Hi guys, I am not sure if I am in the right forum but it looking like my family and I have narrowed down better where we are going on our big holiday next August 2007.

My wife's family are having a family bash in Denver to mark her parents 50th, my 50th and her brother's 50th birthdays.

NOTE: We live in N. Ireland, but my wife is American.

We have found a lot of fun stuff to do in Rapid City area in south Dakota, so at some stage we will fly up there, rent a van and tour for about 2 weeks.

I would really love to do some shooting while there but as I from NI I have no clue if the likes is possible.

Would any of you guys be able to direct me to either a shooting range in that area that would have guns (rifles/pistols) to hire??? or somewhere I could varmint hunt???

I shoot a lot here at home .22, .222, 243, 6.5x55 and 308. I also have some experience with pistols.

Thanks guys, and if this is the wrong section of the forum for this area place put me straight.

Good luck. It will probably be easiest to just check in at the local gun shops when you get there, and see what is available. I'm sure there's a public range in the area.

MikeG what is normal in the USA, can guns be hired on a range???

At my range you can but need to either be amember or with a member.

Thanks

BigDog,
If your wife's family is from around that area and one of them shoots or is a member of a range, ask them to take you out shooting. They would have to be your sponsor and be in attendance while you are there. I'm not sure how ranges there would handle someone from another country without a sponsor wanting to shoot. You could always ask. South Dakota should have some good places for pistol, rimfire, rifle and shotgun. While there, it would nearly be sinful to miss stopping by B. Searcy & Co. (http://www.searcyent.com/ ), Dakota Arms (http://www.dakotaarms.com/ ) which now includes Miller Arms and Nesika Bay (http://www.dakotaarms.com/millerArms/index.html and http://www.nesika.com/ ). A trip to Cabela's is in order as well (http://www.cabelas.com/ ). Cabela's has a store in Mitchell, South Dakota or you could drive to the original store in Sydney, Nebraska. There's also a few hundred custom gunmakers and custom gunsmiths in the adjoining States.

Lots of good info there alyeska338 , Boy are some of those guns on the wwwsites nice, big $$ss too.

I will try and make contact with some to see if I can book in a visit. Thanks

Ps noe of my wife's floks shoot. Her dad has a wee 22 revolver but not in a club. They live in AZ this time of year and Chicago in summer. Her sisters live in Denver and that were the big party will be.

Can't wait

Thanks

If you make it to Arizona, I'll take you out to our expansive gunrange and you can shoot some of my rifles/handguns. Part of the range is open to the public and anyone can shoot there for a whole $6 a day fee. Being as I work there, don't think you'll even have to worry about that! :D

kdub I sure will take you up on that kind offer next time I am in AZ. It won't be this next trip though :( . As I told you one other time my in-laws just live down the road a wee bit from you, in Sunlakes.

Thanks M8

MikeG what is normal in the USA, can guns be hired on a range???

At my range you can but need to either be amember or with a member.

Thanks

It just depends on the range. Some rent guns; some don't.

Big Dog,

If you have the time to do your shooting while you are in the Denver area, check out the Cherry Creek Shooting range

http://www.familyshootingcenter.com/

I'm not a big fan of the place, but they are in the area and last time I checked had guns you can rent. It is expensive, and I"m not sure how they'd handle the non-resident thing...

I'd take ya out to my range while your here, but I'm hoping to move out of the city by the time of your visit... However, I'll look for your posts as we get closer to your visit and if I've found a new range we can make arrangments.

Best o luck

nate

nate thanks, that is a very kind offer. I will keep the post up to date. I have emailed the range you mentioned and will wait and see. As my wife and kids are US citizens that may well work for me. My 2 sister-in-laws (US citizens) live in Denver. Also my father-in-law, he's retired now but he will also be in Denver for the party, it his 50th wedding adversity ;) He has a wee .22LR pistol, although not liecened to CO. If the range is in the Denver area he may go and if PoPs goes, he will probably pay :D :D :D

Thanks

Big Dog,

Hope something works out for ya.. The Cherry Creek area is in the SE area of "Greater Denver". That would be the suburbs, but well within Denver Urban Sprawl.

Keep us up to date.

nate

Being from that great state I can tell you it is possible to do what you want. A few years ago I talked with someone from the Rapid City area and was told about individuals from I believe were from Germany that would fly into RC. They would buy rifles, ammo etc. and go prairie dog hunting. Seems that in there country to hunt they had to be a member of hunting club. Yearly dues and fees were astronominical so for them it was cheaper to fly over here, buy guns, ammo and equipment, rent vehicle along with motels and meals and still save money. After there hunt they would sell the guns and equipment and fly back...

Since your wife is an American citizen she should be able to purchase a firearm I would believe provided no troubles with the law other than minor traffic citations. You would have to purchase either a SD Varmit liscense or tribal varmit liscense depending where you hunt. Non-resident I believe is $25 and tribal will vary. Go to: sdgfp web site for more liscensing info.

I have heard that the Cheynne-Eagle Butte Reservation is going to poision there population this summer so there may be no hunting there. Hope this will help some. hailstone