Range likes and dislikes.

[Skoty]

I would say have a good pistol range (indoor and out) indoor must have really really good ventilation (seems to be a problem with all indoor ranges), well lit, painted, climate controlled. Outdoor pistol out to 25-30 yards.

Shotgun trap area, and a spot where you can also practice simple target with shotgun for hunters to practice.

Rifle range, need a good long one. 100 yards all the way out to 500± yards. 100 yards for sighting in and zeroing, and its also good for smaller rifles like .22 so you can hold Appleseed events. 500± yard range for high power rifles, Indiana especially around central Indiana there aren't very many long rifle ranges.

It should have a good setup where you can bench rest any firearm on any range, clean, covered, nice club house to get snacks, misc shooting supplies (ear plugs, barrel snakes, etc etc). With a nice club house you can hold NRA training events, safety courses, defensive firearms courses, first time shooting classes, INGO EVENTS!!!!!!

Others have covered the other stuff about kids, women, keep it public but also have member package and be somewhat tough on the rules. People cant come out to act a fool, can have fun but no risk to their own safety and especially others.

Just make sure the more you can accommodate Appleseed, IDPA USPSA etc etc the more traffic you will get, the more potential customers. Nobody likes a dingy range, the cleaner and friendlier, the better family environment it can be. More families will feel like its kept up well and the people that run it really care.

Just my . If you put it near Central Indiana, I am more than willing to help out.

 

[Jack Ryan]

You'll never be able to make the land and improvements pay for themselves with all the stuff these guys are wanting you to do. They'll have you serving eggs in their beer for a nickle a mug if you listen to this bunch.

Search for Atterbury threads to hear how they whine over the cost and managment of that facility and the land was free.

 

[Bill of Rights]

Three words: Dedicated Appleseed Range!

The Appleseed Project

We need 25 yards from firing line to target, a good, safe berm, and some area behind the firing line for equipment, etc. and 3-4 feet of space on the line for each shooter. Having a Known Distance range (400-500yds) would be a big plus as well but not strictly necessary.

Oh, and Jack.. He asked for ideas/stuff we like and stuff we dislike. Whether he does any or all of it is a business decision, and for my part, I admire him for planning as far ahead as it sounds like he's doing.

Besides... What are you doing with beer on a firing range anyway?

Blessings,
Bill

 

[Jack Ryan]

Besides... What are you doing with beer on a firing range anyway?

Blessings,
Bill

Just watching the show. I didn't touch nothing.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I don't like shooting inside. I want a roof on the fireing line though so I can shoot when it looks like rain and every one else stays home, yet I can still not get wet if it starts to rain. I can also go shoot if it quits raining and not stand in puddles or sit on a wet bench.

I want people who want to shoot at 25 yards to go over on the 25 yard range and to pick up all their crap and take it with them or throw it away when they are done.

I don't want people behind me playing around with their guns while I'm down range setting a target.

On a trap range I want people who pay attention to where the muzzle of that shotgun is pointing and aren't turning around looking at the range house with a closed action and shouting "Looky here!" or "Watch this one!"

On a pistol range I want an apple tree or walnut tree near by for handy targets that blow up but I don't have to go clean up afterwards.

I want it all free and topless dancing girls to serve icecream sodas on the firing line and to clean all my guns when I'm done shooting. It's got to be close enought to the house it don't cost much to drive there but far enough the wife won't pop in unexpected.

 

[BillD]

I don't like shooting inside. I want a roof on the fireing line though so I can shoot when it looks like rain and every one else stays home, yet I can still not get wet if it starts to rain. I can also go shoot if it quits raining and not stand in puddles or sit on a wet bench.

I want people who want to shoot at 25 yards to go over on the 25 yard range and to pick up all their crap and take it with them or throw it away when they are done.

I don't want people behind me playing around with their guns while I'm down range setting a target.

On a trap range I want people who pay attention to where the muzzle of that shotgun is pointing and aren't turning around looking at the range house with a closed action and shouting "Looky here!" or "Watch this one!"

On a pistol range I want an apple tree or walnut tree near by for handy targets that blow up but I don't have to go clean up afterwards.

I want it all free and topless dancing girls to serve icecream sodas on the firing line and to clean all my guns when I'm done shooting. It's got to be close enought to the house it don't cost much to drive there but far enough the wife won't pop in unexpected.

I hear ya, you don't want the wife dropping in anywhere where you and the topless dancing girls are hanging out......if I had a nickel......

 

[Indecision]

I'm still gonna be in afghanistan for the next year no matter how you slice it, lol. Then I want to contract over here for a couple years to have no house payment/car payment. When I'm gone I'll start looking for suitable land and capital. Start it up when I get back. If I do it, I'm not going to play around. It's gonna be a nice facility. And It will be in the anderson/muncie/fortville area most likely. It will all depend on what's available for the right price to suit my needs.

 

[Indecision]

You'll never be able to make the land and improvements pay for themselves with all the stuff these guys are wanting you to do. They'll have you serving eggs in their beer for a nickle a mug if you listen to this bunch.

Search for Atterbury threads to hear how they whine over the cost and managment of that facility and the land was free.

If I can set up what I see in my head, I don't think drawing customers will be an issue. Everyone I've gone into detail about it says that they wish i would open it near them. I think it stems from being a car guy, but I live by the words "if you can't afford to do it right, you can't afford to do it twice." I don't make half attempts. It's either going to be awesome or it's not going to exist.

 

[techres]

Go and see Riley on a Sunday morning Wabash Valley shoot. It will give you a great idea of how a range can be done for pistol and action shooting on the weekends, while remaining useful as a 200+ yard rifle range for those not moving and shooting.

Personally, I prefer NOT having an RSO looking over my shoulder to tell what I cannot do...

 

[Indecision]

Go and see Riley on a Sunday morning Wabash Valley shoot. It will give you a great idea of how a range can be done for pistol and action shooting on the weekends, while remaining useful as a 200+ yard rifle range for those not moving and shooting.

Personally, I prefer NOT having an RSO looking over my shoulder to tell what I cannot do...

You know as well as I do that there are people with bad habits or ignorance that NEED it. But I understand what you are saying.

 

[monsruzo]

suggestion

I suggest having an area for general target shooting up to 100 yards with target stands, benches, and cover from rain or sun, that will be cheap for public use (like five dollars each hour, or 20 for the day)

I feel a lot more people would go shooting if it was cheaper and by the hour, not needing a membership for this area.

If you charged more to make the appropriate monies needed, only a hundred people may show up a month, but put the price down cheap and all of the sudden I anticipate a thousand people a month for example. So, you would get a lot more money each month this way if it pans out to work like that.

I can say that me and everyone I have spoke to agree that going to shoot targets would be more common if it were cheaper than the current ranges that all seem to be at 8 - 25 dollars an hour.

It would require a lot of land and a lot of lanes as they may fill up fast plus often with low rates.

 

[djl02]

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