I'd like to practice with my pistol, and in the future, a rifle,
somewhere in Boulder County, Colorado.

The Boulder Rifle Club (http://www.boulderrifleclub.com/) owns the
only ranges I'm aware of in the Boulder area, and since I'm not a
member, I can't use them. And I don't want to drive down to Denver, or
over into the middle of Weld county to go practice.

I live on a chunk of land in an unincorporated part of the county, and
if I'm reading the noise ordinances right
(http://www.co.boulder.co.us/bocc/Ordinances/noise.htm), I can make
whatever noise I want (even at night) so long as it isn't any louder
than 45dB at a distance of 10 feet away from my property. I should be
OK on that count, if I shoot in the middle of my (fairly large)
property. But I'd rather not. People get worried when other people are
shooting guns nearby, so I want somewhere where nobody is going to be
disturbed.

Public land is traditionally(?) one of the places where you can go to
shoot, but http://www.co.boulder.co.us/openspace/recreating/public_parks/rules&regs.htm
seems to make it clear that you can't discharge firearms on open
space. Is there any suitable land in Boulder County that *isn't* Open
Space, which I could shoot on?

Are there some good places in the Roosevelt National Forest?
(http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf/) Or am I condemed to just drive around
the national forest until I find somewhere that looks good? Can I even
shoot in the Roosevelt National Forest, within the Boulder Ranger
District? (The Canyon Lakes Ranger District explicitly lists shooting
as an OK activity, but the Boulder RD doesn't. Is it simple omission,
or is shooting banned within the district?)

Are there just private groups that I need to get in contact with? 
Are there public ranges I simply havn't found out about? 

In short, there have got to be other people in Boulder County
shooting. They can't all be doing it on their own properties. I want
to know where they're all going. (And I'd ask them myself, but I don't
know any of them!)

(I realize some of this I could probably find out by calling the sheriff
or ranger's district. But I really get fed up with trying to extract information
from government organizations over the phone. I'd rather pay you,
the researcher. :)

Here is one link where you "might" find something within acceptable
driving distance.
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=rifle+practice+near+Boulder+Colorado

Greetings Jkominek

It states at http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/opinion_columnists/article/0,1713,BDC_2490_2464540,00.html
that the Boulder Rifle Club "...also has many "open to the public"
days, which again, they don't need to do. This allows the average guy
the opportunity to target practice under the attentive eye of a range
officer."

This site shows a UCB indoor shooting range - there may be classes
available there to audit where you could use the range for practice.
http://newmedia.colorado.edu/silverandgold/messages/2209.html

A message posted at http://books.dreambook.com/besc/book.html reads
"We are in the process of trying to develop a range in conjunction
with a local club. Is there a chance we can come up to your range on
October 7th. We could be there mid to late afternoon that Monday.
Could someone let me know if that is possible.
Sgt. Greg Schumann 
Boulder County Sheriff's Office 
1777 6th Street 
Boulder, CO 80302 
303-441-3655 
mailto:gassh@co.boulder.co.us"
You may want to write directly to him, or phone him to see if the club
range is up and running, and now available to the general public.  The
message is dated Thursday, September 19th, 2002.

Also, you may want to contact the Colorado State Shooting Association
at http://www.cssa.org/events_gunshows.html - their ranges are listed
at http://www.cssa.org/ranges.html and their contact page is located
at http://www.cssa.org/ranges.html
CONTACT INFO:
Colorado State Shooting Association
609 W. Littleton Blvd., Suite 206
Littleton, CO 80210
Office (720) 283-1376
Fax (720) 283-1333
mailto:webmaster@cssa.org

I don't know how close Aurora is, but here's a club there:
www.auroragunclub.com
CLUB LOCATION 
I-70 East of Aurora, Exit 289, At E-470 and Gun Club Road, Cross over
E470, Turn South approximately two miles on Gun Club Road, Our Club is
on the right.
Club Phone # (303) 361-9091

Also, try Front Range if it's close by:
Front Range IDPAŠ
PO Box 308
Hygiene, CO 80533
303-503-6544
http://idpa.gunsnet.net/
mailto:coloidpa@yahoo.com


Since I'm not certain if this information will be of assistance in
your quest (not sure what towns are nearby you), I'm posting it here
in the Comments section.  If it proves to be helpful, please post a
comment to let me know.  Perhaps another Researcher in or near Boulder
will be able to find you another location.

