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Gander Mountain Live Fire Range visit

Packfanatic

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
177
Location
North of Madison
I took my son to Gander Mountain tonight to “learn to shoot” We went to the facility in
De Forest/Madison? Upon entering I met the greeter and told him we were going to the range. He put a zip-tie on my case then we proceeded back to the range. We announced our intention to shoot on the live range. We were asked if we had ever been there before. No, we have not. We watched a short gun safety video in some very comfortable chairs. The only thing missing was the Cuban Cigar! After viewing the movie we signed a waiver, standard of course.

Showed our photo id and off to the range. We were greeted by Tom and I explained that I was here to give my son some pointers on hitting the target.Tom cut the zip tie and proceeded to chekc the ammo and the firearm and cleared us to begin.

Well, I had a déjà vue moment as I remembered how it was when I was teaching him to drive! You know,,, the usual nervousness etc…. I asked Tom to show him how to hold the firearm and the correct stance to be in. I set a target at 7 feet just so he could acclimate to the noise and the recoil. After 5 shots I had him move the target back to 15 feet and empty the remaining 13 shots.

Tom saw a couple things that needed to be corrected and he stepped in and spoke with my son. We then recovered the target and I shot a couple mags with the target at maximum range. I did well as usual. We then took one more humanoid target and placed it at 21 feet.

With the remaining 25 shots my son hit the “X” once, the 10 ring 12 times the 9 ring 10 times and the remaining shots were 8 and 7. You have to understand up until the new laws were passed he really had no interest in shooting or owning a firearm.

I am very proud of his accomplishment tonight!

Yes, the range lane cost 25.00 but we were able to co-share the lane and both able to shoot. So in effect, it cost us 12.50 each (ya right I made him pay lol!) to shoot for one hour. To rent ear and eye protection is 5.00 and they do not rent firearms, but ask me if I care.

Tom and staff were outstanding! We will be going back again soon as he has his eye on a Glock he really wants. Along the way in life he has been instructed about firearms and the safe use etc… but this was a total Made my day.. Day today! The price for co-sharing is an excellent bonus. Just thought I would put this on the forum. Go there you will be impressed.
 
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Passive101

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
223
Location
, ,
I'm glad to hear everything went well. It sounds like they have some good people working there. How was the ventilation?
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
Sounds like you had a great time. Only a little pricey for the range, but you got some free instruction from Tom which was probably worth the couple extra dollars. One question: How old is your son?
 

Packfanatic

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
177
Location
North of Madison
cost

Sounds like you had a great time. Only a little pricey for the range, but you got some free instruction from Tom which was probably worth the couple extra dollars. One question: How old is your son?


Actually this is not true. There is another range 20 minutes away it is 15.00 per person so i saved 5.00 lol and the fuel to get there and the time so all in all it is ok with me. I like the co-share of the lanes.

Passive101 ..... Ventilation is crazy good.


My son is 30. but as i said never had a hankering to shoot until now.
 

Outdoorsman1

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
1,248
Location
Silver Lake WI
Good on you...and your son.

It is real nice to read something positive on this forum. If I ever have the chance (in the area) I will check this out based on the recomendation of a father who still enjoys spending time with his 30 yr. son...

GOOD ON YOU....

Outdoorsman1
 

Vandil

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2010
Messages
240
Location
Sun Prairie
Actually this is not true. There is another range 20 minutes away it is 15.00 per person so i saved 5.00 lol and the fuel to get there and the time so all in all it is ok with me. I like the co-share of the lanes.

Passive101 ..... Ventilation is crazy good.


My son is 30. but as i said never had a hankering to shoot until now.

North Bristol Sportsman's club is right down the road on 151 and only $90 for a year's family membership.

The other indoor range 20min away would be Deerfield?
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
When you talk about using indoor ranges and traveling to shoot makes me real glad that I live in a place where I can shoot out the front or back door. I can get up to 200 yards. If I want to shoot out to 700 yards I just travel 5 miles and shoot all I want no waiting no asking permission.

I am really glad I brought land with a nice hill/back stop.

I think I'll step out and fire a few rounds just because I can.
 

Packfanatic

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
177
Location
North of Madison
I am jealous lol

When you talk about using indoor ranges and traveling to shoot makes me real glad that I live in a place where I can shoot out the front or back door. I can get up to 200 yards. If I want to shoot out to 700 yards I just travel 5 miles and shoot all I want no waiting no asking permission.

I am really glad I brought land with a nice hill/back stop.

