Opening an Indoor range in Georgia

[bryanbaxter]

Hello, I have access to warehouse space and am interested in holding matches. The space is large enough (70X120') to shoot a full 25 meters. It is located in Woodstock, GA just North of Atlanta and is convenient to major hwys.
I had a wonderfully helpful conversation with Steve George with USA Air Rifle Benchrest. He was very encouraging.
I am interested in gauging interest and finding anyone in the area who might like to help.

I Hope to eventually be able to convert the facility to a full time Arigun Club hosting matches across all airgun disciplines.

Please let me know what you think. You can respond here of email me directly at bdbaxter@bellsouth.net

 

[therealld]

I think its always a fine thing for the growth of shooting sports when new ranges are developed for airgun shooters, esp if training for youngsters is encouraged as well. Strange, but though its easiest to start youngsters off from supported shooting such as bench shooting, it seems rare for American kids to be on a benchrest line.

Anyhow, not trying to change your thread .... just got off-track.

I sure hope you get some airgun shooting going in the building! Its hard to get folks to even COME to an airgun shoot, and maybe fifty times harder for someone to have the gumshun to develop a place for us to shoot.

 

[crb]

Back in 2008/9 I tried to put on some AGBR matches at an outdoor range in Dahlonega. Had 4 shooters at the first match counting myself. At the next 2 scheduled matches nobody showed up. End of effort.

There is an active field target group out east of Atlanta in the Conyers/Covington area. They have matches once a month or at least they did back a couple of years ago.

I think your main problem will be that people can shoot in their backyard so they don't have to pay for a practice facility like you do with firearms. I also don't know how many competition shooters there are in the metro area so I don't know if you could do enough matches to pay for the facility. Archery may help pay the bills. I have idly comtemplated a facility along the same lines as what you are talking about. Sales, rentals, repairs, range rental, matches. I just can't see it making money although I am not a business genius by any stretch of the imagination. Mail order will kick your can on sales of guns, pellets, accessories and any other thing you could make money on.

 

[therealld]

I personally feel money as it relates to match fees is a very tiny issue. A decent lunch costs usually as much.

A larger problem nowadays is that it seems the desire to openly compete with others is being suppressed by more an more people, until its now mostly only acceptable to watch OTHERS compete. Fear of failure is getting so prevalent that its now kindof, well, rude to appear to be giving the impression that one feels he is better in some way than others.

Now SOMEHOW, the archers have figured out how to attract and maintain a HUGE shooter base, and they are not afraid to spend a few bucks to get out and shoot! These archers are willing to go the extra cost and time to create and maintain wonderful ranges for themselves and their families, and I can only assume its because the sport is so directly linked with primitive hunting urges or sumthin, rather than the desire to maintain a high yearly average on the scoreboards.

At one time, when I participated in some running boar matches, I thought "now THIS is going to be the airgun sport that TAKES OFF!" but it seemed there was very little attraction to it for most airgun competitors, and died in a very short time. I can only assume it was for that very same "primitive hunting urge" thing but in reverse! The 10M and Silhouette guys trying running boar in the SoCal area had NO hunting background or "urges", and many were anti hunting!

I wish I had the answers on how to get more folks shooting airguns at matches, other than to say we need to get kids more involved in shooting and try to help dissolve the stigma of gun owning, but other than face to face, one at a time opportunities, I don't know how. I have been able to introduce scores and scores of folks to airgun competition, but for most, its fleeting, and its taken lots of work to do it. Unfortunately, the easiest "converts" are firearm shooters, and this in itself doesn't work to grow shooting sports, but just grows airgun shooting.

 

[BobZ]

Bryan,
Go for it. You can never achieve anything by not doing something. In any conversation about starting anything a large percentage will take a negative approach.

Many years back a guy in Houston put in a indoor range with a metal backstop across the whole end of the range. I guess six or so competitors on the line. I made many friends there for a 5.00 range fee. We shot bulls eye pistol and silhouette, 10 meter air rifle and some fun team shooting games. All of this led to some outdoor activities and the start of Field Target competition in Houston. And some bench rest shooting. He was forced out of business by a school district that wanted his property. How sweet it was. I miss all the friends I made there. I was present at this range every Sat. and Sunday and probably two week nights. The shooting has to be fun. I hung out in the air guns show room a lot. I talked to any one who paused and looked at an air rifle. Sad to say if the word competition was mentioned or the price was over few hundred dollars they walked away. There are fewer and fewer competitors...... Better say come plink with us! We have the fall when hit targets like the cans that jumped when you shot for the first time with your dad. We play around shooting for accuracy once in a while on paper targets mainly for the personal challenge of improving our shooting skills.

Bob Zimmerman

 

[Wilbur]

A bit of negative, and some positive as well.

Here's what I know, not what I think but rather what I know. If you can't get it started and run it by yourself long enough to give it an honest chance don't start it. If you don't have enough local competitors to make it fun don't start it. Additionally, if those local competitors (the ones you're counting on to show up) are gonna quit when one competitor wins every time, forget it. Lastly, think about what you're actually considering. If you can commit to several Saturdays in advance, have the patience of Job, and willing to lose a few friends over a rule interpretation then go for it. I'll be there to shoot and help everytime you open the doors. Of course I ain't coming ever but that's the same thing you're going to hear from others.

That said...nothing ventured, nothing gained. I can't thing of anything more satisfying than a successful place to shoot.

 

[MHOPKINS]

Bryan.
Check with the NRA for monetary assistance grants. They promote new ranges.
Mike