The Cove Campground - Gore, VA

[Jakeiscrazy]

Wierd got 3 hours this time. Could be worse. Thanks for catching that.

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[Taggure]

I could make a range day there in September if they are still open then.

[JourneyGirl]

So, my b/f and I were thinking of heading out to The Cove on Sunday to go shooting and to take our 19yo for his first time shooting... good idea? bad idea? recommended time of day?

We're in Hagerstown, MD actually, but I'm from Winchester - any other recommendations for good places to go? We were looking at heading to Chantilly to Blue Ridge Arsenal for indoor shooting, but then we found this and thought it might be better/more interesting....

That said, anyone know where we can get some metal plinking targets?

[Jakeiscrazy]

So, my b/f and I were thinking of heading out to The Cove on Sunday to go shooting and to take our 19yo for his first time shooting... good idea? bad idea? recommended time of day?

We're in Hagerstown, MD actually, but I'm from Winchester - any other recommendations for good places to go? We were looking at heading to Chantilly to Blue Ridge Arsenal for indoor shooting, but then we found this and thought it might be better/more interesting....

I can say I love shooting outdoors WAY more than indoors. Assuming he is a reasonable responsible 19yo then I would say it's a great idea!

That said, anyone know where we can get some metal plinking targets?

I have made my own with some thick scrap steel I had but I have only ever shot .22s at them. Walmart sells some "Duraseal" targets that you can shoot and they spin and reseal the hole. They also havethese little things but they are .22 only. For centerfire handguns things get expense and mostly online only.

[scott9050]

I went there with my daughter this past Thursday. First thing to know is this place is way back in the woods. There are several very narrow roads on the way there and we almost got hit head on by an 18 wheeler that had no business being on the road. You have to pay attention to the signs as the campground is behind the Boy Scout camp. Once you get there you will pull up to the office. If you don't stop someone will run outside. The cost for myself and daughter was $14 for all day access to the entire campground, range included. The road is not really a road once you split off the main dirt road, it is basically a single lane ATV trail. The day we went was right after a rain the night before, there were plenty of mud holes and over wash areas on the trail, but my new truck made it just fine (go slow over the large rocks jutting out).
Once you get to the shooting area you will realize it looks more like a dumping site than a range. There were old computer parts, monitors, signs, tires, car doors etc. everywhere and enough spent brass to make a person looking for casings thrilled for days. My daughter and I put about 750 rounds downrange total with my DPMS AR15, A500 shotgun, 91/30 Mosin Nagant, Springfield 1911 and Millennium Pro 145. We had an absolute ball and will be back again.

A few vids of my daughter who is 16 shooting:

Shooting the AR15:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxtiZB-8CnY

The Springfield 1911:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZSusRTGs8g

[bryanrheem]

marked8, good to hear that you had a great time with your daughter! Let me know when you're heading out there again!

[Jakeiscrazy]

Great to hear you enjoyed it. Just a tip for her/you: Lean into the gun and grip it with a firm grip thumbs forward.



Another good one on grip:

[scott9050]

I told her she had the Charlie's Angel's stance while shooting the Springfield. When she was shooting the Nagant I was barking out instructions but quickly realized that I was becoming a buzz kill and stopped. As long as she was staying safe, I let it slide.

[stimpy32]

My friends and I have been to the Cove on many occaisions. We normally camp n shoot there every three months and they now refer to us as those "crazy gun zombie guys".
The place is run by the old man and day to day is run by his two sons. These guys are really pretty cool and are sort of "abraisive" when you first meet them (especially during the summer tourist season) but are really down to earth. We do most of our camping in the fall, winter and spring and usually spend a fair amount of time talking to them. The campground is cool, no running water during the winter but the basics are there, a cleared out area with a fire pit, picnic tables and a primitive crapper nearby. Summer time is crawling with people and everyone pretty much behaves themselves.
The range, it is fairly simple to get to, it straight up to the top of the mountain. There is one private drive on the way up and it is clearly marked as private property. The road up sucks, big tire swallowing *&^%, but is managable, 4x4 is highly recommended. I have seen everything from a diesel dual wheel to a prius up there, mostly locals that drive that type of road as a rule. They have promised they are going to drag and fill the road and re-do the range at some point ?? Whatever that means. As far as tannerite and the like, we were up there this june and we were at the range from 10am to almost sunset on saturday using tannerite, nothing was ever said by them as we went up to the office aftwerwards to get more firewood.

So enjoy the cove and have a positive attitude.

[stimpy32]

To add to the previous, my friends and I will be up there (the cove) in the middle of April for the weekend, anyone that wants to throw some lead or camp, let me know.


stimpy321972@yahoo.com

[sdlrodeo]

I've heard of this place from another "zombie" guy. Seems like a good time. I'll have to get up there this summer.

Steve

[stimpy32]

Awesome. Let me know if you need any info


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[sdlrodeo]

How far of a drive is it from Herndon and is it usually pretty crowded up there on sunday afternoons?

Thanks,
Steve

[stimpy32]

should be about 1.5 hours from NOVA to the cove. I suggest if you go on sunday, you should get up there around 9-10am just to be sure. Sometimes we have gone and haven't seen anybody all day and other times' it is elbow to elbow shooting.

[DuckDodger]

I used to shoot there but I got tired of the fact that the place looks like a landfill from all of the garbage that people bring to shoot then leave behind. If you can have the place to yourself on a week-day it's ok, even though the longest distance you can shoot is about 90 yards, but on the week-ends, it fills up with all sorts of characters and range safety goes right out the window. I've seen a fight break out there because one guy drove up in the early afternoon when it was already busy and demanded to be able to park his truck on the firing line and use it as a shooting bench and when the people who had got there earlier refused to move and make room for his truck, he just drove around the line of shooters and parked in front of them like no one else was even there. There's almost always some jag-off bump-firing an AK or AR or setting their targets on top of the berms instead of in front of them. It's more like trying to target shoot in Baghdad outside of the Green Zone than it is using a real range.

[smoline]

Was up there last week. Lots of good progress being made to the range. They've plowed over the parking lot and both ranges, making improvements in everything (except the "road" leading to the range). They plan on positioning fixed steel targets and range lanes in the mid-term. Many positive actions and encouraging attitude from the owners, who are a good family and nice folks.

[TheGearGuy]

I was recently up there also, and the improvements are a welcome change.