New gun range shooting for top

The largest shooting range in the country is set to open this week in Northern Virginia with a focus on helping residents, members of the military and police officers protect themselves in schools, homes and other real-life situations.

"It is unrealistic for anyone to think you will always be engaging or defending from a fixed position, where someone is just directly in front of you," said Scott Marquez, president of the Silver Eagle Group Training Facility and Private Club, in Ashburn. "A lot of people in this area and around the country carry a firearm for self-defense, yet have very little training."

The sprawling, 65,000-square-foot facility includes three firing ranges, a training classroom and "scenario areas," including a two-story home and spaces designed to look like family rooms or nightclubs with sofas and a pool table.

Mr. Marquez said he conceived the facility after years of traveling to others across the country and asking owners what changes they would make.

"It was good, because as much as I learned about how they operated and what they did - almost everyone had a story about what they would do if they had it to do all over again," he said. "Gathering that sort of information was extremely valuable."

As a result, the Northern Virginia facility includes raised baffling so the ceiling and targets in the ranges do not appear too low, wider lanes so shooters don't feel "squished" against the walls of the ranges and a speaker system that allows officials to talk to every shooter at once or to an individual shooter.

Yes, the owners have been donating to Democrats at the local, state, and Federal for years per opensecrets.org and VPAP.org. Oh, and one token RINO is on the list - Connie Morella of MD.

Marquez, Scott HERNDON, VA20171 $400 05/12/2008 P HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT - Democrat

Marquez, Scott HERNDON, VA 20171MVM, Inc./Security Services $2,300 01/28/2008 P GERRY CONNOLLY FOR CONGRESS - Democrat (1)

Marquez, Dario Jr. MVM Inc./President VIENNAVA22182 500 11/8/2007 BECERRA FOR CONGRESS - DEMOCRAT (2)

Marquez, Dario OMVM Inc/CEOVIENNAVA22182 2,300 1/31/2008HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT - DEMOCRAT

Marquez, Dario O Jr –– IR 1,000 6/30/2007 OBAMA FOR AMERICA - DEMOCRAT

Marquez, Dario O. Jr.MVM, Inc./Security ServicesVIENNAVA22182 2,300 1/28/2008 GERRY CONNOLLY FOR CONGRESS - DEMOCRAT

Marquez, Dario O. MVM Inc./Executive OAKTONVA22124 300 5/3/2002 FRIENDS OF CONNIE MORELLA FOR CONGRESS - REPUBLICAN (3)

Marquez, Dario –– OAKTONVA22124-1,140 12/30/2003KATE HANLEY FOR CONGRESS - DEMOCRAT

Marquez, DarioMVM Inc/President and CEOOAKTONVA22124 2,000 6/10/2003 KATE HANLEY FOR CONGRESS - DEMOCRAT (4)

(1) "The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, along with its Virginia Million Mom March Chapters, today endorsed Gerry Connolly for Congress in Virginia's 11th Congressional District." - (http://www.bradynetwork.org/site/MessageViewer/&printer_friendly=1?em_id=31361.2)

(2) Rep Becerra is the sponsor of a bill requiring "microstamping" for pistols, a technology proven to be flawed and easily defeated by criminals. The bill's co-sponsors were a who's who of gun grabbing totalitarians, including Rep Rahm Emanuel (he who has shown allegiance to a nation other than the United States during a time of war by serving as a civilian in their armed forces, Rep Jesse Jackson, Jr., Rep Carolyn McCarthy (sponsor of HR1022), Rep Charles Rangel, and Rep Chris Van Hollen

(3) "Morella opposes her party's positions on...gun control (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Morella#Congressional_career)

(4) In a unanimous vote by its board, FAIRFAX COUNTY recently banned its police department’s practice of trading seized guns back to gun dealers, according to The Washington Post. Instead, the guns will be destroyed so they don’t end up in criminal hands. The supervisors also voted to prohibit the police department from exchanging their used service weapons for new ones, a practice that has become controversial. “I believe that Fairfax county residents have a right to believe that guns seized by police should be returned to their legal owners or destroyed,” Board Chairman Kate Hanley told the newspaper. - (http://www.naco.org/cnews/1999/99-9-27/newsfrom.htm)

The only public gun range around here will only allow you to slow fire at stationairy paper targets. Not very realistic training at all.

From the business owner's perspective, I can understand the "slow fire /no drawing from holster / paper target" rules all day long. You only have to go to a few of those ranges to notice a pattern of gunshots thru the ceiling, into the walls, and even into the firing line shelf from all the petrified newbies, gangstas, and general morons. Most serious shooters I know tend to migrate away from those places and into private ranges where they can get some real training done.

In my case, it's well worth a 90 mile round trip to a private outdoor range over a by-the-hour indoor place five miles from home. It's not crowded. I can practice from the holster, with a shot timer, and on multiple targets - you name it. The best thing about it is that I'm not worried about getting greased by the pinhead in the next lane.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.