Hello. I am new to carrying. Got my MN CWP in Nov '05 along with my first pistol. I have fired a friends pistol a couple times and have qualified in the NG with a pistol once. (Scored expert by the way, not bad.)

I have a question concerning what my options are in terms of firing my pistol outside the confines of a designated gun range. I know that it not legal to discharge a firearm within city limits. I don't really have a bunch of extra cash lying around to become a member at a gun range, although I intend to at some point. But if I were to want to go somewhere and set up a bunch of pop cans and knock them down, assuming that I am observing safe firearm handling practices (appropriate backstop, watching for for animals and people that could potentially be in the line of fire), what should I do?

I have been told: Not on "POSTED" private property. Not from, on, across, etc a public roadway. Not within a certain distance from occupied buildings. What else should I be aware of? How tolerant is the average "land owner" when it comes to firing on their property? Should I seek permission first or is this a case where its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. (Which isn't something I want to make a practice of.) I want to make this as legit as possible. I enjoy my rights and don't want anything to jepordize it for myself or others.

Any advice would be greately appreciated!

I'd be awfull carefull fireing on someones private property, it makes people edgey. I do my shooting at a state gravel pit. There should be some state, federal or county land somewhere by you. Make sure to pick up your targets when you're done.

Where do you live? Membership to the pistol ranges around here are not all that expensive- I am a member of the Dakotah range out at Mystic Lake. An annual membership is about $35 IIRC, and that allows you to shoot for about $9 a time- no time limit, any amount of guns.
Do not under any circumstances start shooting on private property without prior permission. You might face down an angry landowner armed to the teeth, or possibly a whole posse of County Deputies.
Introduce yourself to a prospective landowner first, and ask permission.
You just might find a shooting buddy that way. Don't tresspass.

There is DNR hunting land all over the state, as well as State Forests which are all legal to hunt and shoot on.

Give out an area where you live and I'm sure you will get lots of suggestions on locations.

Oh, and as a private land owner myself... I would be a bit upset if someone showed up on my unposted land and started shooting at anything . If it aint posted "state of mn" or some other agency, it DOES belong to someone.

Mostly-

I'm living in St. Cloud right now. Any resources to find suitable locations to fire on would be appreciated!

Somebody mentioned a "state gravel pit". How does one go about finding something like that. That sounds perfect.

Meeting an angry land owner or a "posse of deputies" is exactly the type of thing I want to avoid, hence the post.

The DPMS/Del-Tone Luth Gun Club might be close to you: http://www.del-tone-luth.com/

It is imperative that you obtain permission before target practicing on any private property. Although we have a 160 acre farm, I find it better suited to practice at a local sand pit, with the owners permission.

Hey, my old stomping gound growing up!

If you don't mind driving down to Monticello, you can join the Monticello Rod and Gun Club http://www.monticellorodandgunclub.com/ pretty hokey huh? But then you have to put up with a bunch of Dems who feel REALLY guilty that they own guns, much less like to shoot them. Pistol shooters are very much frowned on. There will be no Silouett shooting goin on there! - it might offend passerbys, The top of the target board is set roughly about 4 feet off the ground. No shooting at anything other then paper or you will be firmly castigated and banned from the club! They just changed their hours to 10-sundown as - Who Shoots after dark??? (except me with Crimson Traces Grips and a Trijicon ACOG)... Oh, and NO RAPID FIRE!

For a non-profit - they have about 40k in funds - but don't want to spend any of it! Why pay to put up a bigger backstop just because there is a walking trail behind the pistol and rifle range and all the trees above the backstop a shot up! Much better to cripple the range so we can get rid of those pistol shooters!

Ok, so maybe you would be better off going with DelTone, or Joining up with http://www.scapsa.org/ They like to Shoot REALLY FAST!

Another option to check into is the Quary Park, use to be called 100 acres, Great swimming in Granite Quaries and when I was a kid, a great place to hunt elusive frogs, chipmunks and basically anything else that moved and most things that didn't. Use to be good place to watch the college girls from SCSU, and St. Bens, swim nude...
But I'm sure they have new rules now that its a county park.

Down toward Orock (West on 5 from Big Lake) there is Sherburne national Wildlife refuge. That place is huge, and they hunt deer there (all the goofs from the cities)

Princeton (bout 20 miles east on 95) has a gun club with 5 gun shoots. As well as the Machine gun shoot at tankride.com.

Just south of St. Cloud on Hwy 10, there are state hunting areas on the east side of 10 as well as out by Foley (east on hwy 23 about 10 miles or so) Also up towards Little Falls there are lots of state places to hunt (shoot). Get a plat book (map by county) and it will list all the hunting areas which are open to shooting, but be mindfull of the backstop.

TONS of options up in that neck of the woods

Mostly-

Ed, I live in the St Cloud area and I belong to the Waite Pk, Mn Rifle Club. The outdoor range is near Luxemburg, 9 miles S of St Cloud 1/2 mile off of Hwy 15. Dues are $50/yr with a $20 initiation fee. They have a 25yd to 100 yd rifle range with a 7yd + pistol range. They have all sorts of equipment in which to use. They also have a trap range.....you bring your own pigeons and use their thrower. They are now looking to buy more land for a 300yd range plus build an indoor range with all of the goodies. The latter is about 3-5 yrs away. Unlimited shooting from 9am to sundown....not too bad.

Doesn't sound too bad. I will look into that. Thanks for the tip!

I wouldn't recommend Del-Tone Luth gun range. They have gotten to be range Nazis. No rapid fire. They threaten you with calling the sheriff if they observe you doing anything wrong through the non-existent cameras
I've been going to that range for six years and last October was the final straw. I had a membership there ($100/year, now) for the preceeding three or four years and then dropped my membership because I wasn't really using it much. I decided to just pay the $10/day for the range time. The last time I went, I was treated like dirt and the staff there was to the point of being disrespectful. Not to mention, they're biased against disabled people. I've never been to the Luxembourg range, but it HAS to be better than Del-Tone. I've vowed to never again go to that range. Just MNSO and experience. I understand there's a range in Princeton at some gravel pit. I don't know where it is, though.

The Princeton gravel pit is "I think" the location of the machine gun shoot. At least when I attened it was in a gravel pit. Directions can be found at http://www.tankride.com/Map.htm

Agreed that Del-Tone has really tightened up their operation. Seems all the ranges are now surrounded by developements.

Mostly-