purchase in Illinois

My range report

On the ranges...

Ammo at JR Shooting Sports is pretty high. $20.00 for ammo that you can buy at Cabella's for $12.95

They say that their range is air conditioned but it's hot as hell in there and sweat continually drips into my eye wear and I have to keep both wiping my head and cleaning the lenses. Maybe they mean it's air conditioned in the winter. The ventalation is not so great either, when I come back from a few hours of shooting there I have a gun powder taste in my mouth and when I blow my nose - it's dark grey snot. They also make you rent corrugated plastic target holders. I was using the small Winchester B1 25' Slow Fire targets - they are about 5" x 5". But I ran them back to 50 feet and I had a flyer that barely nicked the target holder - so now I have a $7.00 target holder from JR Shooting Sports - it's about a 40¢ sheet of corrugated plastic - my $7.00 souviner from JR's.

My opinion of Gat Guns is well first of all - it's crowded, and the last 3 times I've been there, people were waiting in line to get on the range. It's also pretty expensive, and they give you PVC tubes for target holders and if you hit the target holder - you've destroyed (and purchased) a "target holder" - I don't remember the price for that, I haven't shot at Gat Guns for a long time because of the high price for range time and because I don't like waiting in line to shoot.
 
I have never been to Gat but know several who have. They have stated being on the range can really get your heart racing. One person heard a person on the range say I think it is empty. When he looked, the muzzle was pointing right at him; and they guy had his finger on the trigger.
 
I like GAT for purchase. Decent selection & decent prices.

Gat's range is dirty, poorly lit and poorly ventilated.

I like Bass Pro (Gurnee) for indoor range shooting. Clean, well lit and well ventilated. It is best to call for an appointment during busy times.

H.
 
It is a problem finding a range to shoot at in Chicago

Basically the democratic political machine in Chicago has tried to shut down and drive out every gun store or range in the city, and they've done that for decades and for the most part been successful.

Even if the laws have changed, it's not cheap to open a range. From what I've heard, talking to the owner of Article II Gunworld - it's somewhere around $500,000 for the range, the steel plating, sound proofing, ventaliation, target movers and everything. In Chicago anyone who tries to do it is going to get hassled and hassled... Failed inspections and delayed opening dates drive up costs.

So unfortunately - most citizens in Chicago are going to have to drive to the suburbs to practice.
 
I hate to be a jerk, but having lived in the Chicago area 50 years ago, I guess I will do it anyway.

If I lived in Chicago and was going to buy a gun, the first thing I'd buy would be a home in some other state!
 
> Nicely done.
>
> Now...
>
> Where are the pics, and where is your range report on your Sig P229 E2 ?

I went to the range only once so far. I discovered I wasn't a great shot yet :) hopefully I'll improve with enough practice.

The range I used was Maxon Shooters; I probably won't go back there, it is very dim, there is no exhaust except for the half-open back door, and it was hard to breathe.

I shot Winchester 9 MM 115GR FMJ, and ordered Federal C9BP 115 JHP as a defense ammunition. Turns out pretty much nobody is willing to ship ammunition to Chicago addresses, I found one store (eastcoastgunsales) that delivered. They only required a copy of FOID card. I also called a local Walmart in Palatine, and was told they had Winchester 9mm FMJ in stock.
 

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Why don't you consider joining the Bristol Shooting Range in Bristol Wisconsin? It's not expensive really. I think after the initial $125 fee it's only $75 per year for your whole family. They have ranges devoted to shotguns, rifles, and handguns. Even have a separate range for bow and arrow. I live very close to Schaumburg and it takes me exactly an hour to get there on Sundays. I spend the entire morning there and go to the Brat Stop afterwards with my buddy to have a couple pops. Great time.
 
Some Walmarts carry the 250rd UMV value packs for around 57 bucks, and Cabella's has Blazer Brass for around $12.00

It might be a deal where - when you go to the range you also buy your ammo.

Jeez I wonder where all the gang bangers in the city get their ammo?
 
To the OP, CONGRATS to a fellow Chicagoan for getting bit by the bug. It hurts the pocket, but it's oh-so-satisfying! Thanks for the ammo shipper you found... my newest project was a way to find a way to get ammo shipped to my doorstep! I'm definitely looking into this company right now!

Lots of great suggestions here. Rinks is great and cheap, plus the people are very nice. I shoot mostly at Illinois Gun Works in Elmwood as they are close to me and cheap, just a hair over what they charge at Rinks. Ammo lately has been Tula, cheap Russian stuff my brother gets for us at Wal-Mart (but it looks like eastcoastgunsales.com will be a nice avenue). I have only bought one gun from a shop, at Shore. I held out on them until they had a huge sale happening and I had to "pull the trigger" on a deal. They will send you their flyers to your email, but I think they only send 'em out once every two months or so.

Most of my guns, quite obviously, have been bought online and all have been transferred by Tom Sobeck in Oak Lawn and he charges $25 these days. So far only through gunbroker.com and summitgunbroker.com, as Mark at Summit is practically always giving his guns away! FTF is also a great way to go if you can get a great deal. I've done this a few times.

And it was also pretty amazing to me at how incredibly difficult it was to learn to shoot pistol. Took me a few years to punch the bull, and I still jerk and milk at least a few times every range session. Just keep at 'er, it is something that I'm sure I'll never be great at! But, hell, I enjoy it!
 
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