Range Options Near Cherry Hill

[Dargo72 0]

At this time, I have one revolver (GP 100).  it is my first firearm and I'm looking for a good range to go to.  I am just about equidistant from Telco Sportman's Club in Atco and Delran's Junior Marksman Club.  I took the basic pistol course at Range 14, and while I liked it, it is a little bit further away.

 

I was wondering if folks could shed some light on the two and if you checked out both, why you chose one over the other.

 

Just looking at the websites, I am leaning towards Telco because it seems to have much better hours and "may" be less crowded and laid back.  Please tell me if I am incorrect.

 

On a side note, I will hopefully be firing my revolver for the first time this weekend.  I was thinking off going to the Philadelphia Archery and Gun Club.  Any thoughts?

 

I'm sure I'll think of more questions, and any help is appreciated.

 

Thank you,

[Silphidae 33]

Telco is great. Never crowded, always clean and friendly people. Benefit of archery ranges and trap shooting, both formal and informal. Downside is longest range 100 yards and a strict no guest policy.

 

I'm in the fence of renewing after 4 years because if the no guest policy, its really my only issue with them. There are definitely NO plans to change on their end, they promote it as a positive. I was there Monday at 6pm and had the 50 yard range to myself for 2 hours!

 

You have South Jersey Shooting Club relatively close as well, it's near 73 and AC Expressway intersection. No experience with Delran.

[Silphidae 33]

Meant to say the range and facilities are always clean and everyone is friendly, as I can't confirm the friendly people have actually bathed.

[Dargo72 0]

Thanks for the feedback.  I looked at SJSC, but it's a little farther than I'd like.  I liked Telco because of the hours and it's only about 20 minutes from my house.

 

The "no guest" rule is a potential issue, but at this point it would just be me and my wife.  I can see where that would be an issue though.  I guess on those days, I'd just have to go somewhere else, like maybe range #14.

[mcbethr 42]

I'm a member of Firing Line on Ft. Street in South Philly.  I like going there because the parking is free and off-street and the guys there are South-Philly boys.  Philadelphia Archery and gun is sort of like the Hagues of Philly.  All Ex-cops in 5.11 pants and polos.

 

PM me.  You can go there as my guest one night if you are interested.

[Dargo72 0]

Well, I might try to go somewhere this evening (not sure where yet).  I may take a drive out to Range #14 Saturday morning.

 

I do have some logistical questions though...... What do you normally bring to the range.  I mean I know to bring my ammo and revolver, but should I bring tape, a staple gun, black paper clips, for hanging up targets?  Do you normally buy targets at the ranges?  Any obvious or helpful things anyone can think of?

 

Thank you,

[mcbethr 42]

I tend to carry a suitcase.

 

In my range bag I have:

Staples

Tape

A Medical kit (one day you will cut yourself on a can and need a band-aid)

Plastic bags (for policing up brass and cans)

A dowl or coathanger (for squib rounds - I only needed it once)

Oil

Multi-tool

Spotter scope

Water

Snacks

Towel (for when its drizzled and you want to dry off the shooting bench - makes a good rifle rest too)

1 extra magazine per gun (you don't need to worry about that with a revolver but always keep 1 extra magazine for each gun you have in your bag, that way if you forget your magazines when you go to the range, you won't be SOL)

 

As for targets, I make my own.  I go to the dollar store and buy wrapping paper and I spraypaint the silhouette of a man on it.  It saves me a lot of money.  I usually take the cardboard and wood out of the bins at Range 14 and re-use that until it gets too fatigued then I search for new ones.

 

A good field expedient target are the lawn signs that you can pick up after election season.  You can re-use Pizza boxes if you need target board.

[Dargo72 0]

Thanks!

[voyager9 3,434]

What's Delran Jr Marksman club like?  I usually go to R14 but Delran is much closer.  I looked on their website and online and it was really hard to determine what they have there..etc.  It sounds like they're really focused on youth training (which is great, but) is it open for adults who just want range-time?   I know it was closed for a while.. is everything but the pistol range now open?

