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Hi everyone, I just bought my first handgun a few weeks ago found this forum, you guys are the best!!

I wanted to ask what everyone recommends for the best value range/gun club is for the money

I live in SE Portland and went to the Place To Shoot last week and it was nice but with the $85 membership it's still $10 everytime I go and I have to pay $5/50 rounds. If this is the best there is I don't mind since they seem like good people but I wanted to see if there is another range nearby that ya'll would recommend?

I've heard of outdoor ranges but they're like an hour out away and depend on good weather, but please let me know your opinions, I'm pretty open.

thanks!
 
Tri county gun club, but there is quite the wait to get in, and it is a bit more per year, but well worth the wait and cost if you go regularly.
 
Johnsoncreekgunclub.com
It's kind of weird now with the Covid rules but it's pretty cool when things are normal. You bring your own ammo and come and go as you please with a pass key. About $175/year plus an initiation fee. Check the website for pricing.
Handguns only except for 22LR and no magnum loads. Been a member there for years and love the place.
 
A club or range which offers the safe use for action / motion (when the new enthusiast is ready) would be the best option.

No idea on if your current range offer such, or not. Simplisticaly, meaning once you are ready, the option to draw, acquire and fire. Most indoor ranges don't, and its reasonable that they don't.

Best options for clubs / ranges up your way OP are likely TriCounty (as mentioned), or Douglas Ridge. Likely DR would be the closer option. No idea on membership wait, or not.


Worth a look tho.
 
Tri county gun club, but there is quite the wait to get in, and it is a bit more per year, but well worth the wait and cost if you go regularly.

I heard about Tri County but for just owning 1 pistol I prob wouldn't use the resources to the max, maybe after I build an AR (trying to buy a BCM but can't find one) and a defensive shot gun I'd have enough of a reason to go to a up scale gun range like Tri County

Am I right to think this or is it still worth it for plinking with a pistol?
 
Johnsoncreekgunclub.com
It's kind of weird now with the Covid rules but it's pretty cool when things are normal. You bring your own ammo and come and go as you please with a pass key. About $175/year plus an initiation fee. Check the website for pricing.
Handguns only except for 22LR and no magnum loads. Been a member there for years and love the place.

Hmm counting the $85 for membership + ~$20 everytime I go shooting at The Place To Shoot, this Johnson Creek place sounds pretty affordable, thanks!
 
I don't believe that Johnson Creek allows quick draw practice. Hopefully one is trained and competent as they approach any firing line though. You can always go out to BLM land and practice your quick draw stuff. Their operation is unsupervised though although they have cameras everywhere. I've been sticking with them over the years because they don't make you buy their ammo and you can take your brass with you if want. There's also nobody breathing down your neck. I've been there many times for a two hour sessions and I was the only soul in the building. It doesn't get any better than that.
 
A club or range which offers the safe use for action / motion (when the new enthusiast is ready) would be the best option.

No idea on if your current range offer such, or not. Simplisticaly, meaning once you are ready, the option to draw, acquire and fire. Most indoor ranges don't, and its reasonable that they don't.

Best options for clubs / ranges up your way OP are likely TriCounty (as mentioned), or Douglas Ridge. Likely DR would be the closer option. No idea on membership wait, or not.


Worth a look tho.

Douglass Ridge is as far as some outside ranges I've googled so a bit too far out, but will def check it out!
 
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I heard about Tri County but for just owning 1 pistol I prob wouldn't use the resources to the max, maybe after I build an AR (trying to buy a BCM but can't find one) and a defensive shot gun I'd have enough of a reason to go to a up scale gun range like Tri County

Am I right to think this or is it still worth it for plinking with a pistol?

Seeing how the wait is 6 months to a year right now due to covid. It's definitely worth it if you just have a pistol because let's be real; once you start going and shooting your going to be buying / building more then just a pistol.
 
I don't believe that Johnson Creek allows quick draw practice. Hopefully one is trained and competent as they approach any firing line though. You can always go out to BLM land and practice your quick draw stuff. Their operation is unsupervised though although they have cameras everywhere. I've been sticking with them over the years because they don't make you buy their ammo and you can take your brass with you if want. There's also nobody breathing down your neck. I've been there many times for a two hour sessions and I was the only soul in the building. It doesn't get any better than that.

