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American Shooting Centers
Category: Active Life Gun/Rifle Ranges Gun/Rifle Ranges [Edit]
16500 Westheimer PkwyHouston, TX 77082
Neighborhood: West Oaks
(281) 556-8199
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 9 am - 7 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 7 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
13 reviews for American Shooting Centers
13 reviews in English
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Review from Justin K.
Richmond, TX
I've been to this range numerous times and the experience is consistently great. The people working there know what they're talking about. If you have a question about a firearm, how it's supposed to function, why something isn't doing this that or the other, these guys will be able to answer the question. They did raise their price at the beginning of February, but $15 for a single shooter/single gun plus $5 for every gun after that is a pretty good price considering that you can shoot all day.
Some of the range officers can be very strict, but it's only to ensure everyone's safety. Don't feel bad or embarrassed if you get yelled at for something like handling your firearm during a ceasefire because the last thing you need to be doing is accidentally blowing a hole through someone.
Going on this, everyone needs to know the four basic rules of firearm safety:
1. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
2. Never point the muzzle at anything you do not intend on destroying.
3. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until your sights are on target and you're ready to fire.
4. Be sure of your target and anything beyond it.
Keep these rules in mind and have a basic understand of how a firearm works and you'll have a great experience.
If you're running into issues with your firearm, talk to Russell, the range's gunsmith. This guy is the bomb! I was having feeding issues with my compact Springfield 1911. He took it apart in moments and figured out what the problem was most likely stemming from in just a few minutes. He also noticed an issue with my trigger that I hadn't even realized was a problem in the process of getting my handgun to feed properly again. After about 20-30 minutes, he charged me a great price for tuning up the gun and told me to shoot it and see if the issue had been resolved. I ran 5 magazines through it without a single hiccup. He is a master by all means. -
Review from Kristin H.
Houston, TX
2/16/2012
You know that scene in several films and dramas where someone walks to the edge of a tall cliff and vents their frustration by screaming down at the rest of the world? Ever wanted to do that? Well sorry buddy, can't do that here. Houston, TX has no hills. But you know what Texas has a lot of?
Guns.
As a matter of fact, I must have spotted at least 4 gun shops on my way to work the other day.
I must say that I'm rather partial to this range because ever weapon that I've ever fallen in love with was first fired here.
My fondest memory at American Shooting Centers was with my .45 caliber Springfield XD handgun. It was my first time firing a weapon of this caliber, and I was excited. But instead of starting at 10 yards like any other newbie, my father insisted on starting me off at 25 yards. We couldn't help but argue, because obviously you can walk down an open range while people are firing, so you have to wait for the range masters to call ceasefire. When the range masters call ceasefire, you grab a staple gun and staple your targets to wooden posts down the range. I grabbed an unloaded staple gun, but found several staple files nearby.
My frustrated father shouted, "Those staples ARE NOT big enough for that staple gun!"
... soooo the staples are here next to the staple gun for decoration?
My dad flagged a range master (wearing safety orange for obvious reasons) over to try and prove me wrong, but the range master simply looked at me, nodded and said, "That ammo fits that gun."
HAH! Obviously I appreciate the staff for backing me up.
So with a target posted, I finally raised my weapon to fire. The smell of gun powder was invigorating. The recoil from this explosive weapon was thrilling! Oh, also I missed the target completely BECAUSE IT WAS 25 FLIPPIN' YARDS AWAY! But 100 rounds and a sore arm later (the XD is a heavy weapon), I was a pro.
There is also a shop on the grounds that stocks the obviously needed and much appreciated paper targets, safety goggles, ear plugs and a variety of safety and cleaning supplies. They also stock shotguns, swiss army knives and pepper spray. The staff is very helpful. When I was younger, I inquired about the quality of pepper spray and a rep was kind enough to remind me of the Scoville. The scoville is a unit of measurement that measures the pain that a pepper is capable of inflicting. He said when purchasing pepper spray, the important thing is not to check how much pepper oil it has but what kind of pepper is used, and how many scovilles each dosage or spray contains.
Obvious benefits to this shooting range:
The ranges vary from 10 yards to 300 yards in length.
The center can host a venue of 1,000 people.
CHL classes.
Gun safety courses.
Shotgun courses.
Ya git to shoot dem clay birds too! -
Review from Danny L.
COST:
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One person all day pass - $11.09 (before tax)
Extra gun - $5.54 (before tax)
The price can really add up if you think about it, but the fact that this place is outdoors and has unlimited time it may be well worth the cost. By the end of the day, I would usually end up seeing gun-powder on my tissue from blowing my nose after going to an indoor range. I don't have that problem here since ventilation isn't a problem. The fact that they don't charge by the hour allows you to shoot more stress-free, not having to worry about how long you been there... just how much you shot. Now if there wasn't a fee for bringing an extra gun I think the price really hits the spot.
As far as safety, I don't feel threatened by other customers. The range officers (despite their young age) knows what they are doing and do enforce safety. I always believe highly in gun safety and I'm glad they try hard to keep this place safe. As I was walking to the range with my rifle sling-ed behind my back, I did not have the bolt locked back to indicate an empty chamber. One of the guys politely asked me to leave it open and I thanked him for that.
