Check "Sporting Clays" magazine. They have info on clubs nation wide.
Clays in the Bay Area/Marin County
Where does everyone in the Bay Area go to shoot clays. I've been going to Chabot in the Oakland hills for that last three years, but it gets to be a pain driving that far (I come from Marin). I've shot a couple rounds at Lake Merced because I used to row there, but it is kinda expensive and they only allow stainless steel shot, I believe, and I haven't gotten into reloading yet, so that really adds up. I checked over at the Richmond range where I do all my target shooting and I believe its the same way as Lake Merced as far as allowable shot. Anyone know of any trap/skeet place in Marin Co? Thanks in advance, Andrew
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Hi. Don't know about any in Marin. East Bay has a bunch of places.
Richmond is probably the closest, but indeed steel shot costs a lot more-- $7 or $8 per box, and lately all they have is 1 1/8 Federal #7. But I really love that club. They are relaxed about procedures, compared to other clubs, and everyone is friendly and willing to offer advice if asked. If you want to shoot by yourself, or with a friend or two, they give you a skeet or trap field to yourself. OR, you shoot with the "regulars". Great either way.
A little farther East is the Martinez Gun Club, and the United Sportsmans club. Both are great.
United Sportsmans is finicky about collecting their tickets, but they always have an official puller/scorer. And the place is immaculate. East on Highway 4, about 5 miles past 680. Trap, Skeet, and 5-stand.
Martinez has a bar, and on weekends they have BBQ. They will let you have the skeet field to yourself, or send over a puller for you. They have pullers for trap. Beautiful place, with nice mowed lawn. This is just off 680 before the martinez bridge, to the East.
There's also Lake Chabot. This place has dwindled to one trap field active, no skeet, and basically no shooters. I think the serious members quit and moved to other clubs, perhaps over a lawsuit. Not sure.
Farther North, up to Fairfield and then East 15 miles, is the Birds Landing club. Pheasants, and Sporting clays. The clays course is a lot of fun. A bit pricey at $40 for a 100-clay course
-- Quackster
Richmond is probably the closest, but indeed steel shot costs a lot more-- $7 or $8 per box, and lately all they have is 1 1/8 Federal #7. But I really love that club. They are relaxed about procedures, compared to other clubs, and everyone is friendly and willing to offer advice if asked. If you want to shoot by yourself, or with a friend or two, they give you a skeet or trap field to yourself. OR, you shoot with the "regulars". Great either way.
A little farther East is the Martinez Gun Club, and the United Sportsmans club. Both are great.
United Sportsmans is finicky about collecting their tickets, but they always have an official puller/scorer. And the place is immaculate. East on Highway 4, about 5 miles past 680. Trap, Skeet, and 5-stand.
Martinez has a bar, and on weekends they have BBQ. They will let you have the skeet field to yourself, or send over a puller for you. They have pullers for trap. Beautiful place, with nice mowed lawn. This is just off 680 before the martinez bridge, to the East.
There's also Lake Chabot. This place has dwindled to one trap field active, no skeet, and basically no shooters. I think the serious members quit and moved to other clubs, perhaps over a lawsuit. Not sure.
Farther North, up to Fairfield and then East 15 miles, is the Birds Landing club. Pheasants, and Sporting clays. The clays course is a lot of fun. A bit pricey at $40 for a 100-clay course
-- Quackster
Quackster- thanks for the suggestions. I agree that Richmond is nice because they are really lax about everthing from my experience on the handgun and rifle lines, and really nice people too. Richmond is only about 15-20min from my house so the distance is not a problem. I am still trying to look for a place that doesn't require steel shot though. Thanks for your input.
Check out Black Point. I don't have a number for them but the guy's at Western will. Last time I was there a couple of months ago they were talking about requiring steel.
Dave
Dave
G
Yolo Sportsmans Association near the Yolo Country Airport off Road 29 has Sporting Clays. It might be farther than Chabot but it's an easier drive. It's a lot easier to get to from Marin than Chabot. SR37 to SR29, North on SR29 to American Canyon Road, American Canyon Road to I80, East on I80 to I505, I505 north to Road 29A, East on Road 29A to the Stop Sign. Go straight, right turn on Aviation Way quarter mile ahead. Left turn into range.
Leaving to shoot trap now.
Whatever became of the shotgun range out by San Quentin?
Leaving to shoot trap now.
Whatever became of the shotgun range out by San Quentin?
Lately I've been shooting at United Sportsmans club. So far it's I think it's a pretty nice club. Have yet to try Martinez.
Shot a few round of skeet yesterday at the Concord range. Hooked up with some really good guys. I suggest this range for anyone. Really a good group of people.
quackster,
Regarding Chabot Gun Club and the serious members leaving, here's what happened.
There was what amounted to a coup d' etat by some of the members a few years ago. The claim was that the place was being run bankrupt by the Trapshooters.
