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Hi everyone, I'm wondering where the closest shooting range that has a decent amount of rentals is located. I'm in Nacogdoches and I'm pretty sure there isn't any near here. I usally go shooting in the woods, but the wife is interested in buying a pistol. So we need to find a place that will let here try some out so she can decide if she likes a particular pistol. Thanks for all of your help.

remington 79,
I dont know of anyone in our immediate area that rents guns. Give me a PM. I live in Lufkin. Mbr & Range Martial at the Angelina Rifle & Pistol Club. Have several that you can try to see what you or she may like.
I am planning a Monday shoot.

remington79 wrote:Hi everyone, I'm wondering where the closest shooting range that has a decent amount of rentals is located. I'm in Nacogdoches and I'm pretty sure there isn't any near here. I usally go shooting in the woods, but the wife is interested in buying a pistol. So we need to find a place that will let here try some out so she can decide if she likes a particular pistol. Thanks for all of your help.

Hi Remington,

Welcome to the forum, I am just outside of "Nac" in Martinsville. Coincidentally, I was looking for a place to let my daughter handle a few different types of handguns in preparation to getting her CHL. So, we did a little shopping around the other day.

My first stop was to what was formerly (A-1 pawn). I knew the business had changed hands but didn't know they no longer carried handguns.

After looking around a bit, I was greeted by a lady.. and I suppose the puzzled look on my face prompted her question "Can I help you find anything". I replied "I don't think so, I was wanting to look at some handguns". Without hesitation she said " I will sell you a long-gun", to which I answered "No Ma'am...I was looking for Hand.....guns (protracted)".

There was an uncomfortable pause, and then she said "When A-1 went, the handguns went". I told her "that was most unfortunate, but thank you for your time".

Went to Academy in Lufkin, they will let you look at only one firearm at a time and they have trigger locks on everything, so you are not able to determine trigger pull/feel.

I thought what the heck, we'll stop by Wulf's outdoor center in Center, TX. and low and behold....an old friend of mine is working there at the gun counter. They are happy to let you handle (and dry fire if you ask) most of the pistols there. They have a decent selection to choose from. Ask for Lloyd Harris.

I know this doesn't address your question about renting and shooting a variety of handguns, but if you can tell us what you're interested in, someone nearby might have one and be willing to meet you at the range. There just isn't anyplace close by that rents handguns that I know of.

Personally, it looks like my daughter and I are going to have to visit a gun show to find what she wants.

Again, welcome.

Flint.

Thanks so far guys. I'm not quite sure what she has in mind for a pistol yet. She has shot my H&K a few times. I thought about the gun show idea I'm just not sure when the next one is coming around or where to find out. On the bright side she is looking online at them though.

Thanks for the welcome flintknapper. I remember you were asking about the XD for your daughter. Did she like it? I can't remember.

I heard the bad news about A-! a few months back when I called to get a price on a S&W AR15. She said no hand guns or so called assault rifles.

Longtooth, I'll see ask my wife if she's up to it tomorrow. I'll send a PM your way. From what I've gathered the closest place that has rentals is in Tyler.

remington79 wrote:Thanks so far guys. I'm not quite sure what she has in mind for a pistol yet. She has shot my H&K a few times. I thought about the gun show idea I'm just not sure when the next one is coming around or where to find out. On the bright side she is looking online at them though.

Here is where you find the gun shows:
http://www.gunshows-usa.com/texas_gun_&_knife_shows.htm

remington79 wrote:I remember you were asking about the XD for your daughter. Did she like it?

The grip is bit large for her small hands, it was a "stretch" to reach the trigger. I was fairly impressed with them though. They have kind of an odd balance about them, but nothing you couldn't get used to.

She kept gravitating to the 1911's. I think because she's familiar with that platform and the slim grips suit her. I'll get her whatever she chooses, but I wanted her to at least look at some different handguns with different grip sizes, angles, double action vs. single action, capacities....etc.

I feel pretty certain she'll end up with a compact 1911 in either .45 or 9mm, but who knows. We did manage to eliminate a few, some because of features I did not like, others because she didn't like the feel of them.

I thought the CZ 75 P-01 would stay on the list, but it didn't.

Flint--

Robin had trouble with the larger grips on my Glocks. She shot a few 1911 style models in Tyler and DFW at ranges. She also got to handle and shoot a variety of models and calibers when she took a shooting class here so that helped.

She finally decided on the CZ-75D compact in 9mm. It fit her hand well and it also fits in her purse well. We looked at Academy, but no D (decocker) models that she wanted. We bought it from the Gun Doc here in LVW.

Once she shot it a good bit she fussed a little about the "short" sight radius as compared to my G34 *shrugs* . She does pretty well with it now though.

Piney wrote:Flint--

Robin had trouble with the larger grips on my Glocks. She shot a few 1911 style models in Tyler and DFW at ranges. She also got to handle and shoot a variety of models and calibers when she took a shooting class here so that helped.

She finally decided on the CZ-75D compact in 9mm. It fit her hand well and it also fits in her purse well. We looked at Academy, but no D (decocker) models that she wanted. We bought it from the Gun Doc here in LVW.

Once she shot it a good bit she fussed a little about the "short" sight radius as compared to my G34 *shrugs* . She does pretty well with it now though.

Yeah, the P-01 is a decocker, it is an excellent size overall...and CZ' s are well made. What bumped it off the list for now was the really stiff recoil spring and the fact that there is very little slide above the frame to grasp if you have a malfunction.

The slide on a CZ sits inside the the frame which gives it a lot of contact area and long rails (a good thing) but it doesn't leave much to get a hold of if need be.

Other than that she liked it.