New guy from SF Bay Area

[GrendelGuy]

Hey everyone. As the title says I live in one of the most ungun friendly places. That being said I'm cramped to 100 yards locally. I recently got my first long range rifle. A howa mini action in 6.5 Grendel. It's a fun little round to shoot and is easy to reload for. Powder also last a bit longer compared to others!

I'm trying to go to a local match at avenal bit am a little unsure on what I need and how to sign up.

Mandatory pic of rifle

 

[Diver160651]

Hey everyone. As the title says I live in one of the most ungun friendly places. That being said I'm cramped to 100 yards locally. I recently got my first long range rifle. A howa mini action in 6.5 Grendel. It's a fun little round to shoot and is easy to reload for. Powder also last a bit longer compared to others!

I'm trying to go to a local match at avenal bit am a little unsure on what I need and how to sign up.

Mandatory pic of rifle

PM me

the next NRL match is the 15 Centerfire the 16th..

That said if you want to just shoot, I should have some time on Sat the 15th

 

[christopher.dow]

Hey everyone. As the title says I live in one of the most ungun friendly places. That being said I'm cramped to 100 yards locally. I recently got my first long range rifle. A howa mini action in 6.5 Grendel. It's a fun little round to shoot and is easy to reload for. Powder also last a bit longer compared to others!

I'm trying to go to a local match at avenal bit am a little unsure on what I need and how to sign up.

Mandatory pic of rifle

Welcome!

I’m in San Francisco. Take @Diver160651 up on his offer. That range is awesome. I’m a member there, too. If you don’t want to drive three hours to shoot at 900 yards, you can go to Circle S in Petaluma/Tomales. It goes to 300.

I have a Grendel gas gun. It is a fun round. My first bolt gun was an HCR in 6.5 Creedmoor.

PM me if you want to meet up.

 

[XL Mammal]

Welcome from an old member and another shooter who is behind enemy lines. We gotta stick together. I'm in the South Bay and always looking for places to shoot (closer than Sac Valley). I'll post if I get any leads. Please do the same.

Also, take a look at the OnX hunt app, especially if you're a hunter. Not necessary, but it's an easy way to identify BLM land NF land. Of course, you can't shoot on all of it, but it's a start.

 

[GrendelGuy]

Welcome!

I’m in San Francisco. Take @Diver160651 up on his offer. That range is awesome. I’m a member there, too. If you don’t want to drive three hours to shoot at 900 yards, you can go to Circle S in Petaluma/Tomales. It goes to 300.

I have a Grendel gas gun. It is a fun round. My first bolt gun was an HCR in 6.5 Creedmoor.

PM me if you want to meet up.

How is circle k ranch? I haven't seen much on it other than it goes to 300 so that makes it the closest range with some distance

 

[XL Mammal]

You mean Circle S, right? Never been. Bit too far of a drive for 300 yds. SAC Valley is only about 20 mins further (for me, anyway).

 

[christopher.dow]

How is circle k ranch? I haven't seen much on it other than it goes to 300 so that makes it the closest range with some distance

Circle S is pretty good for what it is: low-key, primitive, but a good group of people. You have to shoot off a bench, but it’s way closer than Sac Valley for me. Avenal (what @Diver160651 mebtioned) is wonderful, but a long drive. I usually hit Circle S a couple times per month, and Avenal twice a month since I joined.

I’ll let you know the next time I head to Circle S. I’ll be at the match at Avenal on the 16th. That’s worth a drive.

 

[Bayhawk21]

Sounds like we have a bigger NorCal contingent of Sniper's Hide than I thought. Hi, another SF person here.

I've been to Circle S and wasn't very impressed. The last time I went, several months ago, the rifle range was mostly unusable past 100 yards. They piled the 100yd berm so high that it made it basically impossible to see 200+. If you go, make sure to wear waterproof boots and expect them to get muddy. https://www.sonomashooting.org/circles.html

Sac Valley is nice and has a usable 300 yd range. You have to "qualify" to use the 150-300yd range, but that just entails showing them a picture of a target you shot, assuming you shot decently. They're worried about people launching bullets over the berms and hitting cows on the other side. They also have monthly matches. I have not been to a match yet but plan to. They make use of a 1000yd range and a steel range for matches. NCPPRC also hold a couple clinics each year. https://ncpprc.com/ http://www.sacvalley.org/

Richmond Rod & Gun Club has a 200yd range that is members only. They also hold USPSA and IDPA handgun matches that you don't need to be a member of the club to attend. http://www.richmondrodandgun.com/ http://www.richmondhotshots.com/

Both NCPPRC and Richmond Hot Shots make use of PractiScore for listing matches and allowing signups. https://practiscore.com

There is a 1k range in Coalinga, down towards Avenal. I don't know much about them other than that they hold a yearly class on wind as it relates to long range shooting. https://www.coalingarifleclub.com

There is also apparently a private range in Hollister that has steel out to 1100 yards. I have only heard of one mention of it, the webpage linked here. I have not tried contacting them myself but if it exists I'm definitely interested. It's probably the closest, longer range. http://206.180.232.156/quail-valley-gun-range-ranch

I've heard of Avenal but have not gone. I like the idea of the matches where you walk along the hillsides but being a big boy I'm not so sure I'd do well hauling my rifle and behind up those hills.

