Indoor Full Auto Ranges in Indianapolis

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  • Beowulf

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    So, with Point Blank recently changing their policy to disallow full auto, that puts me at a bit of a loss of where to shoot when the weather is bad or I need to test something quick (when I have time for a full range trip, I head out to ProTEQ, but that's not always an option).

    I started looking around at other ranges in the area.

    1. Parabellum - This actually used to be the range I went to regularly to shoot full auto after Beech Grove shut down. It was going to be my fall back, until I check their range rules:


    • Parabellum does not allow any fully automatic weapons except during special approved “full auto” times. Suppressed (“Silenced”) are allowed

    2. Indy Arms - Someone else suggested I check out Indy Arms and I have shot there before for a corporate event. But looking at their range rules:


    • Fully automatic firearms are not permitted on the range unless being used during special events

    3. Tim's Shooting Academy - Honestly, I've never had a good impression of Tim's, despite never having been there. I recall in the past them not being full auto friendly and have some annoying policies about requiring ammo purchase from them (at typical inflated prices). Not sure this is still the case (I know the owners a few years ago were shopping the place around for sale, so I don't know if the same folks are still running it). Their website doesn't list their range rules, so I can't tell one way or the other what their current policies are.

    4. Indy Trading Post - I don't know anything about them (other than they are kind of far from my side of town). I can't find their range policies on their website or Facebook. They are apparently a class 3 dealer, for what that's worth. Anyone have any info on them?

    5. Indy Gun Bunker - Apparently formerly Family Indoor, formerly Popguns. No real new info, but their range rules disallow steel and aluminum cased ammo and "high powered rifle". That already disinclines me (more the steel case and aluminum cased ammo thing than the "high powered rifle" as not all ranges can handle rifle rounds). Unless they've done some stellar renovations, I recall that range being pretty crappy (but again, that was back in the Popguns days). They don't say anything about full auto, so not sure what their policy is.

    6. Indiana Gun Club - Shotgun only (but a really fantastic facility, especially their sporting clays station set up) and a great place to drool over shotguns worth more than your car. But not relevant for this discussion.

    7. Don's Guns - Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. No.

    So, does that pretty much cover everything? I'm not seeing a lot of great options... or really any options here, which is very disappointing. Sure, we still have numerous outdoor ranges in the greater central Indiana area, but within a short driving distance during a cold winter/rainy day, we don't seem to have much.





     

    chuckp

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    Tims allows full auto and all they have done to check my ammo is to put a magnet on the projectile. I was told they do not want steel projectiles. I went to Point Blank two months ago and had no problem with shooting my subguns.

    chuck
     

    Fallschirmjaeger

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    Tims allows full auto and all they have done to check my ammo is to put a magnet on the projectile. I was told they do not want steel projectiles. I went to Point Blank two months ago and had no problem with shooting my subguns.

    chuck

    There's another thread here that says Point Blank just changed their full auto policy to a ban. Which sucks, as this was my go-to place to run mine
     

    chuckp

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    There's another thread here that says Point Blank just changed their full auto policy to a ban. Which sucks, as this was my go-to place to run mine


    Where is that thread? The only thread that I remember is the one here that mentions that stamps is no longer required to be shown there. Maybe I missed it.

    chuck
     

    Hop

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    I'll bet Top Gun in Terre Haute will allow FA. I'll go with you sometime. There target trolleys are AMAZING.

    Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
     

    Beowulf

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    Where is that thread? The only thread that I remember is the one here that mentions that stamps is no longer required to be shown there. Maybe I missed it.

    chuck

    It was in the General section:

    https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/general-firearms-discussion/454875-youre-gonna-love-heads-up-about-new-rules-point-blank.html
     

    chuckp

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    It was in the General section:

    https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/general-firearms-discussion/454875-youre-gonna-love-heads-up-about-new-rules-point-blank.html

    Thanks for the info. I rarely go to the general forum. For me Point Blank was a go to place for testing quickly as I hate paying for range time.

    Chuck
     

    Beowulf

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    A quick update:

    My fiancées cousins are in town from England, so I was looking for a foreign national friendly range (Shoot Point Blank apparently also has a policy against that). I called Parabellum to verify their policy (they do allow non-citizens to shoot if they have their passports/ID).

    While I had them on the phone, I asked about full auto with a sub gun and was told “try to keep it to 3 round bursts”. So, I guess as long as you are under control, they’ll allow a policy exemption.
     

    1nderbeard

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    It's a little drive but you might also check deer creek shooting range west of Indy. The guy that runs it seems very reasonable, at least to me when I've gone. During the morning hours on weekdays there usually there is only a handful of people at the range.
     

    Beowulf

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    Just thought I would update this thread, since I finally made it out to Parabellum yesterday to do some testing on one of my sear hosts. The guys there were more than happy to let me shoot full auto (as long as I wasn't being unsafe of course). Since it was super slow and at one point I was the only customer there, I offered to let them shoot my MP5 with the sear and they seemed to enjoy it.

    So, looks like Parabellum is still in play as a place to shoot full auto indoors. It's definitely good to have at least one possibility, as we are starting to head toward the seemingly endless 4 or 5 month expanse of an Indiana winter.
     

    STFU

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    The guys at Indy Trading Post have always treated me exceptionally well. Brain Ludlow is one of the owner and a super nice guy to work with.
    And their range rules are fairly lax as long as you are not being stupid, shooting walls/ceiling/floor, or being unsafe.

    That said, the range is only 5 lanes, 30 feet long, and not very nice.
    I do all of my transfers there as their fees are VERY low. I also know that they let me have conjugal visits with my can while it was in jail (out of state transfer).
     
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