"RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

[Goose375]

Im looking to open a 1000yd range catered to the north Texas area, about $8000 worth of steel targets, unknown distances, BR style shooting, pistol berm, 100-300yd, You get the picture.

My question is what are some of the considerations I may be overlooking in opening up a 1000 yd range?
Additional costs as to a 100yd outdoor range? (minus 900y of more land of course)
Range fan for big bore rifles? safety concerns?
Would a 1000yd range be better suited as a club or public range?
What legal fees should i expect to incurr drawing up a rock solid liability waiver?
Im in the initial stages of planning, would it be worth it to pay the NRA consulting team to come out and view the property?
Anything?

I know there is a wealth of knowledge on this forum and all feedback would be greatly appreciated. If there are any range experts here that would like to offer any additional guidance feel free to contact me.
Thank you all for the time.. Adam

 

[Alpine 338]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

What's beyond the 1000-yards ...still your land, or someone else's? What is the property zoned, and the properties around the area zoned? Worst case scenario, you build a range, and the following year a big developer puts in a high density housing project next to it, or down range, and the following year after people are living there, you start to get complaints of noise and/or stray bullets. Same thing happens to airports, people buy or build a house next to an airport, then complain about the noise, and then the airport gets shut down.

Also, even though you may have a rock solid liability waiver, insurance will still cost you. and a public range will cost even more. If you make it a private (club members/guests only), I would consider opening it up to the public for steel challenge shoots, and other competition, plus a good source for revenue.

Lead containment, and lead (heavy metal) soil contamination, have a plan for the future. It may cost more for the clean-up then the real estate is worth.

Bathrooms, built on site (water available, sewage containment, cleaning service, etc.), or porta-johns?

Close to a hospital, emergency clinic, etc? If not, make sure you have a LZ for flight for life helicopter. People cause accidents and once in awhile shoot themselves, or someone else.

If in your budget, have a couple of outside telephones installed, you can get service only allows local calls (for 911 - emergency service).

For the shooting positions for the 1000-yard range, space the benches apart so the guy next to you with a 50 BMG doesn't blow the stuff off your bench. Suggestion, have a concrete pad between each bench to allow for prone shooting.

Are you going to spray for weeds and fire ants? Mow or trim grass? Trash service? More costs to add for budgeting.

Suggestion - Have membership requirements to not only pay an annual fee, but also put in lets say one weekend a year of "range service" for clean-up, range maintenance, range safety, etc.

 

[Broz]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

You may want to consider putting together a board of supervisers. I feel you will need help as there will be many issues. Also if you have a local NRA affiliated club, you may want to inquire about NRA range Officer Training. In the last year I have taken the classes and Certified in Rifle,Pistol and Shotgun and I am now a cerified NRA instructor. I also certified as a range officer. This could be valable when it comes to insurance. Also, it would allow you to teach hunter safety courses if you so desire. This might help to get the local community behind your efforts. We have a rifle range with target burms at 100 ~ 500 meters and also at 1000. We close the range access past 200 yards for safety unless there is a range officer present to secure the line while people are down range. We allow shooting to 1000 all the time. But a gate is closed at 200 yards unless an officer is there. This is to protect against someone being down range to check a target and a new shooter arriving and start sending lead down range.

Also, if you have NRA affiliation. They have a wealth of info to offer in many areas.

Just a few of my first thoughts.

Jeff

 

[desertHK]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

your biggest problem is probably the zonning permits/allowance. As other people have already mentioned. How much land do you have? because, your range doesn't stop at 1k. You never know when a stray bullet, especially one of large caliber such as 338LM, or 50 BMG, may happen. Those calibers will go for a long way before they stop. Also, you must factor in the "stupidity" factor that your "patrons" bring to the range. Ultimately, it still is your liability. Probably the best place to start is to inquire at your local are for the rules and regs to start a range.

 

[Goose375]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

Great help thanks,

Now the land is perfect in my eyes, especially compared to Tiger Valley in Waco, TX. The boundary fence is 50yds past the 1000yd birm... The diffrence is slight but i would have a birm plus a couple hundred yds of treeline past it. Not sure What its zoned for but its Proposed Use
Agriculture
Grazing
Hunting/Fishing
Mobile
Residential Single

Sounds like its pretty wide open for suggestions.

