Ocala Rifle Range Guide
Where to shoot a rifle in Ocala and Marion County, written for hunters sighting in before the season, new rifle owners and visitors. It covers rifle distance, public access, fees, hours and rules at each range, verified against each operator's own website or published manual on October 8, 2026.
By Darrin DeTorres, Only In Ocala · Published October 8, 2026 · Last updated October 8, 2026
Where can you shoot a rifle in Ocala?
Rifle shooters in Ocala have two options: the free FWC Ocala Shooting Range on Forest Road 11 in the Ocala National Forest, a 12-position, 100-yard range, and the members-only Ocala Sportsman's Association rifle range near Candler. The city's one indoor range does not allow rifles, so rifle rentals and longer distances mean a drive to The Villages or Leesburg.
Each range sets its own rules on distance, caliber, hours and fees, and they differ more than most visitors expect. The FWC range is free and unstaffed, so it suits shooters who can run a cold range on their own. The Sportsman's Association has a range officer on duty but no walk-in access. Shooters World in The Villages is the nearest staffed range with rentals and 100-yard indoor lanes, and Ares Training Facility in Leesburg is the nearest public range with steel past 100 yards. Use the table, then call the range before visiting to confirm current hours and access.
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Rifle ranges near Ocala at a glance
Distances, calibers, prices and hours come from each range's own website or published operating manual as of October 8, 2026, and can change. Call ahead before a first visit.
| Range | Address | Public access | Max rifle distance | Rifle calibers | Cost | Hours | Phone | RSO on site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocala Shooting Range (FWC) | Forest Road 11, north of State Road 40 (at NE 231st Avenue), Ocala, FL 34479 | Public, free, unsupervised | 100 yards (12 covered positions) | Rifles and handguns; no tracer, armor-piercing or incendiary ammunition | Free | Sunrise to sunset daily; Wednesdays closed until 2 PM | (352) 625-2804 | No. Unstaffed; shooters run their own cease-fires |
| Ocala Sportsman's Association | 20 Locust Track, Ocala, FL 34472 | Members and accompanied guests only | Separate rifle range (the club describes it as a 100-yard range); pistol bays to 50 yards | Rifle calibers except .50 BMG on the rifle range; .22 rimfire and pistol-caliber rifles on the pistol range | $50 initiation + $175/yr; guests $10/day with a member | Mon–Sat 9 AM–5 PM (Thursdays reserved for training and maintenance), Sun 1–5 PM | (352) 687-3231 | Yes. Closed unless a club-certified RSO is on site |
| Shooters World, The Villages | 4988 Co Rd 44A, The Villages, FL 32163 | Public; waiver and government ID; rentals | 100 yards indoor (9 lanes); also 15 and 25 yards | Up to .308 Win / 7.62x51 on 15–50 yd lanes; larger rifle calibers on the 100-yard lanes | $30/hr for 50–100 yd lanes (+$15 extra shooter), $20/hr for 15–25 yd, $10/yr shooter card | Sun–Fri 10 AM–7 PM, Sat 9 AM–7 PM; last shooter 60 minutes before close | (352) 500-4867 | Yes, staffed indoor range |
| Ares Training Facility | 35615 N Treasure Island Ave, Leesburg, FL 34788 | Public on the main range; check-in, waiver and safety briefing | Steel at 100, 200, 300 and 400 yards; 500–860 yards members only | Anything .50 caliber and under; no tracer, armor-piercing or steel-core | $20 first hour, $10 each additional hour per shooter; ages 11–16 $10 all day; 10 and under free | Wed–Sun 9 AM–5 PM; closed Mon, Tue and the first Sunday of the month | (352) 321-8102 | Yes, range safety officers on duty |
Shooters World and Ares Training Facility are outside Marion County. They are included because they are the nearest ranges that rent firearms or offer rifle distances past 100 yards.
Ocala Shooting Range (FWC)
Ocala National Forest, east of Silver Springs · Public, free, unsupervised
Address and directions
The range is on Forest Road 11 just north of State Road 40, at the NE 231st Avenue turn, east of Silver Springs on State Road 40. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) runs it under a U.S. Forest Service permit, and FWC lists the coordinates as 29°11'16.80"N, 81°46'14.15"W. Because the range sits inside the Ocala Wildlife Management Area, the Forest Service limits transporting firearms to and from it to state and county roads; forest service roads are off limits for that purpose.
