Changed my mind about the Gander Mountain range.

[Acera]

I was planning on visiting the lady friend on the bay today and go to Texas City's Municipal shooting range. Well plans changed, and I was stuck on the north side by myself. Not wanting to waste a perfectly good day off, I sucked it up and went to Gander Mountain in Spring to shoot at their new range. In other threads I have not been real complementary about their prices, but I figured what the hell, try it once.

Well I was surprised, I really liked it. I ended up shooting five different guns, which would have cost $40+ ($8 each) in Texas City for $25 plus sales tax.

The range was extremely clean, and well maintained. Special hand-wipes are provided on each lane to remove the lead and fouling when done.

The range officer (retired Navy) that escorted me into the range, and kept an eye on me was very friendly and professional. He changed the targets when I asked, and showed me a few things on the electronic target retrieval system. Very conversational, without being burdensome. He knew his stuff, but did not feel the need to prove it to me or show off, treated me as a valued customer. All the range staff is in constant communication with each other via radios with earpieces. No issues with any of them.

After about an hour, I was done, and asked about the Virtual ranges. He got me into a tour and demonstration of the ranges, and was extremely helpful in securing my guns as I did that. The system takes a video of you shooting the simulators, so you can go on their secure youtube link when you get home and check yourself out, it's emailed to you. The 300 degree range's floor actually vibrates with your shots to stimulate your senses when in there. The guns they use are not toys, they were made from actual Glocks and Berettas with factory trigger pulls, recoiling slides, etc and cost about $5K each. You do have the option of drawing from a holster, as many of the simulations are CHL based situations.

The tour of the 180 and 300 degree range was pretty cool. Never thought I would be contemplating spending a chunk of change there, but will probably give it a shot soon.


Positives:

Outstanding Range Staff

No per gun charge

No charge for targets (Not just the first one, but any you need.)

Targets are secured to a solid backing, so you don't have to stop and wait for them to quit moving or blowing in the AC.

Cleanness, amenities and range condition. (no too surprised for a brand new range)

You can sign up for range time on-line.

Training area and classrooms are first rate.

Range officer helped me pick up my brass.


Neutrals:

Had to have my guns in a case, and they put a zip tie on the bag at customer service as I came in. They zip tied my bag as I left the range area. Not too surprised as they are an operating store, and you don't need to be whipping out your guns on the counter, and they need to have proper inventory security. Not as bad as I had feared. The customer next to me was surprised and did not know that the store she had just shopped had a gun range in it.

Price may turn off some, but as I found turned out to be not that unreasonable, especially for the service, and free targets.

Did not ask for an unreasonable amount of information or try to swipe my drivers license (a pet peeve of mine). Just put my name, date and TDL number on their waver form. Did not want my address and phone number as some ranges seem to need.

Had to watch a 7 minute safety video since it was my first time.

Prices on ammo in their store, cheaper to buy it at Academy or WalMart before hand, but better than most ranges.



Negatives:

No Reloads, and they did check my ammo.

No drawing from a holster.

Not very big, and may get crowded.



Bottom line for me, sometimes staying at a Motel 6 is good enough, but sometimes I like, and will pay extra, to stay at the Four Seasons. I said in the other thread that I did not think we would be talking about this place in a year, well now I hope we still are. I will go back, soon.


atriot:

 

[benenglish]

Well I was surprised, I really liked it.

I really like it, too, but that doesn't mean I'll be going there with any regularity. I've been twice and I'm really ambivalent. I only have experience with the live fire range, btw, and my experiences mirror those of Acera. However, i'd like to add a couple of pros and cons of my own.

Pros

The programmable target carriers are fantastic. If you want to practice your ISSF rapid fire first-shot lifts, it's easy as pie. Just set the carrier for 1.7 seconds exposure, 10 seconds facing away, for 999 cycles. You can spend all your time working on that specific skill. Having trouble getting off your 5 shots single action during Distinguished Revolver rapid fire stages? Set the carrier to 10 seconds exposure, 30 seconds facing away, 999 cycles. You'll have plenty of time to reload and use up all your ammo working on those one-handed hammer spur manipulation skills. Any competitive scenario that can be described in terms of time-allowed-on-target can be simulated. I love it.

The range facility is clean and fairly quiet. It's nicely sound-damped. The barriers between lanes are impervious to flying brass, so the hot brass from the shooter next to me never touches me. I really, really appreciate that. The range hardware is nothing approaching an Olympic rapid-fire bay (which would cost $300K or more per firing point) but it's as good as any non-Olympian could reasonably want.

Each firing point is wide enough that even someone as morbidly obese as me doesn't feel crowded. If you're sharing a firing point with your minor child, you won't feel cramped.

The A/C seems to work. I've spent way too much time on indoor ranges with flaky A/C that let things get too humid or too hot.

The Range Officers are helpful and well-trained. You'll need the help on the first couple of visits to figure out the target carriers.

