Why are ranges rather expensive?

[Ash_J_Williams]

There are two local ranges, and maybe it's just here, but they're pricey. One requires membership, the other doesn't, but it reduces the cost of hourly use. For example, the latter is $12 an hour for member, $18 for non-members, $150 a year for membership... So, that's useful if you intend to spend more than 25 hours at the range a year, at which point you're spending $450 just to shoot there... You pay for targets, you of course pay for ammo.

I'm from WV, for really, all I need is a back yard with property. If I visit my parents back home, I can shoot in the property behind the house... and from the one range locally, it's the exact same experience. There's a picnic table, there's targets that've paid for and set up, there's ammo and firearms I've purchased, and there's a mound of dirt far in back to stop bullets from traveling any further.

So... why?

 

[jerkface11]

Geesh for $12 an hour they should load your mags for you or something.

 

[JFrame]

Just a guess, but they probably have to pay a lot for liability insurance.

In other words -- as usual, thank the lawyers...



.

 

[Ash_J_Williams]

Geesh for $12 an hour they should load your mags for you or something.

$12 if you're a member... so that's $150 plus $12 an hour, which remains higher than $18/hr until you're past 25 hours.

So... that's $450 for the first 25 hours, $12/hr after that. Or $18/hr. Big difference, man.

PS. Revolvers. I have no mags.

 

[armoredman]

I love our local range, 5 different ranges, covered concrete pads with shooting benches, cleaned every day, no running water but a porta potty.
Cost per day - $0.00.
The city maintains it, wonderful place.

 

[azmjs]

Supply and demand i bet.

We have a very nice, even ostentatious indoor range here that costs something like 21 dollars a month for unlimited use, or I think 15$ per hour for non members.

It does cost a lot to run a range though, it's big, its filled with toxic lead, so the land is ruined, it no doubt requires some serious insurance because of the intrinsic danger of a place where deadly weapons are constantly utilized.

We have a very nice government run outdoor range here that costs 7$ per day.

http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/ben_avery.shtml

Has a 1k yard range, place to shoot cowboy action, clays traps, all kinds of cool stuff.

It's no doubt cheaper to run because it can utilize existing government economies of scale.

 

[Robert]

I go to a member's only range as a guest of my friend who is a member and pay $3 to shoot all day long.

 

[Ash_J_Williams]

I go to a member's only rage as a guest of my friend who is a member and pay $3 to shoot all day long.

That I'd definitely do. But either range around here is a half hour away, so an hour's drive all together, plus $18/hr as a non-member, $12/hr + $150 to be a member, the other is $50 to be a member and $20 an hour. So, that really adds up, with the gas, pretty quick, even to go out and shoot a box of .22.

 

[Robert]

The range he is a member of is 45 mins away. But it is a really nice range. Rifle ranges out to 425y, shotgun range, archery and more.

 

[kimbernut]

Range costs

Lots of different types of ranges around. One set up safely for all the different firearms and sports and proper range safety officers for each or equipment replacement for the yo-yos who think everything is a target can be quite expensive.
A self policing club is the way to go IMHO but even there you have your expensive challenges and people who think rules don't apply to them from time to time. Our club put in $60,000 in berm backstop replenishment last year and another $40,000 so far this year.

 

[Jenrick]

$18 an hour is about average here, the two indoor ranges in town are both $15/hr. We've got several that are within an hours drive that are between $16-$25 to shoot all day with a lot more facilities. However you're having to deal with the Texas climate (shooting when it's 112 degrees etc.). I'd love to have an indoor range that was $20 a day, but I know that it's not going to happen with insurance, etc.

-Jenrick

 

[Ash_J_Williams]

$18 an hour is about average here, the two indoor ranges in town are both $15/hr. We've got several that are within an hours drive that are between $16-$25 to shoot all day with a lot more facilities. However you're having to deal with the Texas climate (shooting when it's 112 degrees etc.). I'd love to have an indoor range that was $20 a day, but I know that it's not going to happen with insurance, etc.

-Jenrick

One of these is indoor ($12/hr members, $18 non), the other is outdoor ($20/hr plus membership).

 

[HDCamel]

The one I use is a free outdoor range in NoVA with few amenities. The cost is that you have to buy the ammo there, but that's fine for me. They're prices are alright and I don't handload anyway.

