Central Oregon is good country to learn to shoot: big public ranges east of Bend, an indoor range in Redmond, active clay clubs and plenty of instructors. Most people start with one of two goals, a concealed handgun license or simply knowing how to handle the gun they just bought, and those are different classes. This guide sorts out which class you need, who teaches it, where to practice and what Oregon law says right now.
Which class do you need?
| Your goal | Take this | Where around Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Concealed carry license | Any Oregon-approved CHL course (classroom is fine) | Deschutes County Sheriff’s Saturday class, online Oregon CHL class, NRA Basic Pistol; Prineville and Madras options |
| First gun, never shot | A beginner course with live fire | COSSA New Gun Owner Clinic, Deschutes Firearms Training, Lady Gets A Gun, Liberation |
| Carry with confidence | Defensive pistol: holster draw, movement, decisions | Liberation (Defensive Pistol, MILO simulator), COSSA affiliated instructors |
| Hunting rifle or long range | Precision rifle school, then matches | Great Basin Precision Rifle, Precise Rifle Solutions, COSSA matches |
| AR-style rifle / carbine | Carbine fundamentals | Liberation’s Rifle Ready series; Stoneridge (traveling classes) |
| Clays or bird hunting | Coached trap or sporting clays | Bend Trap Club, Redmond Rod & Gun Club |
| Kids and teens | Youth marksmanship and hunter education | COSSA Young Guns, ODFW hunter safety, Redmond Rod & Gun youth programs |
| Injury preparedness | Stop the Bleed | Bend Fire & Rescue, free, monthly |
Getting an Oregon CHL in Deschutes County
Oregon is a “shall issue” state for residents: if you meet the requirements, the sheriff in your county issues a concealed handgun license, good for four years. Oregon doesn’t honor any other state’s carry permit.
- Check that you qualify. At least 21, a resident of the county, a U.S. citizen or legal resident (with six months’ county residency and intent to become a citizen), and no disqualifying record.
- Take a qualifying course. The Sheriff’s Office accepts its own Saturday class, the online Oregon CHL class, any NRA firearms course that covered handgun safety, qualifying law enforcement or instructor courses, documented military or competition handgun experience, or a current or previous Oregon license.
- Easiest route: the Sheriff’s Saturday class. $150 covers the class and the license, and you’re fingerprinted and photographed in class, so there’s no separate appointment. Up to 45 students; register online. Classroom only; no guns or ammo.
- Otherwise, book an appointment. New applications and transfers are by appointment on weekdays. Bring the completed application, an Oregon driver’s license with a Deschutes County address, a second ID (passport or certified birth certificate), proof of citizenship or residency, your training certificate, a stamped self-addressed business envelope and the fee.
- Wait for the background check. Your license comes in the mail. Expect a few weeks.
- Renew before it expires. Renewals are walk-in (no appointment) at the Sheriff’s Office in Bend, weekdays 8:30 to 4, with a new application, original proof of citizenship, your license and $75.
$115New Deschutes County CHL (fingerprints and background check).
$75Renewal. Address change, replacement or transfer in: $15.
4 yrsHow long an Oregon CHL is valid.
Live in Crook or Jefferson County? Apply with your own county sheriff. Crook County Parks & Rec and Stay Center in Madras run CHL classes closer to home; the Deschutes County class is also $35 if you’ll license in another county.
Book a CHL class
Handgun training: from first shots to defensive skills
A CHL class teaches law and safety; it doesn’t teach you to shoot. If you’re new, plan on a beginner course with range time, then practice.
New gun ownerSafety mechanisms, loading, unloading, cleaning and supervised live fire on your own gun. COSSA’s two-hour clinic runs the 4th Saturday of every month for $40, no membership needed.Start here
NRA Basic PistolThe classic beginner course: safety, fundamentals and range time. Also counts toward an Oregon CHL. Taught by Deschutes Firearms Training and Wilkiemeyer Training.Two goals, one class
Defensive pistolDrawing from a holster, shooting while moving, use of cover, decision-making. Liberation adds vehicle tactics and a MILO simulator for scenarios.For people who carry
Red dot pistolPistol-mounted optics are now common and take some relearning: finding the dot, zeroing, sight picture. Wilkiemeyer Training teaches a dedicated class.Newer skill
CompetitionUSPSA and steel matches at COSSA and Redmond Rod & Gun are open to the public and are the fastest way to improve under a timer. Show up and ask for a new-shooter briefing.Practice with purpose
Private lessonsOne-on-one coaching on your gun, your problems. Deschutes Firearms Training charges $80 an hour and two people can come for the price of one.Fastest progress
Book handgun training
Rifle, long-range and hunting training
Central Oregon is one of the best places in the Northwest to shoot rifles. COSSA’s 600-acre park east of Bend has more than 20 bays and ranges reaching 1,000 yards and beyond.
