diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
index 2db82217acc4..adc01076f484 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -6103,6 +6103,10 @@ def hist(self, x, bins=None, range=None, normed=False, weights=None,
         .. plot:: mpl_examples/statistics/histogram_demo_features.py
 
         """
+        # Avoid shadowing the builtin.
+        bin_range = range
+        del range
+
         def _normalize_input(inp, ename='input'):
             """Normalize 1 or 2d input into list of np.ndarray or
             a single 2D np.ndarray.
@@ -6147,13 +6151,6 @@ def _normalize_input(inp, ename='input'):
         if bins is None:
             bins = rcParams['hist.bins']
 
-        # xrange becomes range after 2to3
-        bin_range = range
-        range = __builtins__["range"]
-
-        # NOTE: the range keyword overwrites the built-in func range !!!
-        #       needs to be fixed in numpy                           !!!
-
         # Validate string inputs here so we don't have to clutter
         # subsequent code.
         if histtype not in ['bar', 'barstacked', 'step', 'stepfilled']:
@@ -6514,10 +6511,7 @@ def hist2d(self, x, y, bins=10, range=None, normed=False, weights=None,
         .. plot:: mpl_examples/statistics/plot_hist.py
         """
 
-        # xrange becomes range after 2to3
-        bin_range = range
-        range = __builtins__["range"]
-        h, xedges, yedges = np.histogram2d(x, y, bins=bins, range=bin_range,
+        h, xedges, yedges = np.histogram2d(x, y, bins=bins, range=range,
                                            normed=normed, weights=weights)
 
         if cmin is not None: