Finding a range in Clark County

[Jennyo]

HELP! Recently moved to Clark County and we have been looking for a range. A range that will allow you to DRAW FROM A HOLSTER! We dont mind having to "prove" our ability to do so, but WOW! I am surprised at the rules that some of the ranges have and the cost of having to "prove" your worth. We have checked out Safefire, Tri County and English Pit. We came from Snoqualmie Valley Rifle Club, where you could draw from a holster. Both my husband and I are experienced shooters (pistol, rifle, shotgun, black rifle league) and have taught at SVRC womens shooting group since 2017. We train regularly (daily) and attend higher education to learn more about being skilled at our chosen disciplines. ANY help would be greatly appreciated. Now that the Yacolt Burn forest is open, we hope to find some fellow shooter.

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[ilikegunspdx]

I thought yacolt burn forest just burned? I hear you on drawing from a holster. Most ranges won't let you do it. Imo there is no point in going to a range to practice slow fire. What one needs in a personal defense situation is to draw from holster smoothly and consistently and fire accurately under duress. Also helps to shoot moving targets and from awkward positions (such things one would find in real life). Most ranges around here don't let you practice the skills you need. It's a damn shame.

 

[thorborg]

Drawing from a holster might be a difficult find from a commercial range, best you pick up on of the several laser / target set ups for your home to foster the need for speed.
Good luck with that

 

[Xaevian]

It's not your skill level they are worried about, it is the other 99 Wyatt Derps.

 

[Joe13]

Yup woods is pretty much your options.

Although empty gun practice is pretty easily done at home unless you are talking about cowboy type competitions.

 

[Throckmorton]

I don't think wolverton mt. has any such rule, it's a very nice range about 20 minutes east of Woodland, I was a member for thirty years before moving to the coast.
They sell memberships in that you own a piece of the club and can rfe sell that membership for whatever amount you want ,down the road. at WMGC you drive in , do your shooting, clean up and leave, No ro's that i'm aware of on site, unless things have changed in 7 years.
I know they have a fb page and a .com, check it out .

 

[huzar]

Hi @Jennyo, good to see you around these parts!

 

[spookshack]

Safefire requires you get certified to draw from the holster, Tri County requires certification for their action ranges and there is like an 18 month wait list too.

Obviously Albany Rifle and Pistol Club is a bit of a drive, but no certification to draw from the holster in their action bays.

Not a lot of places to "run your gun" without some type of certification.
I wish you luck in finding a suitable location to train.

 

[Jennyo]

I thought yacolt burn forest just burned? I hear you on drawing from a holster. Most ranges won't let you do it. Imo there is no point in going to a range to practice slow fire. What one needs in a personal defense situation is to draw from holster smoothly and consistently and fire accurately under duress. Also helps to shoot moving targets and from awkward positions (such things one would find in real life). Most ranges around here don't let you practice the skills you need. It's a damn shame.

I could not agree more! If there are any range owners here....WHY do you not allow people to draw from holsters? What is the point of coming into shoot at your range when we cant practice the skills that make us a more proficient gun owner!

 

[Jennyo]

Safefire requires you get certified to draw from the holster, Tri County requires certification for their action ranges and there is like an 18 month wait list too.

Obviously Albany Rifle and Pistol Club is a bit of a drive, but no certification to draw from the holster in their action bays.

Not a lot of places to "run your gun" without some type of certification.
I wish you luck in finding a suitable location to train.

Isnt that a shame. WE are thinking of just driving to Snoqualmie - where we are still members- just so that we can draw and shoot from a holster.

 

[Jennyo]

I don't think wolverton mt. has any such rule, it's a very nice range about 20 minutes east of Woodland, I was a member for thirty years before moving to the coast.
They sell memberships in that you own a piece of the club and can rfe sell that membership for whatever amount you want ,down the road. at WMGC you drive in , do your shooting, clean up and leave, No ro's that i'm aware of on site, unless things have changed in 7 years.
I know they have a fb page and a .com, check it out .

We are on the waitlist for Wolverton!

 

[Jennyo]

Yup woods is pretty much your options.

Although empty gun practice is pretty easily done at home unless you are talking about cowboy type competitions.

We dry fire daily....but just want to hear my gun go BANG and draw from my holster!

 

[Papercidal]

Safefire will allow you to work from the holster with a certification that is good for a year (they run you through a basic skills test to make sure you are reasonably safe).

If you want to work from a holster look for any of the USPSA or IDPA matches around. I Don't shoot IDPA but there are USPSA matches three weekends a month in the general area.

