Supporting LGS with Range

Not me. I quit visiting LGS because I am tired of the cranky old guy who thinks cause I am in my 30's I am some young, dumb kid and treating me like crap. Last time I visited one it was purchased by some younger middle eastern guys who tried selling me a automatic holster for a J frame and then argued about it all the while being very flirtatious with my girlfriend. "Hey, baby let me show you this" "this is what I carry and I will give you a special price". Just when I thought the "retired cop" a hole was gone I get these clowns. They can take their $17 for a box of 9mm, $21hr for stall rental, no reloads, must leave all your brass on the ground range and shove it right up their hooohaa!!!

I pay $245yr or $65 and 12 work hours for a nice outdoor 100yard range that I can shoot whatever I want, whenever I want, how I want and I get to take my brass home with me. I don't have to worry about the idiot next to me shooting a 44mag with Buffalo Bore loads at 10ft, the AR 15 going 100mph next to me.

I get their is overhead but when your pricing stuff 50% more than online or even larger stores like Cabelas then you deserve to close down. These LGS need to realize that they arent gonna take home $100k a year anymore and just do it as a side gig and stop screwing everyone over.

@ohihunter2014—I think you’re very fortunate to have ready, affordable access to a nice outdoor range. For many folks, it’s quite a drive to any range, indoors or outdoors. Does using an outdoor range discourage your use during winter months, what with Ohio winter temps and fewer hours of daylight? There’s a few indoor ranges in my metro area, but only a couple outdoor ranges within a 45 min drive, only one of which is accessible to me, and its hours of availability are extremely limited, to say the least. Thus, I make it a point to encourage (financially) the sort of commercial establishment I wish to see thrive. Granted, they don’t charge $17 for a box of 9mm, but it’s about that to rent a lane (no time limit, however). In addition, they sell memberships that include range use without added fees. With the annual membership fee, I figure I’m paying about $4-5/hr for lane fees at present, and I’m not even shooting that much at the moment.

Paco42 said:

@ohihunter2014—I think you’re very fortunate to have ready, affordable access to a nice outdoor range. For many folks, it’s quite a drive to any range, indoors or outdoors. Does using an outdoor range discourage your use during winter months, what with Ohio winter temps and fewer hours of daylight? There’s a few indoor ranges in my metro area, but only a couple outdoor ranges within a 45 min drive, only one of which is accessible to me, and its hours of availability are extremely limited, to say the least. Thus, I make it a point to encourage (financially) the sort of commercial establishment I wish to see thrive. Granted, they don’t charge $17 for a box of 9mm, but it’s about that to rent a lane (no time limit, however). In addition, they sell memberships that include range use without added fees. With the annual membership fee, I figure I’m paying about $4-5/hr for lane fees at present, and I’m not even shooting that much at the moment.

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We are permitted to shoot until 930pm and they have several large spotlights that light up the range. The only downside is the cold and mud after a thaw or range. We have about 7 outdoor ranges within an hour of each other you just have to do some leg work and get on a waiting list and become a member. Usually within a year your in. We also have about a dozen and a half LGS with ranges within an hour and I’ve only found one that I was comfortable at and they closed the range portion. One range used to make you call for a reservation which wasn’t so bad until the only counter guy left and a guy with a double feed in his 1911 came wondering into the lobby for help and then the counter guy proceeded to work on the gun at the counter. The other is family run and they put a bad taste in my mouth when my brother (cop) and I went there when I turned 21. The guy said he needed ID and I said my brother is a cop he’s going to get his ID. The guy says what’s he want a discount I only need one ID. He badged the guy for the cop discount and the guy asked for ID. He handed him his police ID and he tossed it on the counter and said that’s nice I need a drivers license. I have to use this ranges classroom and private portion once a year for requalifications and they charge $17 for blazer aluminum. They actually have a guy standing in the stalls sweeping all your brass. If you bend over or pick it up your gone. The other range makes you watch a 15min video, sigh a bunch of crap and then have several people standing around the stalls watching you. They are about $20hr. The other is a 8-9 stall hole in the wall that used to be run by a retired cop who treated everyone like trash. When the shortage of ammo happened they charged you $20 box of 9mm and you had to shoot it there. They also charge about $20hr. Clock starts once he starts ringing you up and not once your inside the stall. I went over about 5min one time cause I was cleaning up and he charged me 30min extra. Never been back after they hit on my GF in front of me. Never been to the others cause I shoot reloads, no body is playing gunsmith with my gun if it jams and I’m taking my brass home with me.

if these places would lighten the prices, have more inventory other than what the owner likes they would do a lot better imo. The one store was always full of glock and Springfield. When they finally got anything S&W they charged almost new prices for used. We have a shop that went from a 600sf shack to owning several larger stores through the state and they are always packed and ammo is $8-box.

