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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:15:48 AM EDT
[#1]
A large chunk of money and insurance.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:18:35 AM EDT
[#2]
Double the amount of cash you think. My local guy said he spent 50k a lane to open his range. This range is very nice with granite and wood floors.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:19:53 AM EDT
[#3]
Zoning, insurance, and a whole lot of money. You need to be close to major roads and highways. Your business model needs to count on several revenue streams. Memberships, lane rental, retail, league, instruction, certifications. Require the use of your ammo, but sign a contract with a large manufacturer for bulk pricing and pass it on to the consumer. Have rentals for the guns you sell - buy and try is king. You're probably going to need about a million to do it right and be compliant with all environmental regs.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:20:22 AM EDT
[#4]
First post got it covered.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:24:08 AM EDT
[#5]
i am essentially trying to have a private club for mostly personal usages, i hate to say this but i am ready to spend 2-3 M on it but unsure of how zoning would work out.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:28:44 AM EDT
[#6]
Depends on where you are.
Where are you in Texas? |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:30:54 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
i am essentially trying to have a private club for mostly personal usages, i hate to say this but i am ready to spend 2-3 M on it but unsure of how zoning would work out. $2-3 million is a big chunk of change. Might I suggest you start with $24 for a membership. The advice you are getting is worth at least that much. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:31:44 AM EDT
[#8]
Houston
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:32:21 AM EDT
[#9]
haha, ones who can help me with this gets a VIP pass that is free for life.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:33:24 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
$2-3 million is a big chunk of change. Might I suggest you start with $24 for a membership. The advice you are getting is worth at least that much. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
i am essentially trying to have a private club for mostly personal usages, i hate to say this but i am ready to spend 2-3 M on it but unsure of how zoning would work out. $2-3 million is a big chunk of change. Might I suggest you start with $24 for a membership. The advice you are getting is worth at least that much. how do i do that? not sure what i need |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:34:27 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
haha, ones who can help me with this gets a VIP pass that is free for life. Ok. What city? Shoot me an im. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:35:24 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ok. What city? Shoot me an im. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
haha, ones who can help me with this gets a VIP pass that is free for life. Ok. What city? Shoot me an im. Houston |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:36:44 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Zoning, insurance, and a whole lot of money. You need to be close to major roads and highways. Your business model needs to count on several revenue streams. Memberships, lane rental, retail, league, instruction, certifications. Require the use of your ammo, but sign a contract with a large manufacturer for bulk pricing and pass it on to the consumer. Have rentals for the guns you sell - buy and try is king. You're probably going to need about a million to do it right and be compliant with all environmental regs. You're going to piss of a lot of potential shooters who can't use their own cheaply bought ammo, test their reloads, check reliability with specialty ammo, etc. Personally, I'd avoid a range where I can't use the dirt cheap ammo I bought several years ago, or test defensive ammo in my guns. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:36:54 AM EDT
[#14]
If you're asking here you probably shouldn't be doing it.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:37:41 AM EDT
[#15]
I think the new trend is boutique ranges - Guntry clubs. But expect you should add a 0 or two for one of those. Honestly I have wondered why there is not more effort in combining ranges into a more standard country club model. Restaurant, bar, tennis, swimming (especially for the kids) - plenty of stuff so the wife wants to live there and guns.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:37:49 AM EDT
[#16]
At least $3 million.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:38:41 AM EDT
[#17]
You need a lot more information that you are going to get on an internet board. You need a business plan, you need a business model, you need business advice. Knowing about guns is not enough. You need to be able to run a business. Engineering, zoning, insurance, marketing, employment practices, finance all come to mind well before knowing about guns.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:39:53 AM EDT
[#18]
The NRA issues a range manual, I would bet it also covers indoor ranges. From those I know that have used it, it is the Bible of building a range. Start there.
