Hello:
We will visit Washington DC area in a couple of weeks.
Is there any shotgun shooting facilities open to the public around the city?
Preferibly a sporting clays setup; rented shotgun is a must.
Thank you in advance for your replies.
Best,
Prince George County Trap & Skeet Center
10400 Good Luck Road
Glenn Dale, MD 20769
Contact
301-577-7178
http://www.pgparks.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Trap-Skeet-Center-109
PG is a nice club. Easy to get to. They are East of DC. Just a few minutes off the Beltway . Do be aware the Beltway can not be traveled quickly, or at all, during the rush hours 6:45-9:00 and 4:00-6:30. What in non rush hours will take 20-30 minutes may take 1-1 1/2 hours to travel. So go early or wait until 6:00 before you travel. There are a couple backways to the club but even they can be a mess in peak times.
Bull Run Shooting Center in Centreville is public if staying in VA.. Same traffic comments apply! They had a sporting clays course set up last time I was there a few years ago otherwise, skeet, trap, wobble trap, 5 stand are available.
PG Trap and Skeet is nice. I've shot there for over 40 years. Rental guns, ammo and golf carts are available.
Thank you all for your fast responses!
We will be in a hotel in Alexandria, Virginia, so I think "Bull Run Shooting Center" is the best option, it seems that it is a 30 miles drive.
Any other advise regard my plan, besides the traffic hours? Can I buy shotsells in the place?
Best,
I shoot at Bull Run Shooting Center. Their sporting clay's course now has 14 stands and is fun and not that expensive. The facilities are good. You can rent guns at the shooting center if need be.
From Alexandria it is about 30 miles. If you go out in the morning and come back in the afternoon, you shouldn't have traffic problems. From Alexandria take the 495 beltway around to 66....or come up GW Parkway, turn onto rte 50 then transfer over to 66. Get off 66 at rt. 29 west, or continue on out to 234 just north of Manassas, go north a half mile and turn east on route 29 (which takes you smack-dab through the Manassas Battlefield right past the "Stone House.")
They may have shells at the sporting center. Not sure. But you'll pass a giant 'Dick's Sporting Goods" on the way out. Get off 66 at Fairfax County Parkway north - first exit go right onto Fair Lakes Parkway, first right into Fair Lakes Center.
Jose-Do you have someone to shoot with? Maybe a few of us could meet up with you to shoot sporting clays. Let us know.
The NRA firearms museum in Fairfax would be on the way out to Bull Run Shooting Center from Alexandria. It is world class and if the Petersen collection is still on display it is a real treat for double gun lovers and other of the finest sporting arms in existence... it is free and open every day.
You could always go to Southeast DC, but that’s more of a pistol club. Not much in the way of sporting clays. :>)
I shoot at Bull Run regularly. As others have mentioned, Bull Run offers trap, skeet, wobble trap, 5-stand, and sporting clays. The clays course has 14 stations, each station with multiple automated traps. It is possible to shoot solo as the automated traps can be shot using a delay.
Bull Run does offer shotgun rentals and has ammunition available for purchase onsite.
Depending on the day of the week and time of day, traffic from Alexandria can range from an easy 40 minute ride to a frustrating 1:30. Weekdays, going TO Alexandria from BR will be brutal in the morning commute and going TO BR from Alexandria will be tough in the late afternoon. Middle of the day will work best. Weekends will be no problem.
Good luck - if you are interested in having some shooters join you, I'm sure some from the board who are local may be able to make it.
Ken
Jose, I'd love to join you at Bull Run but will be in Africa again for a couple of months. However, there are enough DGS contributors in the area to make the trip out there interesting and worthwhile.
Good one eeb!
Gentlemen:
Thank you for your kind offer to shot with me some sporting clays.
I am sure I will enjoy a lot sharing with you, but sadly I just need to cancel my trip because of work isues.
My wife and son still will go to Washington (we have air tikets already paid!), but my wife is not a shotgun fanatic (my son, just like me, is a pasionate quail hunter), so she prefers to go to museums, art, culture... and shoping, of course.
I really apreciate your propousal to shot some clays with me, that speakes a lot about the kind of persons that are you.
Best,
Your wife and son will enjoy the Smithsonian on the Mall here in DC. She can easily take in the Freer and African art museums by Metro from Alexandria and then lunch at either the American Indian Museum or, my favorite, in the old National Gallery of Art building that has a sit-down café of good atmosphere. Then the afternoon at the National Gallery where the Da Vinci masterpiece Ginevra is on display and then next door in the IM Pei National Gallery building for whatever is on modern there. Across the street (Constitution Ave. NW) are the National Archives.
A great place to go is the Philips, which is closer to Dupont Circle, also Metro accessible. Google to see what's on there in the way of special exhibitions.
Not sure what interests her in shopping, but the Tiny Jewel Box at Connecticut Ave. & M St. NW is very good, and, if she wants to outfit you, it's just across the street from Brooks Bros. clothing. For a smaller and less expensive place, go into Compton's on G St. NW just half a block west of the Old Executive Office Building and ask Susan for either sale items or estate jewelry.
I'd still have gone to Prince George's County from Alexandria as it's a pretty straight shot up the eastern side of DC: 14th St. bridge; southeast expressway leading to Baltimore-Washington Parkway; then off at the Greenbelt exit and a few miles east to the turn north that will eventually get you there...
Regards, Tim
Did the PG range used to be a Winchester course back in the 70's and 80's?
Yes. Sponsored by Winchester when I started shooting there in the mid 70's.
Tim,
Thank you for give us those great sugestions to visit while in Washington.
I already print them and give to my wife.
Best,
You are welcome, Jose.
Regards, Tim