Indoor Range Improvement Ideas

[hotshotshoting]

these are all suggestions that i think every single range owner myself included would love to have...

however...


insurance is stupid high and rightfully so.... ( do you know how many people honestly think they know what they are doing and don't?)
how many bullet holes there are that i cant even imagine how they were able to shoot them there?


lighting i put in extremely expensive lighting just to see people shoot it out the same day...

ventilation a proper ventilation system runs minimum of 2 million (and that's with just filtered exhaust and pure un-heated / cold intake..

a actual closed hvac system that moves enough air to be effective is in the 7 to 10 million area... and that's for a small 10 lane 20 yard range.....

and cost... how are we supposed to drop costs? we charge people 15$ / hour to use the range... and every penny of that goes to the insurance... and people complain about that being high priced....

and drawing from the hip.... its not so much we don't think that you could do it safely its the fact that when someone (who cant do it safely sees you doing it) they want to do it.. and then i have to deal with a gsw and im not interested in doing that anymore...

as for my range we allow rapid fire with an exception... we tell you that "you can fire as fast as you can control your fire... you shoot my target holders, the floor, the walls, the ceilings we will be asking you to stop."

just my 2cents

 

[Claude Clay]

i've seen some unintelligent comments above

my suggestions are not practical due to safety and other issue's so please (no) unnecessary comments

....kinda cake & eat it to??

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Hotshot nailed it with the high startup costs of ventilation & insurance.
tied in with shooters of varying levels of competency, training, sharing the firing line--rules are needed as is a full time RO
thus more costs.
perhaps rank shooters and give blocks of time during the week to certain ratings.
of course the best time periods are reserved for the better shooters

 

[miamiboy]

Things I hate about every public indoor range I've shot at

Too dark
Poor air system
Targets must be bought there
No "rapid" fire ( 1 round a second isn't rapid )
No holster use
Limited choices for target distance, because of space or because the poor lighting only illuminates the target at two distances, 10 and 15 yards.
Charging by the half-hour, and too much
Staff who act like you are an inconvenience, and they are doing you a favor by allowing you to shoot there.

Man did you ever hit it.

 

[Chemistry Guy]

Here in Cinci, we have only one indoor range in the city (that I'm aware of).

I have stopped going there because it is unsafe and at certain hours the customer base makes me feel very uncomfortable. Last time I was there, a young guy comes in with a glock and a few loaded mags wrapped in a white undershirt, they let him into the range, then he starts firing down range without a target. At first I thought he was firing at my target, but when I asked him, he said he didn't need a target, he was just "shooting a few bullets."

I have decided it is worth it to spend the extra 45 minutes to drive up to Spring Creek in Waynesville or down to Shooters Supply in Independence. It is a real shame, though, because it was a nice range 6-8 years ago when I first started going.

 

[tooltech]

State of the art

We have a new indoor range opening in Longmont, CO this week. I was able to tour the facility today. They have addressed most, if not all the most common complaints I've seen on this thread. On the 25 yard pistol range, there are 11 lanes, 7 fully lit, and a separate room with 4 lanes with adjustable lighting for low light practice. The lane lighting is amazing. there are lights about every 12-15' down the lane, with baffles protecting the lights from stray rounds.

The target carriers are Fully programmable. They are also radio controlled, and wireless. The high capacity batteries are rated for 12-14 hours of continuous use, and recharge whenever the carrier is in it's home position. The carriers are "Scenario capable" so you can set them for multiple ranges, and rotations The lane benches fold up, so once you are "range qualified" you can draw and fire from holster.

Apparently the company that makes the carrier robots also makes bomb robots.

The rifle range is in another wing of the building, and is a full 100 yards. (actually 101) On that side, the target carriers are programmed for 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards, and there is direct lighting on the target. The shooting benches steel, Rhino lined, and anchored to the floor. If you miss, you can't blame it on the bench

They are dedicating on lane to prone fire. Probably with a low bench to keep people from shooting the ceiling.

The ceiling. The plans include future expansion. Second floor mirroring the first. The roof panels are a full 12" thick, so the second "floor" is already in place, and just need the walls raised.

They used the same design bullet trap on both sides. sloped steel plate, deceleration chamber, oil/water to eliminate lead dust in the air.

The ventilation system is HEPA filtration, and has an air quality sensor at each lane.

There is a nice lounge area, as well as classroom(s) upstairs. They also will have a small "snack bar".

Did they miss anything?

I have been debating joining, but after what I saw today, I'm in!

http://triggertimegunclub.com