For me I've been sitting on the periphery planning on jumping into the game. I've been using the excuse that I don't have good dope for my rifle, but it's time for the excuses to die. I'm interested in the Avenal stuff as well.

Let me know if anyone wants to do a meet up.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

My family is buried in Hayward. Grew up there until 13. An OG Hell's Angel lived across the street. It was a different time in the Bay Area. Still have kin there. I only go there for funerals.

 

[Novak77]

Welcome, I'm up in Sonoma County.

 

[Diver160651]

You mean Circle S, right? Never been. Bit too far of a drive for 300 yds. SAC Valley is only about 20 mins further (for me, anyway).

Folsom (Sac Valley) is super restrictive and paper only (past 300 by appointment with clubs only) except for the Silhouette range were you must be an RO or with one. And for the most, part a Silhouette range is fairly boring with the Percision rifle.

It’s totally worth making the trek to Avenal if you can find a member to shoot with.

There’s also a ton of BLM land close. Find it funny the people go skiing all the time, but grumble about a couple hours to shoot for some of the best shooting of any state.

As a member os Sac, Coalinga and Avenal; I’ll say that Avenal is a great range for shooting steel.

If you need 1000 yard military pits, join Coalinga. Coalinga and Avenal are 20 minutes from each other.

 

[Nintendo64]

Wow glad to hear so many other shooters are from around the bay area

 

[christopher.dow]

Sounds like we have a bigger NorCal contingent of Sniper's Hide than I thought. Hi, another SF person here.

I've been to Circle S and wasn't very impressed. The last time I went, several months ago, the rifle range was mostly unusable past 100 yards. They piled the 100yd berm so high that it made it basically impossible to see 200+. If you go, make sure to wear waterproof boots and expect them to get muddy. https://www.sonomashooting.org/circles.html


8<
Let me know if anyone wants to do a meet up.

Actually, most benches at Circle S are fine for the whole range out to 300. There are one or two that have the problem you described. Bummer you got one of those.

Feel free to reach out if you want to meet up. I’m at Circle S or Avenal almost every weekend.

 

[GrendelGuy]

Actually, most benches at Circle S are fine for the whole range out to 300. There are one or two that have the problem you described. Bummer you got one of those.

Feel free to reach out if you want to meet up. I’m at Circle S or Avenal almost every weekend.

I'll will probably take you up on your offer during the holiday break. Always feels good to get away for a moment during the holidays!

 

[christopher.dow]

I'll will probably take you up on your offer during the holiday break. Always feels good to get away for a moment during the holidays!

Bummer. I’ll be out of town. My last shooting for the year will be the Avenal match on Sunday.

 

[Diver160651]

Bummer. I’m be out of town. My last shooting for the year will be the Avenal match on Sunday.

You’ll see him Sunday, he is coming down.. saw him at the range the other day.

 

[christopher.dow]

You’ll see him Sunday, he is coming down.. saw him at the range the other day.

Excellent!

 

[Rootshot]

Also a Bay Area shooter with the same challenges. Agree with everything said so far. Private land is the other opportunity. I was invited out to Livermore one time by a group of guys that chipped in and bought some land for shooting purposes. 80 acres in the hills off mines road. I'm thinking that may be the best way to go if we won't want to drive 2-3 hours to go to a public range.

 

[GrendelGuy]

Can't wait to meet you! I'll be that confused looking guy asking the same question a couple of times to everybody.

I gotta finish up my loading my rounds so that's keeping me busy

Thanks again driver!

 

[Diver160651]

Also a Bay Area shooter with the same challenges. Agree with everything said so far. Private land is the other opportunity. I was invited out to Livermore one time by a group of guys that chipped in and bought some land for shooting purposes. 80 acres in the hills off mines road. I'm thinking that may be the best way to go if we won't want to drive 2-3 hours to go to a public range.

BTW~
Avenal is private with a low capped membership; the amount of steel set up is amazing.. But worth the drive and hooking up with a member. Coalinga is membership only, but has easily accessible 1000y mil pits. Both allow near BLM freedom and is not hard to shoot far; Unlike Folsom were you have to jump through hopes to shoot past 300. Of course BLM is even closer.

 

[Bayhawk21]

BTW~
Avenal is private with a low capped membership; the amount of steel set up is amazing.. But worth the drive and hooking up with a member. Coalinga is membership only, but has easily accessible 1000y mil pits. Both allow near BLM freedom and is not hard to shoot far; Unlike Folsom were you have to jump through hopes to shoot past 300. Of course BLM is even closer.

What is the realistic possibility of getting a membership at Avenal and what is the process?

 

[Diver160651]

What is the realistic possibility of getting a membership at Avenal and what is the process?

Luckily, there are a few of us on here who shoot often enough, so you can join one of us..

But always seems like a timing issue. Last year a lot of guys moved away and we had more openings than usual. PM me so I can send you the guy to email and get on a list - memberships are cheap, just harder to get than Coalinga

 

[christopher.dow]

Can't wait to meet you! I'll be that confused looking guy asking the same question a couple of times to everybody.

I gotta finish up my loading my rounds so that's keeping me busy

Thanks again driver!

I’ll be the guy timing out and missing a lot, but still having fun.