Places to practice in NW CT?

[srage10]

Hello,

My wife and I are getting a shotgun for home defense. While we both have experience with pistols, I have never used a shotgun and she hasn't in a really long time.

I'm not interested in trap or clay pigeon (at the moment). I'm more interested in a place where we can have a target at home defense distances and just practice shooting.

We're in Northwestern Connecticut. Driving isn't much of an issue, western or central CT would be fine. I do know about Blue Trail, was there many years ago the first time I shot pistols. I believe Blue Trail only allows slugs which is cool but would like some buck/bird shot practice as well. I also know of Wooster Mountain on the Danbury/Ridgefield line but I think they only do trap.

Any suggestions?

[zippy13]

One club I belong to has a few trap fields that are used for organized practice only four days a week. The rest of the time they are available to members for hand tossed clays, or whatever. Perhaps there is a club like that in your area. Take some cardboard boxes to an inactive field and practice your close-in shooting. I don't know your area, but the Northwest Connecticut Sportsman's Association (http://www.nwcsa.org/) seems like a place to contact.

[evan1293]

High Rock Range in Naugatuck has range time open to the public on saturdays. They'll let you shoot your shotgun at whatever range you need to sight it in at. Generally they don't allow shot, only slugs, but if you tell them what you're trying to do, they'll probably let you do it.

Also there is a range in Glastonbury run by the DEP. This range is open from 10-2 on saturdays and sundays. You need to call the DEP headquarters on monday or tuesday to get a slot for the following sat or sunday. The DEP number is (860) 295-9523. They have a 100 yard range and they'll allow rifles, pistols and shotguns and you can shoot them at any range from 10'-100 yards.