What does it cost/take to build/open a gun range?

[Doug.38PR]

Our local town has had a need for one since the city closed one the town used. A lot of people have expressed an interest in having one.

What would it take? I'm sure it's not as simple as buying/leasing land and having a dozer dig up some dirt for berms, getting a business license and viola.

Outdoor or Indoor.

[gun runner]

Money, Insurance, and Money

[ryan42]

I would say the insurance would be outrageos.So like gunnrunner said its all about the money.

[wv hillbilly]

our fire dept. used to have shooting matches, untill the insurance cost became outrageous
maintaince was very little just using shotguns

[jack404]

planning permission ,
compliance to requirments for drainage ,
noise ,
distance to other property
fall of shot
insurance requirments
prayers

not necessarily in that order and not limited to that list

[Appliancedude]

Contact the NRA. 2 different ranges I belonged to had insurance ( I beleive) through them. Every member had to belong to the NRA as well. For insurance reasons. At least that was what I was told. GOod luck

[CampingJosh]

Might be worth looking into why the city shut down the last one. It could be an sign that you're going to get fought every step of the way if you try to open a new one. Or it could be a sign that there really isn't a market for it big enough to sustain it.

[ozo]

Outdoor is different than indoor for the requirements, as you surely know.
Our indoor range had to be built on the other side of town because of zoning
issues, a situation that is still not clear to me why, as both sides have
industrial areas....
We have a gun shop and indoor range. Zoning [per the ignorant city board],
insurance, and licensing are only part of it. Must also have a video surveillance
system that runs 24/7.
The building requirements are very stringent alone, but the EPA also has
their own agenda and requirements. Just the air [quality] handler cost a
small fortune, and can be inspected at any time. It takes 10 separate air filters,
changed once a month, and documented. The range can neither be heated nor
have A/C. It is inspected randomly by both the city and EPA and BETTER be in
compliance.
One more note, the licensing was held up for several months, no apparent
reason, but after the offer to both city PD and the Sheriffs dept that they
were welcome to send officers for training/qualification use, BAM!......
license was there.

[Doug.38PR]

Originally Posted by CampingJosh

Might be worth looking into why the city shut down the last one. It could be an sign that you're going to get fought every step of the way if you try to open a new one. Or it could be a sign that there really isn't a market for it big enough to sustain it.

Well it was out on the property of the local small town airport and they were going to add on to the airport or extend the runway. Least that's what I understood.

(I don't think that ever happened, but the gun range remains closed)

The deputy who ran the gun range told us that the berms needed to be higher and there were houses back there that would occasionally complain (you weren't allowed to shoot while laying down)

[Doug.38PR]

Originally Posted by ozo

One more note, the licensing was held up for several months, no apparent
reason, but after the offer to both city PD and the Sheriffs dept that they
were welcome to send officers for training/qualification use, BAM!......
license was there.

This reminds me of another demand for one in our parish seat. Our local sheriff and town police all have to drive 30 miles just to qualify and practice in the next parish (we're in Louisiana so we have parishes instead of counties)

[mogunner]

The small town in Kansas where I grew up built a fairly nice range outside of town, they got some help in theirs from the Army Corp of Engineers as they worked out a deal to let the local National Guard unit use it as well, they did all the heavy earthmoving and volunteers did the building, it's on the site of the old town dump that was shut down probably ten years or so before that.

[ryan42]

I dont belong to any shooting ranges because I have family that have alot of land and I shoot there anytime for free.Our local outdoor range you have to be a member,costs100 dollars fill out application,then they do a backround check and if you pass they vote you in or out.If you dont get voted in you dont get your money back. They have another range about 25 miles from me in alexandria,indiana that is open for trap on wendsdays.You dont have to be a member to shoot trap.Only time you have to be a member is if you want to use there pistol and rifle range and its only 50 bucks a year and your in.