If you're alone on the range, ask the RO to show you the low-light protocols. The RO can kill the lights and program your target to re-position itself to various distances and then light up for short periods with different colors of continuous or strobing lights. Very neat.

Neutral observation

There are two surveillance cameras at each firing point. Everything you do for every second you're on the line is being stored in a computer somewhere. If it creeps you out to be recorded in that much detail, you'll find this range beyond creepy. Most people, though, probably never even notice the cameras.

Cons

There's no flat-fee membership. If you ask, they'll give you a card that they can initial at each visit. After 4 visits, the 5th is free. I'd much rather pay a bigger fee up front then use the range without charge for the next year.

The Range Officers can be a bit chatty. I guess I'm just a cranky old fart but sometimes I wish they'd leave me alone and let me shoot.

Lane sharing is not allowed unless it's a minor child and their guardian. Two adults must use two different lanes, per their rules. They sure won't be selling any "date night specials." The last time I was there, they did not enforce this rule for a man and his grown son but, beware, ymmv.

Time limits are strictly enforced. When you approach the end of your hour, the RO will stop by and give you a five-minute warning. Most indoor ranges that I've used are less formal and allow you to run overtime as long as they aren't full. Not here. You paid for an hour; you get an hour and not a second more. The RO will be standing behind you to escort you out when your time is up.

The shooting stations are roomy enough for wheelchairs but physically challenged folks need to watch out for the effort required to open or hold the entry doors. They far exceed ADA-regulated maximums. Granted, it's normally the RO who touches the doors but most folks in wheelchairs would not feel comfortable in a facility where they cannot, in an emergency, physically open the doors for themselves.

The benches are too high. Unless you're really tall, it's impossible to take the proper 45-degrees-down starting stance required by some shooting sports.

Shooting distance is limited to 45 feet. That's enough to do a Texas CHL course but it's not enough to shoot on the standard 50-foot reduced distance targets available for most competitive disciplines. It doesn't really matter, though, considering the following paragraph.

My biggest negative - The targets are awful. You must use their targets. They have a variety of designs. Unfortunately, all their targets are these terrible proprietary designs printed with green ink. As targets go, they're OK for point shooting, defensive training, or casual target shooting. But to anyone who wants to practice a recognized, formal marksmanship discipline, they are atrocities. They are smaller than standard size meaning you can't practice your normal hold. The bullseye target has a proportionally huge center black (that's printed with green ink) that doesn't correspond to any real competition target of which I'm aware. Worst of all, the targets are pre-mounted on backers so it's not even possible to turn one around and shoot at a blank sheet. What were they thinking? Targets are pretty standardized things. Gander Mountain actually had to spend money to come up with, print, and distribute their own designs and what they wound up with was far, far, far worse than the targets you can buy off the shelf from, say, Home page - kruger premium targets store.

Bottom Line

For me, the non-standard targets and lack of a flat-fee yearly membership are dealbreakers.

If they'd offer a flat fee of $500 per year for an hour a day, I'd take it, anyway. If they'd allow the use of proper targets and stop the strict enforcement of the 1-hour time limit, I'd pay $1000 for a yearly membership.

With the current rules and at $25 an hour, I won't be back after I get my free range session.

 

[RangeDS]

Great report on Gander. Thanks for posting.

We met the range equipment vendor / manufacturer who has the contract with Gander. There are now seven Gander Mountain indoor gun ranges. I've heard they want 100. However it has taken them more than 3 years to get to just the 7 stores.

We just completed a range that has 15 lanes (6 tactical) and a Meggitt Training Systems simulator. Since SHOT Show we are now talking with folks in more than a dozen locations around the U.S. about constructing indoor ranges. Can't wait to visit a Gander to see for myself. Thanks again for your informative post.

 

[BG1960]

Been wondering about that place, thanks for the reports guys.

 

[Chupacabra Hunter]

thanks for the report.....Ive been to only one Gander Mountain in Lubbock.... did not use the range.... but the store was well stocked..... I wished they would build one down here in Corpus Christi...... Academy needs some competition.....

 

[benenglish]

With the current rules and at $25 an hour, I won't be back after I get my free range session.

I've now been 4 times and my next time will be free. My 4th visit was on a lark. I didn't have a pistol in the car so I just swung in and told them I wanted to try the virtual range. Using the same format, then:

Pros

The virtual range is just easy. No need for hearing protection. Your "ammo" (CO2 cannisters) is provided without limit. You can drop in and shoot any time.

They don't yet seem to have a critical mass of customers. Despite the fact that they were running a promotion, I had the range to myself.

There are "qualification courses" set up on the virtual range. Basically a set of "two to the body, one to the head" drills, I suppose it might mean something to someone to say they passed some kind of test.

The range controls are easy to manipulate with just a few big buttons.

If you shoot a target you want to keep as a souvenir, just punch a button and it will be emailed to you automatically.

