I recently bought a rimfire rifle and would like to take my girlfriend to go shooting. I live in South Jersey and the gun ranges somewhat close to me all require at least a $200-300 membership to shoot plus an NRA membership.

I'm probably not going to dish out that kind of money to shoot for a year since I ship out in about 2 months. Are there any unsupervised, outdoor ranges on public land where I could shoot for free in NJ? I assume this is legal since I would only be shooting a rimfire rifle and not a handgun. 

Thank you for any advice you can share.

If it is just rimfire, NJ WMA (wildlife management areas).  You can also look into Range 14 if that is close for you. 

You need a valid hunting license to shoot at WMA ranges.  Range 14 at Ft Dix is probably your best bet.  Commercial ranges all charge about $25 an hour.

I third R-14.  They now offer a $20 day pass for civilians and $10 for active duty.  However, since you are active, you may as well get the discounted full year membership for $30.

5 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

I third R-14.  They now offer a $20 day pass for civilians and $10 for active duty.  However, since you are active, you may as well get the discounted full year membership for $30.

How much is civillian membership there now? 

3 minutes ago, Maksim said:

How much is civillian membership there now? 

$60 for the year.

$4 per hour to shoot.

Stafford forge. On rt539. A few miles down from Shooters in egg harbor. 

 

At Range 14, you can shoot your rimfire on the 50 yard pistol line. That would get you away from the big noisy guns on the rifle range.

1 hour ago, DaddyNick said:

Stafford forge. On rt539. A few miles down from Shooters in egg harbor. 

 

 

10 hours ago, GRIZ said:

You need a valid hunting license to shoot at WMA ranges.

 

1 minute ago, dajonga said:

That would get you away from the big noisy guns on the rifle range.

What, don't like the muzzle blast from that guy firing his AR next to you?

 

Range 14 is great. Highly recommended.

20 minutes ago, Sniper said:

 

 

What, don't like the muzzle blast from that guy firing his AR next to you?

 

Nothing quite like an AR10 (or bigger) with a muzzle brake just a few feet away from your head. I'm surprised that my teeth didn't rattle out a few times. 

Just the one thing to keep in mind, much more than at other ranges (except at Range 129 and others where you must show them what's in your bags),  ROs are very much there and be prepared to discuss your guns... and their legality.  You are after all on government grounds. 

From that perspective,  a private range is very much worth far less hassles.

2 minutes ago, Maksim said:

ROs are very much there and be prepared to discuss your guns... and their legality.  You are after all on government grounds. 

In 5 years of membership at R14, I was never once asked to do a show and tell.  I've never seen a mag or muzzle inspected.  The ROs didn't even bat an eye at my M16A1 either.  Though, if you aren't wearing safety glasses, they'll be up your ass.

10 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

In 5 years of membership at R14, I was never once asked to do a show and tell.  I've never seen a mag or muzzle inspected.  The ROs didn't even bat an eye at my M16A1 either.  Though, if you aren't wearing safety glasses, they'll be up your ass.

You're special.  Routinely had 15/30 pmags inspected. 

8 minutes ago, Maksim said:

Routinely had 15/30 pmags inspected. 

Hmm, come to think of it, my mags were all 15/20s, maybe they were less scary.

15 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

In 5 years of membership at R14, I was never once asked to do a show and tell.  I've never seen a mag or muzzle inspected.  The ROs didn't even bat an eye at my M16A1 either.  Though, if you aren't wearing safety glasses, they'll be up your ass.

Same here. I have been a R14 member for nearly 10 years and never ever has a RO approached me about my equipment, including 15/30 and 15/20 mags, other than to ask "what is that?". I find the ROs at R14 to be fantastic. The guy in the tower can be a bit of a pill sometimes, but the guys on the line are AOK.

7 minutes ago, dajonga said:

I find the ROs at R14 to be fantastic. The guy in the tower can be a bit of a pill sometimes, but the guys on the line are AOK.

This is true... the guy in the tower with the power of the microphone.

We were there last week. Place was half empty, no RO on the pad. But the dude in the tower was having all types of fun with his microphone. I wonder if he gets paid by the word to be a dick......