[Blackshirts]

Originally Posted by jack404

planning permission ,
compliance to requirments for drainage ,
noise ,
distance to other property
fall of shot
insurance requirments
prayers

not necessarily in that order and not limited to that list

Originally Posted by gun runner

Money, Insurance, and Money

And that second "money" is for the team of lawyers.

[Helix_FR]

Indoor? Good location, good ventilation, OSHA and EPA contacts and a good relationship with DNR and a good business plan for a bank to even consider funding it.

[Doug.38PR]

what would be the first steps to take. Obviously I don't want to buy/lease land that turns out to be no good.

[Double D]

First steps would be zoning. You may come up against a brick wall in your city/county. It would be a shame to purchase a tract of land that isnt zoned for what your intending to do. You will need to work with your local zoning office. You might be able to re-zone a piece of land but that takes time and effort and isnt always successful. Someone said check with the NRA. They do offer insurance for ranges but they have to be set up to their specifications. Not sure about the indoor range. Like ozo said, there are so many hurdles to jump with the EPA and zoning it can be a daunting task. I have seen several folks opt out of the range all together because of the costs and hassles they were facing. If you are dealing with a liberal local government, you may need a good lawyer to break thru whats real and what they interpret as law. If you choose to follow thru, please keep us posted and good luck, you are going to need it.

[Doug.38PR]

I think I'm going to shoot for (no pun intended) an outdoor range. 1) it's probably cheaper and thus more affordable to people in the town, 2) it's better suited for longer ranges for people with rifles, 3) it sounds like less hurdles to jump through

[Blackshirts]

Outdoor ranges are all I go to. Do some research with the city. You might be able to get some financial help if you allow local authorities to use it for training. Check with the Game and Fish Department. They run a huge range here and might be of help as well.

There is always the DHS. They are going to need somewhere to dispense those 1 BILLION rounds of ammunition. Because, of course, they were only ordered for training purposes.

[BETH]

where do u live?

[ozo]

Originally Posted by Doug.38PR

I think I'm going to shoot for (no pun intended) an outdoor range. 1) it's probably cheaper and thus more affordable to people in the town, 2) it's better suited for longer ranges for people with rifles, 3) it sounds like less hurdles to jump through

Outdoor ranges support their own hurdles.....
Liberals see that as bullets flying thru the air......
without proper containment !
Please don't misunderstand me, I am all for
you getting yet another range open to shoot the
guns at.....that are.....
OUR RIGHT TO KEEP AND .........

[ozo]

Oh, I have a ? for you Doug,
why don't you list your location ?
[see, mine says Nashville...]
[just a personal pet peeve]

[Doug.38PR]

With all the lunatics on the internet, I'd rather not be found. But it's no big deal. I just added my general location. I live in the country out in the parish so I can shoot on my own property. About 12 years ago (a few years before Sept 11, 2001 happened) the town had a gun range by the little airport. They shut it down because they were going to extend the runway and they were afraid planes would get shot at. It was run by the city and had an old deputy out there running the place. Then they shut it down. That affected everybody. Lot of people in town who like to shoot and hunt who miss the range. The city police and parish sheriff's dept all have to drive 30 miles away to the next parish to qualify and practice. I think there is a market for a range in Bastrop.

[ozo]

I'm all for you gettin' it open......
Location thing just always 'got me'
as people don't put it, and for the reason you gave,
then are on the electronic stream of the world that any
wannabe hacker could easily get your IP.......
just wondering, that's all.
Ain't no thing.....as I am contemplating removing myself
completely off of any of this anyhow.......

[Doug.38PR]

just got a lot of good information e mailed to me by the NRA. ordered a book on the subject, got a list of to-dos. (their conferences for this sort of thing are kind of far. One's in Virginia, one's in California. A bit far for me.

[BETH]

we had a few problems with members at my place and did not want to go by the rules so now they have everyone signing a waiver when u join? We had one guy that was a member putting up nude pictures of women to shoot at the president got a hold of him told him he could not do that he said he was a member could do anything he wanted ect? Also the range i belong to u can go and shoot by yourself most of the ranges in Ct. have a rule two people must be present to shoot?