I'm a recent transplant to Arizona and I recently (last week) joined a shooting club with a range. I joined the Tonto Shooting Club in Payson for $35 a year I was wondering where the rest of you guys like to shoot? I've been out in the desert blowing up pop cans and the occasional dishwasher, but I'm always disgusted by the respect other shooters show by not picking up after themselves. I always use the rule. "take home more than you brought out". What are your thoughts on Phoenix metro ranges and desert shooting?

DiRL,

I prefered to shoot in the desert. I could shoot what I wanted, when I wanted and at what range I wanted, without the interference of other shooters and the constant noise of the range. As silly as that sounds, it did get on my nerves.

I totally agree though about the junk some people left behind. More than once I picked up after them. Many times I'd stop at the recyclers on the way home and cash in bunches of aluminum cans and other scrap junk I picked up.

However, on many occasions over the last 30+ years, (well before I left AZ anyway) I spent many hours at the Black Caynon gun range. They call it the Ben Avery gun range now.
http://www.basfaz.com/
In my opinion, it was and is the best range I've ever shot at.
I can't wait to shoot there again.

Another very good range is the Rio Salado Sportsmans Club range in Mesa.
http://www.riosaladosportsmans.com/
It was a very far drive from where I lived in West Phoenix, but on occasion we would go there to shoot.

Joe

My first experience with cowboy action shooting was at the Ben Avery range near Phoenix, and from there I started the best hobby in my life. The range is first class, and has numerous short and long range lanes, and is large enough that if you'd rather be away from the rest of the crowd you can request to be shoot down toward the end. Being a hunter and target shooter (aren't we all with our mighty BB guns in the deep dark woods in the imagination of our youth?) before I got into CAS, the Ben Avery range was something out of the ordinary in my past experience, in Arizona as well as Texas where I live now. I don't remember if it was a just a daily/hourly fee or if you could get a membership to lower the price and have more access to the facilities there, but since Arizona doesn't observe daylight savings time, you could be out there shooting near sun-up or sundown time at a late or early hours that other places aren't open. I guess that'd be the same at every range in AZ, but I moved back to Texas 4 years ago, so things may be different. I never found a place to go out in the desert for free, but I did attempt to go hunting on public land one time; it was like woodstock with guns, and I left disgusted as well. I think that folks that trash the outdoors when shooting have already been kicked off a formal range or two for the same type of behavior.
Try going out to the Salt River lakes, and drive into the national forests (no trees in that forest mind you!), as I think it's legal to go shooting in a national forest but not a national park. Check the law FIRST though, I'm not offering legal advice, just my recollection of things. The drive into the Superstition Mountains is incredible, so bring your camera too. From my backyard in Mesa, I'd watch those mountains turn red, orange, purple and all shades in between at sunset, and it is a sight to behold and not a bad way to top off a day of shooting either!
I'm a recent transplant to Arizona and I recently (last week) joined a shooting club with a range. I joined the Tonto Shooting Club in Payson for $35 a year I was wondering where the rest of you guys like to shoot? I've been out in the desert blowing up pop cans and the occasional dishwasher, but I'm always disgusted by the respect other shooters show by not picking up after themselves. I always use the rule. "take home more than you brought out". What are your thoughts on Phoenix metro ranges and desert shooting?

My first experience with cowboy action shooting was at the Ben Avery range near Phoenix, and from there I started the best hobby in my life. The range is first class, and has numerous short and long range lanes, and is large enough that if you'd rather be away from the rest of the crowd you can request to be shoot down toward the end. Being a hunter and target shooter (aren't we all with our mighty BB guns in the deep dark woods in the imagination of our youth?) before I got into CAS, the Ben Avery range was something out of the ordinary in my past experience, in Arizona as well as Texas where I live now. I don't remember if it was a just a daily/hourly fee or if you could get a membership to lower the price and have more access to the facilities there, but since Arizona doesn't observe daylight savings time, you could be out there shooting near sun-up or sundown time at a late or early hours that other places aren't open. I guess that'd be the same at every range in AZ, but I moved back to Texas 4 years ago, so things may be different. I never found a place to go out in the desert for free, but I did attempt to go hunting on public land one time; it was like woodstock with guns, and I left disgusted as well. I think that folks that trash the outdoors when shooting have already been kicked off a formal range or two for the same type of behavior.
Try going out to the Salt River lakes, and drive into the national forests (no trees in that forest mind you!), as I think it's legal to go shooting in a national forest but not a national park. Check the law FIRST though, I'm not offering legal advice, just my recollection of things. The drive into the Superstition Mountains is incredible, so bring your camera too. From my backyard in Mesa, I'd watch those mountains turn red, orange, purple and all shades in between at sunset, and it is a sight to behold and not a bad way to top off a day of shooting either!

SFT,

I see you're from Austin; I'm in Mason. Where do you shoot in Austin? Friend of mine shoots at Red's Indoor Range, and out around Manor at a range. He says that Red's is brutal, but close. Manor is OK but far away!

gunwriter

Have never been to the Ben Avery range, but understand it is first class, all the way.

Last year the state legislature passed the "Gunrange Protection Bill" which in essence says you can't build out near an active gunrange and then try to get it shut down. One of the provisions of that bill (for PC with neighbors) is that ranges can't open prior to 7AM and must close by 6PM for noise abatement. Also, certain holidays are recommended for range closure.

The Rio Salado Sportsmans Club range north of Mesa on Usury Pass Road is open those hours and closed on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day.

Annual membership is $75, daily fee is $5 and guests of members is $3. Shoot all day, one person to a bench. There are 35 covered concrete benches with overhead roof and 2 trap throwers on the General (public) range, with target butts at 25, 50, 100, 200 and 300 yds. There are pistol, smallbore and silhouette (50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 meters) ranges for members only. The small bore and silhouette ranges are roofed and have covered concrete benches, also. Junior members have their own clubhouse and both CCW (concealed carry weapon) and Hunter Safety courses are taught at the range.

As with the Ben Avery range, Rio Salado's land is owned by the Arizona Game and Fish Dept and BLM, while RSSC leases the land and owns all the infrastructure. A very positive arrangement.

In addition, be advised that discharge of a firearm in certain parts of the national forests near metropolitan areas is banned, due to increased use by hikers, bikers and horse people. You need to find out what areas are restricted. In the Phoenix metroplex you will be hard pressed to find an open area for quite some miles.

When I went shooting in the desert I went to Sycamore (sp) creek and Table mesa road. I went during the week to avoid the Javalina with 4 tires and helmets. Judging by the mound of brass that I shot from I believe shooting is legal there and a sheriff did drive by my once and didn't stop.

I might go check out Rio Salado some time during the week. I really enjoy shooting at the Tonto Rim Sports club in Payson due to the fact that if your a member you can shoot there during the week by yourself on a covered range. They only go out to 200 yards but they have plans to improve that in the near future. Thanks for the info everyone!

Anyone know of any good desert spots for shooting near Prescott??

Gunwriter, I shoot mostly with my CAS club on our range in Drippings Springs, but the other times I need to sight in a I go out to Pfluggerville, which was called Cook's, and either Red or McBride bought it, but it's an indoor range with decent hourly rates. As for an outdoor range, I drive all the way down to just outside of San Antonio in Braken, since I've gone there for at least 20 years now.