Outdoor shooting spots

[Booz3]

Hi all,

I just moved to the orlando area and am looking to see if anyone would be kind enough to share some outdoor shooting spots. I got used to being able to go to the woods and shoot in bureau of land management (BLM) public access areas where everyone knew that its legal to shoot bring you steel target type spots, Im wondering if anyone would be kind enough to let me know where there is some spots like that i can go to thats not too far from orlando. I got used to being able to mag dump and shootong steel so i dont like to pay to shoot at paper in ranges anymore. Thanks

[Gregg]

There are a number of shooting clubs in the Orlando area with outdoor ranges.
I belong to the Seminole County Gun and Archery Association (SCGAA), located just north of Geneva.
They are the only club in the area that is full auto and 50 bmg friendly.

[Booz3]

That sounds kool, do they allow steel cased ammo?

[Big_mike]

That sounds kool, do they allow steel cased ammo?

I've never heard of any that restrict case type, AP/API projectiles are verboten.

[Orlando Paulitician]

There are a number of shooting clubs in the Orlando area with outdoor ranges.
I belong to the Seminole County Gun and Archery Association (SCGAA), located just north of Geneva.
They are the only club in the area that is full auto and 50 bmg friendly.

Except on their Public Range days, lol.

On those days, the SCSO trolls they employ come out and harass people.

[Deputydave]

Perhaps a bit far but Gun Craft Inc has Outlaw matches on most Wednesdays. A lot of fun and a friendly atmosphere.

https://guncraftinc.com/

[Flame Red]

SCGAA is great.

Just be aware that if you join, then renew - make damn sure that they receive your renewal or later you might get a big surprise!

I live like an hour and half away and only got up there maybe three times a year, specifically for some full auto and 50 BMG action!

This happened to me I did not notice they did not cash the check and they did not let me know my membership was not renewed. Then months later I went and my card would not work. After contacting them, they then wanted me to join like a new member from scratch! They wanted me to to go to the meeting (I have to work), be approved after they sniffed me over, then the public day to their class, etc. No, they could not just take my renewal again after being a member for like 10 years. What a cluster f*ck!

[MiamiOffshore]

On the same note, are there any public land areas okay'd for shooting in the Hillsborough/Pasco area?

[flcracker]

On the same note, are there any public land areas okay'd for shooting in the Hillsborough/Pasco area?

Born in Tampa 56 years ago, grew up in Polk County, been in West Central Florida my whole life. Even as a teenager when there were private-land clay pits in the Green Swamp where no-one cared if you shot, you still couldn't legally shoot on public land.

AFAIK, State/National Forests, Wildlife Management Areas, County/State/National Parks, and Water Management District lands all forbid the discharge of firearms unless as part of a sanctioned/permitted hunt or at a designated FWC range. You might get away with a few shots, but unless you're shooting suppressed an FWC officer is likely to appear out of no-where to have a talk with you.

I would be thrilled to be shown to be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that you're going to have to find private land or an organized range. We have no BLM land (the kind that belongs to all of us, not the protest kind) in Florida.

That being said, I'd bet that someone knows some spot out on timber company land in North Florida or a failed housing development where people shoot without strict legal permission. I would love to find some spots like that.

I'll leave you with this, though. There's a section of NE North Port called the quads where people ride ATVs, dirt bikes, and Jeeps. Meth heads also go out there to cook and tweak, so I would never go dirt squirting there without a sidearm. It's still trespassing on private undeveloped land, but since there's no houses within 1/2 mile it's not a violation of the North Port ATV ordinance and the land is mostly absentee owners, so simple trespassing is routinely ignored. I have seen evidence of informal target shooting and even non-sanctioned camping out there. Not saying that it's legal or even safe, with the number of folks who ride around on quiet SxS quads out there (you would never be able to be certain of what's past your target/backstop), and it IS within the jurisdiction of the North Port PD and the Sarasota Sheriff's office.

Surely there's somewhere like that elsewhere in our fine State?

[MiamiOffshore]

There was a similar area in Collier County for many years. It was referred to as "the squares" also a failed development of swamp land from the 1950's. I and many other shot there routinely for many years.

Once the Sheriff's office paid me a visit with a helicopter....long story.

They were okay with me shooting and asked I call to let them know when I was there.

Eventually I was told by another officer that shooting was no longer allowed as the canals were set to be backfilled as part of the Everglades Restoration Project. Haven't been back in over a decade.