That sounds pretty nice and what BLM land would you recommend for a beginner like me?
 
Seeing how the wait is 6 months to a year right now due to covid. It's definitely worth it if you just have a pistol because let's be real; once you start going and shooting your going to be buying / building more then just a pistol.

Oh what 6mo to a year?! Wow that's pretty crazy - And yeah I'm trying to pick up a BCM Recce 16" but can't find them anywhere - so if the wait is that long it might actually be worth
 
There are lots of maintained shooting lanes in the BLM forests around here. You will have to drive a bit. I'm out near Beaverton so the closest to me is Tillamook National Forest out West on 26. It's about a 40 minute drive for me.
Best to go out to these areas with a friend or two. AWD/4WD is recommended if it's wet. Be sure to bring a trash bag or two and clean up before you go. We are all stewards of the shooting lanes. There are others, use the search feature. Not sure which area might be best for you.

 
There are lots of maintained shooting lanes in the BLM forests around here. You will have to drive a bit. I'm out near Beaverton so the closest to me is Tillamook National Forest out West on 26. It's about a 40 minute drive for me.
Best to go out to these areas with a friend or two. AWD/4WD is recommended if it's wet. Be sure to bring a trash bag or two and clean up before you go. We are all stewards of the shooting lanes. There are others, use the search feature. Not sure which area might be best for you.


i just moved to Portland in Feb, so I kind of don't know anyone here, so do I "need" to bring a friend?
 
There are lots of maintained shooting lanes in the BLM forests around here. You will have to drive a bit. I'm out near Beaverton so the closest to me is Tillamook National Forest out West on 26. It's about a 40 minute drive for me.
Best to go out to these areas with a friend or two. AWD/4WD is recommended if it's wet. Be sure to bring a trash bag or two and clean up before you go. We are all stewards of the shooting lanes. There are others, use the search feature. Not sure which area might be best for you.

That and my friends property are the only places I shoot anymore.
 
For pistol, just up the freeway to Camas is a really really nice 25 yard indoor range called SafeFire. They charge by the half or quarter hour, so if you're not camping out in the lane, it is pretty reasonable. No membership required.

I am pretty sure you can draw a handgun to practice once you join them and take a special class. They have a detailed website with specifics...the RSO there are also very nice and super helpful to new shooter.
 
i just moved to Portland in Feb, so I kind of don't know anyone here, so do I "need" to bring a friend?
I merely suggested that for safety purposes. Something to consider. Also, keep a look out for the shooting lane clean ups. Once in a while we get together and converge en-mass in one of the shooting lane areas. Clean up usually goes from 9am-noon. After that, everybody shoots! There's usually food and give aways of some sort. It's a nice forum community meet and greet where we get to take care of our shooting lanes and have some fun. Follow @Cogs and @Reno for info.
Here is some good info: Trash No Land Home
 
All good ideas so far. I'm a member of Douglas Ridge and it's a great facility.

For an indoor commercial range that is less expensive and nicer than A Place To Shoot try SafeFire in Camas.

No membership required. $20 hour range fee. Use your own ammo for no additional fee (no steel core bullets, case doesn't matter), pick up your brass if you want to keep it. Over a hundred rental guns (have to use their ammo on rental guns but it's not badly priced and they have most stuff in stock at present). You need to go through a certification, but you can practice from a holster and as long as you can keep your shots on the target you can shoot as fast as you like.

I hope this helps ... let me know if you have any more questions ... I'm there a lot and know the place well. :D
 
I merely suggested that for safety purposes. Something to consider. Also, keep a look out for the shooting lane clean ups. Once in a while we get together and converge en-mass in one of the shooting lane areas. Clean up usually goes from 9am-noon. After that, everybody shoots! There's usually food and give aways of some sort. It's a nice forum community meet and greet where we get to take care of our shooting lanes and have some fun. Follow @Cogs and @Reno for info.
Here is some good info: Trash No Land Home

This is awesome!! Thanks!! Definitely will try and go to the next meet up
 

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