Other than the shooting aspect, it is also like any other business. Try to make more than you spend 
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:41:12 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Houston If you are trying to make money at this range you are wasting your time and money. Houston has a lot of ranges already. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:43:43 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You're going to piss of a lot of potential shooters who can't use their own cheaply bought ammo, test their reloads, check reliability with specialty ammo, etc. Personally, I'd avoid a range where I can't use the dirt cheap ammo I bought several years ago, or test defensive ammo in my guns. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Zoning, insurance, and a whole lot of money. You need to be close to major roads and highways. Your business model needs to count on several revenue streams. Memberships, lane rental, retail, league, instruction, certifications. Require the use of your ammo, but sign a contract with a large manufacturer for bulk pricing and pass it on to the consumer. Have rentals for the guns you sell - buy and try is king. You're probably going to need about a million to do it right and be compliant with all environmental regs. You're going to piss of a lot of potential shooters who can't use their own cheaply bought ammo, test their reloads, check reliability with specialty ammo, etc. Personally, I'd avoid a range where I can't use the dirt cheap ammo I bought several years ago, or test defensive ammo in my guns. Insurance or local zoning might require this, ask me, I know. Insurance companies are worried about somebody loading improperly and an injury happening on the range. Same thing with local zoning. We just opened an indoor range locally and the Town required factory ammo as the range is in a high traffic area, and they wanted us to sell it so we knew what was going down range. Might be less of an issue in Texas, but it was absolutely required or us in NY.  we did what we could to keep ammo costs cheap, buying pallets of it and selling it for like a $1 a box over wholesale. You can't please everybody, but the range wasn't going to happen with either the insurance carrier or the Town otherwise.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:44:14 AM EDT
[#21]
Quoted: Not sure what i need, any help would be great. Thanks! You know who to make a small fortune while running a shooting range? Start with a large one... |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:47:02 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
how do i do that? not sure what i need Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
i am essentially trying to have a private club for mostly personal usages, i hate to say this but i am ready to spend 2-3 M on it but unsure of how zoning would work out. $2-3 million is a big chunk of change. Might I suggest you start with $24 for a membership. The advice you are getting is worth at least that much. how do i do that? not sure what i need click me |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:47:47 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You're going to piss of a lot of potential shooters who can't use their own cheaply bought ammo, test their reloads, check reliability with specialty ammo, etc. Personally, I'd avoid a range where I can't use the dirt cheap ammo I bought several years ago, or test defensive ammo in my guns. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Zoning, insurance, and a whole lot of money. You need to be close to major roads and highways. Your business model needs to count on several revenue streams. Memberships, lane rental, retail, league, instruction, certifications. Require the use of your ammo, but sign a contract with a large manufacturer for bulk pricing and pass it on to the consumer. Have rentals for the guns you sell - buy and try is king. You're probably going to need about a million to do it right and be compliant with all environmental regs. You're going to piss of a lot of potential shooters who can't use their own cheaply bought ammo, test their reloads, check reliability with specialty ammo, etc. Personally, I'd avoid a range where I can't use the dirt cheap ammo I bought several years ago, or test defensive ammo in my guns. Yep. H&H, a very successful gunstore and 20 or so lane range, allows the use of your own ammo with your own guns. Obviously, they didn't allow any steel core, or bi-metal jacketed bullets, but everything else was gtg. With their rentals, you had to use their ammo, but you could just buy a box of the cheap shit if all you wanted to do was blast. Of course, it helped that they had a full-auto fridays promotion where a Class 3 rental was something like $25. Zoning may be an issue, depending on politics, remember, you'll have to have a damn good backstop for rifle rounds. Ventilation will be an issue, most buildings don't come with the sort of air removal systems to make indoor shooting pleasant, let alone "safe." Others have mentioned insurance, but also you'll want a good lawyer to draw up your rental agreements and range waivers. Probably want to keep one on retainer, because the first time one of your employees refuses a rental to a customer because he gives off that "felon" vibe, you might be looking at a lawsuit in today's social climate. Provide hand wash stations outside of the lanes, it'll make it look like you're concerned about "lead exposure." 
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:48:44 AM EDT
[#24]
Here is something that is king...view yourself a businessman who has a product/service that he wants to sell to a customer. Not a gun guy with his own private range that he is willing to let others pay for the privilege to use.
