Sunset Hill

[SHJ]

I know there's been a lot said about Sunset Hill, but I figured I'd throw in my two cents seeing as I visited for the first time today.

The woman working the counter gave me shit about not having a driver's license or a state ID ("I'll let it slide THIS time since you're with your father, but next time you're out of luck"), but my time on the range was fantastic. This was my first time shooting, so I had to go through the 15-minute song and dance about gun safety, their rules, etc. The instructor was a younger guy named Dan who made it a breeze. He didn't gloss over anything important, but he allowed me to demonstrate what I already knew where applicable. Example:

"If I call a ceasefire and your hammer is already cocked, you'll need to decock it and bench the gun. To decock it, you--"

"Oh, I already know how to decock my gun."

"Can you show me?"

"*I show him*"

"Okay, you're good to go on that."

The other instructors on the range were pretty friendly as well.

A couple shooting in the next lane gave me a few extra targets they had on hand (they had purchased way too many), which was very nice of them. Everybody on the range practiced excellent gun safety, which I was happy to see -- I'd expected to see a lot of 14-year-olds pretending to be John McClane.

I'll be back.

[thelemite]

Originally Posted by SonOfHeavyJay

I know there's been a lot said about Sunset Hill, but I figured I'd throw in my two cents seeing as I visited for the first time today.

The woman working the counter gave me shit about not having a driver's license or a state ID ("I'll let it slide THIS time since you're with your father, but next time you're out of luck"), but my time on the range was fantastic. This was my first time shooting, so I had to go through the 15-minute song and dance about gun safety, their rules, etc. The instructor was a younger guy named Dan who made it a breeze. He didn't gloss over anything important, but he allowed me to demonstrate what I already knew where applicable. Example:



The other instructors on the range were pretty friendly as well.

A couple shooting in the next lane gave me a few extra targets they had on hand (they had purchased way too many), which was very nice of them. Everybody on the range practiced excellent gun safety, which I was happy to see -- I'd expected to see a lot of 14-year-olds pretending to be John McClane.

I'll be back.

Was nice to meet you and your dad at Warner's the other day. I am glad Sunset worked out for you. The place just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[SHJ]

Originally Posted by thelemite

Was nice to meet you and your dad at Warner's the other day. I am glad Sunset worked out for you. The place just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

It was great meeting you as well. I always love matching a face to a username.

I think our next excursion will be to Pocono Pistol -- I'd like to give all the local ranges a try before I start visiting one regularly. The attitude in Sunset's office definitely turned me off, but it wasn't enough to keep me from having a great time on the firing line.

[thelemite]

PM me if you guys want to shoot together at pocono pistol.

[blinkbcrbass]

Sunset Hill was the first range I ever shot at. Extremely friendly instructors and staff. They quickly and accurately taught me everything I need to know about the weapon I was shooting and taught me some tips and tricks for my shooting style.

I will def. be going back again!

[epointer]

I have gone to Sunset alot of times in the past, but always thought it wasnt to great. The targets always seem shot up and not replaced but you could go there for $10 and shoot and not worry about how many rounds are in the mag. I then went there one day and they made me pay $15 for instruction I thought to myself WTF I have been shooting before some of them knew what a gun was but I kept my mouth shut and paid it for the kid to say Oh I see you know what you are doing and signed my card and left. Then I went back a while later and forgot my card they said "oh we dont have it on file so you will just have to have the instruction" I thought for a minute then looked up at a sign that said you had to pay a yearly membership fee. So membership + the instruction + the range fee + the pistol range fee= no way. I said no thanks and never went back again. It may be fine for the tourists but I would rather just go to a State range and shoot there for free, and the state has a much nicer range (goes out to 200 yards for the rifle range not 30 yards like Sunset)

[blinkbcrbass]

True, for the more experienced shooters it may be better at a local gun club or a state range. When I went I was a noobie. I didn't know how different guns felt nor did I have access to them. For the beginner I thought it was great. I totally get where you're coming from though.

[psyche]

Yeah, this place is a lot of fun if you've got the cash to burn on their rentals. Just need to make sure you go at a time when the tourists aren't clogging the place up. Expensive and pointless, though, for anyone above hobby shootist.

A couple years back, I took this German girl that was visiting a friend of mine. She had to go to work so I took the girl over to experience guns for the first time and she had a blast picking out what to shoot. She noted afterwards she could never tell her mother what she did, which I found fairly amusing. It's a great date idea, I think, for the right girl. A carnival of guns

[rovert97]

i dunno, ive been going there lately to fire on the private side. after my first trip there and paying htier "instruction and membership fee" they have left me alone ever since. i show up, pay my small fee, and walk on out. ill be there for normally a few hours or until i run out of ammo. i like it more for the ability to load more then 3 or 6 rounds in a mag, since i only have one mag for my rifle, and that the targets ie: wood and stuffed animals, react when i hit them, so its a bit more entertaining then just putting holes in paper.

[dc dalton]

I've had problems with Sunset and then had days where everything went fine and no one bothered me. It all depends on who is there staff wise. There are one or two that hover over you like a mother hen and nitpick everything you do ... those are the ones that piss me off.

But there are others that are great, the one girl and the younger guy (no idea of names) are actually a lot of fun to talk to and leave you alone to shoot.

BUT rule #1 there is NEVER go on a weekend! Because there are so many freaking tourists all the staff is there and they are on high alert and bitchy. When we go it's during the week and it's not too bad.

Now Pocono Pistol? They will never see a cent of my money!

And as far as the SGL range I'm sorry but I'm NOT taking out my AKs (a must have whenever we shoot) and load 3 stinking rounds in them.