Range Development

[MuttCat]

A club I belong to has a parcel which is optimistically referred to as a rifle range. I've checked it out and will not use it. Plenty of space, nice and level, but little else. So, basically starting with a blank slate, I emailed NRA Range Services and asked for any "where to begin" direction.

I got a response pretty quick: attend a conference in Pittsburgh this coming March, attend the conference online, or purchase a book the NRA has published. This info, along with NRA Range Services website guidance is useful and boy, things can get involved. The conference is not cheap and not going to happen. But I will share what I've discovered with club officers and see where things go.

Anybody in here have any experience with range development? I guess I'm kind of hoping somebody can take a look at the site and say what kind of safety considerations should be in place...like right now.

Thoughts?

 

[MilesTeg]

@dsdmmat

 

[Darth]

...purchase a book the NRA has published. This info, along with NRA Range Services website guidance is useful and boy, things can get involved. The conference is not cheap and not going to happen

It's almost like they are in it for the money.

 

[Defilade]

It's almost like they are in it for the money.

Kinda like vaccine/drug makers!

 

[GTN]

Go to other ranges and see what they have. Ask for photos from members here of where they go.
This is Rochester Brooks Gun Club drone tour. Mostly shotgun areas but has 8 pistol bays and rifle range of 50,100,200 yards
Club Drone Tour | Rochester Brooks

 

[MuttCat]

No, assistance does not seem to come free. I personally don't mind paying, but I'm afraid the club will be put off by development costs. I'm not even sure that the club is actually NRA affiliated.

 

[2WheelGnnr]

NRA affiliated or not......Im sure the club board would want to know how to make safer and minimize issue and safety concerns from both within and outside the club.

Safe makes fun for all!!! and the club would have a good valuable asset for its members..........

 

[Darth]

Kinda like vaccine/drug makers!

Damn straight! A $20 vaccine makes much more money than a never ending medical regiment stemming from vaccine preventable diseases!

 

[MuttCat]

Safety...agreed!
I think there may some culture issues in the background. The membership has factions that appear at odds. I just can't believe, given the age of this club, that nothing was ever done with this range. I don't even see postings on the perimeter.

 

[dsdmmat]

@dsdmmat

A club I belong to has a parcel which is optimistically referred to as a rifle range. I've checked it out and will not use it. Plenty of space, nice and level, but little else. So, basically starting with a blank slate, I emailed NRA Range Services and asked for any "where to begin" direction.

I got a response pretty quick: attend a conference in Pittsburgh this coming March, attend the conference online, or purchase a book the NRA has published. This info, along with NRA Range Services website guidance is useful and boy, things can get involved. The conference is not cheap and not going to happen. But I will share what I've discovered with club officers and see where things go.

Anybody in here have any experience with range development? I guess I'm kind of hoping somebody can take a look at the site and say what kind of safety considerations should be in place...like right now.

Thoughts?

Depending upon what is behind your property range development is a pretty forward thing. Big bullet stop at the back. Lots of clear area in which to place targets. I would also berm the sides so that people don't inadvertently (or on purpose) wonder into the impact area. The NRA recommends a 21 foot berm for a backstop. If you have idiots and occupied land behind your range, you may have to baffle your firing line and range area. @nortatoga has a baffled complex at his range.

If you control the land 3.5 miles behind your range then you don't have to worry about berms or baffles. That is why the military uses so much land for range complexes they run them in a circle with a huge impact area in the middle.

See if you can find a copy of TC 25-8 online that is the Army's book on ranges.

 

[MuttCat]

Depending upon what is behind your property range development is a pretty forward thing. Big bullet stop at the back. Lots of clear area in which to place targets. I would also berm the sides so that people don't inadvertently (or on purpose) wonder into the impact area. The NRA recommends a 21 foot berm for a backstop. If you have idiots and occupied land behind your range, you may have to baffle your firing line and range area. @nortatoga has a baffled complex at his range.

If you control the land 3.5 miles behind your range then you don't have to worry about berms or baffles. That is why the military uses so much land for range complexes they run them in a circle with a huge impact area in the middle.

See if you can find a copy of TC 25-8 online that is the Army's book on ranges.

Thanks. At the far end there is no bullet stop, just low wooded hillocks which are probably insufficient. Along the left side is uphill and looks good. Along the right side, not good. It fronts along a town road, and although the range does sit at a higher elevation there is a clear view. Lastly, there is a shared boundary with state land, so potentially somebody could stroll into the site and not even know it.

 

[misunderestimated]

Great for you to start such a task, this is what builds our clubs. the work of a few doing the work of many. I am a fan of the NRA . There education department is second to none. Get your club affiliated with the NRA as they have grants available to assist in club/range development .

 

[nortatoga]

As @dsdmmat mentioned here are some pic's of our 50 yard range with the baffled overshot.



These are from our winterseed shoot early this year.