🎯 Precision and long rangeWind reading, ballistics, rangefinders and shooting positions. Great Basin Precision Rifle teaches group and private classes at COSSA; Precise Rifle Solutions in Redmond runs one- and two-day schools capped at four students.Great prep for western hunts
🏆 MatchesCOSSA hosts NRA High Power prone and F-Class matches at 600 and 1,000 yards, Precision Rifle Series and NRL Hunter-style events, and smallbore. Matches are open to the public and a good, cheap way to learn from experienced shooters.About $30 a match day
🦌 Hunting rifleKnow your zero, your realistic range and your rifle’s point of impact at distance before the season. Redmond Rod & Gun’s 100-yard range is open to non-members for sight-in. ODFW hunter education is required for hunters under 18.Sight in during August
🔫 AR-style riflesCarbine fundamentals: zeroing an optic, positions, malfunctions, safe handling. Liberation offers a Rifle Ready series in Redmond; Stoneridge Tactical brings rifle courses to cities around Oregon.Ask about round count
Book rifle training
Shotgun, clays and bird season
Shotgun skills are mostly learned at clay ranges, and both local clubs welcome newcomers. Tell the person at the clubhouse it’s your first time; regulars usually help you with stance, mounting the gun and where to look.
| Game | What it is | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Trap | Clays fly away from you at varying angles. The classic starting point. | Bend Trap Club; Redmond Rod & Gun |
| Skeet | Clays cross in front of you from two houses. Great practice for doves and quail. | Bend Trap Club |
| 5-stand | Five stations, several throwers and a menu of targets. Sporting clays in a small footprint. | Bend Trap Club; Redmond Rod & Gun |
| Sporting clays | A walking course with targets that mimic real birds and rabbits. | Redmond Rod & Gun (18 stations) |
| FITASC | A harder, international form of sporting clays. | Bend Trap Club |
- Bring: a shotgun (clubs here don’t rent them; ask a friend or an instructor), eye and ear protection, and a box or two of target loads.
- Bird hunters: a few rounds of skeet or sporting clays in August and September pays off on chukar, quail and pheasant hunts.
- Defensive shotgun: few classes run locally; Stoneridge Tactical’s traveling courses include tactical shotgun.
Women’s and youth programs
👩 Lady Gets A GunWomen-only handgun class in Bend, max seven students, $250 with range time at Redmond Rod & Gun. Gun and ammo available for $40.Small and patient
🦅 COSSA Lady HawksCoached pistol sessions for women 18+, all experience levels, in small groups on Bay 16. $25; .22 ammo is free. Monthly through December; register on Practiscore.Great for first-timers
🎯 Redmond Rod & Gun women’s programsWomen’s shooting programs including Women on Target clinics that rotate through pistol, rifle, shotgun and archery.Try everything in a day
🧒 COSSA Young GunsSafety and marksmanship for ages 9–18, first Saturday of the month, 10 to noon. $10; firearms, ammo and eye/ear protection provided. A parent must attend. RSVP required.Membership not required
🦆 ODFW hunter educationRequired for hunters under 18. Take ODFW’s approved online course, then a field day (Bend and Redmond sessions, $10). Adults are welcome too.Check myodfw.com for dates
🏫 Youth clay teamsHigh school trap teams and youth clay programs run out of local clubs, including the Crook County High School Trap Club in Prineville. Ask Bend Trap Club or Redmond Rod & Gun about youth leagues.Spring season
Book women’s and youth programs
Where to shoot: ranges around Bend
| Range | Good for | Access for non-members |
|---|---|---|
| Redmond Rod & Gun Club South of Redmond off Hwy 97 | 25-yd pistol, 100-yd rifle, sporting clays, 5-stand, trap, cowboy action, USPSA, archery | Open to non-members on set days. Fall/winter rifle and pistol Mon, Wed, Fri–Sun 10–2: $15 a day. Trap $10 access + $9 a round. Youth discounts. No gun rentals. |
| COSSA Park About 20 miles east of Bend on Hwy 20 | The biggest facility in the Northwest: 600 acres, 20+ bays, pistol pits to 1,000+ yards, camping | Members (with an orientation and safety test). Public: West range 4th Saturday Apr–Oct, 10–2, $15 cash; all matches; clinics; a member can bring up to four guests ($10 each). |
| Bend Trap Club Hwy 20 east of Bend | Trap, doubles, skeet, 5-stand, FITASC | Open shooting days; winter hours Thu and Sun 9–2, weather permitting. |
| Liberation indoor range Redmond | Handgun practice in any weather; simulator training | Book lanes online; Wed–Sat hours. |
Range etiquette for first-timers: eye and ear protection always; keep guns unloaded and cased until you’re at the line; never handle guns during a cease-fire when people are downrange; sign the waiver; ask the range officer if you’re unsure. Most local ranges are outdoors, so dress for wind and, from November to March, cold.
