Gun ranges?

[docwalt 1]

Hey guys....Do you think it feasable to open up a range of our own. Open to the public.

Start a little business? Rates, fees, food sales......? I NEED A JOB.....

[tbtrout 141]

Indoor or outdoor?

 

Indoor will run about 1.5 Million

 

Outdoor who knows. The environmental impact study and all the EPA rules, zoning variances and buying enough land not to pose a danger to residential areas. Burm construction. It will cost more than an indoor.

[Maksim 1,504]

About right... 1.5 to 2 mil, and that is just construction costs, ventilation, etc.

 

not including licenses, leasing a space, utilities, etc.

 

It is a very high entry barrier, with a low to medium profit margin, and a long time horizon to recover initial costs.

[ah141nj 0]

Indoor or outdoor?

 

Indoor will run about 1.5 Million

 

 

Really 1.5 milliion?

 

Its just an indoor space with a great ventilation unit. Why should it be so expensive?

 

I would be interested in some kind of range venture. I read somewhere that grants are available from the Govt and the NRA.

 

How about a owner(member)/operator?

[matt6669 71]

It is soooo much more involved than a space and ventilation.

 

You need a backstop. What's this backstop going to be made out of, steel et.

You need baffles on the ceiling and the walls

You also need stations and a way to get the targets down and back etc.

 

From my research that I have done it seems the general concensus is that each lane will run you about 200k

 

So a 5 lane range will be a cool million and that's using an existing space. This doesn't include all of the permits and lawyers your going to need to make this happen as well.

 

If you don't have 500k in liquid assets don't even think about looking into you. You'll never get a loan to make it happen. The ROI is extremely low and a indoor range needs to be coupled with a gun shop as well. Welcome to another hurtle that you need to over come. Your best bet is to buy an existing range and improve on it if you really want to.

 

You want to do an outdoor range good luck. The property will easily run you over a cool million for the space that your going to need. Then your going to have to build berms which isn't a big deal outside because you can just use dirt. But now your going to have to reclaim the lead and the enviro's are going to be on your butt to make sure your not polluting the ground and water around you etc.

 

Opening a range isn't as easy as saying oh hey I want to open a range, I got this indoor space, lets put a ventilation system in here and call it a day. I've also heard that they won't let you put a range in any existing building either. You need to select your building where people won't be in the surround area because that'll allow you to use a less expensive baffling system. You also will need to demonstrate to the town that if a round is fired at the ceiling baffle the bullet has no chance of escaping as well.

 

Then IF you get it built good luck maintaining it. You will be replacing lights, runners for the targets, motors etc because you get gangster wanna-be's who can't hit a target and instead destroy your equipment.

 

It's extremely hard to start a indoor range from scratch and make it profitable.

[docwalt 1]

No one said ..hey ,lets open a range today. We are just tossing around an idea.

[Maksim 1,504]

I think matt was over simplifying it... but it does take that long.

 

hell, just email any gun range owner and talk to them. I dont know many others that would do it again if they could. =)

 

Think of it this way... it is worse and more difficult than opening a bar... at least most people drink. With guns going off, neighbors can complain and what town would let you get a permit without at least some trouble.

[bullethole 15]

When we opened ours about 18 years ago, the town had to approve it. Now from what I know that is the most difficult part because most towns need to change their ordinances. The people who actually built the range and the air system had to send reps out which cost some money. Once you get past that, the hours will kill you. We are open 7 days a week. Totaling about 85 hours of "open" time. There is also the repair times. We are usually there a half hour after closing to replace light bulbs and clean the brass up. Also Sunday mornings start at 7:00am for lead cleanup with the backstops. Manny does most of the repair work with a crew of guys. Because the range can handle high power rifle, there is a little more work involved.

Hope this helps!

Jen

[Maksim 1,504]

thank you jen..... =) your insight is obviously to be taken with alot of attention and weight as you actually run a range.

[rscalzo 3]

great ventilation unit

 

You don't just put in a fan or two and open up. As the management from the Bullethole will tell you, the ventilation system from a reliable company can run in the six figures. It not only ventilates bringing the air quality to a safe and legal level, it filters all expelled air.

 

A few years ago several towns were looking into a outdoor range in the Laural hill Park complex. The backstops ran well over 200 k. The days of just letting the lead sit in the ground are over.

 

If you are able to get it off the ground, you keep your fingers crossed hoping you don't have any incidents which will involve you in a long and costly lawsuit. Just being involved in the operation of a rather large gun club up here gives me heartburn every other day. Just when you think you've sen it all, someone comes in and does something even stupider.

[usnmars 136]

One of my friends owns a bunch of land. On the land is an old railroad tunnel that we shoot in. It is easily over 150yds long. I have always tried talking him into making it a public range. We already have a large berm at the back end of it, and it is lit. It's nice when it is raining like hell outside just to step into the tunnel and go shoot.

[rscalzo 3]

I have always tried talking him into making it a public range

 

You have Federal, state and municipal issues to handle and that takes competent legal representation versed in that area of the law. While a berm might stop the bullets, what about the lead removal. The EPA isn't about to let you just leave it, especially if it is near any water supplies or a possibility exists it will find it's way into the water system. Insurance costs are not inconsequential.

 

A rather large club up here extended one range out to six hundred yards. the costs for the environmental issues alone were well over 300k.

 

As a new facility, you aren't exempt from any noise or quality of life issues that will arise. Up here an established club cannot be charged with New regulations if they were in compliance when established.

 

You might be able to open a outdoor facility is you have a chunk of money nearing a million on hand. As cash flow will drop to almost zero during the cold months operating expenses are a concern. Even up here public outdoor ranges are not popular.

[bullethole 15]

Rscalzo is correct. I did not even get into the environmental impact. We invested in something that is top of the line. Filters are changed weekly because we will not risk the alternative. They are not normal filters you can get at Home Depot. They are delivered by a local place. (sometimes if your "lucky" you will see them stacked up outside the front door!) Those filters run into the thousands each month. There are also huge metal ones that are replaced twice a year that run about $2000 each. Those are lifted onto the building and it takes three or four guys to install them.

[tt-33 8]

as an investment id rather open a 7-11 you have to find a town that will accept you .a building of the right size in all likelyhood you will have to jack hammer floors for the footings of the range walls over head plates and the back stop the weight of the system would surprise you.the range it self is so exspencive most people lease it .look behind you at the government people with there hands out