Jim Jones Shooting Range Payson

[JLG61]

Been a member there about 4 years, pretty sweet deal, 50 a year gets you a card for their gate reader and 7 day a week access as long as it doesn't get closed for fire restrictions which it seldom does. It has a 100 yard range that will accomdate 30 or so, a 200 yard range for 10 or so and 1 300 range. Also has 6 40 yard pistol bays, a 3D archery course and a regular archery course... it is open to the public with a fee on Saturdays only to none members but only the 100 yard range.. pretty sweet to be a member and go midweek you pretty much have it to yourself...
They also run game and fish hunters ed classes once a month one weekend a month so it's a good way to get it out of the way and get out of the Valley for a weekend, most of the folks that take it are from out of town...They also have a monthly news letter that details activities for the month and it has a small classified section too.. it's a great value and really not a bad drive up for folks living in the East Valley.

 

[Azbuilder]

Great place and very handy when I lived up there! We always would meet up at the casino for breakfast before going out shooting.

 

[lew]

I live five miles from Ben Avery and I'll take the time to drive up to JJ instead. I hate shooting at a busy range. It gets me out of the Valley for most of a day, and I'll stop for lunch in Payson afterward.

 

[JLG61]

Lew, its perfect for that, also the rest of the week if you are a member no range supervision is nice, you talk to the other shooters to go down range... I like that too. Never been a problem either.. It really is worth being a member and not a bad drive up from the Valley...

 

[Mr_Maim]

So how about you pipe down about JJ so that it doesn't get overrun with idiots from the valley?

It's exactly like telling the internet where your favorite desert shooting spot is, only to have it trashed by idiots who don't give a crap.

JJ is the best kept secret not in Phoenix. Let's try to keep it that way.

 

[DmN]

So how about you pipe down about JJ

Relax.

Most flat-landers wont make the drive just to pop off a few boxes at paper targets.

 

[Mr_Maim]

So how about you pipe down about JJ

Relax.

Most flat-landers wont make the drive just to pop off a few boxes at paper targets.

What else is there?

Table Mesa: Closed
Flat Iron: Closed
Miller Road: Closed
Four Peaks exit: Closed
Sugarloaf: Closed

They'll go and they'll ruin it because there is nobody there to tell them to clean up. I don't think you've seen the idiots that used to set up Ez-Ups and bring 20 people, BBQ grills, and tables/chairs to the Flat Iron area, hang out all day and trash the place. They may only pop off a few boxes but they make a day of it. On top of that they're unsafe idiots.

You think that 1.25 hours is too far? You're wrong.

Just wait until you go to JJ one Saturday and find three families of 20 each with Ez-Ups and a BBQ grills camping out in Pistol Bays 1, 2, and 3 all goddamn day. Keep flapping your gums and it'll happen sooner than you think.

 

[DmN]

So how about you pipe down about JJ

Relax.

Most flat-landers wont make the drive just to pop off a few boxes at paper targets.

What else is there?

Table Mesa: Closed
Flat Iron: Closed
Miller Road: Closed
Four Peaks exit: Closed
Sugarloaf: Closed

They'll go and they'll ruin it because there is nobody there to tell them to clean up. I don't think you've seen the idiots that used to set up Ez-Ups and bring 20 people, BBQ grills, and tables/chairs to the Flat Iron area, hang out all day and trash the place. They may only pop off a few boxes but they make a day of it. On top of that they're unsafe idiots.

You think that 1.25 hours is too far? You're wrong.

Just wait until you go to JJ one Saturday and find three families of 20 each with Ez-Ups and a BBQ grills camping out in Pistol Bays 1, 2, and 3 all goddamn day. Keep flapping your gums and it'll happen sooner than you think.

The areas you mentioned are closed due to fire restrictions, they'll open back up. Yes, I have seen what has happened to the Table Mesa and Four Peaks areas. It's gross. However, concerning the drive up the mountain? Come on guy... Sure, you are going to get some sleaze that'll go anywhere but the majority of the trash is not going to make the effort.

Finally, as Phoenix grows in population so does the pestilence of ignorant and reckless people. That's life, man. We all have our 'secret' spots that we go and shoot at but JJ is hardly one of those places... I am certainly not going to let the thought of JJ eventually being forever ruined keep me up at night.

 

[Mr_Maim]

Relax.

Most flat-landers wont make the drive just to pop off a few boxes at paper targets.

What else is there?

Table Mesa: Closed
Flat Iron: Closed
Miller Road: Closed
Four Peaks exit: Closed
Sugarloaf: Closed

They'll go and they'll ruin it because there is nobody there to tell them to clean up. I don't think you've seen the idiots that used to set up Ez-Ups and bring 20 people, BBQ grills, and tables/chairs to the Flat Iron area, hang out all day and trash the place. They may only pop off a few boxes but they make a day of it. On top of that they're unsafe idiots.

You think that 1.25 hours is too far? You're wrong.

Just wait until you go to JJ one Saturday and find three families of 20 each with Ez-Ups and a BBQ grills camping out in Pistol Bays 1, 2, and 3 all goddamn day. Keep flapping your gums and it'll happen sooner than you think.

The areas you mentioned are closed due to fire restrictions, they'll open back up. Yes, I have seen what has happened to the Table Mesa and Four Peaks areas. It's gross. However, concerning the drive up the mountain? Come on guy... Sure, you'll going to get some sleaze that'll go anywhere but the majority of the trash is not going to make the effort.

Finally, as Phoenix grows in population so does the pestilence of ignorant and reckless people. That's life, man. We all have our 'secret' spots that we go and shoot at but JJ is hardly one of those places... I am certainly not going to let the thought of JJ eventually being forever ruined keep me up at night.

With the exception of Sugarloaf and the Four Peaks exit, the rest of the locations are PERMANENTLY CLOSED TO TARGET SHOOTING.

It's not keeping me up at night either. Some people just need to blab about everything all the time, while others adhere to a different code of conduct...
.
.

 

[Jack Dupp]

I totally agree with Mr. Maim.

El Camino Viejo and Azstan used to be GREAT places to shoot. Heck, you could go there on a beautiful Saturday and have your choice of spots to shoot. It was a well-kept secret. Then a well-known forum d-bag had to organize a shoot and publicize its location on arfcom. The area became infested and trashed in a short period of time, culminating in some bozo shooting up cattle that grazed there. Now the whole area is off-limits.

The Casa Grande range was also not so well-known until another local d-bag and some others decided to have a 'shoot' there, complete with flamethrowers. Now you're lucky to get a spot, and if you do, you're almost guaranteed to be muzzle swept by some cholos and their sweet SKS rifles.

 

[JLG61]

The difference here with JJ is that it's primarily a members only locked gate situation. It's only open on Saturdays to the general public and that day has a rangemaster...and only the 100 yard range is open to nonmembers.. if there are 20 people with easyups at pistol bays 1,2 and 3 it's because they paid to be a part of the range.... my membership number 4 years ago was over a 1000 and it's far from over run, well maintained and secure, whatever they are doing and continue to do has worked and worked very well.....

 

[lew]

The difference here with JJ is that it's primarily a members only locked gate situation. It's only open on Saturdays to the general public and that day has a rangemaster...and only the 100 yard range is open to nonmembers.. if there are 20 people with easyups at pistol bays 1,2 and 3 it's because they paid to be a part of the range.... my membership number 4 years ago was over a 1000 and it's far from over run, well maintained and secure, whatever they are doing and continue to do has worked and worked very well.....

It's easier to ignore those extremely pertinent points and head straight for panic mode.

I signed up last year, and, if I recall right, my member number is less than 2200.

 

[DmN]

The difference here with JJ is that it's primarily a members only locked gate situation. It's only open on Saturdays to the general public and that day has a rangemaster...and only the 100 yard range is open to nonmembers.. if there are 20 people with easyups at pistol bays 1,2 and 3 it's because they paid to be a part of the range.... my membership number 4 years ago was over a 1000 and it's far from over run, well maintained and secure, whatever they are doing and continue to do has worked and worked very well.....

Exactly.

 

[Harrier]

:icon-mrgreen: Do you get a cup of kool-aid when you join?

(sorry, I just couldn't resist)

 

[lew]

:icon-mrgreen: Do you get a cup of kool-aid when you join?

(sorry, I just couldn't resist)

They actually stick to the story, so you get a choice of Kool-Aid OR Flavor-Aid. :mrgreen:

But, bring your own water, since there's nothing on-site.

 

[BroncoAZ]

So how about you pipe down about JJ so that it doesn't get overrun with idiots from the valley?

It's exactly like telling the internet where your favorite desert shooting spot is, only to have it trashed by idiots who don't give a crap.

JJ is the best kept secret not in Phoenix. Let's try to keep it that way.

+1,000,000

OP, shut your pie hole. I’ve been a member about 5 years and it’s great that it hasn’t been spoiled yet. Trust me when I tell you that people who live up north despise the valley and most of its occupants. The less we can advertise to draw them north the better.

 

[Harrier]

Now that I know where it is I'm gonna run up there first chance I get... it looks to be only 300 miles
but first I have to sell a car and a trailer and the house and find a place up there I can move into...

Seriously, your concern is why I don't go to the public range down here- too many FingIts, so I'm lucky to have a secret shooting spot in the desert.

Down here next to the border the trashers have been responsible for at least 4 informal areas being permanently closed. I know of another one that I'm always picking up shot-up trash whenever I go by there.

 

[azatty480]

Do they allow machineguns there?

 

[FBArms]

Do they allow machineguns there?

Yes, they do.

 

[Steve_In_29]

Sure glad I can shot on my own property and the neighbor and I are setting up a range out to 300yds on his.