Indoor Shooting Range

View · by **goda0301** on Sat Apr 13, 2013 11:19 pm

I’ve found a building that is zoned commercial and would be the best indoor range that one could imagine. It’s for sale and pretty cheap. Does anyone on here have any advice or direction they could share. What are some of the state requirements etc., insurance needed, how many staff are needed when range is hot etc. It is located in town and I don’t think the city will have any issues with this but any and all info will be greatly appreciated. For example, can you build your own stations? Does MN have specific requirements for ventilation, and or what type of back stop you use? There are about a dozen guys committed to this adventure so the sky’s the limit at this point. More details to follow in the next month.
Thanks again
Dave

View · by **usnret** on Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:12 am

Check out NSSF. They have pretty much all the information that you need. And by the way, it is very expensive to put in an indoor range.

View · by **froggpond1** on Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:46 am

Good morning Goda, It just so happens I have much information on in door shooting ranges. I'll keep it short here.

It would best to cover this in a phone call or face to face during the week. I have tested many of the cities around the 494 694 ring for a ranges allowability.
I am currently working on the OGC range improvements as their construction liaison.

For your questions they require answers within context of what building, what city, what use, size etc etc . we can talk about this.
I also know of dozens of sites which are in trouble with their banks and would love to hear from you.

Seismic sam can comment on who I am.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/petarpoucki
http://www.meritus.me is my company
look at the testimonials page.

Petar
612-799-1863

View · by **Payne** on Tue Apr 16, 2013 7:50 am

Gota

I just completed a tour of "Range Systems" out of New Hope. They specialize in indoor ranges and have "Sealed Mindset" range inside their building on the first floor.

Range Systems has a complete indoor range package for the end user. Their package includes assistance with Planning and Zoning, Financing, and of course the building of your indoor range. They even have the target systems and targets that might be needed. I liked how they have their range set up as a building within a building. The range is built inside your existing building and is completely bullet proof and has its own air exchange system.

Range Systems
5121 Winnetka Av. N.
New Hope, MN 55428
1-888-999-1217
http://www.range-systems.com

I am not affiliated with Range Systems in any way. I am a Chief of Police and an avid 3-gun shooter and I toured their facility to see about target systems that might be applicable to my PD outdoor range and for 3-gun matches. I left the facility thinking that this had to have been one of the most professional facilities that I have ever seen. They are well worth the time to speak with before making a final decision.

View · by **goda0301** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:59 pm

Our dream set up would be a 100% private club, that would allow members to have scan card access, website setup to allow sign up for lane times etc. I know a lot of local outdoor shooting ranges are basically self regulated. (shoot at your risk) Im not sure if this is even possible with an indoor range. Our biggest issue would be finding and being able to pay quality staff to keep the lights. My group (myself included) doesn't think there's enough demand to support a full blown gun range, (35 miles west of Eden Prairie) a private self regulated club is basically our only option at this point. Does anyone know if this is even a possibility??? The building is going to up on auction this summer, and the way buildings in town are selling we might get this thing for nothing... almost 15,000 sq ft of pure heaven in my opinion. At $500 range for 1 year membership how many on here would consider it????

View · by **LarryFlew** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 11:13 pm

Sorry, not me

View · by **Squib Joe** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:16 am

1) Scrape a few million together.

2) Contact NSSF Range Development Program as mentioned above. http://www.nssf.org/ranges/RangeResources

3) ???

4) Profit

View · by **minnesotatv** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:24 am

goda0301 wrote: At $500 range for 1 year membership how many on here would consider it????

no way

View · by **Hmac** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:52 am

That's a lot of money, but I'd consider it if it was a well constructed and safe range, allowed for flexibility of target programming, and allowed for holster work and movement. Without those things, indoor ranges become in large part a Minnesota winter phenomenon that limits the usefulness of going to the range since you can only practice a part of optimal shooting skills. I currently shoot indoors this winter but find it limiting. I look forward to weather allowing comfortable days at the outdoor range where I'm not necessarily limited in what shooting skills I can practice. Admittedly, that can vary from outdoor range to outdoor range.

