Calling Down Range Chico a shooting range is like calling Bidwell Park a lawn — technically true, but it completely misses the point. Steve and Jessica Dyke opened this place in 2013. Steve is a former police officer, and that background shows up in everything they do here. Safety is not a sign on the wall. It is the whole culture of the place.
Walk in off Garner Lane and you will find a 25-yard indoor range, one of the biggest firearms and ammunition counters in the North State, a live-fire training simulator, and a full uniform shop for first responders. Most places do one of those things. Down Range does all of them.
The Range Itself
The indoor range handles pistols, rifles, and shotguns. It goes out to 25 yards and the lanes are clean, well-lit, and easy to use. Walk-ins are welcome. You do not have to be a member to shoot here, though members do get perks if you plan to come regularly.
The Classes Are the Real Draw
The training program is what really sets Down Range apart. They offer CCW courses, women's-only classes, and weapon safety classes for kids. Steve runs the classroom side himself. The room has a live-fire simulator that puts you in real situations, not just standing still shooting at paper. The walls have color codes of awareness, use-of-force charts, and the four universal safety rules posted up. They go through all of it in class.
As a local, I will say this — the women's-only classes fill up fast. If you have been thinking about getting your CCW or just want to learn how to handle a firearm safely, this is a good place to start. The instruction is solid and nobody is going to make you feel like you do not belong there.
The Uniform and Embroidery Shop
This part surprises a lot of people. Down Range runs a full uniform shop for police, fire, and EMS. They are the only CAL FIRE 2881 authorized dealer in the region, which matters to fire agencies all the way from Butte County north to Modoc. The embroidery machines run in-house. CAL FIRE hats, department patches, agency gear — it all moves through that back room on a regular basis.
That uniform work — and the local teams who rely on it — is why Down Range feels less like a range with a retail counter and more like a real resource for the people doing hard jobs in this region.
Steve and Jessica built something this town actually needed and keeps coming back to.
Down Range is at 13407 Garner Lane, plenty of parking, easy in and out. You can reach them at (530) 896-1992 or at downrangechico.com to ask about classes or membership.