Houston area members join up for possible training opportunities!
Houston/Webster area when I am on leave… Nov 18!
Also, lets note if anyone is a member of a private range.
PSC Range for me.
Houston.
Member of PSC. Will possibly gain access to The Impact Zone in the future.
I was considering joining Impact Zone as well. Bit of a drive for myself so I was leaning toward Thunder Tactical in Conroe. I may just have to suck it up and hit the highway. How many times a month do you guys get out to the ranges?
I’m a Houstonian a few days each week, been here about a year and still trying to get my bearings.
Would love to meet fellow shooters as well as maybe do some training.
As of yet, I have not found a decent range in all of Houston. Apart from slack jawed yokels who seem to pass as RSOs to the outrageous range fees to the fact that you can’t even use quality targets to the fact that it seems that no one has discovered the concept of the target stand, I have been sadly disappointed in the ranges here in Houston. I won’t even dare to dream about falling plates and pepper poppers.
Maybe one of you guys can point me in the right direction? I live in the Woodlands area.
Cobra,
I would think that any range that hosts IDPA events might meet your acceptance criteria. http://www.tts-idpa.com/ is very close to you- and me (Shenandoah here). They are hosting a match this weekend. I had planned to go check it out, but have to travel on business. If you go, let me know what you think.
I’m about 7 miles from American Shooting Center & used to train there with MAST until the owner at ASC got a bee in his bonnet and dis-invited MAST from hosting classes there. My understanding is that MAST is going to be able to use some of the other area ranges. If y’all aren’t familiar with them, I can ask the guy who runs the show over there to stop by and introduce himself on the forum.
By all means. Personally, I’m looking for training opportunities other than “square ranges”. The more sources the better. I would like to hear his plans for future events.
Frank,
I have been to Thunder Range (went there just the other day). It looked like they had a decent IDPA/Action Pistol set up with several lanes set up for it. Unfortunately, it didn’t look like they were set up to let “off the street” people come in and shoot on the ranges. The rest of the range was pretty typical of what I have seen in Houston. The rifle line is set up with benches and really does not afford the shooter a chance to shoot from different positions, prone, sitting, kneeling let alone all the crazy positions the Kyle Lamb teaches. They will let you shoot out to 300 yards, but you are limited to bench shooting and anything over 100 yards will cost you extra. The pistol range is one of the nicer I ones I have seen in Houston. It is set up similar to an indoor range with stringers that allow you to run your targets back and forth on. I’m not sure if they would let you shoot multiple targets there or not - didn’t ask.
Prices were steep by my standards, but pretty much on par with the rest of Houston’s public ranges. About $10 per gun (plus a premium for 200 and 300 yards), that means to go and shoot a rifle and pistol it will run you $20 minimum.
The targets are the things I don’t get. They offer green or orange on white rifle sight in targets or white silhouette targets. It is the same thing I have seen at Hotwells, American Shooting Center, and Carter Country. They all seem to be made by the same company and the ranges all have rules prohibiting you from “marking” your target or modifying it (although I don’t think they enforce the marking part). You can’t bring your own bullseye, IDPA, or any other targets. Shooting a green and white sight-in target at 200 yards with a carbine and iron sights is a loosing proposition (for me at least). Doesn’t anyone in Houston shoot National Match?
OK enough complaining. It looks like Hotwells has a good range (the first one you pass when you enter), but I don’t think it is open to walk-ins. I think they use it for training classes. They will let LEOs shoot their duty weapons for free (so if you qualify, that is a nice bonus), but their range otherwise is not very conducive to “serious” training (they won’t even let you go down range to check your target).
I did go to a range last year that is out East of Lake Houston which seemed a little more relaxed and was a lot more reasonable as far as prices go. It was a heck of a long drive though.
I don’t have a “regular” schedule at work (I’m on call) and I try to spend most of my days off away from Houston, but sometimes I’m just sitting around and would love to get together with some folks and do a little training and meet some fellow “tactically minded” shooters. I try and get to the range 2-3 times per month, usually once per month in Houston and the other two times in California (where I belong to a private range).
Perhaps we should just pick a day and meet at one of the local ranges and go from there?
Matt is already a member, but doesn’t post very often. I am a MAST instructor when I am home on leave. The incident with ASC involved a former MAST instructor who went to the range and was shooting near the area MAST uses. He supposedly was video taping himself shooting. When asked by the staff who he was, he claimed he was with MAST. Even after this was explained to the owner, he would not listen.
I will be home on leave in a few days. I do have something planned with MAST for this Sunday I think. It is a free seminar for anyone who has attended a MAST course this year. I am also trying to get Matt to open it up to those who attended the Magpul course which we sponsored.
Forgive me my ignorance, I’m new to the Houston shooting scene, what is MAST 
It is a training company. Mast Solutions is the full name.
Well, I talked with Matt (CEO) and he agreed to let anyone who attended the Magpul seminars to attend my class this Sunday.
It will be a half day class covering the theme of “Man vs. Car”. We will be going over how to defeat vehicle borne attackers, fighting within a vehicle, how to survive a gunfight when you are in the vehicle, dead driver drills, and much more. This is geared more towards LEO, Mil, and contractors, but anyone interested can attend.
There is no charge, other than a possible 10-20 dollar fee to rent the training location. This is my Xmas gift to our MAST students. There will be NO range firing, but you can bring your weapons and kit. I will also be showing some videos and photos or real world “man vs car” situations from Iraq.
If we have a few slots open, I may open it up for M4C members here as well.
Anyhow, I am off to the airport and will be in Houston on the 18th. Feel free to shoot me an PM for further details.
By all means keep us posted…obviously you don’t want it getting so large that it takes away from the class, though I for one would be willing to pay.
BTW…the fishing is still good. The bass are running a little deeper and in saltwater the flounder are starting to show up.
Hey all,
Made in to IAH late last night and ready to rock and roll. I will call Matt later today and get the details. I don’t think there will be any problem getting any M4C members in to this course.
I have to confirm the location, but it probably be up by Jones Road and 290 at a fire house training area. It will start at 1300 and run till I get tired, probably around 1700.
I am going to link up with RetreatHell either on Friday or Saturday for the range time at PSC.
Glad to see you back Iraq Ninja…
I am in the Webster/Galveston area and was at one time going to take a cqb course from you thru Mast but my boss pulled my vacation “chit” from me!
sucked for me!
I haven’t got me an upper level AR yet…working on it though, but I am seriously interested in any training in the metro Houston/Galveston area.
I am waiting on an semi custom upper to come in know, pistol caliber though for low cost ammo. (7.62x25!)
Big54R,
I live in Webster, so don’t be a stranger!
Glad to hear that you’re back safely. If you’re headed to PSC tomorrow then by all means let me know.
Just moved to Dickinson from Baytown. PSC is my range of choice and am always open to available training opportunities.
Jeff, we never made it to the range as we’d hoped. Keep me in the loop as I get to PSC as often as I can.
Yes, sir… I figure we’ll cross paths one of these days. Now that I’m getting settled in the new-to-me house, my range visits can resume soon. I’ll keep in touch.