The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Looking into opening a gun range in South Florida

stephen426 · April 6, 2013, 07:58 AM

I live in Miami, FL and I feel that we have a serious shortage of indoor gun ranges down here. There is Ace's in Doral, Stone Hart's which is near the Tamiami Airport, and Florida Gun in Hialeah. There is also Trail Glades which is an outdoor range west of Miami. For those of you not familiar with South Florida, Ace's is west, Stone Hart's is southwest, and Hialeah is northwest. The southeast and center of Miami are very under served and I feel a convenient range would attract a lot of shooters.

If there are any range owners or people who work at a range, please share any insight you might have.

Location: We are looking at sites near US1 in the South Miami Area and near where 826 and 836 meet. Convenience is key and visibility is important.

Size: Most indoor ranges I go to have 25 yard max distances. Florida Guns only goes to 55 feet. How important is a 25 yard long range? This greatly reduces the number of sites since not that many warehouses are that long. How many lanes makes sense? We are trying to strike a balance between having enough lanes to meet demand without over-building.

Features: What features do you expect? We are considering digital simulators that allow for live fire. We are also looking to do force on force training with air soft.

Pricing: We are looking to price ourselves in the mid to high range since we want an upscale range. It will deter the riffraff from coming in and improve margins. I am thinking about $15 - $20 per hour (discounted if they buy ammo from us). I am also looking at membership packages which includes range time.

Investment: So far, our projections fall in the $750K - $1 million mark. Several people have spoken with my partner and expressed an interest to invest.

Profitability: First and foremost, this is a business. While I love shooting, this is an investment first and foremost and investors expect a return on their money. This is my biggest concern as I feel ranges would only be busy on weekends and somewhat busier during evenings. Where does the money come from as a percentage? Range fees? Ammo sales? Gun Sales? Incidentals such as targets and eyes and ears? Training?

I appreciate any ideas and feedback you guys can offer!

April 6, 2013, 07:58 AM	#1
stephen426 Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2005 Posts: 3,840	Looking into opening a gun range in South Florida I live in Miami, FL and I feel that we have a serious shortage of indoor gun ranges down here. There is Ace's in Doral, Stone Hart's which is near the Tamiami Airport, and Florida Gun in Hialeah. There is also Trail Glades which is an outdoor range west of Miami. For those of you not familiar with South Florida, Ace's is west, Stone Hart's is southwest, and Hialeah is northwest. The southeast and center of Miami are very under served and I feel a convenient range would attract a lot of shooters. If there are any range owners or people who work at a range, please share any insight you might have. Location: We are looking at sites near US1 in the South Miami Area and near where 826 and 836 meet. Convenience is key and visibility is important. Size: Most indoor ranges I go to have 25 yard max distances. Florida Guns only goes to 55 feet. How important is a 25 yard long range? This greatly reduces the number of sites since not that many warehouses are that long. How many lanes makes sense? We are trying to strike a balance between having enough lanes to meet demand without over-building. Features: What features do you expect? We are considering digital simulators that allow for live fire. We are also looking to do force on force training with air soft. Pricing: We are looking to price ourselves in the mid to high range since we want an upscale range. It will deter the riffraff from coming in and improve margins. I am thinking about $15 - $20 per hour (discounted if they buy ammo from us). I am also looking at membership packages which includes range time. Investment: So far, our projections fall in the $750K - $1 million mark. Several people have spoken with my partner and expressed an interest to invest. Profitability: First and foremost, this is a business. While I love shooting, this is an investment first and foremost and investors expect a return on their money. This is my biggest concern as I feel ranges would only be busy on weekends and somewhat busier during evenings. Where does the money come from as a percentage? Range fees? Ammo sales? Gun Sales? Incidentals such as targets and eyes and ears? Training? I appreciate any ideas and feedback you guys can offer! __________________ The ATF should be a convenience store instead of a government agency!