Possibly moving back to Colorado and have LOTS of questions.

[jenznat0r]

There are only a few indoor ranges that even allow you to shoot rifles and NONE of them allow steel-core ammo. They don't even allow steel core pistol ammo (9mm.) Basically the only way to shoot steel core is to go to an outdoor range.

There is a free outdoor range in the Pawnee grasslands, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours from Denver. There are a couple of DOW ranges I know of, one is near Hot Sulphur Springs, again 2+ hours from Denver. I've heard there is an outdoor shooting area near Keystone or maybe Breckenridge (something about the dump?) or maybe it was Frisco.

There are a few designated shooting areas in the National Forests. Again, expect to drive a fair distance to get to one (Harris Park is probably the closest, it's between Conifer and Bailey.) Sadly, between shooting accidents and mountains of trash left by Cletus Spucker's slack-jawed cousins, many of the public areas are in danger of being shut down by the USFS.

Steel CORE or steel CASE ammo? Crap, that really sucks....I have a LOT of that particular ammo.

[CS1983]

Moving is not going to fix your real problem, which is career direction and advancement potential in conjunction with financial stability. Fix the first two aspects first and then move if an opportunity meets the financial goals. You have a wife and child(ren?). Leave the passion and joy for your hobbies until you are on a solid career path and then pivot from there.

Additionally, if you are “too far along” to switch majors, then just finish the degree and move on afterwards. Otherwise you will have wasted that time and money.

Focus on the 50 meter target. Colorado, for better or worse, is a long range goal.

Consider Arkansas or Oklahoma, too.

What’s your academic major?

[Martinjmpr]

Steel CORE or steel CASE ammo? Crap, that really sucks....I have a LOT of that particular ammo.

IIRC a lot of of the cheap steel-case Russian ammo is also steel core.

Bottom line is, if a magnet sticks to it, you can't shoot it at an indoor range. Part of that, IMO, is ranges who want to make extra $$ by selling you THEIR ammo vs. cheap Russian ammo, but there is also a legitimate concern that steel-core ammo can damage the back stops in a way that lead core ammo doesn't.

Damage to the backstops requires costly repairs and of course, the range is out of service when repairs are being made so they lose twice - the cost of the repair + the lost income from not being able to use the range.

I imagine that most shooting ranges probably run on tight budgets so it makes sense for them to be very risk averse when it comes to what ammo they allow. So while I don't like the blanket "if it sticks to a magnet you can't shoot it" policy, I can understand it.

[Irving]

Yep, ^^ I went to college knowing the whole time I never intended on using my degree beyond being able to put it on a resume.

[jenznat0r]

Moving is not going to fix your real problem, which is career direction and advancement potential in conjunction with financial stability. Fix the first two aspects first and then move if an opportunity meets the financial goals. You have a wife and child(ren?). Leave the passion and joy for your hobbies until you are on a solid career path and then pivot from there.

Additionally, if you are “too far along” to switch majors, then just finish the degree and move on afterwards. Otherwise you will have wasted that time and money.

Focus on the 50 meter target. Colorado, for better or worse, is a long range goal.

Consider Arkansas or Oklahoma, too.

What’s your academic major?

I'm a history major. It's a pretty long story, but I switched my major 5 times before I settled on it. I originally had plans to become an attorney and attend law school, but I took the LSAT and scored pretty low. My current transcript is also riddled with mixed grades and W's from my current and prior schools I transferred from, so I honestly don't think grad school or beyond is possible for me anymore. I had kind of an academic crisis this summer, as I took an internship at a law firm. I walked into that internship really wholeheartedly wanting to take that path, and I walked out not wanting to become an attorney anymore. I had a great experience there and got great references, but it threw a wrench in my plans. Some of it was combined with my low LSAT score and just a bitter taste in my mouth about my mixed success in school. My biggest feeling is I have no idea what to do with my degree after graduation if I were to finish. Unlike other majors, history teaches you general academic concepts that require you to go to even higher education to make money.

I have one more hope of staying in Idaho, and that's transferring to a paralegal studies program at ISU. I really do love the idea of working in the law, but not necessarily as an attorney.

Trying to get slightly back on topic, firearms ownership and the hobby has been kind of a big distractor from my studies as well. I love it, but as a student I've been fortunate and unfortunate to build and enjoy a collection during a crucial time in my life.

What's really scary to me is I'm a senior with 3 semesters left. IDK how I've been able to get this far, but I am having a lot of mixed feelings about finishing. It's not what I'm passionate about anymore, and I don't know what my academic plans would be after graduation.

[Martinjmpr]

I'm a history major. It's a pretty long story, but I switched my major 5 times before I settled on it. I originally had plans to become an attorney and attend law school, but I took the LSAT and scored pretty low. My current transcript is also riddled with mixed grades and W's from my current and prior schools I transferred from, so I honestly don't think grad school or beyond is possible for me anymore. I had kind of an academic crisis this summer, as I took an internship at a law firm. I walked into that internship really wholeheartedly wanting to take that path, and I walked out not wanting to become an attorney anymore. I had a great experience there and got great references, but it threw a wrench in my plans. Some of it was combined with my low LSAT score and just a bitter taste in my mouth about my mixed success in school. My biggest feeling is I have no idea what to do with my degree after graduation if I were to finish. Unlike other majors, history teaches you general academic concepts that require you to go to even higher education to make money.

PM sent.

[jenznat0r]

PM sent.

I don't see it in my inbox.

[Martinjmpr]

Try again. Just sent it.

[spqrzilla]

I had kind of an academic crisis this summer, as I took an internship at a law firm. I walked into that internship really wholeheartedly wanting to take that path, and I walked out not wanting to become an attorney anymore.

Far far better to realize this before going to law school.

[Martinjmpr]

Definitely finish your degree. Even if you never "use" it (in the sense of "working" in that field) the fact that you received it puts you in line ahead of those who didn't.

If you're not locked into the Denver area, consider CO Springs and even Pueblo as well. They have robust economies and a lower cost of living. Heck, there are people at my office in Lakewood who commute from CO Springs. Seems crazy to me but they make it work, somehow.

If it wasn't for the weather I'd consider CO Springs for a possible retirement location. Traffic can be awful in CO Springs but then again, that's true of Denver and anywhere up to Fort Collins as well.