Elite shooting in Gainesville

[Vince]

Anyone been? The pictures I have seen look very good, would love some input from any members.

[dmharvey]

I plan to check it out soon. Looks awesome.

[Chasbo00]

I don't get it. This place has all the potential in the world, but it seems stuck in the mud. Its grand opening received almost no publicity and from what I hear, sparse attendance. If you do a Google search you get all kinds of links saying it's coming, but not a single one that says it's here and open for business. Apparently, there were no promotional deals at all.

My take is that the folks who built this place may know a lot about indoor ranges, but seem to not know very much about advertising and getting a business started. Maybe they are waiting for something. If so, what?

[Vince]

I have been following them on the ol facebook for a while. They posted a crap ton of pictures and updates and I am pretty sure they have well over a few hundred members already. I am just guessing but I bet in a few months it will be hard to get a lane to shoot. I may just head over and see what it looks like.

[Chasbo00]

I may just head over and see what it looks like.

It looks great, lots of open space. Bet you don't have to wait for a lane either.

[dmharvey]

I plan to check it out tomorrow afternoon. I'll be sure to report back.

[vonClausewitz]

Very professional place. I purchased an annual membership and have been once and will most likely be there this weekend. I'm going to support this business as much as possible...

[Vince]

I may just head over and see what it looks like.

It looks great, lots of open space. Bet you don't have to wait for a lane either.

Perfect, just the way I like it.

[Vince]

Just read they are now operating 9am-9pm. I didn't make it out this weekend but hope to this Saturday.

[MarcSpaz]

Well, I made it out there Sunday. I didn't get a chance to try my 40 S&W at the 100 yard. Totally forgot about it until after I left.

Place is amazing. The have a very nice orientation room with plenty of seating and videos running on a loop. The ranges are very nice. Exactly as advertised. The upstairs archery range and the shoot house are not ready, but look close. The simulator training room is a blast... like playing a video game. They have a great selection of ammo and tons of lockers to rent.

I have to be honest... there are so many shooting lanes, if they have the same volume of customers as BRA, I still can't see there being a wait. This place has 3 to 4 times more lanes than most places I have been.

I don't know what I am looking forward to the most... the shoot house or title 2 rentals!

Though I didn't eat anything, the food smelled great too. Nothing fancy. Its like fast food. But still, I like the idea of being able to grab a snack without having to leave. Now that I know what to expect... that will turn into part of the ritual I am sure.

[Taggure]

Guess what my wife is getting me for Christmas

Yeap that is right an annual membership and I get $50 off because I am retired Military (The same goes for active duty and LE/First responders).

I can add my daughter to my membership for the $50 saved as well.

They will be having Female 101 training on both handgun and rifle or so they said, but I am not sure who the instructor will be for it.

Oh and it is only 15 min down 234 from me.

[Nevermore1]

How much are their memberships? I go to SEG but would be interested in a second range to use.

[MarcSpaz]

Base membership is 1 year contract at $35 a month plus start-up fees... and goes up from there. Locker rentals are $80 a year.

Under 18 shoots for free.

[Nevermore1]

Base membership is 1 year contract at $35 a month plus start-up fees... and goes up from there. Locker rentals are $80 a year.

Under 18 shoots for free.

Thanks, that's not too bad.

[2k05gt]

I purchased the 1 year membership when it was 350.00
I have been there 3 times and love it, can't wait for the 100 yrd target cameras to be installed...

Elite Shooting Sports: Annual Membership
•Monthly payment plan, set up with automatic payment.
•$34.95 per month with one-year commitment.
•$49.95 Initiation Fee
•Add a family member for $10.00 initiation fee and $5.00 per person, per month. Family member must show picture ID proof of living
at the same address.
•Minors under the age of 18 sharing a lane shoot for free
•Military /Law Enforcement/Firefighters $29.95 per month with government ID
•Automatic renewal will take place unless ESS is given a written notice 30 days prior to end date.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Every new shooter to our facility must go through a brief orientation class prior to shooting on our facility regardless of shooting experience.

