Proposal for new Range in South Dakota

[BritinUSA]

A new range is proposed for South Dakota, environmental studies have been completed. I don’t know when construction is due to start.

 

 

PDF with more details is here: https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Rapid City_Shooting Range Complex_Final_EA.pdf

[BritinUSA]

17 Action bays and another 11 near the shotgun area. Potential for a future Nationals location perhaps?
 

South Dakota is a free state, no state income tax and no pesky magazine laws either…

[GigG]

Just don't hold a major match around the same time as Sturgis. There will be no hotel rooms.

[BritinUSA]

Agreed, Sturgis is just crazy…. September matches would work though, ideal time for a Nationals as there's still plenty of daylight hours (12+).

[JM_]

Hopefully it doesn't run into too many set backs. Exciting to see a new large range within driving distance.

[jkrueger]

Looks like a well thought out range 

[BritinUSA]

Put a few stages on that versatile training bay and it could potentially host a World Shoot.

[sc68cal]

Looks like Delta has connections from MSP right into RAP, so everyone on the East Coast has a pretty easy shot. The downside is there's no flight from ATL directly to RAP so everyone in the South East who wants to fly Delta has to go local airport -> ATL -> MSP -> RAP. Yuck.

 

American routes local airport -> DFW -> RAP, and United does local airport -> DEN -> RAP

 

So, not bad.

[BritinUSA]

From Denver (DIA) to Rapid City is about a six hour drive, the worst part of which is I-25 in Colorado, which can best be described as a slow-moving car-park.

[broadside72]

They need to add some RV spots with electric 

[HI5-O]

I’m really hoping this range happens as I want to visit SD soon. Thanks for the info. 

[T3P_Guy]

As part of the stake-holders committee it's a very exciting project to be a part of. 

It's going to be a stage Game Fish & Parks range and they are VERY accommodating toward us and our needs on the competition side of things. One thing they want and expect out of us is to help bring in large matches and people to the area. Governor Noem is also behind the project as well which doesn't hurt either.

 

They are really wanting it to be a top-notch facility and it's been a few years in the planning so far. Like Britton posted, the land has been purchased, the engineers have drawn up really nice plans, the impact study has been finalized and is good to go. We are currently working on a section line relocation with the county that will be going in for round 2 next month. After that is completed it will be going out for bid with a projected start date of January. 

 

There's still a bit of fundraising needing to be done but a lot of that will begin falling into place when the range is at least operational in some way shape or form so fundraising will all be considered for "Range Improvement" instead of range construction. 

 

Anyways, it's really coming together with a great group of guys heading up the project at GF&P and our local USPSA club are REALLY excited to begin holding our club matches there and eventually begin hosting larger events as well.

 

If any of you guys have any suggestions or have any leads on fundraising that worked for you guys we are all ears, especially our small local club fundraising. We are going to be needing to fundraise for a building, trailer(s) and something to pull said trailer with. A long with all the extra stuff to move from holding 4-5 stage monthly matches on a range with 2 bays to all the props and things to hold proper 6 stage matches spread across 6 bays.

 

--Bruce Schmidt

President of Prairie Thunder Gun Club

GP17

[BritinUSA]

For a Nationals it would need to have around 20-24 bays, a World Shoot would need 32 (30 for the competition, one for function fire and one for chrono).

 

It's possible to double up two small stages on one berm but it usually causes a backlog.

 

Do you know if GF&P have reached out to Ellsworth AFB ?

 

I'm wondering if they may be interested in occasional use of the facility for training their security teams, and if so a potential source of additional funding. FYI, they are helping to fund the new gym at Box Elder to replace their current facilities in the Pride Hangar which they need for the new B2-1.

[T3P_Guy]

4 hours ago, BritinUSA said:

For a Nationals it would need to have around 20-24 bays, a World Shoot would need 32 (30 for the competition, one for function fire and one for chrono).

 

It's possible to double up two small stages on one berm but it usually causes a backlog.

 

Do you know if GF&P have reached out to Ellsworth AFB ?

