Wanting to start a TX OUTDOOR range, need help and advice!

[matt2k12]

New Layout - What do you think? Solved the I20 pistol fan issue. That old pistol range was huge. Like 100 lanes. This one still has 20 lanes at 12 feet wide. Which is really 40 usable lanes @ 2 shooters per lane.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

20 lanes in 12 feet?

 

[matt2k12]

20 lanes in 12 feet?

You tell me, does that sound logical?

20 lanes at 12 feet wide per lane. 240' total width. 2 shooters per lane = 40 potential shooters.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

you tell me, does that sound logical?

20 lanes at 12 feet wide per lane. 240' total width. 2 shooters per lane = 40 potential shooters.

I was reading it wrong, I thought you meant 12' total, lol.....

 

[benenglish]

Anyone ever seen anything like this put into practice?

In pictures, yes. This is an aerial view of the baffled range previously pictured:

The 200M range is at the bottom, berm on the left, firing line on the right. The last baffle appears to be ~100 meters out.

 

[matt2k12]

In pictures, yes. This is an aerial view of the baffled range previously pictured:

The 200M range is at the bottom, berm on the left, firing line on the right. The last baffle appears to be ~100 meters out.

Wow! I can tell you from my construction experience, not including any air conditioned space, that is a million dollar range. Including the buildings and land its probably closer to $3m! Just one of those concrete walls is worth about 75k in our current market.

 

[benenglish]

Wow!

If you think the aerial shot of that French range is impressive you might enjoy a closer look at their facilities. Page d'index principale has three pages of pictures that show most of what they have to offer. If I ever hit the lottery...

 

[V-Tach]

Maybe I missed it, but a market analyses would be a good idea. Just because you build it doesn't mean they will come.....

You want the local Government with you, no against you......

We built and opened an indoor range a little over a year ago with our gun shop that has been open for 7 years.....The County and City were supportive of the project and were instrumental in getting some hurdles cleared......

Yes, it is exciting, and you have to believe....to get it done, but it was worth every ounce of energy and penny.

It turned out.......Budget + 20% got it done.......

 

[macshooter]

Wow. Never seen anything like that before. Great idea, though obviously expensive.

MAtt2k12 ,I hope you get it all worked out and and make a profitable business of it. I'm always on the side of small businesses and the guys who got the guts to hang it all out there and make things happen. None of my business ideas are good enough for me to bet the farm on. I got a lot of respect for the guys that do though. Maybe some day I'll get something figured out myself. Anyway, best of luck!

 

[matt2k12]

Hey yall... UPDATE:

I went ahead and bought the land because I got it for a really good deal and on the buy alone with the property value I have at least quadrupled my money, easy, if not double quadrupled it....

That being said, its time to build the range.

It needs 2 fences, 3000 lineal feet. I wanted to get some input on property boundaries, fencing, or other methods of marking the property to keep my initial costs low.

Option 1 - Build a legitimate property fence with t posts and barbed wire - $7000 to pay someone; $2000 in materials to do it myself.

Option 2 - Mark the property with traffic cones and orange rope - $1800 in materials plus my labor. 42" Orange Traffic Cone with one 4" and one 6" Silver Cones-Traffic Safety Warehouse

Option 3 - Build berms for the property line and have no fencing or markers. I have people willing to donate some front end loaders but it could be time consuming to build 3000 feet of berms. I have never done dirt work so I have no idea what to expect or how hard it would be but I would most likely be the main operator. I think this could save the most money and also be the most effective besides building a legit fence.

The main thing, obviously, is that I want security in the sense of people not wandering off or onto the property, and people not stealing range time from me. I think the berms can do this the best and most cost effective but I am just wondering about the feasibility. Any input would be greatly appreciated. OF course the main gate would still be a legitimate main gate, regardless of the option chosen.

Also, FYI, I am going to face it north, different than any of the designs I presented here.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

$7000 for 3000 ft. of fence sure seems cheap to me, only $2000 for materials....

 

[matt2k12]

The fence is really easy... flat land, soft dirt, I could knock it out myself in a week. Just costs $$$ for the materials...

When I get the backhoe for free and all I pay is diesel and berm it all up.... decisions decisions...

I am for sure taking a backhoe out there this weekend to start building the firing line, target area, and backstops so I'm gonna see if that berm building will be easy or... not easy...

 

[matt2k12]

does anyone have any schematics for metal targets? or rotating targets, tree targets, i dont know the correct terminology... but i have a few people (metal workers) offering to make some targets so if you know of any handy guides or websites or anything please let me know. Thanks!

 

[ColdDeadHands]

just saw this...nice! I'm curious, how much does the insurance run you?

Also, some tactical bay would be awesome. This range is awesome; Facility Maps

 

[matt2k12]

I got the range up and going yall, but still under construction. I am open weekends only for now. Texas only requires 500k bodily and 500k property coverage but I have quadruple that at $4m worth of coverage and I pay about $4k per year. About $1k per million.

www.facebook.com/odessaareaoutdoorgunrange

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Link no worky......

 

[matt2k12]

fixt

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Looking good so far.....

 

[benenglish]

Yay for the OP for getting up and running. Seriously, congrats on serving the community and I hope you make money doing it.

OT Warning for what follows.

Search for "chandlers gun range" and look at some work they have recently had to do over a bunch of BS ...

The modifications made are insane. ...

Read up on their FB page if you have time.

Since this thread has risen from the dead, I did as you suggested.

Here are some pictures. What modifications were made (Yes, I read the facebook page so I think I know.) and, more importantly, which do you consider "insane"?

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

Well, for one, you can clearly see where they had to install that overhang. That just seems like a waste of money to me. I've shot at ranges with them and I'm just not a fan.