Outdoor shooting areas?

[PulsatingBeaver]

Hey guys,

Does anyone know where i can shoot a 22 outdoors in NOVA, close to springfield?

[jdonovan]

Yes, private land.

Otherwise, no, there are no 'close by' public ranges.

[thekinetic]

I've lived in Springfield all my life and have never seen one. I wish there was so I could shoot my muzzle loader.

Why are you looking for an outdoor range when most indoor ranges allow even .22 rifles?

[SHMIV]

Why are you looking for an outdoor range when most indoor ranges allow even .22 rifles?

I can't speak for the OP, but I much prefer outdoor shooting to indoor.

[PulsatingBeaver]

Why are you looking for an outdoor range when most indoor ranges allow even .22 rifles?

I can't speak for the OP, but I much prefer outdoor shooting to indoor.

i agree, also its a hassle to go to the range and wait sometimes. Id much rather be in the great outdoors!

[thekinetic]

Well yes I enjoy the outdoors too but beggers can't be choosers as the nearest outdoor gun range I know of is Clarks Brothers in Warrenton county and it's about an hour I guess from Springfield. And the trade off is you have to use their ammo and targets which are both overpriced but the range is free.

According to my brother because of all the idiots who buy guns and act stupid at the range they've tightened the rules so much that it is a real pain in the neck to shoot there.

[PulsatingBeaver]

damn, could i shoot in my backyard? there is a decent backstop, it is a hill facing no ones house. The closest nighborhs are about 75-10o feet away.

[jdonovan]

damn, could i shoot in my backyard? there is a decent backstop, it is a hill facing no ones house. The closest nighborhs are about 75-10o feet away.

Depends on county/town/hoa rules/regs/ordinances.

[SHMIV]

20 years ago, my father assumed that he could shoot in the back yard, and he acted according to that assumption. After about 30 minutes of shooting, a police officer strolled into the backyard and politely explained which ordinances were being violated. My father apologized, had a short, pleasant, and unrelated conversation with the officer, then the officer left.

Of course, as I said, that was 20 years ago. Trying the same thing now might get you a fine or some jail time. Myself, I bought a BB gun for backyard plinking. The neighbor in the back is supportive of target practice.

[hatchetman]

About the best you can do is join the Arlington/Fairfax Izaak Walton. More info here:

http://arlingtonfairfax-iwla.org/

[Kreutz]

20 years ago, my father assumed that he could shoot in the back yard, and he acted according to that assumption. After about 30 minutes of shooting, a police officer strolled into the backyard and politely explained which ordinances were being violated. My father apologized, had a short, pleasant, and unrelated conversation with the officer, then the officer left.

Of course, as I said, that was 20 years ago. Trying the same thing now might get you a fine or some jail time. Myself, I bought a BB gun for backyard plinking. The neighbor in the back is supportive of target practice.

Fast forward to the year 2011

Your dad stops shooting to turn to say hello to the cop, but is surprised and shocked to see 9 body armor clad, balaclava wearing nightmares pointing submachine guns at him. As he opens his mouth to comprehend, a taser rips 100,000 volts through his body, and then they fire it another five or nineteen times "just to make sure". He is still spasming a bit, so a few boots to the head until he stops moving entirely. He is dragged to an armored van, and hauled away.

He awakens to an interrogation room, where a person of indeterminate race or gender or even agency of employ begins barking questions, "ARE YOU IN A HATE GROUP"? "HAVE YOU EVER BEEN AFFILIATED WITH AL-QAEDA"? "ARE YOU READY FOR A CAVITY SEARCH"? "ARE YOU AWARE WE FOUND RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST LITERATURE (begins beating your dad with the family Bible) IN YOUR HOME? IS THIS YOURS SIR"?

Alas, he is eventually dumped in front of a judge and bail is set at $400,000.

I liked how it would work 20 years ago too.

[SHMIV]

Yeah.... That's probably the way it would turn out, today.

Actually, considering that my father is a Methodist minister, it would probably be worse.