Any acceptable rifle ranges close to Philly?

[dgg9]

I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to find a rifle range usably nearby Center City, Philadelphia. Sadly, all the local rifle ranges are completely unacceptable.

Some have reprehensible anti-gun policies (no CCW on premises!!!) -- Holmesburg, Delaware County Field and Stream. Their websites brag about their support for RKBA -- and they ban CCW on premises. I can't support a range whose politics are indistiguishable from Chuck Schumer.

Other have cloying, country club rules, such as "no more than 1 round (or 5 rds..whatever) in your magazine at a time. The execrable Holmesburg does this, as does the otherwise ok Falls Township and Guthsville ranges.

Others are fine in those regards, but are simply inaccessible -- Bucks County Fish and Game....nice place, but can't get there from here.

So what's left?

shooting range philadelphia

[danp]

So what's left?

Wicen's Shooting Range in Furlong (About 30-40 minutes north). It has a 100 yard rifle range, a shorter pistol (or rifle) range, and an area for skeet shooting. It's $10 to shoot for the day (you can leave and come back) and you bring your own guns/ammo/targets, although they have targets, clays, and clay launchers there for sale/rent. The people that run it are nice, helpful, and safety concious. I've shot there once and all in all it's a great place to shoot and by far the best outdoor rifle range within a reasonable distance from Philly.

Additionally, welcome to the forum dgg, I'm in center city as well, where do you shoot in the city? I shoot at South Philadelphia Archery & Gun.

[dgg9]

It looks about the same distance as BCF&G (heck, they look to be about a mile from each other), hence would be something like 75 minutes or so from me (not near any highway, so have to crawl inland over local roads). On the other hand, what choice do I have?

I shoot at SPAG too, regularly -- I live about 10 blocks away, so it was an easy call. Used to shoot at CP, back when I worked near there.

[dgg9]

PS -- we Philadelphia residents better stick together..you'll notice on the CCW renewals that now they insist that your two references be City residents.

A while ago, anyone could be reference. Then, when I renewed last, it had to be people in the metro area. Now it's only City residents. Soon it'll be: only City residents who are personal friends of John Street.

[danp]

It looks about the same distance as BCF&G (heck, they look to be about a mile from each other)

The reason I chose Wicen's was because you don't need a membership of any kind. You just show up with $10. I've only been there once and I can't imagine I'd get out there more than a few times a year so anything that requires a membership is probably not worth it for me.

[danp]

PS -- we Philadelphia residents better stick together..you'll notice on the CCW renewals that now they insist that your two references be City residents.

A while ago, anyone could be reference. Then, when I renewed last, it had to be people in the metro area. Now it's only City residents. Soon it'll be: only City residents who are personal friends of John Street.

Amen to that, it's one of the reasons I started this site is to help people organize politically at the national, state, and local level, and at our local level we need all the help we can get. Keep an eye on the Law & Politics forum and the Philadelphia county-specific forum.

Additionally I usually post in the Philadelphia county forum a day before I head down to SPA&G in case anyone wants to meet up. There's a picture of me over in this thread, so if you ever see me blasting away with my M16 say hi.

[dgg9]

The reason I chose Wicen's was because you don't need a membership of any kind. You just show up with $10. I've only been there once and I can't imagine I'd get out there more than a few times a year so anything that requires a membership is probably not worth it for me.

You're probably right. This way when I build up enough Rifle Jones, I can go out one day at a time.

I guess a usable range close by was a pipe dream...

[dgg9]

Additionally I usually post in the Philadelphia county forum a day before I head down to SPA&G in case anyone wants to meet up. There's a picture of me over in this thread, so if you ever see me blasting away with my M16 say hi.

I'll do that. The pile of pizza cartons is almost as impressive as the armory.

[dgg9]

this is for renewals? not new licenses? how is it that this slipped past me and this is the first time i heard of it?

The city, in its quest to make CCW more of a hassle, treats renewals exactly like new applications:

http://www.ppdonline.org/hq_gunpermit.php

[starblazer]

this is for renewals? not new licenses? how is it that this slipped past me and this is the first time i heard of it?

If I'm not mistaken, it's for both. It was a change made a while back, not sure exactly when.