THE PROBLEM
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say one of the biggest hurdles to getting new shooters behind a firearm is the uncertainty when it comes to answering the question,
“Well, where will I shoot?”
With the majority of people in our nation living in urban and suburban areas rather than out in the sticks where your backyard is your range (Lord knows I miss those days), finding a place where the new shootist can feel comfortable learning and developing proves to often be such a daunting task they’ll forego any attempt at shooting to begin with.
Facebook friend “Monty On Guns” is all about sharing good info when it comes to the gun world. Here he is passing on the info about Where 2 Shoot from the NSSF.
THE SOLUTION
This is where I love what the NSSF is doing to help make this problem a less horrifying experience… by meeting people where they are both via the web and the smartphone user community. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has created a website called “WheretoShoot.org” and even an accompanying “APP” in the iTunes App Store by the same name in an effort to help new shooters connect the dots from the gun shop counter to throwing lead downrange. And the App is free. So any accusation of trying to trick someone into a gimmick or for proselytizing in the name of spinning a profit can be tossed out with the bedpan (yeah I went there).
But the app itself isn’t limited to just n00bs. Say you’re the new guy in the hood and are looking for a new shooting base to call home. This app is for you. OR if you’re looking to just share information about good options in an area or a friend living out of “meet up” distance you want to help get into shooting. This app is for you.
See where I’m going with this? If one of the hardest parts of breaking into the shooting world is going shooting [and not just buying the gun], the Where 2 Shoot site/app from the National Shooting Sports Foundation is a step in the right direction of minimizing that challenge.
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5 Responses to How to Find a Shooting Range
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FIND US HERE TOO!
A good topic. Even here in Virginia, which I’d normally consider to be a very gun-friendly state, I’m amazed at how few shooting ranges there are available. And given the obvious demand (I frequently see hours-long wait lines at my in-door range), I don’t understand why there isn’t entrepreneurial spirit in this arena. Are the regulations that bad?
Tim – I think its a combination of liability, high insurance premiums, and low profits. Most of the ranges i’ve been to insist on collecting all of the brass fired so that it can be resold or recycled for the extra cash. One owner told me that if it weren’t for brass and gun sales, he wouldn’t be in business.
Can’t speak for Va. But they are in NJ. I suspect, however, that the real problem is insurance costs. There have been a few, (very few) but well publicized cases in recent years. The damages were massive.
The website is actually http://wheretoshoot.org not Where2Shoot.org
Mmmmm, touche. Correcting my mistake. I believe all the links are good however my spelling is incorrect. Thanks for the spot.