Range Review - On Target Range - Crystal Lake IL

These days, especially here in Illinois, it is not often a new shooting range opens for business. On Target, located in Crystal Lake, IL, bucked the trend and opened up a few weeks ago. While I was there on opening day, I didn't shoot that day, however, today I did and now can offer an honest opinion and review.

Being new, the range is clean, very clean - both of them. There is a 150' rifle range and a 75' pistol range - 12 lanes each. I shot in the pistol range. The dividers are very nice, clear polycarbonate about 1 to 1.25" thick. The benches are study so they hold the gun box steady. The target system is an electronic system with a control panel. I had a bit of trouble figuring it out and of course they don't have directions posted anywhere. After a bit of fiddling, I was able to advance and retract the target but based on the control panel, it appears they may also be capable of turning and perhaps other things. The back stop is the rubber pellet style which seems to help keep the noise level down. Ventilation seemed very good but I couldn't put it to a real test though, more on that later.

The cost is $20.00 / hour, and you surrender you FOID card while shooting so you have to make sure to collect it when done. Don't expect to shoot longer than the 1 hour time slot, even if the range is half empty. Within minutes of my expiration time, I was told to pack it up. I fully understand and respect that policy in ranges where there are waiting lines of people to shoot, however, in a half empty range like this, I have never been told to "pack it up".

They sell guns but the stock didn't seem appealing to me, nothing a bullseye shooter would look at. I am not even sure if they sell some of the usual brands like Colt, Smith & Wesson, Glock.

They have some of the usual cleaning supplies and a misc. variety of other items like: Magazines, gun cases, etc. I did not see any reloading supplies and I don't even recall seeing ammo - I suspect it is stored behind the counter. Upstairs in the facility are plenty of classrooms, apparently they plan on having a lot of classes. With all the positive stuff out of the way, I need to tell you why I (or you for that matter) won't shoot there.

They do not allow reloaded ammo to be used on the range. I questioned them about this policy and their claim is that it is a liability risk to allow people to shoot reloads. So, it is either factory ammo or go home. I was aware of this policy so I only brought my 22. Out of the 12 lanes, only 5 were full at any time and of those, 2 of us were shooting 22s. With so few shooters shooting, it is hard to say if the ventilation would perform as well with shooters shooting 45s with Bullseye powder. I suspect it would but no one will ever know.

So, while I think the range is first class in many regards and probably has the best ventilation system I have ever experienced, I won't be shooting there unless it is a last resort like today was and even then, I could only shoot my 22.

It is a shame that their policies exclude bullseye shooters from being customers. With a 150' and a 75' range, you could do some serious practice and training there for both the short and long line. Being that I shoot every saturday and sunday, I would have been a good source of revenue.

Chris D.

Chris, Thanks for that info I was going to try it out but there are other ranges I would rather shoot at with out the pack it up attitude. Also if you are interested there are a couple of us trying to set up a league this fall at bristol.