Schuetzen Park Rifle Range in North Bergen (Union City)

[TheWombat 67]

My wife and I attended our NRA Basic Pistol today and the 'practical' part of the course was at Schuetzen Park Rifle Range in North Bergen (Union City). This is a private range, and oddly although I know it exists it is difficult to actually find details on it using Google! Talk about well hidden! The actual range is at the back of the Schuetzen Park (Senator Lounge) bar. 3167 Kennedy Blvd, North Bergen, NJ 07047.

 

It's our first experience at an indoor range (we've only been to Sunset Hill in PA which is an external range). I found it rather claustrophobic and cramped which detracted from the enjoyment of the actual shooting. It felt like being in a low ceiling basement. For any follow on training we will look elsewhere due to the indoor range although we found the instructors were helpful and friendly.

 

We passed the exam and I also had my first opportunity to shoot a SIG P226. The SIG was as good as I had hoped it would be and even my wife commented on it being her favorite pistol. She also liked the Spingfield Armory 1911.

 

I am assuming that other indoor ranges have a bit more space, otherwise I'll be spending most of my time outdoors, even if the weather is wet and cold!

 

Our thanks to the instructors for their help and time during the day.

 

The Wombat

[tanghan 1]

Thanks for sharing the expierence.

Do they take new members?

 

My wife and I attended our NRA Basic Pistol today and the 'practical' part of the course was at Schuetzen Park Rifle Range in North Bergen (Union City). This is a private range, and oddly although I know it exists it is difficult to actually find details on it using Google! Talk about well hidden! The actual range is at the back of the Schuetzen Park (Senator Lounge) bar. 3167 Kennedy Blvd, North Bergen, NJ 07047.

 

It's our first experience at an indoor range (we've only been to Sunset Hill in PA which is an external range). I found it rather claustrophobic and cramped which detracted from the enjoyment of the actual shooting. It felt like being in a low ceiling basement. For any follow on training we will look elsewhere due to the indoor range although we found the instructors were helpful and friendly.

 

We passed the exam and I also had my first opportunity to shoot a SIG P226. The SIG was as good as I had hoped it would be and even my wife commented on it being her favorite pistol. She also liked the Spingfield Armory 1911.

 

I am assuming that other indoor ranges have a bit more space, otherwise I'll be spending most of my time outdoors, even if the weather is wet and cold!

 

Our thanks to the instructors for their help and time during the day.

 

The Wombat

[TheWombat 67]

Thanks for sharing the expierence.

Do they take new members?

 

I believe so based on what we were told during our NRA Basic Pistol course

 

TheWombat

[PeteF 1,044]

That range really scares me. I would never go back there.

 

Claustrophobic is being generous, breathing in there seems dangerous.

Between that and all the low hanging shot out, pipes, never again.

 

Other ranges I have been to are much better.

[kman 56]

Does anyone have more information on this range in North Bergen? Do they allow rifle calibers? Are there lanes longer than 25 yards available? How much does it cost to be a member?

 

I thought the closest range to Jersey City that you can shoot a rifle is Old Bridge Rifle & Pistol.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Does anyone have more information on this range in North Bergen? Do they allow rifle calibers? Are there lanes longer than 25 yards available? How much does it cost to be a member?

 

I thought the closest range to Jersey City that you can shoot a rifle is Old Bridge Rifle & Pistol.

 

Some. No. No. No membership

[Socom 19]

Some. No. No. No membership

 

 

Very well worded Raymond!

[NJScott 15]

My God, is that range still around? I was friendly with the guy who ran the place (Chris) in the 70's, who let me shoot my Winny .22 a couple times. It was like shooting in a shoe closet...a very dark, smelly shoe closet. One plus is that it was right down the hall from the bar there ;-)

[TheWombat 67]

It is not a range I would choose to go to again even if free. It was a definite detractor from undertaking any further training courses with NJ Firearms Academy who we used for our Basic Pistol. Luckily we found GunForHire for our subsequent courses.

 

TheWombat

[NCBound73 1]

I grew up in that area, everything is ghetto as hell. I'm so glad I finally left. I shoot at Sunset Hill and love it, being outdoors rules !

[tom catman 0]

isnt the idea since its a retirement home is for the elderly residents to still be able to target practice there?shutzen park retirement home?i respect that its still open ,i would hope to not retire there,but if i did its nice to still perforate paper.or am i totally off base again?

[boo 6]

Sorry to bump up an old thread, I just took an intro to handgun class from www.njfirearms.com class here and had a blast. I nearly canceled based on the reviews in this thread, but I'm glad I didn't. I'm not going to pretend that it's a modern state of the art facility, and the comments describing a low-ceiling basement environment are accurate. But the way I see it, it adds character

 

edit: corrected url

[Blacksmythe 71]

I had a good time there when I took my class last year. For some reason it did not bother me. Pretty soon we may all be shooting in our own basements, in secret.

[TheWombat 67]

Glad to hear that others had a more positive experience there. Part of my poor experience was down to the lead instructor who disappeared for the entire day (after the first 30 minutes) and left the junior/trainee instructors to look after the class. They tried their best but the lesser experience showed and when combined with the 'tired and claustraphobic' range really made it a very poor introduction to firearms.

 

Personally comparing the class and range to Gun For Hire classes/Woodland Park Range is like night and day. I'm more than happy to pay the premium for the GFH classes and their location.

 

TheWombat

[millsan1 3]

Glad to hear that others had a more positive experience there. Part of my poor experience was down to the lead instructor who disappeared for the entire day (after the first 30 minutes) and left the junior/trainee instructors to look after the class. They tried their best but the lesser experience showed and when combined with the 'tired and claustraphobic' range really made it a very poor introduction to firearms.

 

Personally comparing the class and range to Gun For Hire classes/Woodland Park Range is like night and day. I'm more than happy to pay the premium for the GFH classes and their location.

 

TheWombat

+a bajillion