r/PreppersUK • u/Salty_Information187 • Mar 04 '26

Where to practice crossbow shooting if you don’t have a private garden.

I’d like to purchase a crossbow, target and bolts, looking for a place where I can practice.

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

10

u/Pleasant-Put5305 Mar 04 '26

Any archery club.

2

u/Salty_Information187 Mar 04 '26

Is this from your experience? A couple of clubs rejected me with this idea - no crossbows allowed.

6

u/Scary-Try3023 Mar 04 '26

My local gun range allows archery and crossbows, however there’s a 30lb limit and it’s only a short range (it’s mostly for teaching) so maybe try some gun ranges as they usually accommodate bows/crossbows. Crossbows will naturally be harder to find a place to shoot even at a dedicated archery club.

2

u/Salty_Information187 Mar 04 '26

Are you sure about 30lb limit, just checked and the one I am looking for is 185lb 😂 Man Kung MK-XB86BK

2

u/Scary-Try3023 Mar 04 '26

That was just one of my local gun ranges, other ranges will allow for higher draw weight, the one I go to for airgunning allows archery but it’s only a 10 meter range and they don’t allow anything higher than 30lb but it’s because it’s designed for teaching the basics versus a serious recreational archery range.

2

u/Salty_Information187 Mar 04 '26

Got you! Thank you for replying

2

u/Salty_Information187 Mar 04 '26

Thank you, my biggest bet at the moment is to find someone with land / farm who would let me to practice on their premises, let’s say we can both practice with the owner. I don’t know, in my country I’d find someone in a day, but in the UK will see.

1

u/Scary-Try3023 Mar 04 '26

If you’re in the UK same as me best option is to google local gun and archery ranges and see what they say. Like I said my local gun range will allow crossbows and bows but with limitations, majority of shooting clubs will happily accommodate firearms, airguns and archery.

2

u/Salty_Information187 Mar 04 '26

I appreciate it, yes I am in Dorset, will call few places tomorrow

3

u/Scary-Try3023 Mar 04 '26

Forgot to mention that you are allowed to shoot indoors, just get a bag full of old clothing or sheets of cardboard and you can be good to go, crossbows aren’t accurate at long ranges so if you can squeeze 6-8 metres that’s not bad at all.

1

u/MrLycans May 01 '26

Not any archery club 😅 the few round my area will not entertain crossbows, as they're likely to damage the bosses.

4

u/Away_Investigator351 Mar 05 '26

Have a friend with a garden!

1

u/Shoddy-Cap1048 Mar 08 '26

The old tale goes you can shoot a Welshman with a crossbow on a particular day in the year. Just in case you don't find a field!

2

u/Glitter_research901 Mar 20 '26

Considering they will soon be banned I suggest focusing on alternative

1

u/Salty_Information187 Mar 21 '26

What do you mean “soon”? Where there any update on that?