Rifle distance and positions
This is the only public rifle range in Marion County. It has a 12-position, 100-yard rifle and handgun range plus one single-station, self-throw shotgun pad. Target frames and backboards are provided. Shooters bring their own paper targets and tacks or staples, and shotgun shooters bring their own clay targets and thrower. The 100-yard line suits sighting in a hunting rifle or zeroing an optic; there is no longer distance here.
Hours, fees and access
The range is free and open daily from sunrise to sunset, except Wednesdays, when it is closed until 2 PM for maintenance. It is open to the public whenever FWC hunter safety classes are not using it, and FWC posts occasional full-day closures on the range page, so check it before a long drive. There are vault toilets but no potable water, no staff, no rentals and no ammunition sales.
Rifle rules
FWC range rules require eye and ear protection, prohibit tracer, armor-piercing and incendiary ammunition, and ban food, drinks and smoking on the firing line. Shooters fire only at the target in line with their own position, never at anything on the ground, and are responsible for every round staying inside the range. When others are waiting, each shooter is limited to one hour. Firearms are unloaded with magazines removed and actions open when entering or leaving and during a cold range. With no range officer on site, shooters call and honor cease-fires among themselves before anyone walks downrange to change targets.
Who it suits
Experienced rifle shooters who already know how to run a cold range with strangers and want 100 yards for free. First-time shooters, and anyone who wants a rental rifle or an instructor, will be better served by a staffed range.
Ocala Sportsman's Association
Southeast Marion County, east of Candler · Members and accompanied guests only
Address and hours
The club is at 20 Locust Track, about a mile east of Candler and just north of Maricamp Road (County Road 464) in southeast Marion County. Its posted hours are Monday through Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 1 to 5 PM, with Thursdays reserved for specialized training and maintenance. The club's standing rule is that the range is closed whenever no club-certified range safety officer is present. The phone line, (352) 687-3231, takes messages.
The rifle range
The association has a separate rifle range behind a wall that divides it from the 27-position covered pistol line. The club's operating manual describes the project as a 100-yard rifle range, and its website keeps a rifle range calendar. Rifle calibers other than .50 BMG are allowed there. On the pistol range, which has targets at 7, 10, 15, 25 and 50 yards, rifles are limited to .22 rimfire and pistol-caliber carbines (the posted list includes 9mm, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .45 ACP and .30 Carbine).
Rifle-specific rules
The club's manual (Revision 6, February 2025) sets rules that matter to rifle shooters: one rifle uncased per bench with a two-rifle limit, no prone shooting, shooting periods of about 15 minutes with breaks to check targets, no rapid fire, and a brass catcher or similar for semi-automatic rifles that eject sideways toward a neighbor. Shooters may sight in at 25 to 50 yards on the rifle range if targets are set low enough that rounds land in the berm; ask the range officer to check placement. Only paper targets on club frames are allowed on the rifle range (no steel), and chamber flags go in any uncased firearm on the line that is not being fired.
Membership, guests and fees
Only members in good standing and guests accompanied by a member may shoot; there is no day-pass or walk-in option. The manual lists a $50 initiation and orientation fee, $175 a year for a principal member and $30 a year for an associate. Guests pay $10 a day, waived for active military, law enforcement and first responders, and sign the range rules and a liability waiver on every visit. Members' children under 18 shoot as guests with the fee waived, under close parental supervision. Joining requires NRA membership, an online application, board acceptance and a new-member orientation, which must be completed within the next three scheduled sessions.
Who it suits
Rifle shooters in Marion County who want a supervised, members-only range with a range officer on duty and are willing to join. A first-timer needs a member to bring them as a guest.
Rifle ranges near Ocala with rentals or longer distances
Neither Marion County range rents firearms or offers more than 100 yards. These two ranges are the nearest that do.
