Desoto Gun Club

DeSoto Gun Club started in the late 1950s when Larry Lawrence, an FPL employee and local gunsmith, gathered about 10 shooting enthusiasts. The club initially operated at old clay pits east of Nocatee before being relocated when DeSoto County claimed the property for a landfill. By the 1970s, the club had secured its current Arcadia property with help from the DeSoto National Bank and has operated there ever since.

"This website is of the members, by the members and for the members of the DeSoto Gun Club." - Club founding principle

DeSoto Gun Club operates as a private member facility focused on safe, controlled shooting. The range provides:

• •Multiple rifle ranges including 100-yard line with pistol capability
• •Shotgun ranges for aerial target shooting
• •Established firing lines with berms (vertical dirt backstops)
• •Competitive match programs with scored events
• •Sanctioned affiliations with shooting organizations

Membership runs $200 per year and requires:

• •Current NRA membership (proof required - card, magazine label, or online verification)
• •Personal sponsor who vouches for your safety knowledge and character
• •Completion of Range Safety Orientation (new members only)
• •Signed waiver and completed membership application
• •Attendance at orientation on one of four scheduled membership days annually

• •Membership days: 3rd Sunday of March, June, September, and December
• •New member orientations: 10:30 AM sharp (once per day)
• •Renewals: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Payment accepted by check or cash only—no credit cards.

The club enforces strict safety protocols:

• •Eye and ear protection required for all shooters, guests, and spectators
• •Children must be supervised and wear both eye and ear protection at all times
• •No alcohol or drugs on premises
• •All targets must be 36" off ground or within 10 feet of a berm
• •Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) ammunition prohibited on steel targets, concrete, glass, or breakable objects
• •Absolutely no shooting ground-level targets—all rounds must impact directly into berms
• •Cold line protocol: When any shooter requests a cold line, all firearms must be unloaded with actions open, magazines removed, and muzzles pointed downrange
• •All weapons stored unloaded with bolts open and magazines removed until range is declared "hot"
• •Shooters responsible for cleanup: Brass, hulls, targets, and stands must be removed. Members who leave trash can be fined or banned

The club maintains affiliations with:

• •National Rifle Association (NRA)
• •Florida Sport Shooting Association
• •Unified Sportsmen of Florida
• •Single Action Shooting Society
• •National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association
• •Civilian Marksmanship Program
• •ATA Trap Shooting Association
• •American Airgun Field Target Association
• •4-H Youth Shooting Program
• •DeSoto Airgunners Club

Arcadia, Florida - Members receive gate combination for access. The facility sits on property the club has maintained since the 1970s. Proximity card system used for membership verification.

The club hosts competitive shooting matches with scored results tracked by date. Match information and historical scores are maintained on the club website.

Available to members:

• •2022 Membership Handbook
• •Range Safety Orientation Agreement
• •Guest Waiver forms
• •Membership Application (2020 Revised)
• •Member Waiver documents
• •Current By-Laws
• •Articles of Incorporation

• •Important: No new membership badges are issued. Current proximity cards are required for gate access. If your card expires or you lose it, replacement cost is $25.

DeSoto operates on the principle that members maintain their own memberships—the club no longer sends expiration notices. It's your responsibility to track your expiration date and renew before deadlines. Missing any of the four annual renewal deadlines means you won't regain current status until the next scheduled membership day (three months later).