Shooting Range at Little Pine State Park
The shooting range is open daily from 8:00 A.M. until sunset.
The shooting range provides an opportunity for shooting rifles and handguns.
The pistol range offers targets at distance of 10, 15, and 25 yards, and various uncovered firing stations.
The rifle range has target backers at 50 and 100 yards, and covered shooting benches.
There is an annual fee for individuals and for families.
Range rules and regulations are posted at the range. Be sure to pick up your brass after you are done shooting.
The shooting range at Little Pine State Park is located on a six-acre site at the north end of the park. The range opened to the public in the 1970s and has served as a popular location for sportsmen.
The newly redesigned range incorporates best management practices established by the shooting industry that are used in state-of-the-art shooting ranges across the country. These practices allow for safe and environmentally sustainable shooting for future generations to come.
Range Permit
A range permit issued for the Little Pine State Park Shooting Range authorizes the permittee to utilize the established range at Little Pine State Park during the established operational hours.
Permittees shall utilize the established range at Little Pine State Park in a manner consistent with applicable requirements, conditions, and restrictions provided for in the rules and regulations.
Individuals and groups interested in using the new shooting range facilities must purchase an annual range permit. Range permits are required for individuals 16 years of age or older.
Cost
Permits may be purchased at the park office or through self-registration at the range. For a family rate, all members must reside in the same household.
Annual Permits:
Pennsylvania Rates -- individual $30; family $40
Non-resident Rates
-- individual $36; family $48
Annual permits expire December 31.
30 Day Consecutive Permits:
Pennsylvania Resident Rates -- individual $15; family $20
Non-resident Rates -- individual $30; family $35
This fee helps offset the cost of maintaining the range in a sustainable manner.
Shooting Range Safety Guidelines
Basic Range Safety
- Always point your firearm in a safe direction
- Know how your firearm operates
- Keep the action open and firearm unloaded until ready to fire
- Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire
- Wear eye and ear protection
- Be sure your firearm and ammunition are compatible
- Direct all bullets into the proper backstop
- Before proceeding down range: “Cease Fire” command must be given, firearms must be unloaded with actions open
- No firearms are permitted down range
- Shooting under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled substances is prohibited
- Unsafe firearm handling and behavior will not be tolerated
Shooting Range Permit Conditions
The Little Pine State Park Shooting Range is open from 8:00 A.M. until sunset unless otherwise posted.
The range may be reserved for exclusive use by an organized group from January 1 through October 1. An organized group desiring to reserve the range shall make necessary arrangements through the Little Pine State Park office at least 20 days in advance.
An individual may not use the range when in use on days when it is reserved by an organized group.
An individual or an organized group using the range is responsible for keeping the area clean and free of debris, and may not discard, deposit, leave, or throw litter or recyclables except in approved refuse containers. Range users shall remove targets from range backboards when shooting is completed and prior to leaving the range.
The commonwealth is not responsible for anyone injured on the range. An individual using the Little Pine Shooting Range does so at his own risk and assumes all responsibility for injuries to a person or property caused by or to him.
When more than one person is using the range, a range officer shall be designated by the range users.
An individual under 16 years of age may not use the range unless accompanied by a person 18 years of age or older.
The park manager or designee may close a range by posting signs to that effect. The range will be closed on occasion for short time frames for routine maintenance (mowing, snow removal, etc.)
Prohibited Acts
At the Little Pine Shooting Range, except when authorized by the park manager or a designee, it is unlawful to:
- Possess a loaded firearm, except at an established shooting station on the firing line
- Discharge a firearm, except from an established shooting station on the firing line at a paper target placed on a permanent target backboard -- Glass bottles, cans, jugs, or other similar materials shall not be used as targets
- Discharge armor piercing, incendiary, explosive, tracer, or multiple projectile ammunition
- Be intoxicated, use or possess an intoxicating beverage or controlled substance on the range
- Possess an automatic weapon
- Possess, load, or discharge a firearm that contains more than three rounds of single projectile ammunition --
exceptions for the handgun portion of the range:
- Handgun Range - At the Little Pine State Park range designated as the handgun range, it is permitted for an individual to load and discharge a handgun containing a maximum of six rounds of single projectile ammunition at any one time.
- Shoot clay birds/targets
- Possess, load, or discharge a firearm for any reason without a commonwealth-issued range permit signed by its holder. This prohibition does not apply to persons 15 years of age or younger.
Eligibility and Application
- Range permits will only be issued to persons 16 years of age or older
- Applications for range permits shall be made at the park office or at the self-service registration station at the range
- Range permits must be displayed in your vehicle dashboard while using the range
- The park manager or designee may deny, revoke, or suspend any permit for any violation of the rules and regulations of the Little Pine Shooting Range