Be friendly, helpful, and courteous to everyone that comes through the door regardless of any and everything. It's a business. Run it like a business. I've been in a couple ranges where the staff gives you this shitty "we don't know you...and you want to use OUR range...fucking asshole" look and I rarely return. With that, hire friendly and courteous staff. I would rather deal with a guy who is friendly and helpful but lacks vast knowledge than the know-it-all jerk. Do not tolerate that for one second. If you have to set the example right off the bat and fire a knowledgeable employee so be it. You can teach them firearm knowledge, rarely can you teach good customer service/personality. So I guess, hire good employees...not "gun guys". Sometimes you can find someone who is both...keep them. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:49:12 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Houston Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
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haha, ones who can help me with this gets a VIP pass that is free for life. Ok. What city? Shoot me an im. Houston Where are you looking at in Houston? I'm of no use in helping with advice when it comes to the money aspect, but when you build it I will shoot at it and give honest feed back. Ammo, as said above will be a big deal. Allowing people to bring their own will be huge. Do bulk ammo sales and get gun parts for sale, AR parts are hard to find if you are looking to buy locally. I know of 2 places in Houston. A good armorer on staff too. Think of all the things you love about guns and shooting and incorporate it into the range & shop. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:50:33 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Insurance or local zoning might require this, ask me, I know. Insurance companies are worried about somebody loading improperly and an injury happening on the range. Same thing with local zoning. We just opened an indoor range locally and the Town required factory ammo as the range is in a high traffic area, and they wanted us to sell it so we knew what was going down range. Might be less of an issue in Texas, but it was absolutely required or us in NY. we did what we could to keep ammo costs cheap, buying pallets of it and selling it for like a $1 a box over wholesale. You can't please everybody, but the range wasn't going to happen with either the insurance carrier or the Town otherwise.Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Zoning, insurance, and a whole lot of money. You need to be close to major roads and highways. Your business model needs to count on several revenue streams. Memberships, lane rental, retail, league, instruction, certifications. Require the use of your ammo, but sign a contract with a large manufacturer for bulk pricing and pass it on to the consumer. Have rentals for the guns you sell - buy and try is king. You're probably going to need about a million to do it right and be compliant with all environmental regs. You're going to piss of a lot of potential shooters who can't use their own cheaply bought ammo, test their reloads, check reliability with specialty ammo, etc. Personally, I'd avoid a range where I can't use the dirt cheap ammo I bought several years ago, or test defensive ammo in my guns. Insurance or local zoning might require this, ask me, I know. Insurance companies are worried about somebody loading improperly and an injury happening on the range. Same thing with local zoning. We just opened an indoor range locally and the Town required factory ammo as the range is in a high traffic area, and they wanted us to sell it so we knew what was going down range. Might be less of an issue in Texas, but it was absolutely required or us in NY. we did what we could to keep ammo costs cheap, buying pallets of it and selling it for like a $1 a box over wholesale. You can't please everybody, but the range wasn't going to happen with either the insurance carrier or the Town otherwise.Starry range in corpus doesn't even sell ammo as far as I know. Haven't been in years, tho. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:52:07 AM EDT
[#27]
Figure out how to charge $10/mo for memberships that very few people will use.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:52:36 AM EDT
[#28]
http://www.aransasfirearms.com/ Ask for Tyler
This guy build one a few years ago. He is one of the nicest gun store owners I have ever met. Im sure he will gladly give you all the info you need. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:53:43 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Starry range in corpus doesn't even sell ammo as far as I know. Haven't been in years, tho. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Zoning, insurance, and a whole lot of money. You need to be close to major roads and highways. Your business model needs to count on several revenue streams. Memberships, lane rental, retail, league, instruction, certifications. Require the use of your ammo, but sign a contract with a large manufacturer for bulk pricing and pass it on to the consumer. Have rentals for the guns you sell - buy and try is king. You're probably going to need about a million to do it right and be compliant with all environmental regs. You're going to piss of a lot of potential shooters who can't use their own cheaply bought ammo, test their reloads, check reliability with specialty ammo, etc. Personally, I'd avoid a range where I can't use the dirt cheap ammo I bought several years ago, or test defensive ammo in my guns. Insurance or local zoning might require this, ask me, I know. Insurance companies are worried about somebody loading improperly and an injury happening on the range. Same thing with local zoning. We just opened an indoor range locally and the Town required factory ammo as the range is in a high traffic area, and they wanted us to sell it so we knew what was going down range. Might be less of an issue in Texas, but it was absolutely required or us in NY. we did what we could to keep ammo costs cheap, buying pallets of it and selling it for like a $1 a box over wholesale. You can't please everybody, but the range wasn't going to happen with either the insurance carrier or the Town otherwise.Starry range in corpus doesn't even sell ammo as far as I know. Haven't been in years, tho. Like I said, could be a huge difference in cultures causing that. My experience is limited to NY, and it's not a pro-gun state around the bigger cities. Those were demands required of us. If it doesn't apply elsewhere, that's awesome. I prefer shooting my own shit as well, as I bought 9mm when it was $8.99/100. God I miss those days! |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:53:51 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
If you are trying to make money at this range you are wasting your time and money. Houston has a lot of ranges already. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Houston If you are trying to make money at this range you are wasting your time and money. Houston has a lot of ranges already. not trying to make money at all, mostly for personal/ business use |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:55:28 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
not trying to make money at all, mostly for personal/ business use Quote HistoryQuoted:
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Quoted:
Houston If you are trying to make money at this range you are wasting your time and money. Houston has a lot of ranges already. not trying to make money at all, mostly for personal/ business use I would actively try turn a profit with it. You don't have to blow the profit on strippers. Reinvest it into the range. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:59:19 AM EDT
[#32]
would it be easier if i make it a private range instead? ie invitations only>?