 

[robertvarner]

Getting the holster certification is not brain surgery. If you have handgun skills already in place, you can take the certification test (course of fire on SafeFire's web site) or you can take the From The Holster class where the certification is part of the class. I highly recommend the class, since you learn a lot from highly qualified and experienced instructors. It's worth the small investment in time and money.

There are several important reasons why ranges don't easily allow people just to walk in and ask to draw from the holster. Frankly speaking, without the proper training, most people are pretty sloppy with their gun handling. Even the slightest slip of a finger on the trigger or in the trigger well can cause devastating results.

And as you complete the draw and attempt to reholster, you can sweep your hand past the holster pointing the barrel behind you and shoot into the concrete floor. Once that happens you put everyone in the bay at risk of a ricochet.

 

[Wyo79]

Welcome to the suck !
Hit the woods. Shooting in this areas ranges blows.
Even the gravel pits in the outlying areas of public grounds are sketchy ( dirty and abound with tacticool yahoos ) flinging lead on weekends.
Try the Forest mid week when hunting season wraps up.
Good luck !!!

 

[Jennyo]

It's not your skill level they are worried about, it is the other 99 Wyatt Derps.

Agree with you! We try to stay away from indoor ranges just for that reason. But also have the flexibility to go during non busy times. It looks like it is out to the woods we go!

 

[Jennyo]

Getting the holster certification is not brain surgery. If you have handgun skills already in place, you can take the certification test (course of fire on SafeFire's web site) or you can take the From The Holster class where the certification is part of the class. I highly recommend the class, since you learn a lot from highly qualified and experienced instructors. It's worth the small investment in time and money.

There are several important reasons why ranges don't easily allow people just to walk in and ask to draw from the holster. Frankly speaking, without the proper training, most people are pretty sloppy with their gun handling. Even the slightest slip of a finger on the trigger or in the trigger well can cause devastating results.

And as you complete the draw and attempt to reholster, you can sweep your hand past the holster pointing the barrel behind you and shoot into the concrete floor. Once that happens you put everyone in the bay at risk of a ricochet.

I understand what you say here and agree, I dont mind paying the initial $100 to take this "test" but then I need to pay $25 each year to recertify for this privilege. Seems like a money grab for me. I'd pay the $100 no problem, in my opinion, each year should be a free re assessment. As a RSO and a previous instructor of Basic Pistol, I would want as many educated, tested, people at my range drawing from holsters as possible. And offer some more advanced drawing classes for a nominal fee. To keep people sharp on their drawing and replacing in the holster. How do we as firearm owners who conceal carry get better, through consistent practice. And we are not able to do that unless you consistently dry fire at home. (which I do) . I will continue to advocate for drawing from holsters at ranges. With more and more people owning and hopefully getting concealed carry licenses, we need the ability, as educated gun owners, to draw and shoot. Whether its from IWB or OWB holsters. Education AND PRACTICE is the best answer. Instead of making it forbidden, make it a practice skill that is seen at ranges. There is nothing more beautiful in my opinion than to watch a person with a fast, smooth draw and great shot on target and then safely holstering.

Getting the holster certification is not brain surgery. If you have handgun skills already in place, you can take the certification test (course of fire on SafeFire's web site) or you can take the From The Holster class where the certification is part of the class. I highly recommend the class, since you learn a lot from highly qualified and experienced instructors. It's worth the small investment in time and money.

There are several important reasons why ranges don't easily allow people just to walk in and ask to draw from the holster. Frankly speaking, without the proper training, most people are pretty sloppy with their gun handling. Even the slightest slip of a finger on the trigger or in the trigger well can cause devastating results.

And as you complete the draw and attempt to reholster, you can sweep your hand past the holster pointing the barrel behind you and shoot into the concrete floor. Once that happens you put everyone in the bay at risk of a ricochet.

 

[DLS]

Way late to this thread but ...

I would not want to shoot at a range that allows live holster work if they did not have a recertification process.

People pick up bad habits, get sloppy, get complacent, develop attitudes etc.

That's why the military, every LEO agency and armed security services have an annual (or more frequent) qualification requirement.

I have seen plenty of "certified" shooters that could not pass their comps a year after the fact.

SafeFire wants people to practice these type of skills, which is why they pay much higher insurance premiums than a range who disallows holster work. The fees they charge for the cert go to cover these costs. $25 for an annual recert is hardly "a money grab".

 

[trevi]

Welcome to the suck !
Hit the woods. Shooting in this areas ranges blows.
Even the gravel pits in the outlying areas of public grounds are sketchy ( dirty and abound with tacticool yahoos ) flinging lead on weekends.
Try the Forest mid week when hunting season wraps up.
Good luck !!!

Would you PM me some places?

 

[Jennyo]

Hi @Jennyo, good to see you around these parts!

Hi Marcin!