Freedom Outdoors is a welcome replacement for the old Colonial Shooting Academy in a great many…read moreways, and frankly we are lucky to get a new range option in a region without many of them.
To avoid going through this review like I have a chip on my shoulder, I'll say it straight: I did not like Colonial at all, and Freedom Outdoors does everything so much better. Excellent staff who aren't rude or combative for no reason, reasonable range rules, and clean shooting bays without weird columns in the middle make this place an ideal destination.
The biggest change is the staff, particularly the RSOs: they are cool and focused on making sure everything is safe but also without micromanaging every shooter. The one I interacted with during my range time was friendly and answered my questions without issue. The counter staff were quite busy but still processed me quickly.
The shooting bays are quite nice, with a nice polished wood area to lay your guns while not in use and to do reloading, though they also have a few chairs behind the bays for that too. They use the standard electronic "fly in, fly out" target system where you can bring it in to attach paper targets and then send it to a distance of your choice. I was surprised the place wasn't busier for a Saturday, though that made my life easier since I wanted a somewhat calmer spot to test my new gun. I did not rent any of their guns this time though they appeared to have a good number of them.
I didn't spend much time in their store, though they have a decent selection of firearms and accessories, with an ammo section in a separate room that I did shop from. One thing I noticed is that most of their firearm offerings are more common ones, as compared to the huge revolver collection that was here with Colonial.
My one gripe is the cost of a lane: $30 for an hour for one person (or even their $50 for 2 people) is a lot of money. Their only competitor in the area is Green Top, which is $25 for an hour for one person and $40 for two. Essentially there are a few things worth paying the extra money for if you choose to come here: proximity to where you live (Green Top is a bit of a drive north), a calmer shooting experience (assuming it stays the way it is now), the chance of getting to shoot for a little longer than an hour if they aren't busy, and the fact that they are cool with you shooting full-auto/binary. For example, if I wanted to teach someone how to shoot, rent a full-auto or shoot my binary, or planned to shoot a LOT of ammo, I would choose Freedom. If I just wanted to get some basic shooting in with a friend who already knew how to shoot, I might go with Green Top purely because it's cheaper. Ultimately, it's up to you whether it's worth the drive to save $10.
Super glad to have Freedom Outdoors in our backyard and will definitely return again soon!
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Overall: 4.5 stars
Pros:
- Excellent range staff, top-notch RSOs.
- Range rules are fair and non-restrictive.
- Nicely-redone bays make for a pleasant (dare I say upscale?) experience.
- Good selection of rentals, equipment, etc.
- Same excellent parking lot as their predecessors.
Cons:
- $50 is a lot for an hour's entertainment, but in the circumstances I've outlined above, it's well worth it.