The wall on the side is filled with stone.



The pistol target retrieval lanes out to 20 yards, we may be adding another 4 as these get a lot of use!



Right side without the snow!



Looking back at the building from about 25 meters.

This Range was done in two stages about 7/8 years ago! First the overshot then the next year the building at a cost of roughly $60,000 ( not including the pistol retrieval system that was added last year at a cost of $3500 each lane).

Our 100/200 yard range is similar add was built by the members before I joined in 06, That is in the plans to rebuild the overshot in the near future!

Also both of these ranges have 21+ berms down the sides and behind the target line!

And yes the NRA was helpful with plans and some grant money.

 

[Calculon]

That’s an impressive setup.

A friend of mine took the NRA range dev course a few years ago and said he got as much from the dvd as from the class. Maybe start there.

 

[MuttCat]

Wow, nice.

Appreciate the feedback very much. Yeah, sometimes I scratch my head about things...but, the club is damn near and they support youth activities. Hey, I 've some free time to do something.

I believe that any construction could be covered by willing members in the trades, and the info about grants would get attention.

 

[nortatoga]

Though I sure it was obvious the overhead baffles are also full of stone! I forgot to mention, Also make sure you drill weep-holes on the bottom for water drainage we had to do that as a after thought !

 

[MuttCat]

We've got plenty of stone.....12 stone for every dirt....

Phone calls to make this weekend; fingers crossed.

 

[Acer-m14]

OMG .. rules and regulations for shooting ranges .. big $$$$$ to be spent to make it safe ..

i think ranges need safe pillows to cry on when you pull a shot .. ..

how many hunters were out shooting deer the last month and now ??

8 mile Range in Groveland ..

come and play ..

 

[Acer-m14]

https://nygunforum.com/threads/range-day-and-range-rules-someone-forgot-one-or-2-rules.26732/

 

[Acer-m14]

Get your club affiliated with the NRA as they have grants available to assist in club/range development .

get the funds from NYDEC too .. they have funding too for Range improvements ..

 

[nortatoga]

get the funds from NYDEC too .. they have funding too for Range improvements ..

I may be wrong but I think NYDEC funding would require a range that is open to the public not private Clubs/Ranges that require memberships.

 

[Acer-m14]

I may be wrong but I think NYDEC funding would require a range that is open to the public not private Clubs/Ranges that require memberships.

yes the DEC oneis for open range .. you can have a club and charge to be a member .. but have to welcome the public in to shoot with no fee ..

how my club here is ..

 

[nortatoga]

yes the DEC oneis for open range .. you can have a club and charge to be a member .. but have to welcome the public in to shoot with no fee ..

how my club here is ..

Does your have RSO on staff?

 

[nycarry]

Here is Williamson gun club's baffle setup. It was also NRA designed.

 

[dsdmmat]

I may be wrong but I think NYDEC funding would require a range that is open to the public not private Clubs/Ranges that require memberships.

If you sell memberships you are open to the public.

 

[nortatoga]

If you sell memberships you are open to the public.

Shooting Range Small Grants Program - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Shooting Range Small Grants Program

The grants program encourages the development and improvement of shooting ranges. Shooting ranges provide important benefits to hunting, recreational shooting, and competitive shooting communities.They are important for developing firearms and archery familiarity, proficiency necessary for safe and ethical hunting, and for responsible use of firearms and archery equipment.

Program Summary
DEC in cooperation with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County (CCE) developed the Shooting Range Small Grants Program to assist non-profit organizations and municipalities with improvement projects for shooting ranges and related facilities.

NOTE: Funding for this program is currently on hold. We are not accepting applications at this time.

Who can apply: This grant is open to all IRS-certified non-profit organizations and municipalities (counties, cities, towns, or villages) in New York State.

Examples of eligible projects (example projects include, but are not limited to):

• berms
• shooting benches
• skeet and trap houses
• field courses
• classroom and sanitary facility upgrades
• archery range development
• upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Program Requirements
The following are some of the program requirements:

• A maximum of two applications may be submitted per applicant, but only one will have the potential to be selected. Each application can include only one project improvement.
• The current facility should have a history of operation for at least five years unless owned or managed by a municipality.
• The project must have a life expectancy of five years or more.
• At least one weekend day per month of public access is required, during the normal period of operation for five years.
• Successful applicants will be required to submit progress reports during the project (reports will be specified when project is approved). Annual reports for five years after the project is completed will be initiated by the DEC. The successful applicants will have to return them and will include updates on compliance with the contract.

This is a reimbursement program. The successful applicant will be reimbursed upon completion and inspection of the approved project.

