Welcome!
   The F.O.P. Range is the nicest family oriented shooting range around.  The F.O.P. Range is located just outside Birmingham, Alabama, in Pleasant Grove.  The Range facility has eight outdoor ranges, each with a covered shooter's area up-range to permit year-round use in all weather.  It is located about 15 minutes from the I-59/65 interchange, making it a short drive from anywhere in Birmingham.  See Virtual Tour for a guided tour of the range or see Range Features for detailed info about each of the  Ranges or take a look at the aerial photos.

New!! Premium Club Membership Deal
Lee and I put our heads together and come up with a way for you to get more from the Range...  A premium club membership.  How about free unlimited FFL transfers, a 10% discount on just about everything in the store, a half price member's guest fee, and if you are not a member of the range, you can will enjoy $5.00 off the Public Range Use Fee.  It's only $50.00 to get in on the Premium Club.   Click here for more info...

Public Range Open!!!
    Yes, the general public has a great place to safely enjoy their firearms.  The big range beside the office is a "Public" range that is open to the general public for a small daily fee and staffed by friendly Range Officers who will ensure the range is safely run.  The rest of the facility (the other 7 ranges) is a members only use area.  The only requirements for range use are that you legally possess the firearms you are shooting and you are safe while you are here.  See the "Public Range" link for pictures and more info.

Is this going to be your first trip to the Range???
Check out the First Range Trip page for tips and instructions what to expect when you get here and how to get the most out of your day at the range.  Please take a few minutes to review the Public Range Safety Rules posted there. 

Gun Rentals Available!!
    Due to the high demand, we now are able to offer guns for rent.  About 1 out of 10 calls I get here asks me if we rent guns.  The answer to that question is YES.  We have got several for you to chose from.  The rental fee is only $10 and requires that you shoot our ammo in it.  Fair enough?  Wanna shoot but ain't got a gun yet?  Come on out to the range anyway and use a one of ours.  We'll even clean it when you're done.

Hunting Season is here...
If you have been out to the range between late October and mid January on a weekend, you know how busy it can be with all the hunters sighting in rifles and scopes.  Now is a really good time to get it done, before the last minute rush sets in.  By mid November, you can expect to share the range with a dozen or so other rifle shooters. As the season gets underway, the best time to come is during the week.   Take half a day off work and come out one morning.  You may have the place to yourself. 

If you missed "Grandpa Horns" this past season, take a little time to know that your rifle and scope are going to perform.  The only way to do that is to shoot it at a known distance to verify that it is zero'ed.  If it is zero'ed, come on out anyway and get some practice during the year.  We have two rifle ranges here.   The Public Range has 12 concrete benchrest tables with rifle rests on each and target stands set up at 50 and 100 yards.  Our member's rifle range has 6 concrete tables and target stands at 33, 50 and 100 yards.  Each is clean and ready for the hunting season.  Ammo and targets are available in the range office.  Eye and ear protection are always required. 

We have a couple of rifle grade steel plates on both rifle ranges at 100 yards.  I tell guys to get off the bench and shoot.  Most of us don't have concrete benchrest tables and rifle rests at in our stands so why not practice the way we will have to shoot.  Off hand, kneeling, sitting, braced against a tree.   The steel rifle targets are 12" round armor plate and ring when you hit one.   If you can wear out the plates, shooting offhand, no deer has a chance... you aren't gonna miss come hunting season. 

Sight in your rifles...
    The Public Range is ready for you to use to sight in your rifles.  The best time to come is during the week.  On weekends, it gets a little busier.  We have a dozen concrete benchrest tables on the Public Range and another 6 on the Members Range for this purpose.  We open at 9:00 am but if you get here a little earlier than that, we will get you signed in and set up, ready to make some noise at 9:00.  The range fee is only $15 during the week and $20 on weekends per person with kids at 1/2 price with a paying adult.  There is no limit on how long you can use the range, the number of guns you shoot or number of shooters with you.  Shoot all day if you want.  

If you arrive late in the day, after 3:00, you can come the next day for free...
"after 3, next day free!" 

Your range fee gets you use of the public range for a full day, should you need it.  We'll loan you use of a rifle rest and spotting scope if you need them.  Targets and ammo at reasonable prices are also available.  A Range Officer is always on site, watching for safe gun-handling, assisting you with any problems you may be having and keeping it safe for everyone to enjoy.  See the Rifle Sight's Info and Rifle Sight's Tips pages for more info.

Here is the 2009 Range Newsletter...
This is the 2009 Range Newsletter.  I have a few updates and info about things happening at the range.  I'll update the range newsletter periodicaly so check it often. 

Range Newsletter '08
I know this is now 2009, but, the '08 page has a ton of good information about problems we are having at the range.  There are tons of pictures of the intentional destruction of stuff here by our members.  The solution to the destruction is education.  We have to get the word out about what is cool to shoot here and what is not.  See this page for an illustrated page filled with what is not cool to shoot here.

I was moved to crank one out after filling my digital camera with pictures of stuff damaged here at the range by our members.   See the Range Newsletter '08 by clicking here or the link in the top of the stack to the left. 

***** UPDATE*****  Due to the theft of hundreds of loaner staplers, eye protection and ear muffs over the last few years, we no longer provide them for members.  I lost 9 staplers last weekend.  Enough is enough.  I even tried painting them pink so no one would want one away from the range.  If you didn't buy it and still took it home, you stole it.  Members who shoot paper targets will need to bring their own staplers or buy one at the range office.   We stopped loaning out eye and ear protection a few months ago for the same reason.   They also are available at the range office if you did not bring your own.   Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.  If you see a guy dig a pink stapler out of his bag, thank him for screwing up a good thing for everyone else here.  

