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I was planning on going shooting with some friends new to the area and I was wondering about legal places. When I go hiking, I see people along the forest service roads a lot. I know folks go out to Hewlitt Station road quite often. Is this area legal to shoot at? Does anyone recommend anywhere else legal?

outdoorsman74 wrote:I am aware of that, but I was just refering to the post by azbackpackr... so chill okay. A little extra information never hurt anyone, if you do not it like then do not read it. In my opinion at least half the people who carry should not even be allowed to hold a gun because they are not competent enough to use it in emergencies. Handling a firearm safely takes practice, training, and self discipline among other things.

I see the connection, now. Either way, you're preaching to the choir.

Have taken CCW, have taken Hunter Safety. When our kids were growing up they competed in Junior Olympic pistol shooting sports, and 4H Shooting sports, and my husband got trained as Jr. Olympic coach, 4H coach, etc. I never was too interested, though. I just have my .38, and go plink with it from time to time.

You brought up a good point, though. It is a good idea for anyone who is thinking of using a firearm to take some sort of training or class.

Here's a question for someone just learning about guns. (Jeff no fair answering): If you take the clip out of a semi-auto handgun, that unloads it, right?

Do you know how many people have been killed because they didn't know the answer to that question? I don't know, but there have been quite a few.

Of course, if any of them had thought the handgun was unloaded, but still remembered to practice the first rule of gun safety, then no one would be dead.

I taught BB guns and archery last summer at a dude ranch. It is amazing how many people are unaware of their own bodies and what their bodies are doing. (I could write a whole essay on people and their lack of understanding of space...) You can tell them until you are blue in the face how to hold the BB gun, and not to move around with it on the shooting range, to always point it downrange, or point it toward the ground, to set it down if they need to move around, etc. But every time they will do this: They will turn around to talk to someone behind them and the gun just sort of follows along. Dang good thing they were pump-up single-shot BB guns!

Al_HikesAZ wrote:I go to the Scottsdale Gun Club off of Raintree & the 101 for handguns. I'm a member so I don't know what it costs a non-member. I live in North Scottsdale so it is convenient for me. And I go to Ben Avery. Most Gunsite Mountains are named that for a reason. ;)

$15 for a non-member, or you can tag along with one and get in free

7-11 free

For reference-sake: I've noticed that most of the major national forests now have spots that are unofficially "designated" for shooting. They are typically places away from the public that provide an appropriate backdrop, like a berm, etc. One example is the spot on Lemmon near mile marker 5. If you ask a forest service employee they usually know these spots well and will direct you to them to avoid additional casing litter elsewhere in their forest.