San Luis Obispo Shooting Range to Reopen Next Week

The range, closed for over a year, will open under new non-profit management.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The shooting range off Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, which was closed for over a year, is set to reopen next week under new management by a non-profit organization called San Luis Obispo Firearms and Safety Training (SLOFAST). The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which owns the range, awarded the contract to SLOFAST after an intense bidding process.

Why it matters

The reopening of the San Luis Obispo Shooting Range is significant for the local community, as it provides a space for firearm safety training and recreational shooting. The range had been closed for over a year, leaving a void for those who relied on it.

The details

SLOFAST, led by President Lou Salseda, has been working hard to clean up and prepare the range for its reopening. The group even organized a community clean-up event that was attended by about 60 people, many of whom were over 65 and had a long history of using the facility. The shotgun and rifle ranges will open first, with the rest of the programs to follow as those ranges are ready.

  • The range will officially reopen on Friday, February 2, 2026.
  • SLOFAST was awarded the contract to manage the range in December 2025.

The players

San Luis Obispo Firearms and Safety Training (SLOFAST)

A non-profit organization that was awarded the contract to manage and operate the San Luis Obispo Shooting Range.

Lou Salseda

The president of SLOFAST, who led the organization's efforts to secure the contract and prepare the range for reopening.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

The state agency that owns the San Luis Obispo Shooting Range and awarded the contract to SLOFAST.

Carol Guesno

A Morro Bay resident who had visited the shooting range before it closed and is looking forward to its reopening.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“A lot of hours put in, and we tried to find out if there was anybody else bidding and really, you don't know,”

— Lou Salseda, President of SLOFAST (ksby.com)

“Fifty-five of them were over 65 that showed up and with those 55 people, there was a tremendous amount of history with them using that facility,”

— Lou Salseda, President of SLOFAST (ksby.com)

“It was just such a wonderful experience. I was really nervous before I went, and they actually had a female instructor that was fantastic with me and gave me a level of confidence,”

— Carol Guesno, Morro Bay resident (ksby.com)

What’s next

The shotgun and rifle ranges will open first, with the rest of the programs to follow as those ranges are ready.

The takeaway

The reopening of the San Luis Obispo Shooting Range under new non-profit management represents a significant community effort to restore an important local resource for firearm safety training and recreational shooting. The range's history and the involvement of longtime users highlight its value to the local community.