Where to shoot defensive arms near Fort Wayne?

[2AOK]

Hi, all.

I'm new to Indiana and new to the Fort Wayne area.

I shoot:
CCW handgun
Defensive shotgun
Black rifles

Can you recommend outdoor ranges for those three categories, with a 50yd (or preferably 100yd) rifle range?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Amishman44]

Welcome to NE Indiana and the greater Fort Wayne area...
I live in east Allen county and we, more often than not, run over to the Antwerp, OH Conservation Club for outdoor shooting.
They have a 'dirt-walled' (3-sided) pistol range, a separate rifle range, skeet and trap, bow-n-arrow, etc....just have to be aware of and work around their competition and team schedule...check online before driving over! Membership required, but it's only like $35 per family??

 

[JettaKnight]

To the southwest of Fort Wayne is Roush Lake (DNR range) and Hillside. The latter has steel and allows rapid fire.

On the North side is Izaak Walton, which is a pretty nice range.

 

[wtfd661]

 

[wtfd661]

Roush lake is in Huntington about 20 mins from the west side of Fort Wayne, shoot all day for $4 they have pistol range out to 25 yards and rifle range 50 to 100 yards

 

[55fairlane]

Fort Wayne rifle and revolver (fwrrclub.org)
Super big pistol bay, 50/100/200/300 yard hills

I am the rifle range chair at Antwerp conservation club, 2 pistol bays, monthly IDPA matches .....go out and look around, no shooting till your a member. Pistol bays are 40 yards long, rifle 50/100/200 yard hills, steel gongs at 300 yards.

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

Not certain what exactly you plan on doing to practice with your defensive arms. Rapid fire? Changing positions? Holster draw? Jumping through the air and rolling around on the ground? (J/K)

-Ideal Fish and Game Club, Churubusco. Last I knew it was lightly monitored, lower membership cost, facilities are so-so.
-FWRR, gotta have a contact/sponsor and NRA membership to become a member.
-Hillside in Roanoke, memberships available. Some RSO monitoring, lots to see and do here. Range to 1000 yards once qualified, steel targets in their pistol bays last I knew.
-Roush Lake, no membership required, RSO monitored, excellent facilities, no rapid fire, paper targets only, no holster draw.
-IWLA Huntertown, a little more expensive, membership required, Steel plates at 100,50,20 and 15 yards (combination of rifle, pistol and 22LR only), RSO monitored, no holster draw, rapid fire is limited, you can do some once you are "known", but no mag dumps.
-IWLA Wabash, never been there. Facilities were kind of lacking (sparse) last I heard.
-I've heard a lot of good things about the Antwerp club, never been there.
-There are also other facilities at various State parks and recreation areas; Pigeon River, Tri-county in Syracuse

Lots of choices, prices, facilities available.

 

[2AOK]

Welcome to NE Indiana and the greater Fort Wayne area...
I live in east Allen county and we, more often than not, run over to the Antwerp, OH Conservation Club for outdoor shooting.
They have a 'dirt-walled' (3-sided) pistol range, a separate rifle range, skeet and trap, bow-n-arrow, etc....just have to be aware of and work around their competition and team schedule...check online before driving over! Membership required, but it's only like $35 per family??

Thank you for the welcome, Amishman44.

I 'Google Mapped' the Antwerp OH Conservation Club and will proceed from there! It's about 40 miles out, but I don't shoot every week, so certainly a viable option. I appreciate you cluing me in. It sounds just like the gun club where I used to shoot.

And stupid does hurt.
Ask me how I know.

 

[2AOK]

To the southwest of Fort Wayne is Roush Lake (DNR range) and Hillside. The latter has steel and allows rapid fire.

On the North side is Izaak Walton, which is a pretty nice range.

Thanks, JettaKnight.

I looked up Roush Lake and Hillside on Google Maps, and will investigate further. Hillside Shooting Sports is really close-in to Fort Wayne. I'm guessing that's an indoor range.

I also pulled up The Izaak Walton League. Man, it looks like I've come to the right place!

 

[2AOK]

Roush lake is in Huntington about 20 mins from the west side of Fort Wayne, shoot all day for $4 they have pistol range out to 25 yards and rifle range 50 to 100 yards

Thanks wtfd661, for the smart-phone screen capture and the details. I called Roush Lake and that sounds GREAT.

I'm liking Northeastern Indiana more and MORE!
Woohoo!

 

[2AOK]

Not certain what exactly you plan on doing to practice with your defensive arms. Rapid fire? Changing positions? Holster draw? Jumping through the air and rolling around on the ground? (J/K)

I like to parachute in and blow up a few trucks.

Thanks for the extensive list with details. It's good to know there's so much support for 2A and shooting in general here.

What is RSO Monitored? Does it mean there has to be a Range Master present?

I do need to draw from holster, and frankly, I think every CCW permit holder should be required to practice that skill.

I wonder what qualifies as rapid fire. I've never been "a blaster," and considering the price of ammunition I'm even more conservative. Would a typical double or triple-tap be considered rapid fire? 'Can't really hone CCW skills without working on quick follow-up shots...

 

[2AOK]

Fort Wayne rifle and revolver (fwrrclub.org)
Super big pistol bay, 50/100/200/300 yard hills

I am the rifle range chair at Antwerp conservation club, 2 pistol bays, monthly IDPA matches .....go out and look around, no shooting till your a member. Pistol bays are 40 yards long, rifle 50/100/200 yard hills, steel gongs at 300 yards.

Thank you 55fairlane, for both recommendations. I will indeed investigate the FWR&R club, and the Antwerp CC sounds like 'back home' to me. I appreciate the ACC insights "straight from the horse's mouth" as it were.

Do you drive a 55 Fairlane?