There is a well known range in the area that was recently sold to the city i believe for training their LE. Same county, close to same city had a 300yd on it, so i think the county ordinaces should be in my favor.

Does anyone have a realistic startup cost for filing and legal fees. I added everything else up that i could think of to get to opening day and didnt come up with more than $50k But thats minus legal counsel... I have no idea what i would budget for that..

 

[rrflyer]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

I heard greenville is going to be opening back up soon.

But for 1,000 yards that close to DFW, I'd pay a couple hundred bucks a year membership fee.

 

[dmg308]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

I think the NRA still offers their range development course.That would be worth looking into.

 

[Goose375]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

believe it or not.. this isnt that far off

Now on a diffrent approach..
I live in the county out in TX and you can shoot all day and no one cares, its legal in every way. My friends can come over and shoot, also legal. Whays to stop me from opening my land to the public to shoot all my personal ranges for free? Everyone still signs a waiver and insurance is still purchased.. but essentially its a non profit gun range. There are still the strictest of rules and someone there to enforce them but its an "at your own risk" range. Its private land, someone is allowing you to shoot on..

Does any one see any Legal issues there?
Would it be any diffrent if there was a "tip jar"? Those targets dont maintain themselves...
Essentially what you kinda have here is someone builds a personal range, Lets the public shoot on it, tips are accepted to maintain the property, (Taxes are paid on the tips) and the owner just wants to share the experience with anyone whos interested...

Would you guys go to a free 1000yd range a short drive from Dallas if you lived in the area?
Do you think its fair to pass the hat?

 

[Michael]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

Unless you are independantly wealthy your business plan is going to be very short lived.

Free is going to put you in the poor house, or jail, or both.
"At your own Risk" is a lawyers wet dream. Wait until you deal with the 1st ND, knife fight or gunfight.
You should be old enough to have been to enough public ranges to see what shows up for low cost/no cost.
Sit down with a business planner/attorney, plan on $500.00 to $1000.00 for that conversation, and listen to the folks who know what's in store for you.

A $500.00 per year access fee will weed out most of the folks you really wouldn't want abusing your property, and give you a clientel with disposable income.

Just my informed opinion but you did come to the internet for advice rather than paying professionals who know

Good Luck.

 

[desertHK]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

Michael is right on that. It doesn't matter whether the range is free or a fee is charged. At the end of the day, the "ambulance chasers" (no offense intended to our respectable lawyers members here), will hold the owner responsible for the liability. Nothing is worse, when some numb nuts had an accident on your land and they hire an attorney to take a piece of your land. I agree with Michael that a nominal fee will weed out some of the unwanted drifters that you don't want on your land let alone shooting on your land. Just my 2 cents.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

All of the above is good advice. I would do as much research with the NRA as possible. They have people in the organization that can help you and direct you with all the major obstacles in starting a range. I spoke to them when opening my reloading business and they were very helpful.
I would like to know where you're planning the range- I'm assuming Hunt County.

IMO, the only way to do a 1K range would be to have people qualify for that distance. I would have 2 shooting areas side by side and divide the "public" side (for 100, 200, and maybe 300 yards), and the 1K range. This way you can control who/what shoots on the 1K range. There's way too many yahoo's at a public range to even consider them shooting beyond 200-300 yards. Plus, I would have some type of bullet stopping system in place. Since you're local, you can go look at Elm Fork, and see the railroad tie system they installed about 7 feet above down range. You are forced to shoot from a known spot, and any bullets shot high that would miss the berm go into the railroad ties. Within months of shooting out there, they already had many rounds impact the side walls and the RR ties. Also, your $50K seems way low. I would think to double that. NRA can also point you to the proper legal counsel. I spoke with them about this, and it was very useful.
I'd love to hear more of what you have in mind. I'd be a customer for sure!

 

[Billk]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

I hope you are able to do it!!

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: "RANGEMASTERS" Need guidance opening 1000 yd range

Here's some good info! I like the tire idea.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1936114#Post1936114