Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

This place is nice, very well thought out and executed. The warehouse definitely was not designed with such loud application in mind - you could pretty easily hear gunfire from outside.

First off, the climate - Air conditioned AND well ventilated - I never had a problem with getting hot despite wearing long pants, hiking boots and a ball cap.

The target holders - great as well - they're computer regulated so all you do is punch in your desired distance, Enter, F1 and away it goes (or comes) It even turns the targets sideways for better aerodynamics as the slide moves so fast. They also provide the cardboard, so all you need to bring are your targets (for me, Post-It notes and printed targets).

Nice facility overall, the staff there are friendly and being my first time there, the RSO spent a few minutes with me over the rules and regs. The retail products being sold there are horribly overpriced though - full retail pricing on everything.

My only complaint, a minor one at that, are the dividers of the lanes - they are made of glass. While cool and modern in a CSI: Miami kind of way, they are horrible for noise - they don't surpress the shockwaves of the shooter next to you, they reflect them to you. You get a shotgunner or .45 next to you and you hear AND feel it.

The cost: $25 for a non-member - only $5 more than Blue Ridge Aresenal, and you get a fully modern and very comfortable range to go to.

I'm on the list for a membership, and I feel that for a $100 initiation fee and $45 a month is well worth the perks of what this place has to offer. And for me, it's literally 5 minutes away from my house on the way to work, the gym and Five Guys...

Their management has love and money for Obamanation, and no love for the legal team behind Heller.

They can pound sand.

Tweaker wrote:Their management has love and money for Obamanation, and no love for the legal team behind Heller.

They can pound sand.

This may be true.

However, the facility, price, location, hours of operation, staff, IDPA, and classes offered are a pretty big selling point for me and others.

Here in NoVA there aren't very many places to go shooting. I'd prefer not making it harder on myself by having to search out the ranges and owners who aren't conspiring with the enemies of liberty.

Tweaker wrote:Their management has love and money for Obamanation, and no love for the legal team behind Heller.

Citation please?

LFS wrote:

Tweaker wrote:Their management has love and money for Obamanation, and no love for the legal team behind Heller.

Citation please?

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=24&t=343677

Long thread. Very long. But it has links to FEC records showing the owners of SEG have a history of donating to far left politicians. In their case, IIRC, they were not Obama fans, but Hillary supporters.

Why on earth would any seemingly pro-gun organization support far left polticians and espcially at the national level...mind boggling.

Mike Tweaker - maybe you could feed them some of that good home brew and influence some change for them...

If he uses the heffelwisen, trust me...it should do the trick, by the second glass, if i recall, which i cannot seem to do well...hmmm?

I'll save MDukes the trouble. Apparently the management has "seen the light" - or at least a glimmer - and has stopped the cash flow. But, yes, it's kind of mind addleing as to how the owners of a really top-notch range can harken to to folks that are very anti-gun.

However, there is no viable alternative in this area and certainly none that can hold to SEG's standards.

Besides, Tweaker, you was wearing Levis!

DobeMan wrote: First off, the climate - Air conditioned AND well ventilated - I never had a problem with getting hot despite wearing long pants, hiking boots and a ball cap.

I must wholeheartedly disagree with this statement. The last two times I have been there, the last time being the Friday afternoon prior to Memorial Day weekend, the lanes were so hot and unventilated that my wife and I left after a very brief time. That particular Friday we stayed for only 10 minutes. It was extremely uncomfortable.

Otherwise everything else you have stated is true. Its is a bit noisy and also a little dark at times.

zephyp wrote:Why on earth would any seemingly pro-gun organization support far left polticians and espcially at the national level...mind boggling.

Mike Tweaker - maybe you could feed them some of that good home brew and influence some change for them...

Because not all gun shops are pro-citizen guns, but rather pro-police/government guns only. SEG was originally going to be open to only police. When they couldn't make enough money, they opened it to everyone. We have discussed this before and someone from SEG said they were not going to close down the range to civilians in the future.

SEG isn't the only range/gun store in the area that caters to the LEA market and perhaps, would rather only serve that market. Except for the most elite training grounds, they all cater to civilians because one way or another they learned that they can't stay in business selling only to LEA. They need us, but that doesn't mean they like or support us.

gunderwood wrote:SEG was originally going to be open to only police. When they couldn't make enough money, they opened it to everyone.

