If you have any comments about any of these ranges, or if you know of a range that I’ve missed, or if you work at one of these ranges and want to say something or correct some info, let me know!
Range Summary
Range | Cost | Distance | Weapons |
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Discount Gun Mart (Linda Vista) | $10.00 | 2 miles | handguns |
Balboa Park Archery Range (Downtown) | $2.00 | 5 miles | archery |
American Shooting Center (Clairemont) | $15.00 | 12 miles | handguns, rifles, shotguns |
San Diego Shotgun Sports (Miramar) | $16.00 | 12 miles | shotguns |
Performance Archery (Miramar) | $8.00 | 13 miles | archery |
Discount Gun Mart (Santee) | $12.00 | 23 miles | handguns, rifles |
P2K Range (El Cajon) | $14.00 | 25 miles | handguns, rifles, shotguns |
Lemon Grove Rod & Gun Club (Alpine) | members | 30 miles | handguns, rifles, shotguns |
South Bay Rod & Gun Club (Dulzura) | $20.00 | 30 miles | archery, handguns, rifles, shotguns |
Iron Sights (Oceanside) | $14.00 | 35 miles | handguns, rifles, shotguns |
Escondido Fish and Game Association (Escondido) | members | 40 miles | archery, handguns, rifles, shotguns |
Orosco Ridge (Palomar) | $5.00 | 45 miles | handguns, rifles, shotguns |
NCSA Pala Shooting Facility (Pala) | members | 50 miles | handguns, rifles, shotguns |
I am unaffiliated with any of these ranges, and haven’t even been to most of them. The information was most likely taken over the phone, found on their web site, or picked up at a show.
I arbitrarily chose Lindbergh Field as the center of San Diego, so that’s what the mileage is measured from. Measurement is as exact as me looking at a Thomas’ Guide and counting thumb widths.
Range Listing
American Shooting Center
Cost | $15.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Weapons | handguns, rifles, shotguns | |||||||||||||||||||||
Restrictions | up to 300 Winchester Magnum | |||||||||||||||||||||
Address | 5590 Ruffin Road, San Diego 92123 (Clairemont) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Map to 5590 Ruffin Road | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Phone | 858-279-7233 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Web site | American Shooting Center | |||||||||||||||||||||
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You can rent firearms at the center. You can join the range to get free use of the facilities. Membership costs range from $350 for an individual to $500 for a family.
$15.00, plus $10.00 per additional shooter to a maximum of three in a lane.
Balboa Park Archery Range
Cost | $2.00 |
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Weapons | archery |
Address | 1549 El Prado, San Diego 92101 (Downtown) |
Map to 1549 El Prado | |
Web site | San Diego archery ranges |
There are two unattended archery ranges in or near Balboa Park: one is next to the zoo and theaters, and the other is in Morley Field. They are maintained by San Diego Archers.
Discount Gun Mart
Cost | $10.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Weapons | handguns | |||||||||||||||||||||
Restrictions | Handguns, or .22 rifles. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Address | 1510 Morena Boulevard, San Diego 92110 (Linda Vista) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Map to 1510 Morena Boulevard | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Phone | 619-276-8730 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Web site | Discount Gun Mart | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Discount Gun Mart happens to be the nearest range and gun store, so it’s where I shoot most. It is an indoor range. You can purchase targets and ammunition, and rentals are available. See the their web page for more information.
$10.00/booth plus $7.00 per extra person; up to three persons per booth.
Take the Morena Boulevard exit from the 5, take a left (if you’re coming South on 5) or a right (if you’re coming North on 5) towards Morena Boulevard. Go left at the first stoplight. It’s about two blocks down, just before the Arco station, on the left.
Discount Gun Mart
Cost | $12.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Weapons | handguns, rifles | |||||||||||||||||||||
Restrictions | No shotguns or high-powered rifles. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Address | 8516 Magnolia Avenue, Santee 92071 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Map to 8516 Magnolia Avenue | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Phone | 619-596-4099 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Web site | Discount Gun Mart | |||||||||||||||||||||
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A new store and range from the nice folks at DGM.
