It's been a pretty good while since I've been there, so I'm not sure how much has changed, but there is a range in Gastonia, it's the city Police range. They open it on Saturdays and you can shoot handguns in the morning and rifles in the afternoon. It was $10 last time I was there (about 6 years ago). 100 yards is the longest you can shoot, they have RO's there and they are very strict on safety. No steel core ammo, they check with a magnet. You get a "membership card" first time you go, it just says you're okay to shoot the next time you show up. If you like shotgunning, there is a public skeet/trap range on the road into the rifle range. The range is just off exit 17 of I-85, going north on US321.