As far as targets, they are kind of strict on what kind you use. Let me take that back, you can use any silhouette or round targets, but just no zombie targets...
At every interval (15 or 30 minutes, forgot), all customers must seize fire and place their firearms on the table unloaded and empty (unless it is a rifle, which must be carried to rifle stand unloaded and chambered open). This allows you to walk up to your target safely and staple new ones on. What I don't like about this is that you must leave your rifle unattended with several others in one big rack (all while walking a hundred yards away to put a new target up). If I had an expensive firearm, I would have someone watch over it while I set up a new target.
TIPS:
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-Bring blue tape and post its. Not only to cover up previous holes, but in case the wood to mount the target is broken and cannot be stapled.
-Bring a pair of binoculars if shooting long range. The range provides one, but it must be shared among adjacent lanes.
-If shooting pistol, try to get a lane where the person next to you won't eject their shell towards you. There are no walls separating you and the person shooting next to you.
-Have fun, be safe -
Review from Andrew G.
Houston, TX
9/28/2011
This is a difficult one to put a rating on. I'll list my pros/cons and we can look at how that influences it.
Pros:
- All-day fee is nice. You pay more for extra weapons, but you have the benefit of staying as long as you want (until closing) and shooting as much as you want without additional fees.
- The rifle ranges go out to 500yds. Considering that it's conveniently within Houston proper, this is a big deal for those that want to shoot long-range.
- Staff seems generally nice and competent from what I've seen in about 10 visits there over the course of a few years.
Cons:
- No rapid fire, all shooting is 'bench' shooting aside from pistols, no drawing from the holster or concealment, no dynamic shooting, etc etc.
- The customers. This is not to say that everyone that goes to ASC is a potential safety risk, but there are enough that it makes me uncomfortable to be there at times. I have changed the position I was shooting from at times due to feeling unsafe with those who were shooting near me, and even left the range entirely on one occasion due to a perceived safety risk. Holes in the elements of the range that should not have holes in them are a mute testament to the kind of lapses in firearm handling/judgment that have taken place in the past here.
If you approach this range with the mindset that you must be vigilant and proactive about your own security, and make an effort not to go there when it's busy (e.g. holidays, weekends), you can accomplish basic shooting tasks such as zeroing, slow-fire marksmanship, etc. If you're creative, you can even wrangle some good shooting out of the pistol bays - e.g. by doing magazine exchange practice, setting up malfunction clearance, etc. In general, though, there are better places to go if you're looking less on the 'bullseye' side of things, and more on the tactical applications of firearms, self defense, and so forth. -
Review from Ash K.
Katy, TX
3/26/2012
First off we will start with the shotgun courses and I rate them sub par. If you pay 30 dollars to run the course, the clay throwers should always be fully loaded. At least they should be refilled in a timely manner. On several occasions I have had to wait fifteen minutes or more for somebody to come by and take care of the problem. It really kills the fun.
As for the gun range it is decent if you want to go shoot a few rounds close to Houston. Yesterday was my first trip to the range and it turned out to be fun only because of the people I was with and some of the shooters who were passionate about what they enjoy. As far as the staff goes they were all pretty rude and didn't help my experience. I was checking out a gun at the wrong time and was yelled at with extremities. A simple put the gun down would have been nice especially if they had taken the time to tell me the rules. I understand why they have the rules but it is hard when you have been taught to handle a firearm correctly then only to have someone tell you what you can do with your own firearm. This leads me to my next concern. Many people have no business shooting at this place. Looking at the 50 yard rifle target wooden barriers you can see how bad some of the shooters are around the place. Overall I will probably go back if I cant find some other place to shoot. -
Review from Dan H.
4/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
ASC offers a large selection of target practice from trap and skeet to rifle and pistol field target.
While it's not the cheapest range around, it's fair for the amount of staff they have on hand IMO.
Skeet and trap are my favorite things to do here, the groups are small and there isn't too much standing around waiting.. Even if you're a novice with a shotgun, don't be intimidated by all the people with their fancy over/unders and full tilt gear.. I take an old pump action and out shoot the others, who says playing Halo wouldn't pay off some day? I've always had a great time doing the trap and skeet at ASC.. Just make sure to tip your puller, so many people stiff them..
The rules on the pistol and rifle range are strictly enforced, so don't think you're guns wont be randomly picked up by the staff and examined. However, ASC does a good job at not abusing and tossing guns around if they happen to pick them up..
Tips
Buy your ammo before hand if you plan on making a day of it there, they have a limit on how much ammo they can sell per person - per day.
Buy all your targets and stickers before hand, the markup onsite is a bit much IMO..
Buy a jar of ear plugs in the pharmacy department of a big box type store for lots of good, cheap ear protection that you can toss with no problems.. -
Review from April C.
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place gets 4 stars because it is 50% cheaper than the indoor range I went to earlier in the week. I also don't feel like I'm getting lead poisoning since it is outside. They take the rules very seriously and I feel safe because of that. My family comes here to practice so I know we'll be back.
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Review from Jaime Q.