“The first shooter on the lane is $12.00, each additional shooter is $10.00. Active Duty Military $10.00. Limit of three shooters per lane. Gun rentals start at $10.00 plus ammunition.”
Escondido Fish and Game Association
Cost | members | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Weapons | archery, handguns, rifles, shotguns | |||||||||||||||||||||
Restrictions | Wednesday and Saturday they have trap only until 10 PM. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Address | 16525 Guejito Road, Escondido 92027 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Map to 16525 Guejito Road | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Phone | 760-749-3277 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Web site | Escondido Fish and Game Association | |||||||||||||||||||||
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They’re open “until sunset” every day of the week. Only members or their guests may use the range normally, however the club sponsors many events, including competitions and instruction, that are open to the public. You can see these (and their associated fees) on their web site.
Their range is only open to members; membership prices range from $60 to $150 a year.
Iron Sights
Cost | $14.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Weapons | handguns, rifles, shotguns | |||||||||||||||||||||
Address | 618 Airport Road, Oceanside 92054 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Map to 618 Airport Road | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Phone | 760-721-4388, 760-721-1990 (FAX) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Web site | Iron Sights | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Pistol, rifle, and shotgun rentals are available.
$14.00 for the first shooter, and $8.00 for each additional shooter.
Lemon Grove Rod & Gun Club
Cost | members |
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Weapons | handguns, rifles, shotguns |
Address | 16232 Sequan Truck Trail, Alpine 91946 |
Map to 16232 Sequan Truck Trail | |
Phone | 619-445-4030 |
Web site | Lemon Grove Rod & Gun Club |
Only members or their guests may use the range normally, however the club sponsors many events that are open to the public.
From San Diego take I8 East to Tavern Road exit. Go South on Tavern until it becomes Japatul Road. Turn right on Sycuan Truck Trail Road and follow along ridge three miles. Range is on the right.
NCSA Pala Shooting Facility
Cost | members |
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Weapons | handguns, rifles, shotguns |
Restrictions | Shoot rifle out to 900 yds, hand guns any range, shot guns any range. No skeet or trap |
Address | Pala Mission Road, Pala 92059 |
Map to Pala Mission Road | |
Phone | 760-727-9160 |
Web site | NCSA Pala Shooting Facility |
The NCSA club revolves around match competition. This is the furthest one I’m listing. From San Diego proper, it’s still in San Diego County, but only barely. It’ll take a good hour to get out there. “It’s a decent outdoor range. It’s swamped on the weekends. Overall it’s not a bad rifle range.”
The range is open to members only. Club membership is $40.00 per year. Range cost is $15 for the day.
Pala Indian reservation is located 5 miles east of I-15 on State Hwy 76. Turn left at stop light for the Pala Casino and Resort. This puts you on Pala Mission Road. Proceed east on Pala Mission Road until you come to Henderson Road. Turn left on to Henderson Road, which is a dirt road. Follow this road about a half mile until you arrive at a double swinging metal gate. You are at the range.
Orosco Ridge
Cost | $5.00 | |||||||||||||||
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Weapons | handguns, rifles, shotguns | |||||||||||||||
Address | 1634 Black Canyon Road, Palomar 92065 | |||||||||||||||
Map to 1634 Black Canyon Road | ||||||||||||||||
Phone | 760-788-0250 | |||||||||||||||
Web site | Orosco Shooting Area | |||||||||||||||
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The Orosco Shooting Area is part of the Cleveland National Forest, just north of Ramona. Note that it’s “indefinitely” closed while the Forest Service conducts “an environmental study of the shooting area to determine if an environmental site clean-up needs to take place”. The study was ongoing as of October 2010 and they hoped to have it completed by the end of the year; however, I haven’t been able to find anything about it since and the Forest Service information page still acts as if it’s open. So I’m going to leave this one up for a while, but it sounds like there are serious issues at the site, so I suspect that when the study does come back, Orosco will be closed permanently.
An adventure pass is required. It looks like they cost $5 for a daily pass or $30 for a yearly pass.