 

1 minute ago, Sniper said:

This is true... the guy in the tower with the power of the microphone.

We were there last week. Place was half empty, no RO on the pad. But the dude in the tower was having all types of fun with his microphone. I wonder if he gets paid by the word to be a dick......

 

What did he do?  

2 minutes ago, Maksim said:

What did he do?  

Pretty much yelling at everyone who wasn't moving fast enough for him: setting targets, putting up flags, crossing the pad, etc. Coming back from setting targets, I did two quick kicks of brass on the pad going back to my truck. He made sure to quickly "remind" me.

11 minutes ago, Sniper said:

Pretty much yelling at everyone who wasn't moving fast enough for him: setting targets, putting up flags, crossing the pad, etc. Coming back from setting targets, I did two quick kicks of brass on the pad going back to my truck. He made sure to quickly "remind" me.

I see some things never change.

The biggest thing about Range 14 that bugged me however was that on busier days, would get swept by a muzzle or two nearly every trip.

FWIW I would rather have the guy in the tower being a dick and watching everyone like a hawk, rather than not really paying attention and perhaps missing something dangerous ... but yes they can be a bit annoying.

1 hour ago, Sniper said:

Pretty much yelling at everyone who wasn't moving fast enough for him: setting targets, putting up flags, crossing the pad, etc.

In all fairness, some folks are slow as fuck and dawdle out there eating up precious trigger  time.  There's always someone who didn't  set up the flags right, and at least once per trip, someone goes to the table during cease fire because they left their targets there ( I used to be that guy, but no more).

What I like best about R-14 is that you can have multiple hardware pieces on the bench at the same time, so you can switch off or share if you have someone with you quickly. Being that they're timing between cease fires, if you have to un-case each firearm each time, it's a PITA, and lose valuable time. Plus, you can use more than just paper targets, to add some variety.

 

Just now, Sniper said:

Plus, you can use more than just paper targets, to add some variety.

Yeah, but they don't let you shoot fun stuff like watermelons or pumpkins. 

They wouldn't even let me shoot peep bunnies on a stick.

 

4 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said:

Yeah, but they don't let you shoot fun stuff like watermelons or pumpkins. 

They wouldn't even let me shoot peep bunnies on a stick.

Surprising they wouldn't let the peep bunnies go...

I bring a case of generic cola, and shake the crap out of the cans before we set them up. They blowup pretty good.

I go to the Makepeace lake WMA and Range 14 on a regular basis (might be going tomorrow after the rainstorm moves through). For shooting rimfire you can't beat the range at Makepeace lake. You are left pretty much alone unless other shooters are there, but the guys that shoot there are for the most part all nice to one another. Bring your own target stands and targets, and whatever else you want to shoot as long as you want to clean it up. While its true you need a hunting license, I have never had one in the 8 years I have been shooting shotgun and rifle there. I did take the class to get one, but I don't hunt so I never got it. 

8 hours ago, Sniper said:

This is true... the guy in the tower with the power of the microphone.

We were there last week. Place was half empty, no RO on the pad. But the dude in the tower was having all types of fun with his microphone. I wonder if he gets paid by the word to be a dick......

 

Get off the berm. 

22 minutes ago, silverado427 said:

Get off the berm. 

Wait, why... I just want to set my target at 225 yards?

 

23 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

Yeah, but they don't let you shoot fun stuff like watermelons or pumpkins. 

They wouldn't even let me shoot peep bunnies on a stick.

 

Reason most ranges don't want you shooting food is it attracts wildlife.  Animals would wind up coming looking for a free meal.

29 minutes ago, GRIZ said:

Reason most ranges don't want you shooting food is it attracts wildlife.  Animals would wind up coming looking for a free meal.

Live and moving targets, yee haw!!  Would they charge extra for them?

Do you really think animals would wander on the range with all that live fire and crazy rednecks running around?

On 12/19/2018 at 10:58 AM, Maksim said:

If it is just rimfire, NJ WMA (wildlife management areas).  You can also look into Range 14 if that is close for you. 

you can shoot rimfire at nj wma?