Shooters World, The Villages
The Villages (Sumter County) · Public; waiver and government ID; rentals
Why Ocala rifle shooters drive here
This is the nearest indoor 100-yard rifle range to Ocala and the nearest range with firearm rentals. Of its 39 lanes, 9 are 100 yards, 10 are 25 yards and 20 are 15 yards. The company's range page lists rifles up to .308 Winchester / 7.62x51 NATO on the 15- to 50-yard lanes and larger rifle calibers, up to .50 BMG, on the 100-yard lanes. It is climate controlled, so it is the practical choice for zeroing a rifle in summer or rain.
Prices and rules
A 50- or 100-yard lane is $30 an hour plus $15 for each additional shooter; 15- and 25-yard lanes are $20 plus $10. Every shooter buys a $10 annual shooter card, signs a liability waiver and shows a state- or country-issued ID. Eye protection rents for $2, ear protection for $3 ($5 electronic) and paper targets are $1. Reloaded ammunition is prohibited, personal ammunition may be used only in personal firearms, children must be at least 7, and anyone under 18 needs a legal guardian. The range takes its last customer 60 minutes before closing.
Ares Training Facility
Leesburg (Lake County) · Public on the main range; check-in, waiver and safety briefing
Why Ocala rifle shooters drive here
This is the closest outdoor range to Ocala where the public can shoot a rifle past 100 yards. The main range has 19 covered stalls at 100 yards, seven of them rifle-only, with steel targets hung at 100, 200, 300 and 400 yards. A separate long range with steel from 500 to 860 yards is members only, and shooters must qualify at 400 yards before using it. Pistols, rifles, shotguns, black powder and anything .50 caliber and under are allowed, and NFA items are welcome with the paperwork.
Prices and rules
Public shooters pay $20 for the first hour and $10 for each additional hour, per shooter; ages 11 to 16 pay $10 for the day and children 10 and under shoot free. A wooden target stand is $10. The range is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM and closed Mondays, Tuesdays and the first Sunday of each month. Everyone checks in, signs a waiver and gets a safety briefing. Tracer, armor-piercing and steel-core ammunition are prohibited, and offhand, sitting and prone positions are allowed only where the range safety officer designates.
Ocala-area ranges that do not take rifles
Two staffed indoor ranges near Ocala come up in rifle range searches but are handgun ranges. Bring a pistol or a pistol-caliber carbine, not a centerfire rifle.
R&D Tactical Solutions (Ocala Gun Range)
1031 NE 16th St, Ocala, (352) 622-7468. Indoor, 12 lanes, handguns up to .44 Magnum. Its FAQ says rifles are not allowed "at this time" and that the range is looking at frangible ammunition for the future. Pistol-caliber carbines fall under the handgun limit.
Details in the shooting range guideHarry Beckwith Guns & Range
12130 S US-441, Micanopy, (352) 466-3340. Indoor, 10 lanes at 25 yards, pistols up to .44 Magnum and pistol-caliber long guns only.
Details in the shooting range guideWhat to bring and range rules for rifle shooters
Eye and ear protection are required at every range in this guide. Rifle muzzle blast under a covered line is loud enough that doubling up, plugs under muffs, is common at the FWC range and the Sportsman's Association.
Ammunition: tracer, armor-piercing and incendiary rounds are banned at the FWC range and at the Sportsman's Association, which also bans exploding targets. Ares adds steel-core to its banned list. Shooters World does not allow reloaded ammunition and lets you use your own ammunition only in your own firearm.
Targets: paper targets on the provided frames at the FWC range and on club frames at the Sportsman's Association, which prohibits steel on the rifle range and bans targets showing human faces. Never shoot at anything on the ground; every range here requires rounds to land in the berm or backstop.
Cease-fires: stop shooting immediately when anyone calls one, unload, open the action, step back from the bench, and do not touch a firearm while anyone is downrange. At the unsupervised FWC range the shooters on the line agree on cease-fires themselves; at the other three a range officer runs them.
Age: the FWC range posts no age rule but has no supervision. The Sportsman's Association admits members' children under 18 as closely supervised guests. Shooters World requires shooters to be at least 7 with a guardian under 18, and Ares prices ages 11 to 16 at $10 for the day with 10 and under free.
