I want to open a gun range..Help?

[Silverguns6]

Well here in CT we just got F***ed. As many of you know CT is the first state to impose such strict regulations on firearms and legal firearm ownership and use.
In most of CT, as far as I can tell most decent ranges are private gun clubs. I have been talking with some close friends on getting money together and getting others onboard to buy a parcel of land in NW Ct and turn it into a semiprivate shooting sports club and range.
I have a grasp of the reality of how big of a job it would be.
I know that I will need a licensed crew to clear out all the trees build up berms (spelling?) and then I would need to obtain permits, insurance, and other things before opening an operational and legal range. Also, one thing I was considering was building a shoot house for law enforcement and military personnell to use for off-duty "recreational" training. Possibly I would also build a similar shoot house for those who are into team paintball or airsoft activities. I have alot of friends who do many airsoft competitons and now that CT has these strict regulations regarding firearms and ammunition, having recreational shooting alternatives (pellet/bb, airsoft and paintball, archery) would allow many individuals to have another way to have inexpensive uninfringed time at a gun club.

Can anyone help me out with the legal licensing and permitting I will need?
Currently I do not own land, but I don't know if I need to obtain a certain acreage or anything. I was thinking 1 to 2.5 acres or so. I am really looking for any info/help I can get. I will try to get a group of people to invest and help fund it all, and once I know what permits I will need and everything, I can finish the "business plan" to be able to present to anyone who would be interested in donating or helping out.

Thanks.
Dave.

 

[M1911]

Contact NSSF NSSF - National Shooting Sports Foundation

They have loads of information about how to start a range.

Concerning your plans, if you are going to have an outdoor range, you're going to need one heck of a lot more than 1-3 acres.

 

[NeverMiss]

I just finished my "range" up in Maine. . my backstop is 600 yards of woods on 50 acres

 

[gvd0006]

I just finished my "range" up in Maine. . my backstop is 600 yards of woods on 50 acres

You lucky prick!

 

[Silverguns6]

Contact NSSF NSSF - National Shooting Sports Foundation

They have loads of information about how to start a range.

Concerning your plans, if you are going to have an outdoor range, you're going to need one heck of a lot more than 1-3 acres.

Ok thanks! I was thinking about national organizations such as them. . Would you suggest 6 acres or 10? My uncle does real estate so I will as him about cost per acre and if he knows of any land for sale.
Thanks again
Dave

 

[M1911]

Ok thanks! I was thinking about national organizations such as them. . Would you suggest 6 acres or 10? My uncle does real estate so I will as him about cost per acre and if he knows of any land for sale.

More.

The closer an outdoor range is to its neighbors, the greater the complaints. One of the clubs that I belong to has 16 acres. It has a single 100 yard outdoor range. But even with 16 acres, there are neighboring houses within 500' of the outdoor range.

One of the most popular types of shooting is shotgun -- trap and skeet. That requires a lot of land. If you are starting from scratch, get 100 acres in the boonies.

 

[TBalls]

Ok thanks! I was thinking about national organizations such as them. . Would you suggest 6 acres or 10? My uncle does real estate so I will as him about cost per acre and if he knows of any land for sale.
Thanks again
Dave

10 acres does not sound like nearly enough land for what you're proposing

I just finished my "range" up in Maine. . my backstop is 600 yards of woods on 50 acres

I hate to be that guy, but I would implore you to set up a legitimate berm of some kind. 600 yards sounds like a long way, but bullets move pretty quickly, and 600 yards of woods is not a backstop.

 

[M1911]

I hate to be that guy, but I would implore you to set up a legitimate berm of some kind. 600 yards sounds like a long way, but bullets move pretty quickly, and 600 yards of woods is not a backstop.

Agreed. Someone might be wandering around in those woods. Get a few truckloads of sand.

 

[NeverMiss]

Agreed. Someone might be wandering around in those woods. Get a few truckloads of sand.

Yup. Planning on that this summer. But for now, I have: Two wood pallets, with hard wood planks sandwiched in between. And, right behind that, I piled up all the cut trees I felled...Plus, I am only using my 22 there, for now. When the loggers come, they are going to clear up to 100 yards for us, and we are going to use the logs as a more substantail bunker, filled with sand, something more permanant.

 

[Silverguns6]

Well, up here in this part of CT there will probably be a few 20 acre or so parcels of land.
The biggest problem with the entire project is funding it. My credit score is high but I already have one business loan and I really do not want to ask for an increase or apply for a seperate loan at the moment with the current state of our economy and banking BS. Anyone know of other options? Is finding an investor or group of investors worth it or should I just keep playing Powerball?

 

[WallHack]

No offense, OP, but I'm not sure you're 100% aware how large an "acre" is. You need a LOT of 'em for this endeavor. My grandmother lived on exactly one acre for a while, it's nothing.

 

[NewGunGuy]

Well, up here in this part of CT there will probably be a few 20 acre or so parcels of land.
The biggest problem with the entire project is funding it. My credit score is high but I already have one business loan and I really do not want to ask for an increase or apply for a seperate loan at the moment with the current state of our economy and banking BS. Anyone know of other options? Is finding an investor or group of investors worth it or should I just keep playing Powerball?

You might as well just open up a store selling togas that also teaches you to sing "I want to be an Oscar Meyer Wiener".

Charles.

 

[R1ch]

Perhaps you will have better luck and lower costs (and problems with noise complaints) with an indoor range.

Come up to Manchester NH and visit Manchester Firing Line. It's easy to get to (seconds off the interstate), modern and heavily used!

 

[MisterHappy]

Silver:

Raw acreage will not answer. It's location, location, location.

Also, the political climate is less than ideal, and will have to be factored in.

You might want to reconsider an outdoor range - indoors might be more viable.

 

[M1911]

Expect to spend on the order of $1M to build an indoor range. The utility costs for running it will be quite high as well.