 

[Ash_J_Williams]

The one I use is a free outdoor range in NoVA with few amenities. The cost is that you have to buy the ammo there, but that's fine for me. They're prices are alright and I don't handload anyway.

Where at? I occasionally go to Northern Virginia for work, guess I could go shoot afterwards. Hell, for $18-20/hr, I could almost afford to drive there if I stayed long enough and shot .22.

 

[fehhkk]

Try $19.95 in IL (indoor range, handgun only or rimfire rifles), and $23.00 for an indoor rifle range... per hour.

 

[HDCamel]

Where at? I occasionally go to Northern Virginia for work, guess I could go shoot afterwards. Hell, for $18-20/hr, I could almost afford to drive there if I stayed long enough and shot .22.

Clark Brother Guns
Range closes at 5 though, so after work is probably out of the question if you want to get any real time in.

http://clarkbrosguns.com/index.cfm

Also, that's just the official range I use. I normally go to my buddy's farm, but that's a full weekend kind of thing.

 

[22-rimfire]

I visited an indoor range today that was $30/hr for non-members. Plus if you are not a member they insist you buy one box of ammo from them. No personal reloads. It would only take a few visits to pay the annual membership fee. It is unlikely I will join that place. But I know they have bills to pay. I have bought guns from them, but have not shot there.

There is a public shooting range (outdoor) about an hour from me. It is free. It is out in the woods and I enjoy going there even though I am a member at a private range that is 10 minutes from my house.

 

[SleazyRider]

$22.50 an hour here in the Evil Empire State (NY), but that's at a pretty nice 100-yard indoor range with electric trolleys to put your target out there. No rapid fire, no double-taps, rifles shot from a seated position only. A great place to sight-in a rifle, albeit pricey.

This is why I prefer to shoot at a nearby gravel bank. Problem is, there are no rules at the gravel bank other than common sense, which is not so common.

 

[Twiki357]

I would have commented sooner, but I had to go change my undies after reading some of those rates. I have an indoor 15yd pistol range 8 blocks from my house for $12 all day. Then a shooting club about 10 miles, $10 all day out to 200 yards. Then there is Ben Avery just north of Phoenix for $7 all day. Ben Avery is a great state operated public range for just about anything that goes bang, but for me, the 180 mile round trip and 120 deg temp in the summer is a bit much.

Posted from the Brady rated 0 state of Arizona.

 

[1911fan]

Carson City, where I shoot occasionally, has two nice, covered ranges with concrete benches and shotgun bays around the corner. Cost? Free.

Douglas County, NV, where I live and shoot more frequently has two ranges similar to Carson's and a plastic house for nature's needs. Cost? $2.00 per day.

Boy, how I love the Wild West!

ed

 

[napjerk]

Wow, some of these prices are crazy. My range is all outdoor (with covered shooting lines), everything from pistol to 50/100/200/300 yd rifle ranges, fees are $9.50 per day, shoot as long as you want. There's also private bays, steel bays, shotgun bays, etc that you can reserve for a small fee.

 

[steelerdude99]

The Range in Stafford, VA is a good indoor range at $7.00 for half hour if you buy 10, it’s $8.00 each half hour if you get just session. You can bring your own ammo or reloads. They sell reloads at competitive prices. Clark Brothers is about 40 minutes west of here in Warrenton, VA is free, BUT you need to buy ammo from there. I HEAR that if you buy your reloading supplies from there, you can shoot there too.

Chuck

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I can shoot at a pretty nice public one for free, but hate the crowds....I consider more than one stranger a crowd...I belong to a private range that costs me about 100 bucks a year. I often go there and have the whole place to myself.

 

[Ash_J_Williams]

The Range in Stafford, VA is a good indoor range at $7.00 for half hour if you buy 10, it’s $8.00 each half hour if you get just session. You can bring your own ammo or reloads. They sell reloads at competitive prices. Clark Brothers is about 40 minutes west of here in Warrenton, VA is free, BUT you need to buy ammo from there. I HEAR that if you buy your reloading supplies from there, you can shoot there too.

Chuck

I'm about 2 hours and an hour and a half from each of those, respectively.

 

[mbopp]

After your first year initiation dues and range certification, the membership club I belong to costs $126 a year plus $41 if you want to use the 25-yard indoor pistol range. No per hour range time fee. It has a 50 yard outdoor pistol range, 200 yard rifle range, a handgun action range for IDPA / IPSC practice, and a nice walk-through archery range. Bring your own ammo and paper targets.