Starting An Indoor Range

[MobileSuitPilotX]

I've been toying with the idea of starting my own business. Like our guidance counselors at school told us many years ago, "Find something you enjoy, then figure out how to make money doing it." The town I live in has probably 70,000 people, and likely another 40,000 (or so) more in the outlying suburbs and small towns.


One thing we lack around here is an indoor range. There are 3 outdoor ranges I know of, one of them ran by our local gun club. The majority of shooters around here either hunt in some form (deer, duck, hogs) or are Cowboy Action Shooters. All 3 of these ranges are at least 30 minutes outside of city limits, some being farther than others. I think there may be a market for an indoor range closer to town that caters more to defensive and target pistol shooters.


I envision an one-stop shop kind of place that would have indoor pistol ranges, gunsmithing services, gun rentals, and ammo/target sales. Maybe even after it had proven itself, have regular basic pistol courses, CHL licensing courses, IDPA and IPSC shoots, NRA shooting competitions, etc.


How do you figure out if the market is large enough to make the business profitable? I know large cities with populations in the hundred thousands and millions can support 5 or 10 such facilities and (presumably) remain profitable. I can imagine start-up costs would be huge--the cost of building the facility itself (not to mention the cost of prime real estate close to town), and insurance would likely be through the roof. Then there's the issue of going through the local government entities to OK the project. Anybody that runs their own range have any advice? Where would I start, or who should I talk to?

 

[phorvick]

The NRA has some excellent seminars on opening and running a range...check with them

 

[1911SFOREVER]

There is an easy way to make $1,000,000 in the indoor range industry.

Start with $3,000,000 and know when to quit.

I was involved in the start up of an indoor range not far from Camp Pendleton, CA. Much larger customer base than what you describe, and it was touch and go for a while. (The original owner has sold the place.) Unless you are near a major military installation or metropolitan area it is very, very hard to make one of these things successful.

Before I went down this path, a buddy who owned a range said, "John, you're taking a perfectly good hobby and scewing it up." Keep that in mind, since you're talking some SERIOUS money to get one of these places open.

Just my .02.

 

[Kramer Krazy]

I don't know about where you are, but around here, the biggest concerns are zoming and EPA compliance. For zoning, we had an INDOOR range wanting to be near a school, and it was denied due to zoning near the school and they were concerned with guns being that close to children and the noise.....yeah, they were concerned with the noise of an indoor range. The other concern of EPA compliance is that there is a decent amount of forms and inspections of an indoor range because of the concern of lead. There are certain types of ventilation required. I've been told that these two reasons alone, are the main reason why a lot of people have given up on the idea of an indoor range wround here.

As for checking for support and to see if it is something that is marketable in the area, go to the local guns shops and ranges. Figure if you can get at least 200 people to say they will come use your facility, you might have a pretty good chance of it.

From personal experience, I go to an indoor range that is an hour drive ($7/30 min) and a county-run *free* outdoor range with pistol, rifle, shotgun, and archery ranges that is 10 minutes from my house. The only times I go to the indoor range is when the weather is really crappy or it is after dark.....or, just to give the indoor range some money and support, since they are some really nice people. I've often thought it would be cool to have my own, personal, indoor range, but I haven't won the lottery, yet......and people keep trying to tell me that I have to purchase a lottery ticket to win.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Do you like red tape? Seriously.

First, talk to the local police and then nearby police/sheriff. How far do they have to travel for their requirements? Do they currently have to do it outdoors in bad weather? Get them on your side. Expect to have to give them free use of about 1/3 of the range time.

The local laws may prohibit the discharge of firearms (especially w/in city limits). Unless there is already a range in the jurisdiction, there may not be an exception built into the law for an indoor range. If not, you will have to lobby for a change in the law.

Check your zoning for use resrictions.

Expect that the only thing you will be able to afford to build at first will be for pistol calibers, shotguns, and .22 rifles.

Expect parnoia and resistance from the sheeple.

Still think that you can make any money? Then go for it. We sincerely wish you all the best.

 

[JeepDriver]

Insurance is another problem. The rangeI work at pays in excess of 30K a year in liability insurance. That's on top of everything else. I've been told we need to make $14 K a month in profit to keep the doors open. That ain't so easy with everyone buying ammo and magazines on the internet (myself included, and I work there ) And people bitching about the cost of membership/lane fees. And how cheap it is to go to the outdoor range (which they quickly forget about during cold/bad weather and come running to you for a place to shoot)

If you have an FFL (which I think will be a must) then you have the internet to deal with again. The 5-10% over cost people selling on the internet are impossible to compete with. You'll have to make guns up by 15-20% to make them profitable.

Accessories aren't that hard to make a decent percentage on, but it's a small amount of your total profit margin.

