The English Pit - Any Users Here?

[SA Shooter]

I'm just curious about The English Pit. What sort of operation is it? How are the range wardens to work with? Any big problems there?

Anyone here use that range regularly?

Read More

 

[P7M13]

I've been there 3x. Never saw a range officer at all. Each time, there was someone at the gate to take your admission fee, then it was up to you. Most times it was just a few people there, and they were good people. One guy let me shoot his FN PS90, which was cool, especially considering the shortages at the time and the cost of 5.7 ammo.
In my last trip, I saw some very unsafe shooting and handling, and when I and an older gent spoke up together about their practices and also to let them know the target they were shooting could very well bounce the bullet right back at them, the shooters were disrespectful in reply. We both left right away.
That was ~4 years ago, haven't been back since. Things may have changed some.

 

[Crohnos01]

I have been there recently several times. The range officer is at a booth looking over the 3 ranges. I have seen them come down on folks who were not handling weapons safely. I am not even sure how they saw it, but there is a speaker system they can talk to shooters through... Maybe they have cameras too, I didn't check that closely. Anyway, good folks to work with in my experience. I am a member of a private range so I don't go there that often.

 

[SA Shooter]

Thank you for the input!

 

[clearconscience]

I was just there last saturday. It gets busy with newbie shooters. The range leaves some to be desired, but for a place in town to shoot it's okay.
They raises the prices. $18 and change to shoot for the day.
The range officer's (if there is one) usually don't police you that much. More so police the hot/cold range times. But when I've been there people are good at policing themselves.

It gets really busy on weekends.

I haven't been there in a long time, but had a good experience when I was there.
You would think they could throw a little money into the ranges.

If you don't have a membership somewhere else or have time to go into the woods it's a good place to get your fix.

 

[Joe13]

It's a pit with a large steep hill to navigate down to the shooting lanes. Ok if you have 2 handguns, sucks if you want to shoot a handful of rifles or a combo of them.

I've hated it every time I have gone in the last 15 years. (3 times).

Also saw very unsafe people around me.

To give them some credit a new RSO there was promoting the improvements on a thread here a year or so ago.



If your out in hillsboro I would think there were some closer ranges but I'm not sure. It's a long drive out to east Vancouver and you will most likely be underwhelmed.



I was lucky enough to get into Clark rifles so I probably won't ever be back to the pit again.

 

[Crohnos01]

Congratulations on your membership to Clark Joe. I would like to be a member there since it's so close to my house, but from what I understand, I would likely die before my name came up on their waiting list... if they were still taking names that is. I am a member of Wolverton which is a great range in its own right, but the drive kind of sucks. On the other hand, my cell phone doesn't work so well at Wolverton so no one can pester me when I am out to get my fix

 

[clearconscience]

Yeah the hill down can be a bear.

Clark is really nice, even though the RSOs are getting pretty over-reactive since that trouble with the neighbor.

I get in there when I can go as a guest with a friend. But thats few and far between.

I really like going in the woods, but My schedule is tough with two young kids and I don't like going by myself if I don't have to.

 

[SA Shooter]

It's a pit with a large steep hill to navigate down to the shooting lanes. Ok if you have 2 handguns, sucks if you want to shoot a handful of rifles or a combo of them.

I've hated it every time I have gone in the last 15 years. (3 times).

Also saw very unsafe people around me.

To give them some credit a new RSO there was promoting the improvements on a thread here a year or so ago.

If your out in hillsboro I would think there were some closer ranges but I'm not sure. It's a long drive out to east Vancouver and you will most likely be underwhelmed.

I was lucky enough to get into Clark rifles so I probably won't ever be back to the pit again.

Thanks for the info, @Joe13 . I'm waiting out my application at TVGC and wanna put some rounds downrange with the AR and the new optic. Maybe I'll head out to Wolf Creek instead.

Hating the location I am shooting in, with unsafe shooters around me, just doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

 

[Crohnos01]

I figured the hill was part of my exercise program.... of course it does kind of impair your accuracy when you are breathing so hard the rifle is moving an inch up and down for the first 15 minutes you are shooting

 

[nwslopoke]

I like it. Sometimes it's my only real workout. The staff is friendly and, especially the lady who works there, doesn't miss much safety wise as far as I have seen.

It's inexpensive comparatively as you can use your own ammo and targets. Their website is updated with open lanes for the day so you don't was a drive over.

The only downside is the hike back up the hill and a hot honey bucket.

 

[P7M13]

...my cell phone doesn't work so well at Wolverton so no one can pester me when I am out to get my fix

Same thing for my cell at TCGC. I tell the wife that my cell doesn't work there, and it rarely does so I just leave it in the car. By the time I reach Tualatin-Sherwood Rd, there will be 6+ texts from her on my phone....

Yeah, that climb down and out of the pit does suck.

@SA Shooter, if you're in Hillsboro, why not drive out Hwy 6 to Brown's camp (if open) or Idiot Creek in the Tillamook Forest? Great places to shoot. There are a bunch of new clear cuts out that way. If you do, please be neat. I see so much trash every time I go there and typically bring home a bunch with me.

 

[tac]

The pit you'll seem to be griping about is the reason it's called English 'Pit' and not English 'Flats'.

You guys need to work out some more.

tac

 

[Hun Shooter]

My experience with the English Pit is mostly positive. On 2 different occasions the staff helped me to sight my rifle in by spotting for me. Driving from Hillsboro is no fun and climbing the hill sucks when you are carrying rifles and ammo.

I might be going there this Thursday, look for the guys shooting some HK's and AR's

We will be doing a PTR91 vs C91 shootout

 

[tac]

Wow! You ARE up early!

You a vampire?

tac

 

[Hun Shooter]

I work nights

 

[tac]

That's what I mean.

tac

 

[Crohnos01]

I might be going there this Thursday, look for the guys shooting some HK's and AR's

We will be doing a PTR91 vs C91 shootout

Now you're just being funny.... I don't think I've ever been there when there WASN'T some guys shooting some HK's and some AR's

 

[CHLChris]

I really like the Pit for what I can do there, not for the little stuff. The hill is a pain, the lack of shotgun facilities is a big problem, and the requirements to shoot slow are annoying. However, it is one of the only public ranges that allows for a 50yd rifle zero, has a good rim fire range, and has a pretty good handgun range.

For me I only use it for zeroing rifles and pistols. In my opinion it is useless for much else. But for zeroing it is safe and very well-equipped.

 

[Joe13]

I really like the Pit for what I can do there, not for the little stuff. The hill is a pain, the lack of shotgun facilities is a big problem, and the requirements to shoot slow are annoying. However, it is one of the only public ranges that allows for a 50yd rifle zero, has a good rim fire range, and has a pretty good handgun range.

For me I only use it for zeroing rifles and pistols. In my opinion it is useless for much else. But for zeroing it is safe and very well-equipped.

Just curious, once zeroed where do you actually go to shoot those guns?