Houston, TX
7/10/2011
The pistol and shotgun range are terrible. Very restrictive with immature range nazi's running the place. Thinking about taking a chick with you? Don't, they'll hover around you ogling her and creeping her out. Never had this problem at Shiloh. The only reason i still go to this range once a year or so is the 200+ yard rifle ranges where there are no rangemasters, Other than the unregulated rifle ranges, skip this place. There are much better places not run by a**holes.
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Review from Jaire Q.
10/4/2009
To tell you the truth, guns scare me. Maybe because when I was about 8 years old my grandfather's gun went off in the dark and his index finger was shot off! That was scary. Also, I lived in NY and there are so many people killed by guns, accidentally and otherwise. However, I now live in Texas and see the need for a gun at home, just in case. If you hear the news, then you know home invasions are a problem and that in Texas you can shoot someone who is illegally in your property.. ask questions later.
So, my sister's then boyfriend, his best friend, of course my sister, myself and another girlfriend of ours made it out to this range. I had never been to a shooting range before. This range is located at the very end of Westheimer! It was huge and they had all different distance targets. We stuck to the 30 yard, although it may have been 50, and it was hard to hit the bulls eye!! I really thought shooting a gun would be easier. We had three guns, can't really tell you what they were.. well, I know one was a revolver, probably .35, and there was one really hard to shoot.. they called that one a 9. I didn't even touch the third because it was heavy as hell!
The range is very well kept. The people who work there are very helpful and willing to give you tips on how to shoot better. They are very strict about the range rules and if anyone breaks them, they are kicked out. Pointing the gun anywhere other than the target is strictly prohibited. I have to say, I thought I would be be much more scared than I was around so many guns, somehow felt safe.
I didn't pay for anything as the guys paid for the ammunition and all the gear. One thing I found out afterwards is that they actually do not rent weapons, so if you don't own one, you need to buy one or borrow one! Overall a great experience, I am ALMOST ready to get my concealed handgun license.. just a little more practice! =0} -
Review from Jeremy G.
Houston, TX
10/3/2010 2 photos
The facilities themselves are well built and the people who work there friendly and helpful and yet as a range this does not appeal to me at all.
Part of the problem is that it has become too big and therefore run by the insurance companies. There are hordes of young kids in safety shirts wandering around trying to see what everyone is doing and then the interminable safety lecture between target setting and firing times.
I know the reason behind everything, even the ban on rapid fire, but that just makes it a generic range, no interesting bits and of no real use.
They have metal plates down at one end of the pistol range and even there you are not allowed speed shooting, defeating the basic idea of shooting metal plates.
Great guys, nice protective overhead and massive facility, all adding up to just an average experience. -
Review from Cristina A.
Houston, TX
1/16/2012
This was the first range I went to. It was a great experience. It's in West Houston, really close to where we live. I took my Ruger SR9 pistol and my boyfriend took his .45 Taurus. I'm only going to talk about the pistol range because I'm not a rifle gal. The range was very easy to locate. It was fairly easy to figure out how to get your admission and even though they were busy, parking was almost ample. They have a store in the parkinglot where you get a wristband and if you don't already have your gear, you can purchase ear & eye pro (which they require) here. They also have targets and ammo available, but it is on the expensive side. I recommend you bring everything you need. Entry fee is about $11. for all day $5 for each pistol, and another $5 for each additional weapon. They did not verify that we only had one pistol each, and they did not check our IDs. The staff does not hassle you and are not overly in your face. One range officer just told me to stand closer to my area, in a firm but not mean way. They call cease fire every 15 or 30 minutes and give a 2 minute warning before each cease fire. They are very clear, watchful and enforce safety well without hassling patrons or getting in the way of your experience. Even though the $11 fee will get you an all day pass, we stayed for about 2 hrs and shot a combinationed 350 rounds. It seems to be a family place. I saw some kids w their parents. I also saw a few couples but still very few women actually shooting. They have a vendor selling hot dogs, chips, soda and the like near the entrance to the range. Overall, it was a great experience and we will be going back many more times.
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Review from Will W.
Houston, TX
1/3/2008
Great range. They don't mess with you as long as you don't do anything stupid. The fees just went up.
$8.31 per rifle
(1 shooter / 1 rifle)
$3.69 per each additional rifle
$11.09 per pistol
(1 shooter / 1 pistol)
$5.54 - each additional pistolListed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Jared L.
Houston, TX
1/3/2008
This rifle range is probably the best that i have ever been to. They have a handgun, 50 yd, 100 yd, 200 yd, 300 yd, 400 yd, and 500 yd range. I have never been to a shooting range that has a 500 yd range. The range fees are super cheap, i think its only 8 bucks and that's good for the day. the range fee comes with one gun i think that if you have additional guns their is a 4 dollar charge for each additional gun. i have only shot at the 100 yd and the 200 yd range because I am not a sniper and don't need to be shooting at the 300 yd and up ranges. If you are a gun hunter this is definitely range to go to on a Saturday, and don't worry about it being to crowded because they have plenty of benches to sit at. And remember bring your hearing and eye protection cause they are real strict on that.