 

I'm wondering if they may be interested in occasional use of the facility for training their security teams, and if so a potential source of additional funding. FYI, they are helping to fund the new gym at Box Elder to replace their current facilities in the Pride Hangar which they need for the new B2-1.

 

GFP has reached out to EAFB and they are choosing not to do anything at this time. I'm sure after construction has started or completed they'll be more inclined to pay for usage of the place. We do have a number of local law enforcement groups committed to the range though, thus the versitile training bay in the drawings.

The drawings have changed a little bit but not a ton, when we get new ones back prior to the bid process I'll be happy to share with you guys.

[BritinUSA]

Sounds good.

 

If you can get the handgun bays up to 32 then a World Shoot becomes viable, and that brings in a couple of thousand people into the area for 10-14 days.

[T3P_Guy]

The world shoot would be an interesting proposition and this area of the country would be a fantastic place for it with all the tourism. 32 bays isn't that huge of a stretch really if you look at possibly using the public bays as well.

[JM_]

54 minutes ago, T3P_Guy said:

The world shoot would be an interesting proposition and this area of the country would be a fantastic place for it with all the tourism. 32 bays isn't that huge of a stretch really if you look at possibly using the public bays as well.

Also look at reaching out to USPSA for hosting the Steel Challenge Worlds match. They use at least 16 bays, though it would be cool to have 24 so that they can have two 8 stage matches and an extra 8 for the practice bays.

[bigdawgbeav]

On 9/27/2022 at 10:59 AM, JM_ said:

Also look at reaching out to USPSA for hosting the Steel Challenge Worlds match. They use at least 16 bays, though it would be cool to have 24 so that they can have two 8 stage matches and an extra 8 for the practice bays.

I don't see USPSA wanting to put on 2 WSSC's at the same time.  But it could be possible... That being said, a WSSC in SD would be great.  Just need 8 bays for competition (2 of them large enough for Speed Option and Outer Limits), practice bays and a place for vendors.  Although not sure what the weather is like in April/May.  

[JM_]

5 hours ago, bigdawgbeav said:

I don't see USPSA wanting to put on 2 WSSC's at the same time.  But it could be possible... That being said, a WSSC in SD would be great.  Just need 8 bays for competition (2 of them large enough for Speed Option and Outer Limits), practice bays and a place for vendors.  Although not sure what the weather is like in April/May.  

It makes no sense for worlds to be held in April/May as it sits anyways.

[bigdawgbeav]

On 9/30/2022 at 6:26 PM, JM_ said:

It makes no sense for worlds to be held in April/May as it sits anyways.

well, that's a different animal altogether...

[Dirty_J]

If you can’t fly there direct on a major carrier from their domestic hubs… it’s a bust IMO for Nationals or a World shoot.

 

Aside from the magazine shenanigans… it was the other huge drawback for Cameo.  
 

But good luck to ya! 

[Toolguy]

It seems like shots from the long range bay might be able to go over the berm into the Action bays? It might be better for the rifle shooters if the long range and 200-300 yard ranges were together. I'm trying to be helpful, not critical. 

[T3P_Guy]

40 minutes ago, Toolguy said:

It seems like shots from the long range bay might be able to go over the berm into the Action bays? It might be better for the rifle shooters if the long range and 200-300 yard ranges were together. I'm trying to be helpful, not critical. 

With the topography there is no chance of that happening. 
 

The long range bays shoot into a hill and the action bays are over the crest of that hill and down in a bit of a ravine on the other side. 
 

The land is anything but flat and they don’t want to preserve the natural lay of the land as much as they can, that’s why the action bays are not all in a solid line all the way down. It does look a bit goofy in the drawings but it makes sense if you look at it in person. 

[BritinUSA]

Hopefully there will be a lot of pine trees surrounding the range, it will help to alleviate the wind that can build up in that area. 

[T3P_Guy]

3 hours ago, BritinUSA said:

Hopefully there will be a lot of pine trees surrounding the range, it will help to alleviate the wind that can build up in that area. 

 

 

That would be a nice thought anyways...It's far enough east of the hills to be on the plains though. The bays face north and it's in a bit of a ravine so I don't think it'll be too terrible.