It was worse than that. It was originally supposed to be the agency training, with a sideline of memberships - extremely expensive, boutique memberships. The 50k/year figure sticks in my mind, though they had a couple of levels, all in the "nice new car" range. It was only when they couldn't get enough LE and high roller interest that they condescended to allow the general public to shoot there.

Diomed wrote:

gunderwood wrote:SEG was originally going to be open to only police. When they couldn't make enough money, they opened it to everyone.

It was worse than that. It was originally supposed to be the agency training, with a sideline of memberships - extremely expensive, boutique memberships. The 50k/year figure sticks in my mind, though they had a couple of levels, all in the "nice new car" range. It was only when they couldn't get enough LE and high roller interest that they condescended to allow the general public to shoot there.

Yes, your facts are straight. Their business plan was as flawed as the "Executive Golf Course" just up the road at Waxpool & Broderick. However, I have to say I get more than a little torquedwhen folks use phrases like; " It was only when they couldn't get enough LE and high roller interest that they condescended to allow the general public to shoot there." (emph. mine). Look, folks unveil lousy business plans all the time. Then the light bulb goes off (or the lights go out) and they re-group, re-tool & try something else. Quite frankly, I can see a reason for them wanting to limit public access - liability. Not everyone is as careful as we are.

KaosDad wrote:

Diomed wrote:

gunderwood wrote:SEG was originally going to be open to only police. When they couldn't make enough money, they opened it to everyone.

It was worse than that. It was originally supposed to be the agency training, with a sideline of memberships - extremely expensive, boutique memberships. The 50k/year figure sticks in my mind, though they had a couple of levels, all in the "nice new car" range. It was only when they couldn't get enough LE and high roller interest that they condescended to allow the general public to shoot there.

Yes, your facts are straight. Their business plan was as flawed as the "Executive Golf Course" just up the road at Waxpool & Broderick. However, I have to say I get more than a little torquedwhen folks use phrases like; " It was only when they couldn't get enough LE and high roller interest that they condescended to allow the general public to shoot there." (emph. mine). Look, folks unveil lousy business plans all the time. Then the light bulb goes off (or the lights go out) and they re-group, re-tool & try something else. Quite frankly, I can see a reason for them wanting to limit public access - liability. Not everyone is as careful as we are.

You have a point that the owner may just have had a bad business plan. However, I think you will find that a lot of people have a hard time believing that given his politics. Don't get me wrong, I shoot there and the facility is nice, but I don't think you will see SEG sponsoring local militias any time soon.



/I'm having some fun with the militia comment, chill...no, I don't know of any or members of any either so go fly a kite.

I only had to pump the browser up to 175% to read the fine print.

KaosDad wrote:I only had to pump the browser up to 175% to read the fine print.

I wasn't directing those at you for say, but rather to anyone who was about to fly off the handle.

Seems SEG is expanding their marketing... I got the below ad in an email today:


"Silver Eagle Group
One-Hour at the Shooting Range for Up to Three People: Includes Handgun Rental, Eye and Ear Protection, Target, and Ammo
$ 55.50
buy now
You used to run home, drop your backpack and hold your Duck Hunt gun against the TV to blast birds. Later, you'd run to the bar, drop your briefcase, and pop quarters to down unruly herbivores in Buck Hunter. Now, focus your aim and practice your Second Amendment right to shoot targets of human silhouettes, cause we're pulling the trigger on a one-hour pass to the Silver Eagle Group shooting range in Ashburn, Virginia for half off. For $55.50, you and up to two shooting partners will each score eye and ear protection and share a handgun, ammo, and a target. Even if you've never held a firearm, there's never been a safer environment to learn than at the DC area's premier arms training facility. Fire away!
Find out more »"

http://livingsocial.com/deals/1930?ref= ... Deal061110

Warm at SEG today on the rifle lanes (range 1). The RSO apologized for the conditions. I normally wear jeans when shooting but I may have to wear shorts next time.

Fired my Ruger SR-556 for the first time and it was a blast. I felt like the poor man's shooter there shooting with just iron sights while everyone else had scopes and lasers and photon beams strapped to their gear.

People have asked how dirty the regulator and piston get, so here's the dirty after 60 rounds: