Guidance on indoor range start up

[Untamed1972]

100yds?
Build it and they will come..............
Contact the city's planning department. I'm sure you'll need a conditional use permit and a public hearing for approval...

^^^this^^^


Get an idea from them what zoning areas you could do it and then get the whole run down on the permitting process and go from there. It would prolly be helpful to have someone familiar with the whole process working with you. Some of those kinds of things can be very complication in regards to all the different departments and entities you'd have to interface with and get approvals from.

[SuperSet]

I hope you end up running matches there too!
I sometimes visit a local indoor range in NoVA that has an indoor 50y range and the owner mentioned that it was a $4 million investment. Big numbers.
Good luck, friend. If you can get this off the ground, it'd be an amazing resource for SoCal shooters.

[USPSA GM]

Check out the fairly new San Diego Firearms Training Center in Poway. Small but very nice setup. Retail, classrooms, range, and rental guns.

[Jimi Jah]

I can see how field time allows rifles being their range is up to 25yds. I believe on target requires a qualification card. P2K requires a proof target before you can shoot at the 100yd lane.

What if you bring in a new rifle and you need to sight it? They won't let you if you can't hit the target on the first couple of shots?

[KahrGuy9]

Looking for some advice on what steps need to be taken in order to start up an indoor range.

I haven't been able to find anything specific to Orange County, CA.

.

How much capital are you and your investors able to come up with? It's going to to be close to 5 million to get started in the OC. And you know that in addition to local city ordinances, business license, permits, and liability insurance, you also have OSHA and EPA regulations to contend with.

[N3Hd3LS]

You're going to want to start with http://www.nssf.org/ranges/about/

then: http://range.nra.org/range-grants.aspx

then find and experienced builder/consultant like:

http://www.range-systems.com/

or http://savagerangesystems.com/
to name a few.

Aside from basic legal compliance, setup meetings with your local: CLEO, fire chief and pollution people. These are the people most likely to throw a wrench in your gears, so start greasing those wheels.

Thank you sir!

[N3Hd3LS]

What if you bring in a new rifle and you need to sight it? They won't let you if you can't hit the target on the first couple of shots?

You can take as long as you want if you need to zero.

They will provide you with a proof target that you will need to show them before they let you shoot at the 100yd lane.

[ChrisC]

As a person in the architectural field who deals with cities, counties, and states on a daily basis, I hope you have a lot of money to spend. Do you have any real idea of how much it will cost to open what you want? The price of property big enough to shoot 100 yards in Orange County will cost you a boat load.

I am not trying to deter you away, but I have people calling all the time trying to open a business that have no clue what the cost will be. Leasing, building, permits, insurance, the list goes on and on. Permit fee's alone will be well over $10,000. On average it costs about 10 - 20 percent of your building cost just to get a building permit. And even if you plan to just build a big rectangular of a building you have parking issues and ADA issues. Heck the bathroom alone will cost you big money. And if you plan to reuse an existing building, just remember you need to add 20% in ADA upgrades alone. So if your improvements cost $100,000, you need to add $20,000 on top of that.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Good luck, and I hope you know what you are doing.

[Spaceghost]

I would at least double that number. How much does commercial land cost in the area? You aren't going to spend millions on a range to risk someone not renewing the lease.

How much capital are you and your investors able to come up with? It's going to to be close to 5 million to get started in the OC. And you know that in addition to local city ordinances, business license, permits, and liability insurance, you also have OSHA and EPA regulations to contend with.

[PowMeow]

oh and when its hot (100), dont be cheap and cut the air! (I'm looking at you FTT).

[mabilis_matulis]

Good luck..

[idntwn2]

I do this type of financing for a living. Yes, I have financed a range/retail gun store on a ground up basis. It was complex.

Plan on big time money to do what you are dreaming of. Millions. Bank financing is tricky in such cases due to the limited use nature of the property, which almost always creates appraisal issues. Plan on putting 25-35% cash into the deal as injection. Write a business plan which includes pro-forma financials. What is your plan for covering your inventory carrying costs? Noise is a concern, it is difficult and expensive to mitigate. Environmental issues come into play as well, both with the property itself and with the indoor air handling.

If you are planning to finance part of it, you will likely need an SBA guarantee. Have you looked into this? Do you or your investors have relevant business experience? (Relevant is really relevant) Are you or they eligible for SBA assistance? SBA loan maximums are 5.0MM with a 7a, 12.0MM thereabouts for a 504, depending on your lender. Debt service on a 25 year 7a loan of 5 million bucks is 32 grand/month which is 384 grand annually. Your business must cash flow 1.25x times this amount after all expenses, and this approaches a half million dollars per year. That is a lot of guns/ammo and memberships. A LOT. Can you get them?

If you are not financing the deal, you and your investors are going to have a huge NPV issue to resolve. ROI is going to be thin as hell unless you are a magician.

PM me. I would be happy to assist you. There is much to know grasshopper.

Did I mention that it was complex? (not impossible though)

[Gunsmith Dan]

Contact the NRA they have an EXCELLENT program for helping people setup ranges with many, many resources you can use.

[N3Hd3LS]

Thanks everyone for the help.

I have no idea where to start. I'm getting pointed in the right direction though based on the assistance being given to me by Calguns Members. This all literally fell unto my lap a week and a half ago.

The good news, if you can call it that, is the investor is willing to put up a decent amount of money. If that 50yd range cost 5M to open up, I can safely and confidently make that statement. I know, apples and oranges.

In continuing with my inquiry, what should be my first step? I see a lot of people asking logical questions but call me stupid and hold my hand through this please and thank you.

Should I find an ideal location first? Should I setup meetings in order for the officials to be made aware of the proposed range?

I've emailed the NRA for assistance as well as Action Target for the actual range setup.

[edgerly779]

I designed and built The Target Range in 1981. Back then it was easy to get approvals and permits now it is a lengthy process. Whatever building you use will become a toxic facility to owner after you leave. Every pore of the range area will be saturated with contaminates unless everything sealed or encapsulated. If I was landlord you would have to post bond equal to clean up. Just sweeping up the range involves hazmat suits. Every flat surface above firing line becomes lead and powder residue laden. Hidden cost to dismantle range in many 10's of thousands of dollars. Air scrubbing and flow is very important. Create negative pressure in shooting areas. Positive in non shooting. provide zones that are sealed off by barriers to airflow. We did not add air scrubber/ filter system till couple years later.