What do you want in a local range
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And for the record, that was not directed at you Ben.
No per gun charge for sure. Have steel target options. I never buy ammo at a range and I reminded myself why a couple weeks ago. Went to a local indoor range and forgot some of my ammo. Decided to get one from them. Paid about double what I pay online for a box of 50 PPU 9mm. My main issue with ranges is not having the freedom to train as I want. I understand though that all the rules are in place because of people that are not safe. I have seen some loons at ranges. That is why I mainly shoot at my Army National Guard unit.
Most aren't what I'd call "too expensive", unless you want to talk pricing policies as you mentioned below.
Depends. One public range near me is outdoors, but are overly range Nazi. And nothing faster than one shot per second. Try working double taps and the owner goes all psycho on you. No draw, no rapid fire means there's a lot of things you can't practice.
Range where I'm a member has lights, yet still closes at dark. Another range not far from here stays open late, but they charge per gun, which is a BIG turn off to me. As you discussed, if indoors, you're pretty much limited to pistols only. One indoor range near me allows for rifles. But the concussion is brutal and the range is really too short for anything other than wasting ammo with an AK. Indoor also limits the type of competition you can have as all the shots need to be directed toward the backstop.
This is one that gets my goat. I can't shoot more than one gun at a time. So why charge me for more than one gun? I freaking HATE that. Used to be the only range close to me was one that did that. Since I've become a member at another range, I've never been back.
Competitions are fine. Just don't cover up the schedule with competitions to the point of excluding walk ins. We all need to welcome people into our sport and when ranges become essentially "competition only" or "members only", it puts up barriers. Gun rentals are okay so long as your insurance doesn't levy some stupid requirement on you. When we were looking for a CCW for the MUCH better half, I found a place that had one she was looking at in their rental fleet. Place is over an hour away, but okay. Called them and they required us to take a 1 hour "firearms safety" class (that we had to pay for) in order to rent a pistol so she could fire a few rounds from. Needless to say, we didn't visit that one.
4x4kayak2112
Member
A local range near me charges $5 a gun. Its never busy, always very laid back, pretty well kept (for a outdoor range) and no crazy range officer. I dont feel as $5 a gun is crazy. Granted I dont go there to shoot 3 rounds per gun. Usally we stay for a while, sometimes 4+ hours shooting various guns. I have rapid fire, shot prone, set up a semi tactical "course", even shot full auto. Plus its only 15 mins from my house.
Funny, the largest feedback I received on my feedback is, We make lots of money on ammo so no matter what were going to overcharge you for ammo. And written in red. Can't wait to avoid your range.
If you are too cheap to run a magnet over your brass, well, I'd rather shoot outdoors anyway.
If you are too cheap to run a magnet over your brass, well, I'd rather shoot outdoors anyway.
One of the insurance requirements on rental gun ( in at least one case that I know of) is only factory ammo can be used. The only way to guarantee this ( and nothing is 100%) is to sell the ammo to the renter directly for rounds fired through the rental gun. You would still be shocked at how many sister humpers will rent the gun, buy the ammo, and still run their overcharged home rolled ammo through a rental and **** the gun up.
Ranges make rules due to the lowest common denominator. In the case of the gun community, it is the Gecko45 mall ninja neckbeards.
I am a simple person. I just want a range where the customers come first and the staff is very customer service oriented. Knowledge is also a must and equipment at least decent. the problem with certain ranges such as Thunder is you have an owner with an ego and his rude behavior running the operation.
We allow steel and aluminum case ammo, but no steel projectiles. If the projectile is attracted to a magnet, it's a no go on our indoor range.
No range is perfect in regards to giving everyone what they want in a range. I am willing to listen and try to be open minded. It can be trying some days.....I really would like for all shooters to be an RSO for week or two to see and experience all the crazy stuff some folks do .........
No range is perfect in regards to giving everyone what they want in a range. I am willing to listen and try to be open minded. It can be trying some days.....I really would like for all shooters to be an RSO for week or two to see and experience all the crazy stuff some folks do .........
Umm, you might be banned before we open.
Kidding...kind of.
What I said was "ranges make a lot of money on ammo...." What I also said is "in our store, we don't charge high prices for ammo and I'd expect we can extend that to our range should we open one." Not sure if you read the whole response. I also had A LOT of other stuff in response, so I'm not sure how you can say "largest feedback" and then type one sentence.
It was typed in red to separate it from your texts and be able to respond inline. If you think red is hard to read, trying reading it in yellow which is what I started typing it in. Blue is hyperlinks, pink is sissy, ran out of easy to read contrasting colors... for people who like guns, to be offended by the color red in response seems thinned skin (my apologies to anyone who spent time in a VC POW camp...you're excluded from that comment). Maybe I should have framed it in smiley face emoticons. Clearly from the context the color wasn't meant as a "mood enhancer".
Not sure how up on physics you are, but, as people mentioned, steel AND ALUMINUM cases are often shot at "other than brass" ranges. How's your magnet working for you there? As Ben mentioned, if there was a cost effective way to sort anything but brass, and then further sort by recyclable materials, maybe it would offset the cost and increase additional shooters. As you'd see with my store's business model, we are very cost-conscious. My first two customers in a row yesterday grieved (as did I) when they told me about buying their new guns (Glock 43 and XDMod2 in 45ACP) at Academy and Gander Mtn respectively, and both paid $35 more than what they'd pay in my store. My powder prices are consistently $5-$8 cheaper per pound than 10 Ring. My 168SMK 100ct is $8/box cheaper. My last customer of the day said "I just bought two of that exact gun (Sig 938) a couple of weeks ago" to which we discovered he would have paid less in my store also. So four missed sales discovered in one day despite having better prices.
