ShootingTheBull
Active Member
- Jun 18, 2013
- 569
- 1
Been to Thunder several times. It's ... okay. They actually have a 200-yard and a 300-yard rifle range.I often go to Thunder Gun Range in Conroe. Its an outdoor range with a 25, 50, & 100 yard rifle range, a pistol range, and shotgun ranges (both clay and paper). Prices are reasonable and they are pretty laid back most of the time (depends on how many noobs are shooting).
The pistol range is mediocre. Since you're outdoors you're at the mercy of the wind, and the targets are clothespinned onto a duct-tape framework that's only held vertical by a dangling block of wood, which means -- if there's any wind at all, your target is blowing around. There's no distance marking (other than just knowing that the framework that holds the rope & pulleys is built at 7, 14, and 21 yards) so knowing distance is total guesswork. In short, the pistol range is okay for dumping a bunch of rounds through your pistol to know whether it'll cycle them or not, but kind of pointless for anything involving accuracy.
The private side (accessible to members of the club) is a lot better, and they have some great classes at extremely low prices, so I give them much better marks for that.
The worst part about Thunder (to me) is that they charge per-gun. They have no time limit, so you can spend all day there, but you're going to pay for each and every pistol and rifle you bring. So it looks appealing at first glance ($10 for a lane) but if you want to exercise your collection, that starts adding up real fast.
Oh, the other good thing about Thunder is that they get cases and cases and cases of FMJ ammo; even during the drought you could walk in and buy a case of 38 special, a case of 357 magnum, a case of 45 ACP, etc. They don't always have it but they frequently do. Prices used to be quite reasonable, and if you're a member of their shooter's club the prices are really good. It was kind of odd, going to Wal-Mart and seeing the shelves stripped bare, then walking into Thunder and seeing literally (let me guess here...) maybe 300 cases of 1,000 rounds each spread around the store...