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Posted: 8/28/2015 10:04:21 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
i am essentially trying to have a private club for mostly personal usages, i hate to say this but i am ready to spend 2-3 M on it but unsure of how zoning would work out. The NRA & NSSF have educational programs for range owners. You need to read everything they have and then attend some training sessions. After that travel around the country to some top ranked and average indoor ranges to get an idea what's good or bad. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 10:12:59 AM EDT
[#34]
I have given up completly on indoor ranges due to all their stupid rules. Among the worst; No rapid fire No double taps One person to a lane Absolutely no instruction or teaching Must use range ammo only I even have a range within 10 minutes of my house in the states and it's so derpy I refuse to go there. So maybe don't make these dumb rules? Some how I think that's impossible though. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 10:24:41 AM EDT
[#35]
Take a visit to Lancaster PA first and visit TROP Gun. They should be a model for fun shops with indoor shooting ranges. Fantastic place to base your own shop on.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 10:26:37 AM EDT
[#36]
Before you start, look deeply into lead mitigation - both air quality issues AND lane clean up. You may want to change your mind.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 10:37:14 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: how do i do that? not sure what i need Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: i am essentially trying to have a private club for mostly personal usages, i hate to say this but i am ready to spend 2-3 M on it but unsure of how zoning would work out. $2-3 million is a big chunk of change. Might I suggest you start with $24 for a membership. The advice you are getting is worth at least that much. how do i do that? not sure what i need  Smells trollish to me...  Hey guys, I have like a billion dollars and I think I want to build a submarine, you know mostly just because submarines are fun, and for private use to ride around the lake in. Where do I get started? You know, like what do I need? |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 10:46:49 AM EDT
[#38]
What the fuck?
$2-3 million would buy you plenty of acreage outside of city limits without any zoning to do whatever the fuck you please.... |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 10:46:51 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
haha, ones who can help me with this gets a VIP pass that is free for life. I do consulting on range issues (among other things). IM me a number and I'll give you a call. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 10:50:59 AM EDT
[#40]
Go look up NSSF list of 5 star ranges. Go visit each and talk to their owners before doing anything else.
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Posted: 8/28/2015 11:34:24 AM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
If you're asking here you probably shouldn't be doing it. Wow if that isn't the most retarded thing I've ever read. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 11:51:12 AM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you're asking here you probably shouldn't be doing it. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 12:01:28 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What the fuck? $2-3 million would buy you plenty of acreage outside of city limits without any zoning to do whatever the fuck you please.... $2-3m on a private invitation-only indoor range reeks of someone who is either: 1. So stupidly rich that they can throw their money away on anything or 2. Someone really bad at investing Someone really bad at investing isn't likely to have a few spare millions to spend on a non-money-making business, so that would lead me to believe that said person came into that money without working for it, in which case they likely would have already blown the money on their hobbies instead of asking a gun forum what to do. Which leaves number 3: 3. Troll I dunno. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 12:21:01 PM EDT
[#44]
build a tiny berm on your property and then convince yourself that you'll never shoot over top of it and send a bullet 1/2 mile downrange
that's how most people build a range |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 12:36:31 PM EDT
[#45]
This, also possibly of funding sources and guidance.
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The NRA issues a range manual, I would bet it also covers indoor ranges. From those I know that have used it, it is the Bible of building a range. Start there. Other than the shooting aspect, it is also like any other business. Try to make more than you spend |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 12:41:34 PM EDT
[#46]
Buy this and read cover to cover
 Do you have any business experience? If not, buy and read this cover to cover  |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 12:49:30 PM EDT
[#47]
Houston = saturated market
doesnt sound like you want to deal with the public anyway 2-3 mil would buy you a chunk of land and a nice castle out in the country where you could shoot as you wish hell its TX you could get away with that for under a million or half a million if you dont need a castle |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 12:55:21 PM EDT
[#48]
I agree with the outdoor range suggestion. So many more options than indoor at far less cost. Pistol pit, long range rifle, skeet and trap, etc. Covered stations will work in all but the worst of weather.
If you are hell bent on an indoor range though you need more money, a range local to me spent about twice that amount rebuilding after a fire. It is a very nice range with the best air quality of any I've been to but it comes with a price. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 12:55:26 PM EDT
[#49]
Seems like an outdoor range would a way better investment.
I've never priced it out, but you could probably buy land, build a sweet clubhouse style area, and have long range lanes, handgun, shotgun etc. I'd def look into it, and compare pricing just to make sure. If an indoor near the city would cost 1 million, and an outdoor 20-30 minutes out of town would cost $500,000, it may change your mind. |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 12:59:26 PM EDT
[#50]
Can I be treasurer and brass enforcement officer?
If so, count me in. |
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