As for pricing, you'd be hard pressed to find a local store with better prices. And, as I said, I'd like to extend that to my range philosophy. But people who are easily offended or put off by anything are the same people who will find anything to complain about. In my world, the customer is almost always right. But for those few who are out there who are never happy...NO SOUP FOR YOU!
I think there is a range philosophy out there that would satisfy 99% of the people and be manageable and profitable for the store owner.
One of the biggest compliments we get in our store is our customer service. I've had countless people come in and tell me how they'll NEVER go in the store down the street again because of the arrogance and condescension. So, as it applies to ROs, I expect I could cultivate the same professional manners and friendliness in them which seems to be on the top 3 list of complaints about current ranges.
In all sincerity, I appreciate you taking the time to give commentary. This thread has be very insightful.
Ya, you're right. I went back and read it and it's a little obnoxious on the color. Sorry. Ben's version of inline commentary is much better. I'll try that next time. Kinda still new to the whole forum posting thing.
Cant' imagine. Just in my experience as a CHL instructor it's been trying. I played polo in college and while I was a decent player (1-goal rating) and new all the rules, one time I was asked to umpire and it looks totally different! I couldn't do it! I'm sure not everyone is capable of being an RSO, even if they themselves are safe shooters. Add to that the personality requirement for a GOOD RSO, ... As a gun store owner, I've already had quite a few people do unsafe things. Flopping loaded revolvers on the counter pointed right at me and my manager, twirling a loaded "purse pistol" on her finger to show us what she carries in her purse, and just this week someone giving us a shotgun to mount an optic on that when I picked it up after being checked in, I instinctively checked the chamber since the action was closed and out pops a live 12 gauge shell (shame on the customer AND my store manager who checked it in!).
Fast Frank
Member
The biggest thing I don't like is that all the rules have to be slanted for the newest, least trained, most dangerous shooters.
Of course we can't have the newbies doing quick draw and dumping mags all over the place. They can barely hit the paper at five yards and they need supervision.
But I'm a safe shooter. I've been shooting for 50 years, and I carry concealed every day... and I need to practice my draw sometimes or I'll fumble it when it matters.
So, how about a ranking system?
First timers wear an orange ballcap, stay in a certain part of the range, and get scored by a range master for safety and skill.
After so many range visits, or a certain amount of skill points, they can test for a yellow ballcap and some limited priveliges.
After showing more skill and safety, test up for a green ballcap and full privileges.
Any safety violations or other problems gets a demotion back to a lower privelege level.
The ballcap system (Or it could be a badge) would make it easy to tell who needs watching and who is worthy of not being nannied to death.
Just an idea.
Maybe with some tweaking it could actually work.
Of course we can't have the newbies doing quick draw and dumping mags all over the place. They can barely hit the paper at five yards and they need supervision.
But I'm a safe shooter. I've been shooting for 50 years, and I carry concealed every day... and I need to practice my draw sometimes or I'll fumble it when it matters.
So, how about a ranking system?
First timers wear an orange ballcap, stay in a certain part of the range, and get scored by a range master for safety and skill.
After so many range visits, or a certain amount of skill points, they can test for a yellow ballcap and some limited priveliges.
After showing more skill and safety, test up for a green ballcap and full privileges.
Any safety violations or other problems gets a demotion back to a lower privelege level.
The ballcap system (Or it could be a badge) would make it easy to tell who needs watching and who is worthy of not being nannied to death.
Just an idea.
Maybe with some tweaking it could actually work.
My above post could be misinterpreted....
All I meant was....... anyone planning a commercial range and investing hundreds of thousands of dollars (and easily more) will have a plan to deal with lead.....
jmho.....
txinvestigator
TGT Addict
Imagine the logistical nightmare and cost that would entail.
When we moved to cypress the only option was hotwells. Not bad, but certainly not yahoo-free.
for the cost, they had bags and spotting scopes at every other station, which was decent for free.
the biggest pain was the long drawn out time between cease fires, unless you were a range buddy then there would be another cease fire within ten minutes or so.
I've graduated to a private range now and the only thing I can find to complain about is the roof over all the lanes.
for the cost, they had bags and spotting scopes at every other station, which was decent for free.
the biggest pain was the long drawn out time between cease fires, unless you were a range buddy then there would be another cease fire within ten minutes or so.
I've graduated to a private range now and the only thing I can find to complain about is the roof over all the lanes.
No ammo restrictions.
Rapid fire allowed.
Drawing from holster is allowed.
Reactive targets (allowed to bring your own if range does not provide).
No restrictions on types of weapons (full auto, etc...).
$10/day flat fee.
Private bays for groups.
Rapid fire allowed.
Drawing from holster is allowed.
Reactive targets (allowed to bring your own if range does not provide).
No restrictions on types of weapons (full auto, etc...).
$10/day flat fee.
Private bays for groups.
