Shooting locations

hooj · May 4, 2010

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So I apologize for the question -- I'm new to gun ownership (as of last week) so please forgive the question.

Where is it legal to shoot a firearm?

Obviously shooting ranges are fine, but I'm curious as to where it may be legal otherwise. I've heard it's legal in the national forest with a few basic rules -- any clarification? And by extension, any good places to shoot in the national forest that's reasonably close to the metro area?

What about private property?

Thanks in advance!

Kingfish · May 4, 2010

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Welcome to the forum.

If you take a moment to add your location to your profile the good folks here will be able to know where you are and may be able to recommend somewhere.

hooj · May 4, 2010

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kingfish wrote:

If you take a moment to add your location to your profile the good folks here will be able to know where you are and may be able to recommend somewhere.

Yeah that might have been good to include. I've updated my profile, but I live in the Littleton area in Colorado.

cscitney87 · May 4, 2010

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You Need to use your Colorado section's Search feature; whether or not you are new.

Once you search- you will discover all the information you need. I'll clarify- Yes you can shoot your firearms in National Forests- such as Arapahoe or Pike. Those are the 2 closest National Parks to your place in Littleton. Basically you are going to need to drive about 30 minutes up I70 until you hit Evergreen- you will have access to Arapahoe National Park from Evergreen/Conifer. Highway 285 also provides access to Arapahoe, as well as Pike's National Park.

Stay 150 yards away from any Stream, Road, Trail, or Building. Don't shoot wild life without a hunting license. Be 10000% sure that you have a solid back drop- here in Colorado you will not want to use Rocks or a Cliff as a back drop. The bullets will come flying back in your direction. Find a valley; between two mountain tops- shoot in the valley aiming towards dirt. This is for two reasons- being in the valley makes Sure 100% that nobody will catch a bullet on it's way down the mountain side. Also makes sure that you are well aware of your surroundings- as you will easily be able to hear an approaching person.

Oh- and be safe!

Have fun!

CRCowboy · May 4, 2010

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hooj wrote:

So I apologize for the question -- I'm new to gun ownership (as of last week) so please forgive the question.

Where is it legal to shoot a firearm?

Obviously shooting ranges are fine, but I'm curious as to where it may be legal otherwise. I've heard it's legal in the national forest with a few basic rules -- any clarification? And by extension, any good places to shoot in the national forest that's reasonably close to the metro area?

What about private property?

Thanks in advance!

No forgiveness nessacery -- Better to ask than end up in a bucket of S--T.

I'm down in Castle Rock and have a place to Knock off Rounds safe and legal. If your very new to the sport, I'd be happy to have you down here for an afternoon and I'll help ya figure out the close legal places to go run amuck in the forest.

Todd

cscitney87 · May 5, 2010

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When you go to the range... You carry your pistol from your house to your car.. Are you "concealing" your pistol if it's cased in a box? Is open carry the only legal method of transport in this case? Same with rifles, of course; you have to carry the rifle concealed in a rifle bag from the doorstep out to the car. Is this all taken care of by private property rights? Do you have the right to carry concealed; while outside and viewable to the public- if on your owned/leased property? For the record- I always open carry holstered from the house-car-range.

ZackL · May 5, 2010

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You can conceal if you are on your own property or property that you are leasing (i.e. apartment buildings). At least that's my understanding of the law...

cscitney87 · May 6, 2010

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ZackL wrote:

You can conceal if you are on your own property or property that you are leasing (i.e. apartment buildings). At least that's my understanding of the law...

My entire complex spans quite a few acres. There are hundreds of people here and lots of condos... It is private property- but I've never received a flat out answer on whether or not one may legally conceal carry here.

Diocoles · May 6, 2010

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If you scroll down the main page here, there are links and a map to shooting locations.

http://www.rmgo.org/

Diocoles · May 6, 2010

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If you scroll down the main page here, there are links and a map to shooting locations.

Edited to take you direct to the map itself.

http://www.rmgo.org/ranges/view_ranges.php

oscar615 · May 28, 2010

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There is a forest service range in Harris Park (Bailey) It is free to use. It has no services though. It has been closed though for a few months due to logging/fire mitigation and is scheduled to reopen, I believe, June 10th.

cscitney87 · May 28, 2010

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oscar615 wrote:

There is a forest service range in Harris Park (Bailey) It is free to use. It has no services though. It has been closed though for a few months due to logging/fire mitigation and is scheduled to reopen, I believe, June 10th.

I don't believe you! It's going to be open? Will you do us all a huge favor and pin point it on a Google Map with a picture? It's really appreciated!

I know Slaughterhouse Gulch and all surrounding areas (both sides of 285) have closings for target shooting. It's not all inclusive- there are many unrestricted areas around there but you Really have to Zoom In very close to distinguish the differences. The Forest Rangers will usually always tell you if you are 100% legal if you give them your approximate location. I use a trail from private property that leads down into Pike National Forest so I was able to clear myself using the private address and noting which direction (South/West) I will be traveling to target shoot.

