Indoor Ranges?

[CHele0406]

Hey Everyone, I am really green on this forum. This would be my first post here. Being so, I want to make it worth while. I am starting an Indoor Range here in Utah and we are trying to get some general info from people that are heavily involved in the industry. If you would like to help, click the link, it is a survey that will take a few seconds. Any input is very appreciated.

Thanks

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9S2QPH2

 

[fatcat4620]

Where in utah?

 

[W.E.G.]

The big issue for everybody who spends much time in an indoor range should be ventilation.

Most indoor ranges I've been to are terrible for ventilation.

I don't see how anybody spends more than an hour a month in those places without having blood lead levels over the safety threshold.

 

[alsaqr]

I am starting an Indoor Range here in Utah and we are trying to get some general info from people that are heavily involved in the industry.

Building an indoor firing range can become a very expensive proposition; especially if ammunition containing lead is used. Unless lead free ammunition is required, a very expensive venilation and filter system must be installed. The bullet traps for a range that allows the use of ammunition containing lead is very expensive and and requires periodic servicing.

http://www.ais-sim.com/shooting_ranges/shooting_ranges_hvac.htm

 

[Sam1911]

I'd suggest you do an extremely careful business plan before you put any money into this.

The shooting world is just not ready for non-lead ammo quite yet (with a very few highly specific exceptions like SIG Academy), so you're going to be dealing with major OSHA and EPA issues about lead. Personal protection against lead contamination and the containment and disposal of lead is such a huge headache that everything that has lead involved somehow is far more expensive now than 10 or 20 years ago. And these are getting stricter and more costly every year.

Make darned sure you know what it will take to cover the costs of handling the issues in accordance with the law. You cannot possibly afford the penalties for screwing up.

(I'm in the construction industry. For a small firm doing house remodeling, not properly containing and disposing of materials which MIGHT contain lead paint could cost us up to $65,000 PER DAY we're found in violation. And that's just EPA fines for contaminating a home. Add to that whatever OSHA would fine for not properly protecting the employees!)

Serious business. Costly business. $5 per hour to shoot or whatever is hardly going to cover it.

 

[Ryanxia]

Sounds like there's a lot to consider. Personally I prefer outdoor covered ranges but glad to see another potential range going in.

Good luck.

 

[340PD]

I work PT at a city owned range with limited public access. OSHA will dictate ventilation, cleanup equipment, and hundreds of other little requirements. Every nine months we have the lead cleaned out. $16,000 average cost. You need to make contact with newer ranges that have started up and gather information from them. Caswell makes most bays and return equipment so contact them for names of their newer installations. Good Luck. You can make money in this business.

 

[Vector]

I'd suggest you do an extremely careful business plan before you put any money into this.

The shooting world is just not ready for non-lead ammo quite yet (with a very few highly specific exceptions like SIG Academy), so you're going to be dealing with major OSHA and EPA issues about lead. Personal protection against lead contamination and the containment and disposal of lead is such a huge headache that everything that has lead involved somehow is far more expensive now than 10 or 20 years ago. And these are getting stricter and more costly every year.

Make darned sure you know what it will take to cover the costs of handling the issues in accordance with the law. You cannot possibly afford the penalties for screwing up.

(I'm in the construction industry. For a small firm doing house remodeling, not properly containing and disposing of materials which MIGHT contain lead paint could cost us up to $65,000 PER DAY we're found in violation. And that's just EPA fines for contaminating a home. Add to that whatever OSHA would fine for not properly protecting the employees!)

Serious business. Costly business. $5 per hour to shoot or whatever is hardly going to cover it.

I've always wondered how indoor ranges make money, considering the aforementioned.
You would need a lot of shooters per day just to cover the operating overhead, much less other normal business expenses. So if your prices are too high, customers will just go elsewhere, and if they are too low, you are in red ink.

So how do ranges, especially in smaller towns stay in business?

`

 

[CHele0406]

Where in utah?

We will be building on the border of Salt Lake and Utah counties. In Lehi.

We have been working with some of the best range builders in the country to ensure that we will be compliant with all government regulations. They have been really helpful through the whole process.

340PD, what kind of trap were they running?

 

[CHele0406]

So how do ranges, especially in smaller towns stay in business?

In my opinion, most don't succeed. Which makes this a hard business to get into. Also, most ranges are not run like a business, they are run more like a hobby. At least around here that seems to be the case.

 

[CHele0406]

Oh, and thanks to everyone who has taken the survey so far. We are getting some quality feedback.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

My local indoor range uses a water bullet trap. Go to http://myshootersedge.com/facility.php and click on "bullet trap" for a slideshow. It can take any small arms fire short of a .50 BMG.

 

[Black Knight]

Whether you build an indoor or outdoor range there are some things to have that in my opinion are mandatory. An absolute must is a phone system that is capable of contacting local area emergency medical and law enforcement personnel. A first aid kit designed for gunshot wounds as well as small accidents. On hand personnel trained to render first aid. An on site Range Master who has the authority to eject anyone from the range for repeated unsafe activities. There are many others that deal with the physical structure but these items should be seriously considered for any range. You may also wish to add a video recording system aimed at the firing line for insurance purposes, to document any mishaps.

 

[thorazine]

Any input is very appreciated.

Hot young females working the counter would be a pleasant change.

 

[alsaqr]

We will be building on the border of Salt Lake and Utah counties. In Lehi.

That should work well. The Cabela's store in Lehi is a huge draw to the area; it has more visitors than the Salt Lake City temple. Worked at Camp Williams doing EOD work while the dirt work for the new CIA facility was being done. The Cabela's store was straight across the valley and the interstate.

 

[Sam1911]

Here's one of our better threads on this subject. (Actually on opening a gun shop rather than a range, but most of the points still hold true.)

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=668230

And the idea of having some knowledgeable, experienced, personable women on your staff ("hot" and young aren't really necessary) is really great. Women make up one of the fastest-growing parts of our sport/community and a big part of customer service is presenting your customers with someone they will relate to and who they will be most comfortable getting info and insight from.

Many of your customers will be perfectly at home sharing witty banter with Larry the hairy Wonder-Ninja. But with a certain (increasingly-common) type of customer, someone closer to Martha Stewart will out sell him.

 

[Al Thompson]

Saw this today and thought it may/may not be valuable to you.

http://www.thetacticalwire.com/story/270123

NSSF has a DVD set about indoor ranges.

 

[Blackrock]

I used to shoot at a range in Germany where the shooters stood at their stations and shot out window openings to outdoor targets. The 25M and 50M targets were retreavable and the 100M targets were hand scored by a person in the pit pulling the target down and marking it and then putting it back up.

This range was open four nights a week.