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New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

Altnews

Full Member
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Minuteman
Oct 9, 2010
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Boulder, CO
Opening Day: Jan. 23
Cost: $8-10 with discounts for youth and frequent shooters
Location: Exit 132 from I-25, just outside Fort Carson Gate 20
Days open: Daily except Mondays
Fall-Winter hours (Sept. 1-April 30): 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Summer hours (May 1-Aug. 31): 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

There are seven independent shooting ranges, with six always open to the public. The seventh will be used by law enforcement agencies but will be open to the public when not reserved.

There are 110 covered firing points and an additional 10 that won’t be covered.

“This is the largest shooting complex in the state of Colorado,” Karaki said. “The location here is incredible. It’s about safety and fun. We also want serious hunters to come out here.”

Located off Interstate 25 exit 132, the complex is easily accessible.

A small archery range will be on site — with plans to expand it as funding is available — and a five-shooter trap range is expected to be available in the spring for shotgun enthusiasts.

There will be more than 500 parking spots and two pavillions on the 450-acre complex.

Range 1, which law enforcement personnel will use, is 1,250 yards long.

“The Sheriff’s SWAT team was excited,” Karaki said. “They were like kids in a candy store.”

Two rifle ranges are 300 yards long, a pistol range is 100 yards and three pistol ranges are 50 yards. All ranges will have target stations available at shorter distances and be monitored by trained staff.

The complex is a joint project between El Paso County and Fort Carson. The facility will be operated by military personnel but on-duty soldiers will not train at the site. Off-duty Fort Carson personnel will be able to shoot their personal weapons.

Profits from the range will go to Fort Carson to support soldiers and their families.

(more at Colorado Springs Gazette linky)
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

They also just opened a new range up off I-25 off of 66 (Longmont)

Supposed to be 900 acres ... haven't been there, but I hear it is big
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Altnews</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Opening Day: Jan. 23
Cost: $8-10 with discounts for youth and frequent shooters
Location: Exit 132 from I-25, just outside Fort Carson Gate 20
Days open: Daily except Mondays
Fall-Winter hours (Sept. 1-April 30): 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Summer hours (May 1-Aug. 31): 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

There are seven independent shooting ranges, with six always open to the public. The seventh will be used by law enforcement agencies but will be open to the public when not reserved.

There are 110 covered firing points and an additional 10 that won’t be covered.

“This is the largest shooting complex in the state of Colorado,” Karaki said. “The location here is incredible. It’s about safety and fun. We also want serious hunters to come out here.”

Located off Interstate 25 exit 132, the complex is easily accessible.

A small archery range will be on site — with plans to expand it as funding is available — and a five-shooter trap range is expected to be available in the spring for shotgun enthusiasts.

There will be more than 500 parking spots and two pavillions on the 450-acre complex.

Range 1, which law enforcement personnel will use, is 1,250 yards long.

“The Sheriff’s SWAT team was excited,” Karaki said. “They were like kids in a candy store.”

Two rifle ranges are 300 yards long, a pistol range is 100 yards and three pistol ranges are 50 yards. All ranges will have target stations available at shorter distances and be monitored by trained staff.

The complex is a joint project between El Paso County and Fort Carson. The facility will be operated by military personnel but on-duty soldiers will not train at the site. Off-duty Fort Carson personnel will be able to shoot their personal weapons.

Profits from the range will go to Fort Carson to support soldiers and their families.

(more at Colorado Springs Gazette linky) </div></div>

That is going to be one super sick gun range, it will be a must for me to shoot there.
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here

http://www.second-amendment.com

</div></div>

awesome, thats only 30 mins from me
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

Why make the 1250-yard range the LE range? I realize LE needs to train at distance, but most agencies or departments will not engage over 200-yards for liability reasons. I'm not LE, just saying what my friends who are SWAT tell me.

I'm glad it will be open it to the public when not reserved for LE, but will the schedule be posted on the Internet so you don't have to drive 2-hours and then find out it's not available?

Its awesome that you guys have another range available.
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here

http://www.second-amendment.com</div></div>

Ouch...$49 for two hours, or $69 for two hours on their "tactical" range. So far they only have 100 yd capability if I read their page right.
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Alpine 338</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why make the 1250-yard range the LE range? I realize LE needs to train at distance, but most agencies or departments will not engage over 200-yards for liability reasons. I'm not LE, just saying what my friends who are SWAT tell me.

I'm glad it will be open it to the public when not reserved for LE, but will the schedule be posted on the Internet so you don't have to drive 2-hours and then find out it's not available?

Its awesome that you guys have another range available.
</div></div>

I know the El Paso Sheriff's Department does long-range high-angle shooting up along Gold Camp Road. Occasionally they will close the road so they can shoot across it.

I suppose the theory is that if you can hit reliably at 1000 yards, 200 yards is easy.

I'm just glad I'll be able to use it sometimes, I was afraid they were going to restrict the long-range station to LE only, which would have sucked big time.
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

Drove by the range yesterday, it looks ok from the highway. Its about 150 yards off of I-25, that just seems weird to me. I didn't see the long range from the highway. They shoot away from the road but I assume you can only shoot paper so no ricochets get back to the highway. I was thinking about going down and sighting in a rifle today and really checking it out.
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lencomatt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was thinking about going down and sighting in a rifle today and really checking it out. </div></div>

Interested in your first hand account of the place if you do make it down there. Would be interested to know as well if they let you set up steel.
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

Thought I might make it today, but I'll probably take a run down to check it out and get the range rules tomorrow, I'll post what I find.

As far as I know, the ranges face into Fort Carson's existing impact zone, so strays aren't too much of a problem. That was one of the prime criteria for siting it there I think.