Annual members have access to all ranges at no additional charge.

All Annual Membership sales are final, no refund will be issued for any reason.

RANGE FEES HOURLY (Without annual membership)
•$20 Per hour primary shooter on the 25yd and 50yd ranges
•$25 Per hour primary shooter on the 100yd range
•$10 Per hour for someone to join you on a lane
•Minor under the age of 18 sharing a lane shoot for free

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
•$10.00 one time initiation and registration fee
•Every new shooter to our facility must go through a brief orientation class prior to shooting on our facility regardless of
shooting experience.

[Ron71]

Hi new member here. Great range - I was using the NRA range in Fairfax before now but always had to wait for a lane. I think this place will have much less wait time. I got an annual membership for me and my wife. We're going to test drive it for a year. Cheers...

[MarcSpaz]

Hey guys... I went with Scott to Elite tonight. That range is really nice. I only did hourly to try it out. I am going back tomorrow to get a membership. I would have on the way out, but they were closed when we left.

People are supper friendly. Range is very well lit. AND... the got the cameras installed at the 100 yard lanes! Man, is that a nice feature.

[trailrunner]

Elite is a bit too far away for me, especially since I live five minutes away from Sharpshooters.

I am hoping that Elite siphons off some of Sharpshooter's customers, because whenever I go there they are crowded and there is a wait to get a lane.

[MarcSpaz]

I've been to Sharpshooters. It kinda sucks bro.

No heat or AC on the range. The lighting sucks. The ventilation sucks to the point where I was blowing black goo out of my nose. The space between the firing line and the wall behind you is really tight, so when people leave stuff on the floor you trip all over it.

To top it all off, the one time I was there, there were 3 guys sharing a stall. They were horsing around, cursing, and being a general PITA to people for lanes around by bumping into shooters while in their own stalls. Not one single RSO or employee said anything about.

I should not be able to hear someones big mouth cursing up a storm while I am in a live gun range, 5 lanes away, with hearing protection and live gunfire going on all around me.

[trailrunner]

I've been to Sharpshooters. It kinda sucks bro.

No heat or AC on the range. The lighting sucks. The ventilation sucks to the point where I was blowing black goo out of my nose. The space between the firing line and the wall behind you is really tight, so when people leave stuff on the floor you trip all over it.

To top it all off, the one time I was there, there were 3 guys sharing a stall. They were horsing around, cursing, and being a general PITA to people for lanes around by bumping into shooters while in their own stalls. Not one single RSO or employee said anything about.

I should not be able to hear someones big mouth cursing up a storm while I am in a live gun range, 5 lanes away, with hearing protection and live gunfire going on all around me.

I'm not crazy about Sharpshooters either. Last night when I went there it was just as you described. I had to wait at least 30 minutes for a lane. Then, to the left of me, five people were in the lane (one instructor and four students). To the lane to the right of me, three or four people. Next to that was another four people in a lane. At least half the other lanes had multiple people crammed in them. Most of these are new shooters, and while it's good to see new people there, they tend to do a lot of talking and making a lot of noise, and don't understand etiquette very well, like sweeping your brass forward or in a bucket when you're done. As you note, there isn't much space behind the lanes, so by the time you cram all those people in there, and they all put their coats and gear on the bench, it gets quite crowded. I used to sweep all my brass into the bucket when I was done, but now it's so darn crowded I just push it forward, and I note that I'm about the only one who bothers to clean up after themselves anymore. It's hot in the summer, and cold in the winter. The staff there is OK, but I gave up on the little things, even simple things like putting staples in the darn staple gun, so now when I go I'm completely self-contained, and I ensure that I can fit all my gear in my own stall. They are also a bit picky about what kind of ammo they allow.

Having said all that, they are four miles and four stoplights from my house.