Opening a commercial range

[Dkrock]

Hey gents! Im in the beginning stages of research into developing a commercial range. Ive bought the nra guidebook and am slowly getting through it (400+ pages). But i was hoping that any current range owners could comment on any pros, cons or things to be aware of. It will be strictly outdoors. Im looking at around 100 acres of commercially zoned land, hoping to have multiple pistol lanes, static and not, as well as a 1000 yd line. Unsure of the pros/cons of private club vs public vs hybrid. 

[Chappytactical]

Look up any EPA restrictions regarding lead, noise and what not in the area you plan to have the range at. Get a consensus if the businesses/neighbors around it are cool with it. There always seems to be the one person who will want to complain about noise or whatever.

[ddc]

It seems to me location is a huge part of this. A lot of older ranges in urban areas have had problems as subdivisions were built where once there just trees.

 

I know where I'm living now there can be a cornfield one day and 100 houses the next.

 

 

[ltdmstr]

I'm not sure how extensive the NRA manual is, but I would be sure to check local, state and federal regulations, and have an attorney who specializes in compliance issues before starting any work.  And as ddc stated, I would also take a long hard look at the potential for development in the area and how that might impact your operations.  Not just in the near term, but 20-30 or more years down the road.  I was on the BOD for one of the largest public gun clubs in the country for about 10 years.  What was once a rural setting surrounded by farmland ended up with homes built up to the property lines on two sides of the range.  Even though it was protected from shut down by state law, that development resulted in many issues, and very costly changes to the facilities.  

[Chills1994]

I am a life member to the Caseyville Rifle and Pistol  Club, but I never paid the monthly range assessment fee.  So I can’t actually use the range.

 

Got your attention yet?

 

If you want to read a tangled, discombobulated, charlie foxtrot of a legal story, go here:

 

https://onlygunsandmoney.com/tag/caseyville-rifle-and-pistol-club

 

I won’t go into all the nitty gritty details here.  Obviously, there were some shenanigans going on.  I just wanted to give you an idea of what kinda legal nightmare you could be walking into.

[konkapot]

That NRA manual might be a good starting point, but as stated above:

 

Lawyer-Now. 

County zoning/permitting people-Now

 

If you actually break ground, you cannot have "too much" land. As many have already stated, I'll state, and others will repeat, you need to plan for "The Creek at Willow Springs" to move in right next door. 

[Intheshaw1]

I'd agree with legal and public opinion issues. I'm a member of a private club that's been around for like 80 years. Now, it's surrounded by houses and the neighbors mostly hate us there. They claim bullets strike their houses (they have not), but it shut down the range while an investigation was going on and caused increased costs to protect against the perceived danger. Another local private range was closed for a long time because some yahoo let go a round over the berm and actually did hit someone a long ways off (no injuries) but enough to shut the club down for years.

 

And I would think as soon as its a commercial range, the land becomes unsaleable for EPA lead issues so understand that too.