Addressing the single biggest problem I had in my previous post, cost, they're running specials. Purely by luck, I went in on a Tuesday and they were running "$10 Tuesdays". Apparently every Tuesday is "$10 Tuesday". I had no idea about this until I walked in.

Addressing another concern I had, I noticed that the employee meeting room had some agenda items left on the white board from the last meeting. One of them was to stop allowing 3 users per firing station. So my previous misgivings about their "one shooter per lane only, unless it's a parent and minor child" may have been misplaced. It's crazy to force a couple out on a date to use two different lanes and it appears at least some of the staff recognizes that.

Neutral Observation

I saw a bunch more people in the live fire range than I've seen before. Are they reaching a critical mass of customers or are they also running the $10 Tuesday special on the live fire range?

Cons

Only two pistols to choose - Glock 22 or Beretta 92.

The targets I emailed to myself never arrived. (Yes, I checked my spam folder.)

I was assured that my Glock was perfectly sighted in. It wasn't. I could shoot small groups, no problem, but they were all way left and low. I didn't ask about how to correct this. I certainly should have.

CO2 runs out fast. I didn't use much because I'm old and slow but if someone went in there trying to machine-gun as many virtual rounds downrange as possible, they might feel a bit frustrated.

The one virtual qualification course that everyone would want to shoot (the Texas CHL course) is not programmed into the system.

The lighting is low. I understand the need to make the virtual targets the brightest spot in the room but, frankly, there were a couple of times when I coudn't re-acquire my front sight very quickly. I found that oddly frustrating.

There's nothing (that I can find) on their web site about special pricing on Tuesdays.

Bottom Line

For a measly $10 per half hour, the virtual range is an easy, fun little diversion. Corrected for inflation, I used to spend more money, faster, standing inside a Tron game when I was a kid. This is a grown up version that actually has some marginal training utility. I'll save my free range visit for the live fire range and I still won't be using it at $25 per hour. However, I think there's a good chance they'll get me into the store once a month or so to visit the virtual range. Since I'm likely to spend some money on something else while I'm in there (I bought a nearly $200 gun case on this visit because it was the first I'd seen that was utterly perfect for a need I'd had for a while), that's a good move on their part.

 

[jtriron]

Thanks for the reports.
I think $25.00 is too rich for my blood.
Top Gun is $14.50 IIRC

 

[firefree]

I am impressed with Gander Mountain in Spring. Haven't been there for a couple of years. I have a card for 1/2 of range time. Came with a gun I bought there a few days ago. A total POS taurus PT22. 260 rounds and its broken. Going to talk to Gander about it before sending it back. The trigger seems to have disconnected. But its not their fault or duty to help. I knew better than to buy that pisshole brand.

 

[scap99]

Check the safety key lock, first.

I don't know how they work but I know they have them. Reason one on why I wouldn't buy a Taurus.


Tapatalk sent it.

 

[Younggun]

I am impressed with Gander Mountain in Spring. Haven't been there for a couple of years. I have a card for 1/2 of range time. Came with a gun I bought there a few days ago. A total POS taurus PT22. 260 rounds and its broken. Going to talk to Gander about it before sending it back. The trigger seems to have disconnected. But its not their fault or duty to help. I knew better than to buy that pisshole brand.

Check the safety key lock, first.

I don't know how they work but I know they have them. Reason one on why I wouldn't buy a Taurus.


Tapatalk sent it.

Haters! LOL

 

[scap99]

I hate any unnecessary safety feature on a firearm. Key locks, mag safety, 20# triggers, etc.




Tapatalk sent it.

 

[shooterfpga]

I hate any unnecessary safety feature on a firearm. Key locks, mag safety, 20# triggers, etc.




Tapatalk sent it.

thats why i dont buy springfield 1911 or any others like it.

 

[hkusp1]

thats why i dont buy springfield 1911 or any others like it.

Those must be the newer 1911's mine doesn't have all that.

 

[firefree]

The trashus PT22 has both a lock and a magazine disconnect. (sighing) I feel so stupid.

 

[Younggun]

I just never locked mine, problem solved. No mag disconnect either.

 

[scap99]

I just never locked mine, problem solved. No mag disconnect either.

Mr. Murphy will visit when you least expect it.


Tapatalk sent it.

 

[Younggun]

Eh...

 

[scap99]

Eh...

Murphy's Law. It ain't just a tv show.


Tapatalk sent it.

 

[Younggun]

Yes, I understood the reference, I just don't see a higher probability that the disconnect on myTtaurus will somehow lock itself (when I haven't had the key for it in a couple years0 than than a glock or any other firearm suffering a mechanical failure.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Good writeups guys!

Just curious, was there any instruction given as far as the range staff/RO's go? It looks like some of the facility/infrastructure they have in place has some potential. I haven't been to one yet but, judging by everything I've seen online, it seems like the techniques they teach (maybe those are actual classes that must be signed up for?) are horribly outdated Gunsite stuff. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.