[Double Cheese 8]

Everything lesniewv said about Telco is correct.  Nice range, nice people, no guests.  If you want to check it out, it's open to the public for trap every Monday at 6pm.  

[Mikeythumbs 1]

Mcbethr

 

That's not bad mine range bag is a mess

 

Hammer and tent staked for putting up target stands

Stapler and extra staples

Tool kit

Multitool

10 in targets that have he color that changes when you hit

5 glock mags 5 1911 mags 5 ruger mags

Glock 17

1911

Ruger mkii

Bushing wrench

Rem oil

Two sets of muffs

Two sets of plugs

Three safety glasses

Pocket knife

Small med kit

100 rds .45

150 rds 9 mm

Brick .22

Suger of some sort (I'm a diabetic )

 

I think that's all

I might be a little anal though

[mcbethr 42]

I normally put eyes and ears in my range bag depending on who I know is going with me.

 

Lately I've been considering a "light" range bag with just a small first aid kit, 1 extra 1911 Magazine, eyes and ears for when I go to the indoor range in Philadelphia.

 

The coathanger is more useful that you would think.  I've only gotten 1 squib round in 25 years of shooting, but I'm glad I had by coathanger when I did.  I popped that .22 round out of the barrel in a few seconds.

[purple87ss 0]

Okay to kind of piggy back of the the OP question since I'm very close to Cherry Hill and am not a member of any range....

 

Where can I shoot as a non-member that is not going to cost me $40/hr and allow me to shoot my own ammo(for clarification purposes I mean factory ammo-no reloads)???

[mcbethr 42]

Nowhere.

 

These ranges have to stay in business.  They either charge membership or sell ammo.

 

Keep in mind that it costs $3.00 per lane per hour to run a range when you factor in Electric and HVAC.  If you have 10 lanes, that means that you are spending $30 for 1 hour whether 1 person is shooting or 10.  You simply can't stay in business by charging less than $40 per lane for non members unless you know that you will have more than one shooter at all times.

 

Okay to kind of piggy back of the the OP question since I'm very close to Cherry Hill and am not a member of any range....

 

Where can I shoot as a non-member that is not going to cost me $40/hr and allow me to shoot my own ammo(for clarification purposes I mean factory ammo-no reloads)???

[purple87ss 0]

Maybe I didn't word my question right, as I don't expect to shoot for free and understand ranges have overhead costs.  Let me try this again....

 

Where in/around South Jersey is the most reasonable priced place to shoot per hour as a non member, where I can bring my own ammo?

[mcbethr 42]

Again, nowhere.  

 

There are basically 2 places for walk-ons to shoot per-hour in South Jersey:

Hagues

Bob's Little Sport Shop

 

The range at Bob's caught fire.  So that is out of commission for the next few months.

 

Hagues charges a walk-on-fee and you have to purchase your own ammo.

 

You can go into PA, and I do.  There are basically three places, two in South Philly and the last in North East Philly

 

Philadelphia Archery and Gun

Firing Line 

Ready Aim Fire 

 

None of them let non-members shoot their own ammo, mainly because they are afraid that if someone sneaks a reload in there and it explodes you have big legal problems.  

 

If I had a choice, I would say that Firing Line is the most reasonably priced.  A box of 9mm is $20 and I believe it only costs $15 for a walk-on.  But... Membership is only $100 a year.  So It's worth joining if you plan to go more than a few times a year.

 

Maybe I didn't word my question right, as I don't expect to shoot for free and understand ranges have overhead costs.  Let me try this again....

 

Where in/around South Jersey is the most reasonable priced place to shoot per hour as a non member, where I can bring my own ammo?

[j0hnnyv 0]

Maybe I didn't word my question right, as I don't expect to shoot for free and understand ranges have overhead costs. Let me try this again....