Best regards,
journalist-ga


SEARCH STRATEGY:

"boulder county" shooting range
"boulder county" public shooting range
"boulder county" marksmanship class
"boulder county" NRA range
"boulder county" firing range
"boulder county" shooting sports
Colorado State Shooting Association
Firing Line shooting range Aurora 
Cherry Creek State Park Shooting Center

PS - see also http://www.mines.edu/stu_life/organ/shoot/maps.html for
the Cherry Creek shooting range and other Colorado ranges.

Best regards,
journalist-ga

I appreciate the comments, but I'm quite specifically looking for
Boulder County. I live near Longmont, and work in Boulder, and I don't
really enjoy driving in heavy traffic, so regularly going into or
through Denver is out of the question.

The Boulder Rifle Club is open to the public one weekend a month,
except in the winter, as near as I've been able to determine. (That
schedule was posted in a local gunstore.)

The UCB indoor shooting range is fascinating, though. Weapons and guns
in particular are supposedly banned on campus. But that gives me
something to persue, if nothing else. Perhaps I can make a case that
it ought to be open to students/faculty.

Thanks.

Glad you have at least one other possibility to explore.  When I was a
child, the NRA had an indoor firing range at our local National Guard
Armory where I was persistent enough to earn an NRA Silver
Marksmanship classification with a .22 rifle by the time I was 12
years old.  I love target shooting so I understand your desire to
partake of the sport.  Of course since 9/11/2001, all types of public
armory access may have been nixed but you might also try your local
armory for information.  For outdoor shooting, our county allowed it
anywhere in the county, just not in the city limits.  Good luck and
safe shooting.
 
Best regards,
journalist-ga

I found this at http://www.nrahq.org/shootingrange/findlocal.asp?State=CO

# Boulder - Boulder American Legion Post #10, 4760 N 28 St., Boulder, CO 80301.
Phone: 303-442-9551
Facilities include: Trap
Range Access: Public

I haven't had a chance to call them yet to confirm anything, I'll post
a followup when I do.

-Troy

I just called them, they're open to the public every weekend, $4 bring
your own gun and ammo.

I hate to be the one to break it to you. There are no "suitable"
ranges you can use. The waiting list for the rifle club is years long,
and the american legion has trap shooting. I can tell you what many of
us shooters do however.  Out in Roosevelt, there is one "public
range". It is in lefthand canyon, about a mile or so before the
junction of left hand creek and james creek as you go west. Its on the
right hand side of the road, at a pulloff, and usually has a car
parked there. It is more what you call a "junk range". No benches,
tables, or target stands... but all the amenities one would associate
with a large draw! Your targets better stand on their own or have a
stand with you. Literally tons of shells and casings laying around,
and usually some "junk" to shoot at. Sad state of affairs, due to no
upkeep and unethical shooters. Anyhow, the best directions I can give
you are to go to topozone.com. From there search for Left Hand Canyon
in colorado. It should bring up a selection, pick the one in Boulder
County. When the map comes up, go West from the canyon mouth along the
road to grid square 27. Go to the west end of it and you'll see the
draw on the north side where the road peaks toward the northwest and
the word Roosevelt. Its near the East side of grid square 28. So...
best of luck to you. I can sympathize with your situation, only one
more year for me though. Graduation will bring relief!

The Front Range IDPA contact information is out of date in journalist-ga's comment.

As of October 2004 it is:

http://idpa.50megs.com/

Front Range IDPA
PO Box 308
Hygiene, CO 80533
303-503-6544