I think I'll step out and fire a few rounds just because I can.

Ok you have to stop that i am jealous. i have an Ar15 M&P 15 and still have not fired it deerfield does not allow ar15 but gander goes but 30 feet is a joke haha :) ah well the pistol works well at 30 feet for sure. thank you for all the comments and yes even though i am an old guy i still enjoy the times with my kids heh :)
 

Packfanatic

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
177
Location
North of Madison
thanks

North Bristol Sportsman's club is right down the road on 151 and only $90 for a year's family membership.

The other indoor range 20min away would be Deerfield?

yes it would be. not a bad range but with price of gas etc.. gander is closer so co-sharing a lane is ok i only need 30 min to practice. of course i could see the advantage to an outdoor range if they allow live fire holster practice as well? thanks\
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
Talking about fring new guns a friend gave me a 3913 for Xmas one year. That year the 25th was about 30 below I opened up the present saw the gun filled the mag and stepped out and shot the snow bank. About 5 min later my phone rang the neigbor was asking what kind of new toy did you get. He then said thats the only reason you be shooting on Xmas day at 30 eblow I just smiled when I told him.

Having a new gun and not being able to shoot it is a real pain.
 

Passive101

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
223
Location
, ,
glad to hear about the ventilation. I've shot in ranges that have such poor ventilation it looked like I was walking through thick fog. You could literally cut it and move it around in front of you.
 

TaurusToter

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
308
Location
West Bend, WI
Having a new gun and not being able to shoot it is a real pain.

Yep, totally agreed. I got my new XDM 3.8 a few weeks ago. Took it up to the range, and found out the striker pin was missing. Looked around in the case, and realized the "spent shell" wasn't in there. Sent it back to SA, and they were real apologetic about it. Don't know how it got out without the test fire.

Anyways, I've had it back for 2 weeks, and still haven't made it to the range to fire it. Had to deal with some family stuff, but I'm hoping to make it up to the range today "come hell or high water".
 
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Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
If they are any thing like Reminton only one gun in 10 or so gets test fired any more. I was told at a remington armorers school that that have such a low failure rate that they only test one in 10 or so now. So a very few bad ones get through.
 

Vandil

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2010
Messages
240
Location
Sun Prairie
yes it would be. not a bad range but with price of gas etc.. gander is closer so co-sharing a lane is ok i only need 30 min to practice. of course i could see the advantage to an outdoor range if they allow live fire holster practice as well? thanks\

I haven't had anyone tell me I couldn't draw and shoot there. State patrol shoots there fairly regularly. The range supervisor watches the pistol range through closed circuit TV so it's fairly common to be the only person physically on the range. They'll cover all the do's and don't during the range orientation. You can shoot there for $10 an hour if you are not a member and the range is open for public shooting. They have a nice setup for skeet shooting and archery as well. Including a forested walk through board head course.

The only place they are really sticklers about is the 200yrd rifle range. It was apparently a real chore to get through zoning and they won't stand for shots missing the backstop.
 

Packfanatic

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
177
Location
North of Madison
Thank You

I haven't had anyone tell me I couldn't draw and shoot there. State patrol shoots there fairly regularly. The range supervisor watches the pistol range through closed circuit TV so it's fairly common to be the only person physically on the range. They'll cover all the do's and don't during the range orientation. You can shoot there for $10 an hour if you are not a member and the range is open for public shooting. They have a nice setup for skeet shooting and archery as well. Including a forested walk through board head course.

The only place they are really sticklers about is the 200yrd rifle range. It was apparently a real chore to get through zoning and they won't stand for shots missing the backstop.
Thanks for the info.. i did go to the website and i was not real sure on the prices.... i want to unleash my AR there and get it set for distance shots. Also would not mind doing some holster work with live ammo not that i have pulled my firearm out of the holster over 1000 times but i hear it takes 3000 times to have it in muscle memory... just wondering what age group that is LOL!
 

TaurusToter

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
308
Location
West Bend, WI
Thanks for the info.. i did go to the website and i was not real sure on the prices.... i want to unleash my AR there and get it set for distance shots. Also would not mind doing some holster work with live ammo not that i have pulled my firearm out of the holster over 1000 times but i hear it takes 3000 times to have it in muscle memory... just wondering what age group that is LOL!

I'm in West Bend, and my range has a 200 yard course. Anytime you want to go, let me know. I'm a straight shot up 151 then East on 33 from you, and I make that drive all the time.

I've been wanting to get out to the range again, maybe this weekend..........
 
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