The gun owner next door

The Daily Camera (Boulder) ^ | 1 December 2002 | staff

[45Auto]

Fairly positive article. And from Boulder, the bastion of liberal looniness from Colorado.

[wideawake]

As of this past week, there are 805 members in a club designed to accommodate 250, with more than 350 people on a waiting list.

Sounds like it's time to open another facility or three.

[Billthedrill]

This, in Boulder? Wonders never cease...BTT...

[Shooter 2.5]

I almost missed this one. Read for later.

[ArrogantBustard]

I see these "fairly positive" articles from time to time. I'm always struck by the bemused and condescending tone, as though they were written by some highly sophisticated anthropologist describing the primitive amusements of a bunch of uneducated savages.

[facedown]

Sounds like it's time to open another facility or three.

Probably can't due to some regulation or another. This facility is probably grandfathered.

[wideawake]

I've often thought about how profitable a range would be as a business venture.

I agree that making it a friendly place for women would be paramount - in general women take the responsibility very seriously, they make for steady repeat business and they are excellent for free word-of-mouth advertising. Key factors for attracting female customers are cleanliness and professionalism - i.e. spotless restrooms and well-groomed, polite employees.

Giving group seminars on firearm safety and practical self-defense would be greatly appreciated as well, I expect.

An indoor range gives a sense of a more-controlled environment, even though it's expensive to maintain.

[jjm2111]

Same here. It almost seems like the reporter is in shock to see some middle-age woman school teacher blasting away with a .45 or (God forbid) a black battle rifle. These reporters probably be in less shock if their best friend confided in them that he and his spouse really enjoy S&M.

Hopefully, the assigned reporter might augment their silly leftist notions when they realize that many, many Americans are ferverent Second Amendment supporters.

[FreedomPoster]

Someone out there in Boulder needs to invite this guy to a range trip to try out some hardware. This article was positive enough, that a range trip for that guy might bring him over to being an enthusiast. It has happened before.

Anyone have a Colorado FReeper ping list, or know any FReepers in Boulder that are also into firearms?

[FreedomPoster]

Any comments on post #8?

[dljordan]

I've been on the waiting list for four years. I'm currently driving about 50 miles to the Weld County range. The lefties here really wet their panties at the idea of another range opening.

[Redcloak]

Gently, almost lovingly, he squeezes the trigger...

What is it about firearms that give the average journalist a woody?

[RicocheT]

It's almost impossible now to open a range anywhere near an urban area here in the Midwest. A gun store in a suburb of Milwaukee wanted to buy a warehouse property in an industrial park. The municipal government of the area said no and then hurried up and changed the zoning law to exclude gun ranges. The insurance co.s are also down on ranges and hem and haw about insuring a new range. Existing ranges have to keep the policies they have and hope to heck no claims occur.

[wideawake]

This "almost lovingly" language gets repeated again in a number of variations in every mainstream media article about firearm owners.

That's partially because most journalists only see firearms in action movies, where people just fire off a bunch of rounds without any real target acquisition.

They just don't realize that the more deliberate and gentle you are in aiming and firing, the better your accuracy is.

[dansangel]

FreedomPoster: Thank-you, as always for the ping.

wideawake: I was directed to this comment specifically for my opinion. You make some very valid points. .45MAN and I stopped patronizing one indoor range due to lack of ventilation, extreme dirtiness and the clientele it attracted. It's a bit unnerving to allow patrons to shoot sideways like they see in the movies and inadvertently take down ceiling tiles.

A firing range business venture with your points in mind would attract not only female gun enthusiasts, but male, as well. No one wants to compromise their safety just for the sake of firing a gun.

[Jerrybob]

I love my guns because: 1) You don't have to plug them in and 2) They don't need batteries.

[toddst]

As of this past week, there are 805 members in a club designed to accommodate 250, with more than 350 people on a waiting list.

Sounds like it's time to open another facility or three.

Many communities are in the same situation or worse. In our case we have the only well equipped club in several counties (near Lexington, KY.) We have about 2500 members and a waiting list. Some years ago we relocated from an essentially urban location to approximately 2300 acres in a rural setting.

It wasn't easy to find a location where neighbors would accept us. We could not make such a move today without many more challenges - probably a battle through the courts.

IMO the next round of shooting ranges will be indoors, perhaps underground if they are to be near urban areas.

[harpseal]

If you are looking for a woman friendly range in the Connecticut, RI, NYC area I heartily recommend Ginsite Indoor Range in Guilford, CT. Frank and Patty the range owners even sponsored a Women on traget NRA event.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[wideawake]

IMO the next round of shooting ranges will be indoors, perhaps underground if they are to be near urban areas.

I was wondering whether someone would think of converting an underground parking garage into a range.

It makes a lot of sense.