The new club officers said that with trap fees at $3.50/round, they were losing money on the trap field...that trap was basically being supported by the rifle and pistol ranges so...
They raised the trap fee to $7.00/round for members. The Livermore Rod & Gun charged $3.25/round for trap at the time so everyone who shoots seriously went there.
Nowadays, they might get 10 people shooting trap in a day and they now claim that the trap range is making money.
Sounds like fuzzy math to me, but I went to Livermore the minute they changed the fees at Chabot...and I live very close to Chabot and quite a ways from Livermore.
Ka6otm
Regarding Chabot Gun Club and the serious members leaving, here's what happened.
There was what amounted to a coup d' etat by some of the members a few years ago. The claim was that the place was being run bankrupt by the Trapshooters.
The new club officers said that with trap fees at $3.50/round, they were losing money on the trap field...that trap was basically being supported by the rifle and pistol ranges so...
They raised the trap fee to $7.00/round for members. The Livermore Rod & Gun charged $3.25/round for trap at the time so everyone who shoots seriously went there.
Nowadays, they might get 10 people shooting trap in a day and they now claim that the trap range is making money.
Sounds like fuzzy math to me, but I went to Livermore the minute they changed the fees at Chabot...and I live very close to Chabot and quite a ways from Livermore.
Ka6otm
G
Based on prices in the South Bay $3.50 is a really good. Sunnyvale charges $5.00 (they only have trap), Field Sports Park (the county range) charges $6.00 for both trap and skeet and Coyote Valley Sporting Clays in Morgan Hill charges $6.00, $5.00 for members. Coyote Valley is primarily a sporting clays course but they also have both a skeet and trap field.
Ka6otm--- thanks for the history of Chabot Trap's demise.
I remember when there were 3 or 4 fields going at once, non-stop, with loads of people hanging out. It was great. Now it's nearly deserted.
What was the story on their skeet range? That's been completely dismantled. Personally, I like skeet a lot more than trap.
-- Q
I remember when there were 3 or 4 fields going at once, non-stop, with loads of people hanging out. It was great. Now it's nearly deserted.
What was the story on their skeet range? That's been completely dismantled. Personally, I like skeet a lot more than trap.
-- Q
quackster,
Yeah, I really liked shooting trap at Chabot. The setting was beautiful, the people were great and it's close to my house.
There are a lot of people who are still really angry about the whole thing but what're you gonna do? The Club says they lost money when hundreds of rounds of trap were shot per day and it makes money when almost nobody shoots trap. As I said, fuzzy math.
Meanwhile, Livermore charges $3.50 for members for trap, shoots hundreds of rounds a day and supports the entire club from the Trap range. The rifle and pistol range has been closed for a few years until they get the berm built higher...someone in a house in the housing tract due East of the club said they found a spent bullet in their backyard or something to that effect.
Anyway, getting back to Chabot, the Skeet range was closed because they said that occasionally shot from the trap range...or pieces of clay pidgeon from the trap range...sprinkled over the skeet range when people were shooting a hard right hander. I never saw this personally, but that's what they said.
Ka6otm
Yeah, I really liked shooting trap at Chabot. The setting was beautiful, the people were great and it's close to my house.
There are a lot of people who are still really angry about the whole thing but what're you gonna do? The Club says they lost money when hundreds of rounds of trap were shot per day and it makes money when almost nobody shoots trap. As I said, fuzzy math.
Meanwhile, Livermore charges $3.50 for members for trap, shoots hundreds of rounds a day and supports the entire club from the Trap range. The rifle and pistol range has been closed for a few years until they get the berm built higher...someone in a house in the housing tract due East of the club said they found a spent bullet in their backyard or something to that effect.
Anyway, getting back to Chabot, the Skeet range was closed because they said that occasionally shot from the trap range...or pieces of clay pidgeon from the trap range...sprinkled over the skeet range when people were shooting a hard right hander. I never saw this personally, but that's what they said.
Ka6otm
G
Hello,
There is the Petaluma Trap and Skeet club on Springhill Rd. behind the Coast Guard Training center. They're open only on Sundays. Then there is the Valley of the Moon Trap & Skeet club in Sonoma, they are open to the public on Sundays but are open to members 7 days a week and they have Sporting Clays on Sunday only. Hope that helps.
There is the Petaluma Trap and Skeet club on Springhill Rd. behind the Coast Guard Training center. They're open only on Sundays. Then there is the Valley of the Moon Trap & Skeet club in Sonoma, they are open to the public on Sundays but are open to members 7 days a week and they have Sporting Clays on Sunday only. Hope that helps.
Here's a link to a webpage that contains all kinds of useful information to
the bay area ranges.
http://www.dragunov.net/bay_area_ranges.htm
it comes in handy to check on hours of operations and other stuff.
edgar
the bay area ranges.
http://www.dragunov.net/bay_area_ranges.htm
it comes in handy to check on hours of operations and other stuff.
edgar
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
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