Thinking about building a range.

[Hoier]

I am fed up with all the local ranges around me and I am thinking about building a range. I would like to know if any of you guys know about how much land you would need and what the insurance would cost. I appreciate all the help.

 

[sailhertoo]

1000 yards worth and insurance up the yen yang.

Well, 600 yards minimal. Well, for load work-ups 300 minimal.

Where you at?

 

[stinnett1981]

I own hunting ground in the middle of nowhere that is on river bottoms. The closes house is 4 miles away. If you actually want a "shooting range" then there is a lot more to it that I have no idea about. If you are simply looking for a place you can shoot anytime you want then buy some cheap hunting ground that is far far away from any houses. Its a win win deal. You have a place to shoot and hunt!

 

[gary0529]

My first question(of many) is political.
Will the local powers that be even allow it? Before I hear scoffing and 2nd A issues brought up let me say that even established clubs in Va. run up against the politicians who will throw roadblocks up for seemingly no other reason than they can.
IF, it is legally able to be done, then a whole host of other things set in, like, liability insurance, EPA and their minions with ground contamination with lead, neighbors, fencing, et.al.

Are you sure you just don't want to bulldoze a 30' "path" out to 600 yards and not advertise that it is there and insure you have a good backstop and did I say DON'T ADVERTISE THAT YOU HAVE IT!

 

[Hippy]

Several (20) years ago when I lived in VA there was a hunting club-land lease- that liked to shoot hand thrown clay birds on Sunday afternoon wellllllllllll there was "The NEIGHBOR" who lived 1/4 mile and complained about the NOISE. The club was well equipped with people from all walks of life and was smart enough to get the NRA involved.
It was determined that the Railroad that ran close to the Neighbors home produced noise at a 300% greater level on a daily basis.

Good Luck

Jim

 

[Hoier]

I live in Colorado Springs. I would want to go out to 600 and possibly 1000 in the future. I think it could be fairly profitable business depending on the insurance. I found 640 acres for sale and wonder if that would be enough?

Sorry guys my questions are kinda vague Im starting to seriously get this idea rolling.

 

[GSPV]

Sit down and put together a business plan. It will help you determine if you want to do it or not.

Personally, there is no way in Hades, that I'd go down that road. I like to be free to do what *I* want to do, when *I* want to do it. I don't want to be tied down to running a range for the public.

 

[M-61]

For my clarification: "RANGE..." meaning a place for you to shoot, or a range that might be opened to the public, or any type of facility that you would charge a fee for people to use? (including a 'club' type organization).

 

[Hoier]

Ok I mean I wanna build a gun club. That I would charge a yearly fee.

 

[Larryh128]

Our club is the only one in our area that has a range longer than 100 yds. We go out to 400 which is far but it sure beats 100. I'm sure that we get our insurance thru the NRA. It isn't that expensive. We just added a dedicated pistol range and installed another berm on one side of the rifle backstop. We recently were told that we need a wire around the property with signs stating that they are entering a shooting range. Funny as it's against the law to trespass, games people play.

 

[CaptainMal]

If you are "fed up" with local ranges might it be you are "fed up" with the people there?

I flat out hate it at public ranges. Monday morning, at a small local range, three guys walked downrange, left rifles with closed bolts and one guy sitting there with a cartridge in a rifle he was using. All guns were pointed downrange at these guys.

I "flipped out" at them and they argued AGAINST safety. Now I am the "bad guy".

If you build a range and open it to the general public you are opening up more aggravation. It's hard to escape stupid.

 

[timeout]

Ok I mean I wanna build a gun club. That I would charge a yearly fee.

If you are looking for a return on investment, a gun club may, or may not, fill the bill. I have no knowledge regarding the economics of a gun club. If you are looking to be able to practice and work up loads, I would simply build myself whatever fits my budget and enjoy it. In other words keep it private for yourself and whomever you choose to invite. It would seem to me that if you build the range for a gun club, you will sooner, rather than later, be aggravated. This may not be the case, you will need to decide for yourself. I wish you the best with whatever your final decision and outcome may be!

 

[M-61]

GSPV's response (in particular the 2nd paragraph) is further backed by CaptainMal's. Which leads me to think the first call is to a lawyer. All of which points to your opening with "I am fed up...." Now you become RESPONSIBLE for the actions of the people who caused you to look at this business venture to start with. I have my own 'range' (only 250 yds) but I can do what I want when I want. Also I am sure I am older than you and had been in business for over 45 years....meaning the public burned me out...my views are slanted.
I do wish you you every success in your venture.

 

[Hoier]

Ok I suppose I will share some background on myself. I am 29 years old and have been working for my dad's excavating company since I was about 12. The thing that has me fed up with the ranges around here is how they are run, not the people shooting there(although they can test your patience). I live shooting mr and lr br. The club I am a member of currently is only 300yd and they are building a second that is suppose to go out to 1k but they said they aren't gonna put any benches on it. We just started a 600yd br club at a range down in Pueblo but the board on that club is shutting us down. Now don't get me wrong I wanna shoot br but I also don't want other folks to have to deal with all the bs of these 2 clubs. I wanna open a place that can host all sorts of different sorts of matches. I'm fairly young and inexperienced so I am hear to get some thoughts from you guys who have been around.

 

[wapiti25]

I would talk to the NRA and get their help from the start. I belong to a "gun association" which is a range that a gunshop owner controles. He got some money thru the "friends of the NRA" to build the range, we pay a fee each year to belong. You will need a lawyer to advise you. Good Luck

 

[GSPV]

As a quick sanity check, do the following:

1. How much are payments on the the land for a year?
2. How much is it going to cost you to build the facilities?
3. How much is it going to cost to operate the facilities for a year? Water, electricity, mowing, target frames, port-o-lets, anything like that.
4. How much will you pay for labor for that year?
5. How much revenue will it realistically generate in that year?

Take 5 and subtract 1-4. Compare it to minimum wage. I think that you'll be surprised.

 

[savagedasher]

I think building a gun range is like building a race team. If you want to make a small fortune doing either .START WITH A BIG ONE. My guess it all depends on what you want and where you live.To improve our range to the master plan we are looking at 8 to 10 million.
Good Shooting Larry

 

[Hoier]

I wanna do fairly big. 640 acres which would be mile by a mile.

 

[Hoier]

Which I could get at what I think is a good deal.

 

[stubbicatt]

Hoier, there is a Frontier Sportsmans' Club, which has two ranges, one of which goes to 1000 yards there in Colorado Springs. Membership dues are fairly low, IIRC, less than $100 per year. Then there is Dragon Man's and the new firing range at Fort Carson to which the public is invited.

If this is a commercial range, you might want to find a community which is under served by such ranges. Pretty much all serious shooters in the Springs belong to Frontier.

FWIW.