By Dan Shea
SAR is well aware of how many of our readers are going to the SHOT Show in Atlanta this year. We are a little frustrated that the owners of SHOT think we are too radical or politically incorrect to rent us a booth, so we will just be there meeting people on the floor of the show. Not having SAR there, or scary guns there, will of course influence the minds of the media and the anti- Second Amendment crowd to the point where they will stop passing all this restrictive firearms legislation.
In the context of Class 3 enthusiasts, we thought it might be a good idea if we passed on information regarding two of the shooting ranges in the area that cater to Class 3 shooters. Both are owned by long time class 3 dealers, and both are within convenient travel distance of the SHOT show. So, if you get to Atlanta during SHOT, or any other time, SAR recommends that you take some extra personal time and go shoot the firearms available at these ranges- be good to yourself, you deserve it!
I have known Kevin Brittingham for a number of years, and hold him in high regard. He always seems to be on the cutting edge of new products or services in the Class 3 community- one of his latest was Advanced Armament Co.’s M16 rate reducer system that he produced in conjunction with well known inventor Max Atchisson. Another is the “Mirage” suppressed upper for the M16 SMG that Kevin contracted Gemtech to build for him. It’s always a pleasure to talk with Kevin, and I had the opportunity to stop in last summer.
What I found was a “Gun Place”; one of those special gathering points where we firearms enthusiasts love to go. There were many Title I firearms available for sale, as well as Class 3. Kevin has over 400 NFA items in stock, MOST of which are available for sale. I say “Most” because Kevin is a Gun Guy- he loves to collect, and the history and workings of each firearm are among his passions. So, some of the more collectable pieces might be hard to pry away from him. Fortunately, he likes to talk about them, so the opportunity to learn about the guns and see them first hand presents itself to qualified NFA Enthusiasts. While they are not running a museum there, I found the staff to be very helpful in my questions about the inventory.
The Bull’s Eye Range is a clean, well maintained environment- the displays are well organized, the staff friendly, and the shooting lanes are exemplary. The backstop is made from granulated rubber over 45 degree steel plate, so it will handle most ammunition up to but not including .50 Browning MG. The rentals are basically limited to submachine guns, and there is a nice variety of the guns that most people want to try. I found that because the Bull’s Eye Range is distributor for Gemtech Suppressors, it is a good place for potential purchasers of suppressed firearms to go to compare as well as purchase them.
Getting there from the SHOT Show: take I 85 North to Exit 41 (Highway 316 East). Take the third exit off of 316 which is Georgia 120 (This is the Lawrenceville/ Duluth exit). Take a right. Go 1.8 miles, and the Bull’s Eye Range is on your left, about a half a block before the old Courthouse building.
And don’t forget to tell them you read about them in SAR!
| This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V2N4 (January 1999) |
