Alamance County, Where to shoot these days?

AirborneStranger

AirborneStranger

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Good afternoon CFF,

I am located in lower Alamance Co. (Graham / Sweps-Sax area) I was raised in this area and "growing up" here it was easy to shoot if you just wanted to sight in a new toy, or last min go finish off a box of shells and the unbroken clays you forgot where behind your seat in the truck or whatever you wanted to do. There where a lot less people, a lot less developments and neighborhoods, and a lot more blurry property lines and wide open spaces.

Well, now that I am back after being gone for about 15 years or so I'm clueless where (if anywhere) one can go to shoot a bit more casually when you don't really want to go to a range and have to pay , you just wanna go fire a few off to see if an optic is still holding zero, or let a buddy shoot a few rounds with the newest addition in the collection whatever the case may be..

Anyone know any areas local to Alamance County like that? Or is that all gone now a days? also, I always collect my brass/shells and leave places better than how I found them I am big about maintaining that integrity.

I would love to know I have a few new toys I want to shoot and test a few different types of ammo with safely but outside of paid gun range formalities or at least not in the confines of a lane or booth. Wouldn't mind some new shooting buddies also so if your local give me a holler

Thanks y'all,
Over -n- Out
 
awesome, thanks for the feedback so far! Ill check these places out for sure! Also looking for less "exclusive" options like if I wanted to go shoot a few rounds this afternoon or tmw. for instance are there any public lands like wildlife areas, things like that? I just moved back after being spoiled in the great state of UTAH with endless options in any direction. It was nice like 90% of the state is BLM land and some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country. Lots of freedom to roam, 4wheel, shoot, camp, hunt whatever you want pick a direction and your pretty much solid lol
 
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@Gnash.Hyena I was Looking at RAD just a few min ago. Seems nice but also seems like they are really getting some heat right now from the local ministry of Karens lol do you think that is going to have an effect on them?
 
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If you want to go out to CCGC some time, let me know.
Send me a pm and we can find out what works.
 
I would be quite surprised to find any 'informal' places to shoot that are as you describe.

People living nearby are often now not firearms enthusiasts or even 'tolerant' sadly.

The population density in central NC is much greater than when I got here in 1990, and with that extra population comes both benefits and limitations.

There are private ranges of course, as mentioned, and for some reason this one was missed:

stepoutside.org

Alamance Wildlife Club

Alamance Wildlife Club - Graham, NC
stepoutside.org stepoutside.org

There are also two State public ranges reasonably nearby, one indoors and one outdoors.

Shooting Ranges in North Carolina

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
www.ncwildlife.org
 
mostly22lately said:
I would be quite surprised to find any 'informal' places to shoot that are as you describe.

People living nearby are often now not firearms enthusiasts or even 'tolerant' sadly.

The population density in central NC is much greater than when I got here in 1990, and with that extra population comes both benefits and limitations.

There are private ranges of course, as mentioned, and for some reason this one was missed:

stepoutside.org

Alamance Wildlife Club

Alamance Wildlife Club - Graham, NC
stepoutside.org stepoutside.org

There are also two State public ranges reasonably nearby, one indoors and one outdoors.

Shooting Ranges in North Carolina

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
www.ncwildlife.org
Click to expand...
I always forget about the Wildlife Club.
 
mostly22lately said:
I would be quite surprised to find any 'informal' places to shoot that are as you describe.

People living nearby are often now not firearms enthusiasts or even 'tolerant' sadly.

The population density in central NC is much greater than when I got here in 1990, and with that extra population comes both benefits and limitations.

There are private ranges of course, as mentioned, and for some reason this one was missed:

stepoutside.org

Alamance Wildlife Club

Alamance Wildlife Club - Graham, NC
stepoutside.org stepoutside.org

There are also two State public ranges reasonably nearby, one indoors and one outdoors.

Shooting Ranges in North Carolina

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
www.ncwildlife.org
Click to expand...
The population absolutely baffles me these days. It was county living growing up and 20-30 years go by and its like a rural suburbia. Another crazy thing about it is the more neighbors you get the less people you know. Hell 20-25yrs ago I could shoot off my back porch all day long and knew or at least was acquainted with the larger majority of folks anywhere I went. Now my family home is fully surrounded by new developments and hundreds of neighbors, and I still havn't met the folks next door... Riddle me that... and thanks for the links Ill check them out!
 
AirborneStranger said:
does the wildlife club have a working website? its hard to get solid information about it. is it open to the public? can I just show up and shoot?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't have a website, if I were them. Range membership wait time at DPRC for example is about 3 years.
Websites just make it easier to make the line longer.

For Buckhorn, you have to know someone to be able to get in, and I assume it's the same way for AWC.
It's just too risky to allow folks onto private property who have not been personally vetted in advance.

No private ranges are 'open to the public' as liability insurance would not be possible.
 
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DPRC has more open spots than people on the wait list apparently. They are getting ready to offer slots to new members soon.
 
FarpinDar said:
DPRC has more open spots than people on the wait list apparently. They are getting ready to offer slots to new members soon.
Click to expand...
Oh, I knew they do that 2x a year.

I was going from the information here:
it says "potential wait of 2 - 3 years"

Since membership is capped at 1500, maybe a lot of people left?
 
mostly22lately said:
Oh, I knew they do that 2x a year.

I was going from the information here:
it says "potential wait of 2 - 3 years"

Since membership is capped at 1500, maybe a lot of people left?
Click to expand...
They lose about 10% a year on average. Just not as many people asking to join I suppose. I was on the list for quite a few years but when I joined the roles were capped at 1000 people.
 
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Does Rad Range let you take guests? It doesn't say on their website?
 
AirborneStranger said:
awesome, thanks for the feedback so far! Ill check these places out for sure! Also looking for less "exclusive" options like if I wanted to go shoot a few rounds this afternoon or tmw. for instance are there any public lands like wildlife areas, things like that? I just moved back after being spoiled in the great state of UTAH with endless options in any direction. It was nice like 90% of the state is BLM land and some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country. Lots of freedom to roam, 4wheel, shoot, camp, hunt whatever you want pick a direction and your pretty much solid lol
Click to expand...
You won't find anything like that around here. I'm in the area as well and a DPRC member. Used to belong to Buckhorn as well.
 
AirborneStranger said:
awesome, thanks for the feedback so far! Ill check these places out for sure! Also looking for less "exclusive" options like if I wanted to go shoot a few rounds this afternoon or tmw. for instance are there any public lands like wildlife areas, things like that? I just moved back after being spoiled in the great state of UTAH with endless options in any direction. It was nice like 90% of the state is BLM land and some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country. Lots of freedom to roam, 4wheel, shoot, camp, hunt whatever you want pick a direction and your pretty much solid lol
Click to expand...
I need to move out west. I need public land in my life.
 
FarpinDar said:
They lose about 10% a year on average. Just not as many people asking to join I suppose. I was on the list for quite a few years but when I joined the roles were capped at 1000 people.
Click to expand...
I am a member at DPRC. I was on the waiting list for 2.5 years when I got in back in 2020. And while I don't attend that many meetings and keep up with everything, I was told a while back by one of the leadership that they were likely to expand the membership cap. So the number of openings for membership may be as a result of expansion. Also, the demographics in this country have a large number of Boomers "moving on" at a significantly-increasing pace, thus making space available. I am sure this has some effect as well.

In any case, for whatever the reason(s), the delay in getting in at DPRC are not as long right now as they have been in the past. If anyone is interested in joining, I strongly suggest you get on the waiting list now, as the invites for new members will be going out soon, if not already. And have your NRA membership up to date, this is a requirement due to the insurance.
 
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