More when I know more. Photos too.
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

I'd also like any personal observations you can make. I'm up near Monument and would be delighted with even occasional use of a 1250-yard range. Frontier Gun Club still hasn't finished the 1,000-yard range at the "new" range south of the Springs.

Richard
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

Hey everyone, first post here but this is what I got out of last weekend when I visited.

A quarter mile from the southernmost gate of Ft Carson lies a very nice, new shooting range with 6 individual shooting lines. There were only two shooting lines open, each with 35 or so shooting positions. I was on the rifle range, or so it was called, which had spots for targets to be set from 7 yards back out to 300. There were only 7 or so shooting benches for rifles, while every other spot had just a small table at the firing line. Literally every spot was filled by noon and there was a wait to get a spot to shoot.

I set up on one of the rifle benches located on the the left side of the range. The wooden target frames they supply are quite nice and are big enough to hold two 8.5x11 inch pieces of paper side by side. After shooting at 200 yards for a while, I switched my attention up the hill to the left towards the permanent steel targets.

There are large square targets positioned on the hill just to the left of the range at distances of 400, 600, 900, and 1000 yards, I believe. Nobody new exactly but the dope I was using for the 900 yard target produced a hit on just the 2nd shot, I only needed to dial for more windage.

I do believe the closer 400 and 600 targets are steel as there was a nice splash all around the target after a hit. However, there was never an audible 'ding' after a hit which confused me slightly. I believe the 900 and 1000 yard targets were wood unless I'm mistaken. As the day went on and more rounds made connections with the two far targets, holes appeared which made me believe the targets were made of some sort of wood rather than steel. The exact size of the targets was also unknown but I'd guess the 900 and 1000 yard targets were 3-4 feet across as I had no problem hitting them over and over. I never did see the range that went out to 1200+ yards, but they are still building so that may be coming soon. Also, there was no way to place your own targets on the hill, time didn't allow for it.

Sorry about the long post, hope you got something out of it. Let me know if you have any more questions. For only 8 dollars for military, 10 for civilians, I will definitely be back before long.

-Matt

550215_4811704804641_1298449697_n.jpg
 
Re: New Public Range - El Paso Co. Colorado - 1250 yds

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mattmcoop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey everyone, first post here but this is what I got out of last weekend when I visited.

A quarter mile from the southernmost gate of Ft Carson lies a very nice, new shooting range with 6 individual shooting lines. There were only two shooting lines open, each with 35 or so shooting positions. I was on the rifle range, or so it was called, which had spots for targets to be set from 7 yards back out to 300. There were only 7 or so shooting benches for rifles, while every other spot had just a small table at the firing line. Literally every spot was filled by noon and there was a wait to get a spot to shoot.

I set up on one of the rifle benches located on the the left side of the range. The wooden target frames they supply are quite nice and are big enough to hold two 8.5x11 inch pieces of paper side by side. After shooting at 200 yards for a while, I switched my attention up the hill to the left towards the permanent steel targets.

There are large square targets positioned on the hill just to the left of the range at distances of 400, 600, 900, and 1000 yards, I believe. Nobody new exactly but the dope I was using for the 900 yard target produced a hit on just the 2nd shot, I only needed to dial for more windage.

I do believe the closer 400 and 600 targets are steel as there was a nice splash all around the target after a hit. However, there was never an audible 'ding' after a hit which confused me slightly. I believe the 900 and 1000 yard targets were wood unless I'm mistaken. As the day went on and more rounds made connections with the two far targets, holes appeared which made me believe the targets were made of some sort of wood rather than steel. The exact size of the targets was also unknown but I'd guess the 900 and 1000 yard targets were 3-4 feet across as I had no problem hitting them over and over. I never did see the range that went out to 1200+ yards, but they are still building so that may be coming soon. Also, there was no way to place your own targets on the hill, time didn't allow for it.

Sorry about the long post, hope you got something out of it. Let me know if you have any more questions. For only 8 dollars for military, 10 for civilians, I will definitely be back before long.

-Matt

550215_4811704804641_1298449697_n.jpg
</div></div>

Thanks for the pics. If you look to the left and above the round black target at the left, you'll see a gully above the green hump. The left side is reddish and the right side is tan.

The steel is up this gully.

I spoke with the manager the other day and he told me the following.

The range is limited to rifle rounds that have a maximum range of less than 4100 meters (5330 yards). This leaves out anything over .308, including 338 Lapua Magnum, 338 Win Mag, and most ultra-high power magnums, and of course .50 BMG.

The reason is that you are shooting into the impact zone for the military ranges, which shoot south rather than west, and beyond 4100 meters lies the new helicopter brigade aircraft parking and maintenance, so, obviously they don't want stray rounds plinking Blackhawks.

So, .308 and smaller rifle cartridges only.

Also, only factory-loaded ammunition or equivalent, so that lets out working up loads or custom hand loads.

The long-range rifle range has steel out to 1000 yards, but you can't shoot paper beyond 300 yards, and you can't bring your own pop-up steel...although I didn't ask him if you could use your own steel inside 300 yards.

The long-range rifle range is reserved during the week for law enforcement, but open to civilians on the weekends. However, if the range is not reserved on a particular day, they will let you use the range during the week.

You report to the range office and ALL firearms (including legal concealed handguns) are strictly prohibited in the office.

They assign you a range and a slot, and you shoot for 20 minutes, then 10 minutes of cease-fire for targets.

So, it's a nice "standard" range with nice facilities and benches, but it's by no means a "tactical" range.

There's no holster work on the pistol ranges either, although Phase 2 may include a IPSC or PPC or some other type of shoot-and-move facility.