Program Funding and Match Requirement
Funding provided by sportsmen's and sportswomen's dollars made available from the Pittman-Robertson Act will be available to encourage the development and improvement of shooting ranges. Projects will be selected annually through a competitive grant process. Allocations will range from $1,000 to $15,000, depending on available funds and number of applications received. This program will provide matching grants at a 3:1 ratio to eligible non-profit or municipal shooting ranges across the state. For example, a $15,000 grant would need $5,000 in local match. Funding for the program is derived from a federal tax on firearms and ammunition, made available to state fish and wildlife agencies through their sportsman education activities. Other federal funding is not eligible to be used as match.


This here was what I remembered.

*At least one weekend day per month of public access is required, during the normal period of operation for five years.*

Now my Club does have events that are open to the public (Trap, IDPA, and some Rifle matches) But this requirement may mean non-member walk-ins would have full use of all ranges? And we have a strict orientation class required for members with no exceptions.

 

[dsdmmat]

Shooting Range Small Grants Program - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Shooting Range Small Grants Program

The grants program encourages the development and improvement of shooting ranges. Shooting ranges provide important benefits to hunting, recreational shooting, and competitive shooting communities.They are important for developing firearms and archery familiarity, proficiency necessary for safe and ethical hunting, and for responsible use of firearms and archery equipment.

Program Summary
DEC in cooperation with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County (CCE) developed the Shooting Range Small Grants Program to assist non-profit organizations and municipalities with improvement projects for shooting ranges and related facilities.

NOTE: Funding for this program is currently on hold. We are not accepting applications at this time.

Who can apply: This grant is open to all IRS-certified non-profit organizations and municipalities (counties, cities, towns, or villages) in New York State.

Examples of eligible projects (example projects include, but are not limited to):

• berms
• shooting benches
• skeet and trap houses
• field courses
• classroom and sanitary facility upgrades
• archery range development
• upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Program Requirements
The following are some of the program requirements:

• A maximum of two applications may be submitted per applicant, but only one will have the potential to be selected. Each application can include only one project improvement.
• The current facility should have a history of operation for at least five years unless owned or managed by a municipality.
• The project must have a life expectancy of five years or more.
• At least one weekend day per month of public access is required, during the normal period of operation for five years.
• Successful applicants will be required to submit progress reports during the project (reports will be specified when project is approved). Annual reports for five years after the project is completed will be initiated by the DEC. The successful applicants will have to return them and will include updates on compliance with the contract.

This is a reimbursement program. The successful applicant will be reimbursed upon completion and inspection of the approved project.

Program Funding and Match Requirement
Funding provided by sportsmen's and sportswomen's dollars made available from the Pittman-Robertson Act will be available to encourage the development and improvement of shooting ranges. Projects will be selected annually through a competitive grant process. Allocations will range from $1,000 to $15,000, depending on available funds and number of applications received. This program will provide matching grants at a 3:1 ratio to eligible non-profit or municipal shooting ranges across the state. For example, a $15,000 grant would need $5,000 in local match. Funding for the program is derived from a federal tax on firearms and ammunition, made available to state fish and wildlife agencies through their sportsman education activities. Other federal funding is not eligible to be used as match.


This here was what I remembered.

*At least one weekend day per month of public access is required, during the normal period of operation for five years.*

Now my Club does have events that are open to the public (Trap, IDPA, and some Rifle matches) But this requirement may mean non-member walk-ins would have full use of all ranges? And we have a strict orientation class required for members with no exceptions.

.
Open to the public doesn’t mean any MF can walk up and shoot, in other words you can charge a fee and have safety requirements that have to be met. You don’t have to give people a free lunch (so to speak).

When I was looking into grants from the friends of the NRA they said as long as we sold memberships (open to the public) we were eligible. We also have leagues and monthly competitions that you do not have to be a member to shoot in. They also considered that open to the public.

 

[Robin]

The club I belong to is a lot like many old time club's, poor, small and started out with trap shooting in mind, the rifle range was pretty much an afterthought used primarily to sight in shotguns for deer season, oh, and resistant to change, with an old guard. With the increased usage of the range, and extra dues money it actually became a project fixing it up and that has greatly improved the facility in every way. We got a grant from the DEC, I believe, and the only strings were it had to be handicap accessible, "open to the public one day a week", and a deadline for the improvements completion day. It really is worth looking into. Its no Rochester Brooks but we don't have the traffic they do, dues are only $35, the actual range is only 100 yards, and most time I have it all to myself.
Robin

 

[nortatoga]

.
Open to the public doesn’t mean any MF can walk up and shoot, in other words you can charge a fee and have safety requirements that have to be met. You don’t have to give people a free lunch (so to speak).

When I was looking into grants from the friends of the NRA they said as long as we sold memberships (open to the public) we were eligible. We also have leagues and monthly competitions that you do not have to be a member to shoot in. They also considered that open to the public.

Yes I understand about NRA grants we have gotten a few over the years that I am a member. But I am unsure about NYSDEC funding what strings are attached?

 

[Defilade]

Make sure when shooting your deer you have a 21 ft backstop behind it.