VA wrote:Phreakdrive is a new member to the forum! Anyways, I've been to most of the ranges around Northern Virginia - NRA, Sharpshooters, Blue Ridge, Clarke Bros, Cresap Rifle Club - so it was nice to hear a range report for Silver Eagle. There are some folks on this forum would not give them their business due to political issues which I could never really figure out... I visted SE once without shooting, just looking around, but I did check their fees and recall they were slightly higher than other places. Nice pics.

I had heard about the political stuff, and while I am no O supporter, the little bit that actually seemed to be there was minor, they didn't seem to be actively campaigning against 2nd amendment rights, I figured more of a paying to play the government contract game-heck isn't there a similar flap about Blue Ridge? It is a nice place with friendly staff and honestly five minutes from my house which makes it easy which is a factor and empty at the times i like to go.

I have yet to try the NRA range -need to do that, In fact I am trying to talk Phreak into doing a tour of all the ranges in reasonable driving distance _I know we want to hit Clark Bros to experience the outdoor range before the weather gets too nasty.

Riposite wrote: honestly five minutes from my house which makes it easy which is a factor and empty at the times i like to go.

Nice aint it

SDChop wrote:

Riposite wrote: honestly five minutes from my house which makes it easy which is a factor and empty at the times i like to go.

Nice aint it

the real problem is it's between me and the gym so I head out to the gym and end up shooting instead : )

Dominion allows shooters without a guardian as long as they are over 18. A guy I know when with his girlfriend on date to the range. His dad even picked up some handgun ammo ahead of time and had it sealed so that wouldn't be an issue.

Well i think i will be there tomorrow mid morning for a little test firing. Make sure to return that towel!!

Riposite wrote:

N0VA wrote:... it was nice to hear a range report for Silver Eagle. There are some folks on this forum would not give them their business due to political issues which I could never really figure out...

I had heard about the political stuff, and while I am no O supporter, the little bit that actually seemed to be there was minor, they didn't seem to be actively campaigning against 2nd amendment rights, I figured more of a paying to play the government contract game-heck isn't there a similar flap about Blue Ridge? It is a nice place with friendly staff and honestly five minutes from my house which makes it easy which is a factor and empty at the times i like to go.

I have yet to try the NRA range -need to do that, In fact I am trying to talk Phreak into doing a tour of all the ranges in reasonable driving distance _I know we want to hit Clark Bros to experience the outdoor range before the weather gets too nasty.

I have mixed feelings about Blue Ridge. Friendly staff, agreed. But one day I took my son there and neither one of us had ever shot a Ruger 10/22. Figured that would be a good choice - cheap ammo and fun to shoot, good accuracy. BR staff member wanted me to demonstrate how to release the magazine and I figured that out. Then he asked me how to lock the bolt open and I struggled with that -figured it out later searching the web that the mag release and bolt lock levers are both near the trigger guard. So I can understand BR wants to mitigate their risks by only renting guns to people who are familiar with their operation, but I was still slightly embarrased by being showed up by a fellow half my age - my son said he never wanted to go back. At other ranges - they say they would have shown me how to do it. In Blue Ridge's defense, they are popular and that morning they were very busy.

My favorite range is the NRA in Fairfax. After taking a very short quiz ( they tell you the correct answers if you get a few wrong) on my first visit with my first gun, a SW model 10 I told one of the RO's its been 30 years since I shot a gun and he gave me a few pointers. Every time I go the staff seems ready to help and very safety conscious. The facility is clean with good lighting, ventilation and target / range equipment in good repair. Also, NRA membership is only $25.00 if you pay at the range and then they give you reduced range rates, $14.00 /hour for being a member. You can bring your own targets, use your own ammo.

50 yard max range and no shot ammo but you can use slugs for shotguns are the only things I don't like about the NRA range, and that's no deal breaker.

Oh yeah, BTW Rip, if y'all are thinking of checking out Clarke Bros in Warrenton, you know Cresap Rifle Club in comparison really is not that far distance wise - its in Frederick, MD. Really a very scenic drive through the countryside up to the Potomac River and your already halfway there. You can shoot there for HOURS if you get there early enough. They only charge for the targets you shoot and any amount you care to donate. They have an outdoor 100 yard range with plenty of booths. You bring your own ammo, they do not sell ammo, unlike Clarke Bros.

isn't transporting firearms in Maryland a bit of a sticky matter though?

I wondered the same thing. One of the folks works at Cresap told me they get customers from Virginia all the time. I never heard a law says we cannot transport our own guns across state lines.