Long distance shooting?

[steve817]

Hello Folks,

Recently I have taken an interest in shooting at distances longer than my local gun ranges offer which is usually 100 yards. Where could one go (I'm guessing outside of DFW) to hone these skills? I'm talking up to 1000 yards.

[C-dub]

Up to 1k yards, I'm not sure of, but there is that one up near McKinney that has a 500 yard range. Beiruty has talked about it and IIRC also posted pictures from his experience there.

[The Annoyed Man]

Hello Folks,

Recently I have taken an interest in shooting at distances longer than my local gun ranges offer which is usually 100 yards. Where could one go (I'm guessing outside of DFW) to hone these skills? I'm talking up to 1000 yards.

Tacpro has a 1,000 yd range, but you have to either be a member or guest of a member to use it: http://www.tacproshootingcenter.com/facilities.html. I've shot there once, and it seems a pretty nice facility. Takes about an hour and 30 minutes to get there from Grapevine, west of Fort Worth, between Stephenville and Mineral Wells.

Also, it looks like ETTS Tactical's website is being rebuilt, but they have a 1,200 yard range: http://www.ettsgunrange.com/. Here is their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ettsgunrange" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Their membership is not cheap, but you get a mighty fine long distance shooting range. A couple of buddies of mine shoot out there regularly. They are in Waxahachie.

If you've never shot at 1,000 yards before, you might want to hone your skills at 300-500 first. Even 500 yards is a LOT further than it sounds on paper. Here is my own experience at 500 (with pictures) at TacPro: viewtopic.php?f=87&t=74156&p=933696&hil ... ro#p933696" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This picture was taken from the 500 yard line. There are firing lines at 200, 300, and 400 yds between the 500 yd line where this was taken, and the tall berm in the distance:

[steve817]

If you've never shot at 1,000 yards before, you might want to hone your skills at 300-500 first. Even 500 yards is a LOT further than it sounds on paper. Here is my own experience at 500 (with pictures) at TacPro: viewtopic.php?f=87&t=74156&p=933696&hil ... ro#p933696" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh I'm with you. I didn't for a moment think I was just going to start punching holes in paper at 1000. Ideally, I would like to do it in 100 yard increments. I had heard of TacPro, but when I checked out their web site it said that the range was closed for pipeline construction.

[Pawpaw]

The range C-dub was talking about above is Top Gun Texas near Leonard, TX.

They have targets at 100, 200, 300, 400, & 500 yards. You start out at 100 yards. To shoot at 200 yards you must be able to put 3 out of 3 shots into a 1.5 inch group at 100 yards. There are similar qualification requirements to advance each 100 yard increment. All of the details are in the range rules at the above website.

What the website doesn't mention is that you must do that with each individual rifle. They will give you a card that shows the distances you can shoot with each rifle, if you have more than one. They're making sure both the shooter and rifle are up to the task.

Top Gun would be a good place for you to get started.

[Beiruty]

Yep, top gun range is very highly recommended. I was able to score 1st shot hits at 500 yards. Target size is 4 MOA at 500 yards or some 20" wide plates.
The 1000 yards range not that far either. It is 10-15 minutes north of Greenville, TX.

[Commander Cody]

During my time in the USMC we had to qualify annually at Edson range at Camp Pendleton. The farthest targets were 500 meters (about 550 yards I think). We shot at 22” targets on about an 8’ x 8’ butt. As I remember the butt looked about the size of a postage stamp with a pencil dot in the center. I think the trick was to ignore the bull’s eye and just shoot for the middle of the “stamp”. I had young eyes at the time (45+ years ago) and had no trouble qualifying expert each time. I’m quite sure that I could not do that now… but it would be nice to try.

[The Annoyed Man]

....when I checked out their web site it said that the range was closed for pipeline construction.

That must be a fairly recent development. That said, I can't imagine that it will be closed for that long. But Top Gun has an excellent reputation. I haven't had a chance to shoot there yet.

[Right2Carry]

Graham, Texas has a Rifle and Pistol range that includes a 550 yard Range.

http://grahamrifleandpistolclub.webstar ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Beiruty]

Graham, Texas has a Rifle and Pistol range that includes a 550 yard Range.

link? It is a long drive for me. However, others would find the link handy.

[Right2Carry]

Graham, Texas has a Rifle and Pistol range that includes a 550 yard Range.

link? It is a long drive for me. However, others would find the link handy.

Added link to my post.

[suthdj]

This one still says opening soon it is the one Mr. Cotton work with awhile back.

http://northeasttexastactical.com/

[berettadave]

Hello Folks,

Recently I have taken an interest in shooting at distances longer than my local gun ranges offer which is usually 100 yards. Where could one go (I'm guessing outside of DFW) to hone these skills? I'm talking up to 1000 yards.

Tacpro has a 1,000 yd range, but you have to either be a member or guest of a member to use it: http://www.tacproshootingcenter.com/facilities.html. I've shot there once, and it seems a pretty nice facility. Takes about an hour and 30 minutes to get there from Grapevine, west of Fort Worth, between Stephenville and Mineral Wells.

Also, it looks like ETTS Tactical's website is being rebuilt, but they have a 1,200 yard range: http://www.ettsgunrange.com/. Here is their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ettsgunrange" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Their membership is not cheap, but you get a mighty fine long distance shooting range. A couple of buddies of mine shoot out there regularly. They are in Waxahachie.

If you've never shot at 1,000 yards before, you might want to hone your skills at 300-500 first. Even 500 yards is a LOT further than it sounds on paper. Here is my own experience at 500 (with pictures) at TacPro: viewtopic.php?f=87&t=74156&p=933696&hil ... ro#p933696" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This picture was taken from the 500 yard line. There are firing lines at 200, 300, and 400 yds between the 500 yd line where this was taken, and the tall berm in the distance:
[ Image ]

Couldn't help but notice what looks like an AD into the back of that shooting bench in your picture. Bet that woke someone up!

Dave

[The Annoyed Man]

Couldn't help but notice what looks like an AD into the back of that shooting bench in your picture. Bet that woke someone up!

Dave

Hi Dave, I hadn't noticed that, but I would offer two alternative explanations:

1) Possibly, that is the head of a bolt, connecting the supporting leg to the table, and it is simply a low resolution image that makes it hard to tell. And the more likely explanation....

2) Just as there are 200, 300, and 400 yard firing lines between the 500 yard line and the berm, the 500 yard line itself is halfway down the "fairway" from the 1,000 yard line. It is MUCH more likely that someone on the 1,000 yard line had a round fall short, hitting the back of that shooting bench, than it is that someone had an ND at the 500 yard line.

When we were shooting at the 500 yard line that day, we had to take turns with guys at the 1,000 yard line who were also using the range, another 500 yards behind us. By mutual agreement, they would take a break and go have a smoke or a nap or something, while we would shoot for 20 or 30 minutes at 500. Then we would throw our gear in the back of our vehicles and drive back to the 1,000 yard line so those guys could shoot for a while. There was just three of us, and three of them, and as is often the case at rifle ranges, there was almost as much jawboning as there was shooting going on. The primary difference between our group and theirs, other than distance, is that the three of us were all shooting AR15s of either 16" or 18" (mine) barrel length, while the guys at the 1,000 yard line had very fancy tricked out bolt rifles.

It would seem to me to be far more likely that it a short round from the 1,000 yard line did that than a ND at the 500 yard line, particularly since most of the shooting on that range on any given day is being fired from the 1,000.

[Pawpaw]

I think you're right TAM. That hole doesn't appear to be a hole, but a dent. It looks like a round lost stability and tumbled.