 

[55fairlane]

Thank you 55fairlane, for both recommendations. I will indeed investigate the FWR&R club, and the Antwerp CC sounds like 'back home' to me. I appreciate the ACC insights "straight from the horse's mouth" as it were.

Do you drive a 55 Fairlane?

I did have a 55 fairlane , decent hot rod, fun car....sold it to build a model A....sold the A to fund an unexpected child.

FWRR has a defensive pistol match monthly & high power rifle practice on Thursday night, come out and shoot a few times and you will find a sponsor.

Go tour the Antwerp club , I can sell you a membership, Mcdougall firearms in Antwerp can also sell you a membership or 2nd Thursday night is our monthly meeting

 

[2AOK]

I did have a 55 fairlane , decent hot rod, fun car....sold it to build a model A....sold the A to fund an unexpected child.

FWRR has a defensive pistol match monthly & high power rifle practice on Thursday night, come out and shoot a few times and you will find a sponsor.

Go tour the Antwerp club , I can sell you a membership, Mcdougall firearms in Antwerp can also sell you a membership or 2nd Thursday night is our monthly meeting

Built a Model A Ford
Too good!

Funded an unexpected child
Too good, seriously.
Go, Dad!

Per your suggestions, I will get around some. And will reach out to YOU for the Antwerp Club membership. Thanks.

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

What is RSO Monitored? Does it mean there has to be a Range Master present?

I do need to draw from holster, and frankly, I think every CCW permit holder should be required to practice that skill.

I wonder what qualifies as rapid fire. I've never been "a blaster," and considering the price of ammunition I'm even more conservative. Would a typical double or triple-tap be considered rapid fire? 'Can't really hone CCW skills without working on quick follow-up shots...

You are correct, RSO Monitored means there is a Range Safety Officer present for the place to be in operation.

I RSO for the IWLA in Huntertown. I am also willing to show you around. There are cheaper options though, it all depends on what you are looking for. I appreciate that it is less than 10 minutes from my house and I also do a lot of other work for the organization.

Rapid fire (to me) is pulling the trigger as fast as you can with or without regard to accuracy. As an RSO I will asses your performance or ask you to please stop. If you keep 10 rounds in less-than a four-inch group at 7 yards in less than 3 seconds I won't say a word. If you try that when you're having a hard time maintaining an 8 inch group slow-fire, I'll ask you to stop. BTDT. If you can do a 15 round dump into a 2 inch circle in five seconds I'll shake your hand. But I've never seen that anywhere but Hollywood...and Jerry Miculek.

2 and 3 shot groups, not a problem. Double taps (aka controlled pairs) where I can see your shots hitting the target? N/P Practicing double-taps and I see the first hole but can't see the second? I'd ask you to stop. Wanna' try and run that 35 round magazine in your AKV? You better prove to me that you are competent (and practiced) enough to do it safely. Wanna' hold that gun at your hip and blaze away until empty? Not gonna' happen.

Holster draw practice can happen at home. A green light for everyone to be pulling a loaded piece and practicing speed drills? NOT a good idea for a firing line with multiple people of various skill levels. Not to be telling tales, but if you become an RSO you also get access to the range outside of standard hours...just sayin'.

 

[KittySlayer]

Thanks, JettaKnight.

I looked up Roush Lake and Hillside on Google Maps, and will investigate further. Hillside Shooting Sports is really close-in to Fort Wayne. I'm guessing that's an indoor range.

I also pulled up The Izaak Walton League. Man, it looks like I've come to the right place!

Hillside is close to FW and has indoor and outdoor ranges.

A new Midwest Shooting Center is opening across from Glenbrook Mall soon.

 

[2AOK]

I RSO for the IWLA in Huntertown. I am also willing to show you around. T

Rapid fire (to me) is pulling the trigger as fast as you can with or without regard to accuracy.

2 and 3 shot groups, not a problem. Double taps (aka controlled pairs) where I can see your shots hitting the target?

Holster draw practice can happen at home. A green light for everyone to be pulling a loaded piece and practicing speed drills? NOT a good idea for a firing line with multiple people of various skill levels.

Thanks for the detailed overview, Karl. I never heard of the Izaak Walton League before entering into these online INGO discussions. Looks like a fine organization.

I appreciate your willingness to show me around, and I'll probably take you up on that, but I hope to find a shooting opportunity that's perhaps a little more relaxed. I'm all about Firearms SAFETY and am nervous around those who aren't, but I don't like it when insurance considerations overshadow real-world shooting activities (I've seen it before).

On the other hand, I'm sure you encounter LOTS of potentially disastrous activity in your RSO capacity.

Ideally, I hope to find an opportunity where I can go to the range at off hours and just "do what comes naturally"...within reason. =]

 

[2AOK]

Hillside is close to FW and has indoor and outdoor ranges.

A new Midwest Shooting Center is opening across from Glenbrook Mall soon.

KittySlayer
Feral cat problems? Yeah, those cute little "kitties" are actually dedicated KILLING MACHINES.

I'm glad to know of both shooting opportunities. Thanks for the additional information.

Most Hoosiers I've met are nice, easy-going folks. That's a good thing, considering all the gun culture here.

An armed society is a polite society.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Defensive shooting practice? Just drive around the southeast side. You will get your chance. Or some up north by Hobson and State. Getting pretty scary.

 

[2AOK]

Defensive shooting practice? Just drive around the southeast side. You will get your chance. Or some up north by Hobson and State. Getting pretty scary.

MI Slim, I just finished talking with you over at my FAL thread...

HA! What you say is funny, but also not funny. I agree that things have been out of hand for a year now, and the last thing any of us wants is to be putting skills to the test in Realville.

I'm out of practice, so I'm hoping for a chance to get back in shape WITHOUT encountering return fire.

Fingers crossed.