This address should get you to the Cleveland National Forest Palomar Ranger District offices. The actual address, somewhere on Orosco Road, possibly off of Pamo Road, appears to be too obscure for on-line maps. You will need to call first to get the combination, and to make sure that the area is open.
From a comment: “I just visited the Orosco range and can provide more detail. The entrance is off Pamo road past the Ramona Landfill. It is the first left after the Landfill and the gate is marked as Orosco Ridge, but the sign off the road does not say Orosco. I recommend taking a vehicle with reasonable ground clearance due to the ruts in the dirt road. I made it with my passenger car, but would have preferred to take my F150. There are 5 sites, 2 shotgun only, 1 rifle only and 2 all guns.”
P2K Range
Cost | $14.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Weapons | handguns, rifles, shotguns | |||||||||||||||||||||
Address | 2082 Willow Glen Drive, El Cajon 92019 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Map to 2082 Willow Glen Drive | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Phone | 619-442-9971 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Web site | Project 2000 Shooting Range | |||||||||||||||||||||
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This is probably the closest full range to San Diego proper, and memberships are available. This is a “climate controlled” semi-indoor range. They have several regular events, including firearms safety classes, hunters safety classes, and youth events. They also have rentals available.
The indoor range is $14.00 for the first hour, plus $10.00 per additional hour. Additional shooters $10.00 each. There’s a discount for members.
It is one mile east of the Rancho San Diego Golf Course. You can find them in the Thomas Guide on page 1272 at F2. The range is located behind Hansen Materials. Follow the signs up the driveway to their facility.
Performance Archery
Cost | $8.00 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Weapons | archery | ||||||||||||||||||
Address | 8390 Miramar Place, San Diego 92121 (Miramar) | ||||||||||||||||||
Map to 8390 Miramar Place | |||||||||||||||||||
Phone | 858-450-9454 | ||||||||||||||||||
Web site | Performance Archery | ||||||||||||||||||
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Performance Archery has a full schedule of classes for all ranges of skills and ages.
$8.00 per hour or $16.00 all day.
San Diego Shotgun Sports
Cost | $16.00 | |||||||||||||||
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Weapons | shotguns | |||||||||||||||
Address | 9400 Miramar Gun Club Road, San Diego 92142 (Miramar) | |||||||||||||||
Map to 9400 Miramar Gun Club Road | ||||||||||||||||
Phone | 858-278-3173, 858-278-0160 (FAX) | |||||||||||||||
Web site | San Diego Shotgun Sports | |||||||||||||||
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There is a $10 day use fee per shooter, and an additional $5 or $6 per round of 25 clay targets. Memberships are available.
South Bay Rod & Gun Club
Cost | $20.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Weapons | archery, handguns, rifles, shotguns | |||||||||||||||||||||
Restrictions | The shotgun range is only open until 2 PM. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Address | 1020 Marron Valley Road, Dulzura 91917 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Map to 1020 Marron Valley Road | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Phone | 619-468-3070 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Web site | South Bay Rod & Gun Club | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The South Bay Rod & Gun Club’s range is in an idyllic setting up a long dirt road just outside of Dulzura. This is my favorite range, although I don’t get out there much any more. Because this is a volunteer-staffed club range you will want to check ahead of time before going, especially if you’re coming all the way from San Diego. Also it is an outdoor range, so it will be closed for bad weather.
Memberships are available at $75 annually.
Note that I’ve received word that the on-line map sites are returning bad directions to their address. You’ll want to follow through to their web site to get good directions.
More Information
- MapMuse San Diego Ranges
- I don’t know how reliable this is, but it’s a map of the San Diego region with ranges marked out on it. Hold the mouse over a range marking and get the name, address, and other info for the range.
- Performance Archery
- “Our focus is on serving every archer need within and extending past our 4,000 square foot facility.” They also have a short list of San Diego archery ranges and clubs.
- San Diego shooting resources
- A collection of San Diego shooting resources links, including another list of shooting ranges and local organizations.
- Southern California Camping: Recreational Target Shooting
- This is a site that focuses on camping areas that allow target shooting in Southern California.