Shooting on public land around Bend
Lots of Central Oregon BLM and national forest land is open to target shooting, and lots of people shoot there. It’s also where most problems happen: wildfires, stray rounds near trails and piles of trash. If you go:
Rules and good sense
- Outside city limits, and well away from roads, trails, campgrounds, homes and livestock
- A dirt backstop behind every target; never shoot at rocks, trees, signs or water
- No exploding targets, tracers or steel-core ammo in fire season
- Check the current BLM Prineville District and Deschutes National Forest fire orders first
- Carry a shovel, water and an extinguisher in summer
- Pack out every target, shell and piece of trash
Fire restrictions change through the summer, and some areas near Bend are closed to shooting entirely. When in doubt, use a range.
Oregon gun laws in 2026: what to know
A good class covers the law in detail. Here’s the short version, current as of October 2026. Laws are changing quickly in Oregon; confirm anything important with the sheriff or a lawyer.
Buying a gunEvery sale needs a background check, including private sales (with exceptions for some family transfers). You must be 18 for rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns from a dealer. No permit to purchase is required today.Background check always
Measure 114The 2022 permit-to-purchase and 10-round magazine law is not in effect. It’s before the Oregon Supreme Court, and in 2026 lawmakers voted to push the permit system’s start to January 1, 2028.Watch for changes
Safe storageSince 2021, Oregon requires guns to be secured with a trigger or cable lock, in a locked container or in a gun room when not carried or under your control, and lost or stolen guns must be reported within 72 hours.Applies to every owner
Banned itemsUntraceable “ghost guns” (since 2023) and, since September 2025, rapid-fire activators such as bump stocks and forced-reset triggers.New in recent years
In the carWithout a CHL, keep a handgun unloaded and out of reach, cased or in the trunk. With a CHL you may carry a loaded handgun in the vehicle.Ask in your class
Self-defenseOregon has no duty to retreat when you’re somewhere you have a right to be, but deadly force is only justified against an imminent threat of death or serious injury. Training on the law matters as much as marksmanship.High bar
Where you can’t carry, even with a CHL
- Federal property: post offices, federal courthouses and buildings, secure areas of airports.
- Courthouses: including the Deschutes County Courthouse.
- Schools that have opted in: state law lets school boards, community colleges and universities ban guns, including for CHL holders. Bend-La Pine Schools adopted a ban; look for posted signs on any campus.
- Some city buildings: a 2025 state law lets cities, counties and districts ban guns in buildings used for official meetings. The City of Bend adopted an ordinance in 2026 covering City Hall and other city buildings it designates; signs are posted at entrances.
- Private property when the owner says no.
What training costs around Bend
| Class or fee | Price (Oct 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deschutes Sheriff CHL class + license | $150 | Classroom; prints and photo in class |
| Deschutes CHL license only | $115 new / $75 renewal | Plus your class |
| Crook County Parks & Rec CHL class | $75 / $112.50 | In-district / out-of-district |
| COSSA New Gun Owner Clinic | $40 | 2 hours with live fire |
| Lady Gets A Gun women’s class | $250 | +$40 for gun and ammo |
| Private lesson (Deschutes Firearms Training) | $80/hour | Two people for one price |
| COSSA Lady Hawks / Young Guns | $25 / $10 | Women 18+ / ages 9–18 |
| Range day, non-member (Redmond R&G) | $15 | Rifle/pistol |
| ODFW hunter ed field day | $10 | After the online course |
| Stop the Bleed (Bend Fire) | Free | 1 hour, monthly |
Budget for ammunition too: a beginner class may use 50 to 200 rounds, and defensive or rifle courses can use several hundred. Ask whether ammo, range fees and loaner gear are included.
Before your first class
Tick these off as you get ready. Your ticks stay until you close the tab.
Stop the Bleed: worth an hour
Anyone who spends time at ranges, hunting or in the backcountry should know how to pack a wound and apply a tourniquet. Bend Fire & Rescue teaches a free one-hour Stop the Bleed class on the first Wednesday of most months at 6:30 p.m. at its training center (63377 NE Jamison St). Classes are capped at 20, so register through the City of Bend’s events page. Keep a tourniquet in your range bag and learn to use it before you need it.