Hope this helps! Please post the picture of the Forest Service Range and any details on an opening.

oscar615 · May 28, 2010

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Well, I cannot find it on Google maps. The map ends toward the end of CR43 and does not show CR47. So I hand drew a map and scanned it for you all. This map is NOT TO SCALE!

I have been talking to various people in the area and they all are saying June 10 for reopening. I called the Forest service, just now, to confirm and was told "mid June". I only talked with someone in the office. Not the forest service guy for the area. He may have been more specific.

So I hope this helps and hope to see some of you out shooting this summer. Or at least the ones that are not jack a**es. The range has been threatened to be shut down because of people bringing refrigerators, tv's, and other miscellaneous junk to shoot and not cleaning up after themselves. And also the ones that purposely shooting down the trees. If you are one of those types of shooters, please stay home. We, that live up here, would really appreciate not having our range permanently closed because of "visitors".

I am hoping that those on this forum are more responsible than that.

Castle Rock Shooter · Dec 18, 2010

CRCowboy said:
hooj wrote:

No forgiveness nessacery -- Better to ask than end up in a bucket of S--T.

I'm down in Castle Rock and have a place to Knock off Rounds safe and legal. If your very new to the sport, I'd be happy to have you down here for an afternoon and I'll help ya figure out the close legal places to go run amuck in the forest.

Todd

I also live in Castle Rock and would love to find out other places to shoot. If you dont have a pass cherry creek is expensive. Rather save money for Ammo! LOl . Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

since9 · Dec 20, 2010

cscitney87 said:
ZackL wrote: My entire complex spans quite a few acres. There are hundreds of people here and lots of condos... It is private property- but I've never received a flat out answer on whether or not one may legally conceal carry here.

Once you step foot outside the door of your condo, your apartment, or your vehicle, you're no more in/on private property with respect to concealed carry laws than you would be at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is private property, too, but it doesn't belong to you.

One leases an apartment, while one owns a condo. Regardless, when it comes to concealed carry laws, the common grounds of both are treated as public property, as there is no "joint tenancy" established for the common grounds of condos. Residents have a right to use it, but no right to modify it in any way. That's controlled by the association. In fact, that's why condos charge a separate, mandatory fee for the upkeep of the those grounds.

So, no, one can't shoot on those grounds, either!

cscitney87 · Dec 20, 2010

To answer this question I need you to work it backwards with me.

Live in a complex...Rent or Own a unit among many. Parking lot is a few hundred feet or so away.. Walk down a small sidewalk to get there...

How do you take your rifle hunting with you? Or to get serviced for safety and function?

You case it and carry it to your vehicle.

How do you take your pistol to get serviced? How do you take it to the shooting range?

You case it and walk to your car.

Are you in violation of State law?
That's what his question really boils down to.
Answer it like this...

What are you expected to do?

You buy a firearm from a store and walk from your car to your unit; cased, without violating State law. Right?

You're welcome

Have fun and be safe.

bomber · Dec 22, 2010

cscitney87 said:
You Need to use your Colorado section's Search feature; whether or not you are new.

Once you search- you will discover all the information you need. I'll clarify- Yes you can shoot your firearms in National Forests- such as Arapahoe or Pike. Those are the 2 closest National Parks to your place in Littleton. Basically you are going to need to drive about 30 minutes up I70 until you hit Evergreen- you will have access to Arapahoe National Park from Evergreen/Conifer. Highway 285 also provides access to Arapahoe, as well as Pike's National Park.

Stay 150 yards away from any Stream, Road, Trail, or Building. Don't shoot wild life without a hunting license. Be 10000% sure that you have a solid back drop- here in Colorado you will not want to use Rocks or a Cliff as a back drop. The bullets will come flying back in your direction. Find a valley; between two mountain tops- shoot in the valley aiming towards dirt. This is for two reasons- being in the valley makes Sure 100% that nobody will catch a bullet on it's way down the mountain side. Also makes sure that you are well aware of your surroundings- as you will easily be able to hear an approaching person.

Oh- and be safe! Have fun!

i feel that i should clarify your post, you use the terms "national forest" and "national Park" interchangebly here. they aren't the same thing. I'm sure you know that cscitney, but other people might read that and think they are the same.

National Forest = ok to shoot in (provided you follow the rules)
National Park = definitely not ok to shoot, anywhere

ColoradoFlyer · Dec 22, 2010

I am here in Castle Rock as well. The area around Rampart Range Road / 67 is off limits to target shooting that the Springs range off Rampart has been closed for almost 2 yrs now. If there is a place close buy where I can shoot, please tell me about it. I would like to get together for a fun shoot....

cscitney87 · Dec 22, 2010

Very right Bomber. Sorry. I definitely made a mistake there. Bomber's right Forest = OK Park is not. It's Arapahoe National Forest and not Park up there in Evergreen.

since9 · Dec 23, 2010

ColoradoFlyer said:
I would like to get together for a fun shoot....

Stay tuned, as we'll have a breakfast or lunch followed by some range time during the holidays.

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