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Thread: New to NoVA

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    New to NoVA

    I just moved to Alexandria for a job in the area. I'm in the process of reading all the relevant threads in this forum. Basically I need the lay of the land of the best ranges, IDPA and shops. I am in particular need of a good, honest FFL who doesn't charge an arm and a leg and is willing to allow me to retain a valid pdf of their FFL so that I can buy firearms and have them shipped to him at will. Feel free to PM me or post in the thread.

    Also, does anyone know a good turbo diesel mechanic?

  2. #2
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    For Alexandria:

    NRA range in Fairfax near I-66 and Route 50.

    A little further west on I-66 just past Sudley Road is Elite Shooting Sports. Very nice. Has a 100 yd indoor range.

    Bull Run shotgun facility nearby.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    New to NoVA

    The best gun shop in the area is VA Arms Co. in Manassas. They have a great armorer there names Robb, he is also one of the moderators on here. Very knowledgable guy.

    As for ranges the best ones IMO would be Elite in Manassas, the Fairfax Rod and Gun Club in Manassas (private facility, but the absolute best place besides Quantico), and the NRA range. There is also Clark Bros in Warrenton, and Blue Ridge in Fairfax. But those aren't as nice as the first 3 I mentioned.

  4. #4
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    Oh and enjoy the traffic.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    USPSA first sunday (0800) of the month at Fredericksburg Rod N Gun Club. Its a private club that opens the matches to the public. 7-8 stages/150-200 rnds typically.

    FredericksburgPS.com

    "Fredericksburg Practical Shooters - USPSA" on FB.

    1 - 1.5 hrs south of Alex.

  6. #6
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    New to NoVA

    F3 Tactical in Chantilly is worth the drive for an awesome store with good kit and great people. It's only about 15 minutes from VA Arms (I also agree it's the best shop up there, but their prices are on the higher side). A new shop opened right next to F3, 50 West Armory I think. F3 also has a good relationship with Dulles Case center that do awesome work for hard cases. They offer a discount if you tell them F3 sent you and did a great job on the foam for my Pelican case to fly some guns out to Hawaii. And while I haven't used the place, they have recommended High-Tech Auto and Truck Center. There's probably somewhere closer for you, but their recommendations haven't failed me yet.

    The traffic is terrible and a lot of NoVA has been lost to the filth in DC, but I do love and miss the commonwealth.

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Wake27; 07-12-15 at 04:08.
    Sic semper tyrannis.

  7. #7
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    New to NoVA

    I've been meaning to check out F3.

  8. #8
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    PM inbound!

  9. #9
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    Blue Ridge Arsenal in Chantilly is a great short indoor range (both rifle and pistol) if you shoot a lot. They have a memberships that can save you a lot of money if you shoot a few times a week. They also have a simulator which can be helpful when ammo is sparse. Jim Carollo is the gunsmith there and has done excellent work for me in the past and works on AKs, which I respect. If looking for a smith in NOVA I would either go to Jim or Robb at VA Arms.

    The NRA range is excellent but can be crowded and gets expensive if you shoot a lot. NRA members get a discount. You will have to register and take a safety test your first time there so budget that into your time (20 min) which is a one time event. The NRA range is inside the NRA's main HQ in Fairfax and has a firearms museum that is worth your time.

    VA Arms is an excellent gun shop and also one of the few BCM dealers.

    There is an Issac Walton in Alexandria and another one out west past Chantilly that have nice facilities especially if you shoot skeet. They generally have a wait list for membership. They are both more of bench type facilities and the members can be kind of clueless in regards to self defense shooting.

    Echo Valley Training Center is out west past Winchester just on the WV border. Great facility for taking classes. EAG and other trainers will do a few classes a year out there.

  10. #10
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    I second (third? Fourth?) the suggestion for VA Arms. There, NOVA Armament in Herndon, and All Shooters Tactical in Woodbridge are my favorite shops (the last two are Glock blue label dealers if that matters to you, VA Arms is not). As far as ranges go, Blue Ridge Arsenal is nice enough, but the owner is a self admitted Obama voter (search for their news interview on YouTube) and Elite Shooting Sports in Manassas has them TOTALLY outclassed now (how can you beat the 100 yard indoor range? ) for about the same rates. Once my current membership at Blue Ridge expires I'll be signing up over at ESS.

    The Cove in Gore, VA is actually a decent outdoor range that features shooting benches, torso size steel targets, and essentially no rules. Get there early on a weekday and you WILL be the only person there and can run around and do all the shooting and movement drills your heart desires, 100 yards all the way up to contact for only $15 a day. DO NOT GO ON A WEEKEND...you'll be overrun by Fudds with $500 ARs and no concept of safety rules.

    As far as an FFL for transfers, http://www.p3-group.us does them out of his house for $25. He is a retired Marine and a neighbor of mine and has been easy to work with on transfers in the past.

    Anyway, welcome to the area! I am probably one of the few that really likes it here. Traffic sucks but if you pick your work and home location carefully it really isn't bad. Just don't be that guy who works downtown but lives in a mcmansion in Stafford because you "get more house for your money" and then bitch non-stop about your commute - no shit moron, you got a whole lot more commute for your money, too.

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