View · by **xd ED** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 7:11 am

To what Hmac said, I'll add that location would be a prime consideration- for me that would be 10-15 mn max drive, as well as unfettered access to a 50 yd lane.
That's quite a sum of money for 4-5 months usage.

View · by **TH3180** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 7:22 am

It might work. People are paying $420 a year for a BPR mega shooter. They are busy on weekends and closed Mondays. As for an indoor range only being a winter thing. I don't agree. Go to BPR in the summer on a weekend. Still a lot of people shooting. Not as much as in the winter but still worth it for them to be open.

View · by **sglatzel** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 7:25 am

I lived in Scottsdale, AZ for the last several years. I returned to Minnesota for the purpose of taking care of my 97 year old father. I really wish that I was back there.
In the Phoenix valley there are many shooting ranges, there are competions every night off the week, just choose the kind you want. IDPA, USPSA, local rules, etc. Want to shoot against Rob Leatham, Bob Vogel, them and more are ones you will find being squadded with.

Probably the best gun club in the US, is the SCOTTSDALE GUN CLUB, it is all inside, 32 or more lanes, It gets warm there you know. They now have two locations one in the east valley and one in the west valley. The west store even has 12 100 yard ranges. I am talking many levels better than what is available here.

The method that SCOTTSDALE GUN CLUB uses is a monthly membership, they have 3 tiers, the basic is $29.95 per month. For that you are allowed to use the range anytime the store is open, and even a hour before it is open in the morning. If you wanted to shoot for a 1/2 half hour that is fine orf you want to stay all day, no extra charge over their monthly membership. I was starting to learn 10mm reloading, DILLON was about a mile away from SGC, I would load up maybe 5 cartridges, go shoot, leave and go home make another adjustment, go shoot 5 more and repeat. Just one monthly membership charge billed to a credit card and away you go. SGC was about 2 miles from where I lived.

Just a thought of how this would be a better mousetrap for another range to use.

Steve

View · by **Yankee John** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:59 am

If you are open to the possibility of something turn-key, My local gun shop here in New Ulm (The Hunter's Den) closed in September of last year, due to health issues of the owner. They have a fantastic indoor gun range already set up and ready to go.

I am very sad, as I have nowhere to shoot anymore. I have (3) pistols that I haven't even fired yet!

If you are interested, It is being sold through Edina Reality.

Hereis a link: http://www.edinarealty.com/commercial-f ... d-75405848

Hope this helps!

John

View · by **goda0301** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:44 pm

The $500 amount was just a number we have been throwing around... It all depends on what the building goes for. Currently we have a master plumber, a master electrician, a drafter, 2 general contractors, 3 farmers, 2 engineers and a lawyer committed to this adventure. So in a nut shell we will do everything for pennies on the dollar since our only cost will be raw materials. All of us involved are not doing this to get rich by any means, like I stated before I don’t believe this location could support a full blown gun range. A private range that is self-regulated maybe. The indoor range could be just the tip of the ice berg since many of us involved have personal outdoor gun ranges that we own ourselves. We have discussed combining both the indoor and the outdoor into one membership, BUT that then requires people coming close to our personal homes etc. and it’s something we're just not comfortable with at this time. One of my buddies has an unreal out door range that’s an old junk yard with an farm house, barn, and out buildings that we shoot out of but its only 14 acres and I’m not sure it could be zoned as a full blown gun range. Our other option would be a possible joint venture with a local sportsmen’s club that is set up as a non-profit, they currently have an outdoor range and we are thinking they could some how tie into this indoor range. As a private club can’t you run your club as you see fit? I.E training, types of shooting etc.?

View · by **Spartan** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:03 pm

I like the monthly.... $500.00 is a lot for some folks .... do it like a club contract $ 200.00 initiation fee and $42.00 per month... waive the $200.00 fee for a two year contract. auto debit bank account ..........

$10.00 FFL transfers limit of 5 per month
$10 guest fee
$30 shooting fee per person for non- member- non guest
maybe you form an LLC and a private stock offering to raise some upfront cash