Big Changes occurred on June 1, 2002...
   There are some big changes to the range and the way things are done here that went into effect June 1, 2002.     All the changes are designed to bring more shooters to the facility so we can grow, improve the facility, and ensure a long future for the range.   These changes have been very beneficial so far.   See the "Big Changes" link for full details.

Steel Plate Match Saturday November 14, at 10:00 am!
We have resurrected the steel plate matches here.   After several members asked about them, we realized there is a renewed interest in banging on steel.  The match will be held on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 am on Ranges 5.  Match fee is only $5 per run and most guys shoot a couple times or shoot multiple guns.  

Last month, we changed the match format to a falling steel plate match with a man-on-man shoot off.  All the participants get 4 runs on the plates with their worst run dropped.  The total time for the three combined runs on the plate rack is your score.  The man-on-man shoot off match is then held.  Two guys go to the line with a plate rack in front of each and two pepper poppers between the racks that overlap when they fall.  On the start signal, each shoots down the plates on his rack and then knocks over his popper.  The popper on the bottom wins.  It is the most fun you can have shooting against other shooters.  See the competition events page for more info.

The plate racks are set up on three ranges here for the members to practice on to get ready for the next match.  The match is open to everyone wanting to have some fun with their handguns.   You don't have to be a member to participate but you will want to join so you can use Ranges 4, 5, and 6 to practice on for following matches.  See the competition events link to the left or click here for more info, pictures of the target arrays for the match, rules, etc.   How about a video of a few runs on the plates...

Look here.... for the 7 meg version of a match.  
Here is the 18 meg for broadband of the aMatch.

Christmas/Birthday/Anniversary Gifts...
     There still is no better gift than a membership to the range.  Got a birthday or special event coming up for someone who enjoys target shooting?  Now is a great time to ask for or give the best gift you can lay your hands on... a membership to the range.  It is a gift that gives for the whole year.  The details about the different memberships are posted below.  Can't swing the membership?  That's OK, get them a day on the Public Range for them to enjoy.  Gift Certificates are available in any amount.  Call the range for more info.  205-744-2600.

Online Gun Store Open for Business!!!

     The F.O.P. Range Inc. has partnered with Davidson's Gallery of Guns to provide you with a powerful shopping tool and really good deals on the firearms you want.  Take a look at the Online Gun Store page for details.  All guns are priced at 10% over dealer cost with 1000's to choose from.  This is a cool place to see what all guns should cost. 

Membership Plans... 

                You can join the range and have full use of the entire facility for an annual fee.  There are several options for you to choose from.  See the Membership Info page for more information about these plans. 

Sale on Memberships... 

          For a limited time, we have rolled back the fees required to get a membership here.  The first table below lists the new prices.  The second table lists the old prices.  We have continued the Christmas season sale with these new lower prices to make getting or giving the best gift we could think of more affordable.  Once you join, your annual range dues will not change as long as you maintain your membership.  A range membership is a gift that will give all year long and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

These are the regular (old) membership rates.

Why are we the best?

Range Web Site Goodies...
            The "Swap Meet" is a classified page for you to look for, sell, swap or trade firearms related stuff.  No SPAM please.  I will check them both often and delete postings in poor taste, with swearing, SPAM, etc. to keep this a great family oriented shooting site.  Use them both as often as you want.   They are here for you. 
            The "Range Puzzle" page is for those who are really bored and want to kill some time.  The puzzles are from digital pictures I took of events at the range.  Some are pretty funny. 
    The Self Defense Handbook is an excellent guide to useful self-defense tactics and awareness of what is going on around us and how we should prepare for any encounter.  Take the time to read it and tell others about it.
    The Guns and Gear section... Here you can check out what guns we are using in competition, what modifications we made, and why we made them.  The intent is not for a braggin' page about the guns the competitors have but to inform those interested in competition what works and why.  Many of us have learned the hard way what works.   We have spent thousands on guns and gizmos that now gather dust or were traded off so we could try something else.  I have taken some digital pictures or the shooter's guns and added a detailed text about each gun, its modifications, the costs of the modifications, and why the modifications were made.  The Guns and Gear Section is under Competition Events to the left.  This web site is growing.  As I have more participation from the competition shooters, I will add more guns and gear for you to read about.
           I want to add worthwhile content to the range web site.  Some of these pages use BraveNet's free service and we will have a few ads to put up with.  I will continue to maintain this site, improving it as I am able.   If you have any ideas about future improvements, post them on the forum.  Enjoy.

Join the F.O.P. Range Email list...
        Submit your email address and I will keep you updated about the events and happenings here at the range.  I have been missing the boat by not trying to compile an email list to use to share this information.  I won't spam anyone, just let you know about any specials, sales, matches, or news about the range.  Click the Join Email List link to the left and fill out a short form.

You are # to visit this site.

Contact Information

        Contact Jon Grigsby at the Range for more info.

Telephone

205-744-2600

Postal address

F.O.P. Range Inc.

91 1st Street,
Pleasant Grove Al. 35127

Electronic mail

General Information: foprange@bellsouth.net
Webmaster: foprange@bellsouth.net

Send mail to foprange@bellsouth.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: November 17, 2009