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New ELR Range in VA

Sandow the Heretic

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Minuteman
Aug 8, 2017
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I was here over the weekend and while they have just opened up, they have done a pretty decent job of getting ranges laid out to make all kinds of shooters happy. The ELR range only goes to about 2100 right now but they are working to expand out to around 3000. In an area with no options for long range shooting, this is not just the only option, it is actually a good one compared to what the rest of the country offers.

-Alex

https://www.facebook.com/blackbearshooting
 
A cool $1,000 initiation fee. Wow. But seems like they a lot of long ranges in an area that doesn't have much of that.

And no guests allowed at all???
 
A cool $1,000 initiation fee. Wow. But seems like they a lot of long ranges in an area that doesn't have much of that.

And no guests allowed at all???

The guests thing is getting changed. They are just opening up and have a few bugs to work out. The caliber limit is also being lifted.

The memberships fee might seem expensive but for around here, that is chump change. Most ranges have waiting lists for new members of at least a year.

-Alex
 
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The guests thing is getting changed. They are just opening up and have a few bugs to work out. The caliber limit is also being lifted.

The memberships fee might seem expensive but for around here, that is chump change. Most ranges have waiting lists for new members of at least a year.

-Alex

Not trying to disrupt the thread, but we shoot out to 1035y every weekend at Quantico. Square range, but at $140 a year it's a great deal if anyone is interested.
 
Not trying to disrupt the thread, but we shoot out to 1035y every weekend at Quantico. Square range, but at $140 a year it's a great deal if anyone is interested.

Is there still a 60 mile radius (of the range) limit to join? Are they allowing steel now or paper/pits?
 
I was here over the weekend and while they have just opened up, they have done a pretty decent job of getting ranges laid out to make all kinds of shooters happy. The ELR range only goes to about 2100 right now but they are working to expand out to around 3000. In an area with no options for long range shooting, this is not just the only option, it is actually a good one compared to what the rest of the country offers.

-Alex

https://www.facebook.com/blackbearshooting

Looks pretty awesome. 4 hours for me, but might be worth the look to stretch out.
 
Is there still a 60 mile radius (of the range) limit to join? Are they allowing steel now or paper/pits?
Not trying to disrupt the thread, but we shoot out to 1035y every weekend at Quantico. Square range, but at $140 a year it's a great deal if anyone is interested.
Learned to shoot there and it is a great bunch of ranges for sure. It is 90 miles up 95 for me and that can take 4 hours these days lol

Is the 2:1 military to civilian rule still in effect? I remember buying some gate guards memberships to get in.

-Alex
 
Learned to shoot there and it is a great bunch of ranges for sure. It is 90 miles up 95 for me and that can take 4 hours these days lol

Is the 2:1 military to civilian rule still in effect? I remember buying some gate guards memberships to get in.

-Alex

90 miles is a haul given I95, too bad it's that far for you.

Yes, but we got smart and sign up privates (who are free) and family members, which keeps our ratio good. Just for the record, not our rules, the Corps.
 
90 miles is a haul given I95, too bad it's that far for you.

Yes, but we got smart and sign up privates (who are free) and family members, which keeps our ratio good. Just for the record, not our rules, the Corps.
Might be time to come back and run some FCSA matches. Probably been long enough for memories of how badly we got burned to have faded.

-Alex
 
We have people shooting 50's every weekend. We're adding matches and trying hard to change our reputation from previous clown show to at least owning the circus. :)
 
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Yep, and that’s straight up badass💪🏼
It was a blast and one of the toughest venues I have competed at.
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Plcae looks nice, I would def be interested in joining, but then saw $1000 Fee just to get membership, i will pass and continue to utilize PeaceMaker and Thunder Valley. I will keep on eye on this place to see what they come up with, but $1k to join isnt gonna happen.
 
Plcae looks nice, I would def be interested in joining, but then saw $1000 Fee just to get membership, i will pass and continue to utilize PeaceMaker and Thunder Valley. I will keep on eye on this place to see what they come up with, but $1k to join isnt gonna happen.
$1000 is less than it costs me to go to a match most of the time. Not hard to shrug that off once you look at the dismal shooting options around here. Peacemaker amounts to a sight in range compared to what black bear can offer. I can count the number of 3000 yard ranges in the US on my fingers...

-Alex
 
$1000 is less than it costs me to go to a match most of the time. Not hard to shrug that off once you look at the dismal shooting options around here. Peacemaker amounts to a sight in range compared to what black bear can offer. I can count the number of 3000 yard ranges in the US on my fingers...

-Alex

Serious question, there are matches that cost over $1000 just to enter? Dear lord. I love long range shooting, but never entered anything other than a $40 PRS style match before, so for me, dropping $1000 off just to submit an application seems excessive, but I do agree, there are no other 3000yard ranges that I know of. Like i said, I am gonna keep an eye on it and see what else they pop up with. If I lived closer (like within 30min), i would be more likely to join.
 
Serious question, there are matches that cost over $1000 just to enter? Dear lord. I love long range shooting, but never entered anything other than a $40 PRS style match before, so for me, dropping $1000 off just to submit an application seems excessive, but I do agree, there are no other 3000yard ranges that I know of. Like i said, I am gonna keep an eye on it and see what else they pop up with. If I lived closer (like within 30min), i would be more likely to join.
2 day elr match at ring neck ranch in Kansas was $475 I’m pretty sure.
 
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hopefully the Governor wont shut it down:D
This.
He would if he could. 25% of the state legislature supports him too. They made a serious push this past winter and were close. They aren't coming just after >10rd mags and ARs either, but also training facilities for potential 'far right' militias (meaning stuff like shooting ranges).

Scary to think how repressive the Commonwealth has become to our individual liberties.
 
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I am a member at Black Bear as well as a few other ranges in central VA and NC. The next closest range with the ability to shoot to 1 mile is Colemans Creek in Rockingham NC. Dues there are $500/year so a 10 year membership paid annually would be $5k. A 10 year membership at Black Bear would run you $3000 with the initiation fee factored in. I'm not saying that either is wrong or right just that the 1K initiation fee isn't that big of a deal if your planning on being a member long term. Congrats @7fingers on winning the inaugural match.
 
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Fees do seem a bit steep to me, though I thankfully didn't get into shooting until after I moved West. Originally am from the mid-atlantic region and can't imagine trying to find a decent place to shoot ELR out there.