Anyone own/manage a range?

[BozemanMT]

I'm having real bad thoughts about quitting corporate america and buying an existing range.

thoughts?
opinions?
experiences?
gotchas?

thanks

 

[Billll]

I attended a range preservation seminar put on by the state once, and picked up several pointers:
1. Noise is not a reason to close down a range. There is appearantly some federal law about that.
2. there are only 3 things that WILL close down a range, and they are lead, lead, and lead.
That is; fugitive lead, from misplaced shots, exiting the range.
dormant lead in the ground, and
dormant lead in anything that might be construed as wet.
Of these the second is the worst. Lead in the water table is hard to argue against.
Lead in the ground is easy, in that you need to do little more than acknowledge its existance, and have some kind of plan to deal with it, at some point.
Fugitive lead is dealt with be constructing your shooting positions with "no blue sky" in mind. This does not preclude open air shooting, but requires some arrangement of baffles.
If you're looking at an indoor range, all this may be academic, but if a building inspection is involved, watch out for the inspector to rule that the place is contaminated with lead, and refuse to issue an occupancy permit untill it is cleaned up to someones satisfaction, at which point, you can go back to polluting the place.
After that, I guess it's just a matter of your talent at running a business.

 

[Standing Wolf]

If I were going to open a range, I'd go high end rather than low end. I've shot in some dark, dirty, dingy ranges in the People's Republic of California that were not only unsafe and unsupervised, but clearly didn't want me to buy anything before or after shooting.

 

[sm]

Makes you feel any better, I have serious concerns about Corporate America.
I spent 35 yrs in one career- attending College taking CIS/ IT now and in my home state...not looking very promising as I attend, much less when I get out.

I've been a range rat. I have observed those whom ran ranges. I have my personal thoughts. I was also one whom went Rebel and me my kind ...played our own games one might say.

Political Pressures aside, screw the antis anyway I say. If a person were to Market and Position themselves in such a manner, there are ways to make a profit.

Billl makes Great points, Lead is a big deal.

Still, even with the lead, and some things you have picked up Brian, and those of many of us...well yeah...feel free to PM me.

Need a range rat...I'm available.

How about a "bring your HDD out and shoot it" day? I can make patch cords and suspend them, or toss them out...

Trout and Reys would be so proud I read their book: Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind.

One idea...market to Corporate folks to come out and do Business Conferences...
Golf courses seem to do okay with this marketing angle...

 

[el44vaquero]

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[sm]

I've always been crazy - but it keeps me from going insane.

--Buffett, Waylon,... not sure whom else - and me...

Brian Sir,
Reply sent via PM.

Larry and Sandy "might" vouch for me...depends on whom is shooting up whose ammo...and whom is stealing whose gun at the moment...*snicker*