I get how you might be annoyed/perturbed by the local ranges that don’t allow you to pick up your own brass, charge ridiculous prices, and—my favorite—are completely incompetent w/r/t basic safety, etc. The range/shop I frequent is staffed by good, professional-type personnel, and they know what they’re doing—and nobody is gonna be walking through the shop waving their 1911 with a double feed in the air.

Oh, and hitting on your GF?! That’s both ungentlemanly and stupid.

I have talked with a number of shooters from my area and a couple of the indoor ranges that are down into Illinois and for the life of us we cannot come up with a good reason why there hasn't been a shop with a range open up in the western side of Kenosha and Racine counties and the eastern side of Walworth county. There is nothing here and if you marked this area on a map there would be nothing available for a 25 mi. radius. This is also a growing area as the farms vanish and the subdivisions spring up. Only for me personally the distance to this one shop/range is about 40mi. so it is just easier to go into Illinois.

Paco42 said:

I get how you might be annoyed/perturbed by the local ranges that don’t allow you to pick up your own brass, charge ridiculous prices, and—my favorite—are completely incompetent w/r/t basic safety, etc. The range/shop I frequent is staffed by good, professional-type personnel, and they know what they’re doing—and nobody is gonna be walking through the shop waving their 1911 with a double feed in the air.

Oh, and hitting on your GF?! That’s both ungentlemanly and stupid.

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The 1911 mishap was probably the worst. We made an appointment, arrived and I felt like I walked into a hooka house or something. Recliners, Couches, Bag chairs, ton of people sitting around B.S. It was kind of like a hipster hangout. I went after work with a buddy and was in my armored car uniform and the 1911 owner thought I worked there, so asked for help.

The GF shop he was asking how old she was, kids, work, etc. Kept telling her how he would give her a good deal on a Glock cause that's what he carried. After he called her Baby for the 2-3 time I was done.

I can get over the cocky attitudes, lack of knowledge, but I wont pay double for ammo, I don't want some guy who took a weekend RSO class standing over my shoulder watching everything I do or the outragous cost of an hour to shoot. Once I blow through 2-3 boxes of $17 ammo and $20hr I could have paid for an entire year of shooting.

Okay, I'm off my soap box. Sorry!

kmw1954 said:

I have talked with a number of shooters from my area and a couple of the indoor ranges that are down into Illinois and for the life of us we cannot come up with a good reason why there hasn't been a shop with a range open up in the western side of Kenosha and Racine counties and the eastern side of Walworth county. There is nothing here and if you marked this area on a map there would be nothing available for a 25 mi. radius. This is also a growing area as the farms vanish and the subdivisions spring up. Only for me personally the distance to this one shop/range is about 40mi. so it is just easier to go into Illinois.

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Could be zoning issues.

ohihunter2014 said:

Could be zoning issues.

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Could be but doubt it. In this 3 county corner there are within a 10mi radius 7 towns that have a population of 10k. From this center it is an easy 15min drive to any of these small towns. Then by nature of development there are probably another 10k in the surrounding areas outside the town itself.

At the same time there is a public outdoor range that is about 45min from my location and they do provide decent hours and are open all year around. During the summer, even in the middle of the week the place is packed so it is not like there are limited numbers of shooters in this area. My drawback is the cold in the winter time even though they have covered shooting lanes..

ohihunter2014 said:

Not me. I quit visiting LGS because I am tired of the cranky old guy who thinks cause I am in my 30's I am some young, dumb kid and treating me like crap. Last time I visited one it was purchased by some younger middle eastern guys who tried selling me a automatic holster for a J frame and then argued about it all the while being very flirtatious with my girlfriend. "Hey, baby let me show you this" "this is what I carry and I will give you a special price". Just when I thought the "retired cop" a hole was gone I get these clowns. They can take their $17 for a box of 9mm, $21hr for stall rental, no reloads, must leave all your brass on the ground range and shove it right up their hooohaa!!!

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I wouldn't give a nickle to those jack bums either.

A sad tale.
My local rental range/store is clean and cordial. My women friends feel comfortable there.
Prices are not great but I don't buy a lot there. I have a "membership" that makes my per-visit cost low. They don't mind that I shoot handloads and pick up my brass.

Only shop with a range near me is Top Guns in Terre Haute.
Nice folks, nice range. Have done some biz with 'em and been quite pleased, so I've been happy to return.
Not too sure, though, they need a whole lot of help from a small-volume guy like me. Place draws like mad; practically a regional tourism attraction. I kid you not.
Still, I go at opening time on Saturdays and get a lane easily. Works out great for me, 'cause it's only a 1/2-mile from my place.