 

Where in/around South Jersey is the most reasonable priced place to shoot per hour as a non member, where I can bring my own ammo?

Shore shot in Lakewood right off mile 90 on parkway. Can walk right on with your OWN AMMO and pay $20/hr for your lane. They have plenty of cheap targets too and a huge rental selection.

[CMJeepster 2,779]

Ready Aim Fire 

 

None of them let non-members shoot their own ammo, mainly because they are afraid that if someone sneaks a reload in there and it explodes you have big legal problems.  

Has their policy changed since January?

[Dargo72 0]

Well, I decided to go to Range 14.  I shot ~100 rounds on Friday and close to 200 rounds on Saturday.  Mostly .38 but some .357.

 

I paid the $60 to join for the year and then the $4 per hour to shoot.  Chatted with a few people and had a good time.

 

I actually shot pretty well, in my opinion for my first time.  I setup the target at ~15 yards and was able to put pretty much everything on the paper.  I am consistently hitting low and to the left though, so I'm pretty sure I'm moving slightly at the last second.

 

Great fun, and I look forward to checking out some other places over time.

 

PS - I ordered some cleaning supplies, but I'm going to start another thread for that.

 

Thank you,

[Maximus 16]

Go online and Look up handgun correction targets. They give you the reasons behind shot placement so you can try and correct your low and left issue. Either jerking the trigger or tightening fingers. Good luck and be safe.

[Sht 3]

Delran junior marksmanship club is outdoor, rifle & handgun, no BS, bring your own stuff kind of range. The hours are the worst, but the membership fees are about the lowest around & nonmember walk in fee is $25 for the day. To the best of my knowledge the handgun range is still closed which sucks but you still have 50yrd/100yrd rifle, skeet & .22 steel range. There's not a lot of yahoo dbags either (mostly old timers & some serious bolt guys). And sometimes you get lucky with people not saving their brass.

[Dargo72 0]

Thank you everyone for all the replies.

 

So anyway, I signed up with range 14 since it was so cheap ($60/year, and $4 hr to shoot) and the fact that you can shoot anything (within reason) and bring your own ammo.  On the downside, it's a bit of a hike from my house.  I am still considering Telco as a much closer option, and due to the fact that the hours are great.

 

Regarding my shooting...... I read online that the low/left placement is usually due to "jerking".  Either squeezing tighter with your pinky and ring finger just before firing or incorrect trigger pulling (not pulling the trigger straight back with the tip of you finger).  I'm hitting a range with a buddy this weekend and try to concentrate on these possible issues.

 

Also, I made my first trek to Cabela's in Hamburg PA yesterday and "Wow" you could drop a lot of coin in that place.......  I picked up some things and definitely noticed the lack of .38 special ammo.  I was able to to get a few boxes of .38 +P, but regular .38 was sold out.  Other calibers were generally available.  Plenty of 9mm, .357, .45, etc.

 

Thank you, 

[als1911 0]

I went to Philly Archery and Gun last weekend with a friend.  Both non-members, they charged us $25 and $15 each.  It's $15 if you buy the ammo there, $25 if you bring your own.  It was clean, though a bit warm upstairs.  People were friendly and it was NOT crowded.  

[RU_27 0]

Are Telco and Delran the closest outdoor ranges to Cherry Hill? Recently bought a .22LR and looking for a good outdoor range. I really liked the range at Jackson and Salem but they're so far.

 

I do most of my shooting at Pine Belt but they only have Skeet and Trap. Thanks in advance for info!

[Rich2279 0]

Are Telco and Delran the closest outdoor ranges to Cherry Hill? Recently bought a .22LR and looking for a good outdoor range. I really liked the range at Jackson and Salem but they're so far.

 

I do most of my shooting at Pine Belt but they only have Skeet and Trap. Thanks in advance for info!

Range 14 looks pretty good, but it is in Fort Dix. I may look into them even though it is over an hour from me.