Autumn

Autumn

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Dreams of a Firing Range

My best friend Duke just walked out of my shop. He came in early and we chewed the fat for a couple of hours. His mother-in-law isn't well. I'll let him explain the rest when he's ready. 

We chatted of many things, one of them is our dream to open an outdoor shooting range. A dream, if done properly, well within our reach. Find a five acre parcel far outside the city limits. Begin small with a two hundred yard rifle range, a handgun shed, kid's area. The possibilities are limitless.

Like I said, a dream. 


With the help of our other friends, it could happen. Yes, we have our own private range, and it's just that, private. This range we'd open to the public for day shoots. No memberships, no board members to screw the fun, rapid fire acceptable, no baffles. A shooting range where common sense rules apply. There are hurdles. The EPA buttwipes, county zoning laws - the least of which is their silly noise ordnance, permits...like that. We'll do our homework.


We might even allow cops to use our range....might. At any rate, it'd be a hell of a nice retirement job. Think about it, firing ranges, and gun shows, are the last bastion of free thinking independent men.

I hope to have all my friends, our group, involved in this dream. Lord knows when all of us get together we make dreams possible. 

We'll see.

Stephen 

17 comments:

  1. One of the reasons I love having my own rural property surrounded by old strip mines is my ability to walk out my back door and do some shooting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. RobertM, You're one of the lucky ones. Even though I have a private range, it's a forty minute drive. Thank you very much for the comment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I keep thinking that my town needs one of these as well. For an area renowned for being so red, and having so many guns, there sure aren't that many facilities for shooting. I guess all the BLM land around here makes it hard to justify paying to go shooting...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Full auto shoots, wouldn't that be fun. Might take a while to set up but people would travel a long ways for that.

    ReplyDelete
  5. bluesun, I see your point. These ranges are far more useful near larger cities. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That does sound like a nice way to retire:) Good luck with making it come true someday!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Speaking to blues' point it used to be that way around my neck of the woods. I never went to the club range all I had to do was step outside but now there are so many houses stuck all over the place I really don't feel comfortable shooting around here anymore. I could drive down to the back part of the property or go into the National Forest land but if I go that far I might as well go the extra few miles to the club's range.

    Having the benches available, target frames and range already laid out along with a covered position may well draw those who used to just go out into the BLM land.

    Or maybe not.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It sounds like a great dream. Focus on it, and it will come true. Be positive about it, and all will fall into place. Even permits and such.

    Get it set up. And I would be willing to come out that way, and do some BBQ for you all.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mystic, yes indeed. And, thanks for the luck. We'll need it. BTW, finished reading all your back entries on your blog today. Bless your heart. God bless, and thank you.

    PioneerPreppy, here in Florida if you spit you'd hit a house. We throw a party if and when it happens and I'd like you on the guest list. Thanks.

    Flier389, thank you, Sir. It's a dream though...we'll try, and we'll take you up on the offer...BBQ is part of our blood down here.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Why would the EPA morons care about shooting ranges? is it the lead or do they just like to be buttholes?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sounds like a plan. I hope it works out.

    ReplyDelete
  12. When that dream comes true, let me know when you decide to host a blogshoot. :) I'm lucky and I know it. 10 minutes away is our family's private range that is sitting on quite a bit of land with the ability on a lease to safely stretch a shot to 800 yards if you feel the need.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Corey, the EPA cares about everything, but yes the Lead and watershed can be issues and yes they like to be buttholes. More commonly, people that have a beef with a shooting range going in will invoke the EPA Hydra. That's exactly what happened to a local range here. Fortunately, they persevered and have become an Olympic class facility.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Corey, 45er gave you the correct answer...it's the lead. They make the ranges 'mine' it on a steady basis. It's a pain and very expensive. Thank you.

    Rob, me too, my friend, me too. Thank you.

    45er, it's a deal, if my dream comes true. You're lucky to be able to shoot at ranges of 800 yards. Here, no way. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  15. It does sound like a dream come true. Here in Franklin County NC it's very unlikely that anyone would be able to set up a public range (it's been tried) but there's no restrictions on where you may shoot for hunting. Doesn't make sense, but there it is.

    ReplyDelete