 

[hartzpad]

MobileSuitPilotX,

I've been interviewing with a local company called Action Target and they just today offered me a job starting in May. They are THE people for any type of range equipment. They mostly do LE/Government ranges (FBI range at Quantico, a few of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, etc.) If you're ever interested in getting an indoor range setup, check out their stuff. I'm sure I could get you a deal as well when I'm working there. Good luck.

http://www.actiontarget.com/

 

[Shorts]

On the insurance topic, our Sportsmans Club (outdoor ranges) get insurance through the NRA with a discount. The annual cost is relatively low compared to what it can be. I'm not sure of the details, we just joined an dbeen to one meeting (one per month). I'll see what I can dig up at the next one.

 

[Fumbler]

The county I live in has a very very fine indoor range, 3 50 yard ranges and one 100 yard range. They built it for firearms training for local LE.
They (the county goverment) put so much money into it that they couldn't even afford to operate it. They solved that problem by letting a local shooting club run it while giving the club a good discount.

That should tell you a lil something about startup and overhead costs...

I say if you want to do it then try it. You can't have a successful business without opening the doors.

 

[cfabe]

In the greater cleveland metropolitan area, of population I'm not sure but easily a few million, there are two indoor ranges with about 12 stalls each and I've never had to wait for a stall. I'm not sure if you can really support an indoor range on a population of around 100k. You definately need to find some marketing type information and do some research.

 

[Monkeyleg]

In the course of calling shops around the country, I've talked to the owners of quite a few who have ranges.

The costs are staggering. Figure a minimum of $1,000,000 to start. One shop owner who wants to relocate is figuring $2,000,000 just for the range. Another owner who wants something more than the average range is looking for investors to pony up $9,500,000.

As mentioned, the daily costs are out of this world as well. One shop owner here figures it costs him a hundred or two just to turn the power on in the morning. The filters--which need to be replaced at least monthly--cost $300 each.

When I started calling shops last year, I was surprised by how few had ranges. Now I understand.

 

[jefnvk]

I live in a town of about 40,000 (not tech, my other home). Someone there just put up a $4 Million range (At least, that is what I am told). 15 lanes, everything up to and including .50 BMG, full auto. When I am there, there is hardly ever another person. The place started out open 10-10 every day. After a few months, they are down to a few hours every couple of days. At $15/hr, in a rural area, there is simply no interest. It's a beautiful place, just too expensive to shoot there.

Hint: when you offer a yearly membership, make sure you are offering free range time, or at least deeply discounted range time to members. I didn't think their rate was too bad, until I found out all that bought me was a locker and a cleaning room :banghead:

 

[Can'thavenuthingood]

Make up a good business model.
Examine your demographics and cull out the bleating heart non-shooters.

Then examine your demographics again looking for "possible" shooters, those that would go shooting if invited. Most all have a "significant other", then count the youngsters.
Schools can have shooting teams. Any prison's in the area? Highway patrol, county and city all must be qualified.
Get online and explore other ranges.
Get in your car/truck/bicycle and go to other ranges for input. Any range within an hour or 2 of you will not likely be very helpful as you are competition.

Make the range attractive to the female population. Guys will shoot anywhere and hang upside down from a tree. Women won't.
The womenfolk need a nice CLEAN and Secure place to go shoot. Cater to this atttiude, make it all spiffy. You only have one shot for a first impression.

I think rental of your guns is a better way to go rather than retail. Work with your local FFL's. Give them coupons or whatever to give to new gun purchaser's. Also when one of your rental guns is time to be replaced buy from the FFL and sell your's through him/her. Support each but favor none, that's your customers decision.

Sell ammo and targets and range time. Memberships priced reasonable with benny's. Perhaps storage of customers weapons. Offer basic instruction right away, leave the competition stuff for later. Let the customers decide when they are ready for the comp stuff.

Work up a business plan, this is no overnight project.
I had a plan for an indoor pistol at about $2 million and shelved it.

Workmen's comp.
Medical coverage.
Liability.
Zoning is a biggy.
Locate in the city's industrial park if at all possible, that way you have somewhat of an umbrella against the bleaters. Here the city wanted a fee to present my case to the Planning commission. Then another fee once accepted to present to the city council.

Also the Rifle/pistol range was bundled together as an outdoor zone within the Heavy Industrial grouping (MHA?)
Since I wanted to separate the rifle/pistol category and then separate the indoor/outdoor category, the fees were times two.
THEN I would have to pay another fee to pay for the Amendment to the General Plan.

Of course these fees are all required up front and non-refundable.

Then I get to go to the City Council and present my case.

After you pay out mucho bucko's to the local gov, you then have Environmental Impact fees, Building Permits etc. all which are to be inspected along the way.

Lotsa study time and research is need on your part. Unless you have a really rich uncle, homework is king and a business plan is gospel.

Vick