Required at every range here
- Eye protection
- Hearing protection (electronic muffs help you hear cease-fire calls)
- Government-issued photo ID (required at Shooters World and Ares; carry it anyway)
- Rifle unloaded, action open and cased when you arrive and leave
For the FWC range
- Your own paper targets, tacks or staples (frames are provided)
- Drinking water and shade; there is no potable water or staff
- A chamber flag, so other shooters can see your rifle is clear
- No tracer, armor-piercing or incendiary ammunition
For the Sportsman's Association
- A member to sign you in and a $10 guest fee
- Paper targets only on the rifle range; no steel
- A brass catcher if your semi-auto ejects toward the next bench
- Chamber flags are mandatory for uncased rifles on the line
Ammunition to leave at home
- Reloads at Shooters World
- Tracer, armor-piercing or steel-core at Ares
- Tracer, armor-piercing or incendiary at the FWC range and the Sportsman's Association
Rifle ranges vs. pistol, shotgun and outdoor options
Handguns: Ocala has more choices for pistol shooters than rifle shooters. R&D Tactical Solutions on NE 16th Street is a 12-lane indoor handgun range at $20 per lane hour with a minimum age of 12, and the FWC range and the Sportsman's Association both take handguns on the same lines. The full comparison, including rentals, classes and concealed carry licensing, is in our Ocala shooting range guide.
Shotguns: the FWC range has one self-throw shotgun pad; bring your own clays and thrower. The Sportsman's Association does not allow shotguns except at special events, and Ares allows shotguns under its .50-caliber-and-under rule. None of the ranges in this guide runs a trap, skeet or sporting clays course.
Shooting in the Ocala National Forest: the FWC range is the designated place to target shoot in the forest. Outside it, Forest Service rules prohibit shooting within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation area or occupied area, and across or on a forest road or body of water, and the Ocala Wildlife Management Area has its own firearm rules. See our Ocala National Forest guide for the rest of the forest.
No firearms at all: archery in Ocala, axe throwing and paintball cover the rest of the target sports, and the Ocala gun shows at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion are where many local shooters buy optics and ammunition before a range trip.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a public rifle range in Ocala?
Can beginners shoot a rifle in Ocala?
Do I need my own rifle, or can I rent one?
How far can you shoot a rifle near Ocala?
Can kids shoot at a rifle range in Ocala?
Can I target shoot in the Ocala National Forest outside the range?
More outdoor things to do in Ocala
Sources: FWC Ocala Shooting Range page and FWC range safety rules; U.S. Forest Service Ocala Shooting Range page; Ocala Sportsman's Association FAQ, contact page and Standard Operating Procedure (Revision 6, Feb. 11, 2025) at osarange.org; ocalagunrange.com FAQ; shootersworld.com range and pricing pages; arestrainingfacility.com public-visitor and range pages. All checked October 8, 2026. See our editorial guidelines.
Campos de tiro para rifle en Ocala
El Ocala Shooting Range de la FWC, en Forest Road 11 al norte de la carretera SR 40 en el Bosque Nacional de Ocala (Ocala, FL 34479), es el único campo de tiro público para rifle del Condado de Marion: es gratis, tiene 12 puestos a 100 yardas y abre del amanecer al atardecer, los miércoles desde las 2 p.m.; no hay personal ni alquiler de armas, teléfono (352) 625-2804. El Ocala Sportsman's Association, en 20 Locust Track, Ocala, FL 34472, tiene un campo de rifle aparte (calibres de rifle excepto .50 BMG) solo para miembros y sus invitados, con cuota de $175 al año más $50 de inscripción e invitados a $10 por día. El campo cubierto R&D Tactical Solutions, en 1031 NE 16th St, no permite rifles. Para alquilar un rifle o tirar a 100 yardas bajo techo, Shooters World en The Villages cobra $30 por hora por carril; para distancias de 200 a 400 yardas, Ares Training Facility en Leesburg cobra $20 la primera hora.
More Ocala Sports & Recreation
Looking for something fun to do — solo, with friends, or with the kids? Browse our local guides to Ocala's sports, lessons, leagues, and recreational venues.