South Austin Range Reopens 25-Yard Bays
The 25-yard bays return October 31 and the 100-yard range is set for November 2, after an October 25 explosion.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Shooters in Austin can use the 25-yard bays at The Range at Austin again starting October 31, 2026, six days after an explosion at the South Austin facility forced an evacuation and closed every bay. The 100-yard range is expected to follow on November 2.
Why it matters
For gun owners and shooters on the south side, the closure meant losing a regular place to practice, and the reopening restores that option within a week. The business has not said what repairs were made, and the cause of the explosion had not been publicly determined in the report, so the safety picture is still incomplete.
The 25-yard bays reopen October 31 and the 100-yard range November 2, six and seven days after the October 25 blast. The Travis County Fire Marshal's Office is investigating, and no cause had been publicly announced in the report.
The players
The Range at Austin
The South Austin shooting range and retail shop at 8301 S. Interstate 35 frontage road that closed its bays after the explosion.
Travis County Fire Marshal's Office
The county agency investigating the October 25 explosion at the shooting range.
The details
The Range at Austin, at 8301 S. Interstate 35 frontage road, reported a loud explosion and a brief fireball inside one of its shooting bays on October 25, 2026, and employees evacuated customers from the building. No injuries were reported, and all shooting bays were closed while the Travis County Fire Marshal's Office investigated. The 25-yard shooting bays are scheduled to reopen October 31, 2026, and the 100-yard range is expected to reopen November 2, 2026. The retail store and gunsmith department stayed open through the closure.
Timeline
October 25, 2026, 10:37 a.m.: explosion reported at the shooting range.
October 31, 2026: 25-yard shooting bays scheduled to reopen.
November 2, 2026: 100-yard range expected to reopen.
The Texas Context
Austin-area shooting ranges operate under local fire and safety oversight, and the county fire marshal's inquiry into this blast remains open. The reopening proceeds while that inquiry continues, so the outcome of the investigation is the piece that will show whether the repairs addressed the cause.
If you shoot regularly, the 25-yard bays are back on October 31 and the 100-yard range follows November 2, so check the range's schedule before you drive out to South Austin. The store and gunsmith counter stayed open during the closure if you need gear or service in the meantime.
The takeaway
The bays are back in service, but the cause of the blast is still unannounced, so the fire marshal's findings are what will confirm the range is safe. Before your next session, check the range's posted reopening schedule for the 100-yard range on November 2.
What happens next
The 25-yard bays reopen October 31, 2026, and the 100-yard range is expected to reopen November 2, 2026. Watch for the Travis County Fire Marshal's Office to release its findings on the cause of the explosion.
Further reading
For other storefronts that have opened or shut across town, see Openings & Closings in our Austin business coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Austin American-Statesman.
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