Hi all - had a membership at Colonial. Great facility, tremendously helpful staff, just became too high an investment for my use/needs. I found Black Creek Shooters in Mechanicsville. Anyone have any input on the club? I need to sight my AR further than 25yds and the membership fee seems reasonable. I am located in Northside Richmond and this club seems to be closest to me. Also open to alternate suggestions. I have plenty of brass in 5.56/.40 of someone would like to host me as a guest

I've been a member at Black Creek for fifteen years. Overall a good range, certainly for your stated purposes. There are limitations on certain things, like no rapid fire, no use of anything but handguns on their short (7-15yd ranges), can only shoot paper targets, etc. My biggest gripe is the short pistol range where they have rebar target frames and closely inspect the cardboard that you have to sign out for signs you hit the metal frame. Not a problem for me, but when bringing a novice shooter it scares ou to incur the wrath of management if they should hit it, which is a distinct possibility for a noob. Why they don't redo those with wood frames I don't know. I'd even help install them. If you can get there during the week they have a reduced rate membership for M-F only.

Thanks for the helpful input. Assuming the rebar frames are larger than center mass I don't feel I will have an issue there. I see they host different competitions on weekends, maybe I will try starting there. In your experience, are most shooters respectful and educated? I won't name names but I know of ranges that don't make safety the utmost priority, and that turns me off quickly.

The guy that runs the place is a stickler for rules and safety, in all my years I've never seen anything crazy, not to say it can't happen. The owner is greatly concerned about anything that can get the range shut down, and stresses preventing any sort of behavior that may cause a round to leave the range, one of the reasons he doesn't allow rapid fire except in competitions, which have their own rules about shooting over berms. The rebar frames are roughly 3'x4', and they're just on the pistol ranges. All other ranges uses plywood backstops for you to staple targets to.

In my best kc voice "you can shoot pistols on any range, that is the 15 yd range"

kc is all right just don't **I'm an idiot** him off like dadcpu does by shooting fast, he will come crawl up your behind

AND definitely don't shoot the mans frames on the 15 yrd range

All potential new members need to take the mandatory safety briefing / class (that they only give on an irregular basis) before they will take your membership fees. When they have enough prospective new joiners, they schedule another briefing. The pistol range is the least desirable range. I only go for the 50 and 100 ranges anymore.