Central Florida Airgun Club

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air-hunter_canyon

air-hunter_canyon

Member
Aug 21, 2021
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Daytona Beach, Florida
Good day,

I have been researching how to open an air gun store located in central Florida just east of Orlando. I am going to open the store which will also contain an indoor shooting range for air rifles, only. I am in the process of re-searching what the demand is here in the central Florida area. Does anyone have any suggestions or would anyone be interested in joining a club if it were to open?
 
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Good ventilation would be easier to maintain with air rifles than PBs.

The question is, would Florida winter conditions be bad enough that demand for an indoor range could help pay the bills? I assume you would charge a fee to use it, unless a potential buyer is demoing a gun. Could you rent it sometimes to organizations that want to hold competitions indoors?

I’m a long ways from FL but I’d use such a range and would love to go to a brick-and-mortar airgun store.
 
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jetpopt said:
Good ventilation would be easier to maintain with air rifles than PBs.

The question is, would Florida winter conditions be bad enough that demand for an indoor range could help pay the bills? I assume you would charge a fee to use it, unless a potential buyer is demoing a gun. Could you rent it sometimes to organizations that want to hold competitions indoors?

I’m a long ways from FL but I’d use such a range and would love to go to a brick-and-mortar airgun store.
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I would as well but it might be better in the summertime instead of the winter because it's so hot here
 
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So much to consider. Glanced at population these day's (DAMN) seem the area has grown since before the cross florida barge canal day's so no worries there. Past rules,regs'permits,zoning..... ???? Figure you've got that.

Indoor Airgun range? Would people use one? YES. And a shop with indoor range works - as long as sercvice is excellent. Jim did just fine in Michigan with such. Now if your range is 10m fine, HELPS sales, if you have 50 yards, extra side hustle. Have you been to th couple of airgun FT clubs around your area?
Much to consider and anyone can become a dealer (many many have and Then realized) the mark up isn't much and from time to time even as a dealer you will be undersold by your suppliers -sales & such- so Customer Service . have repair experence?aware of warranty for every brand you might carry? How wil you be handling this? Liability insurance cost/needs? How much inventory can you afford sitting? Need to stock everything that goes with them also to keep folks happy.
Had a store 16 miles from us briefly mostly big-bore AF rigs he knew how to work on - scraping warranty in his case- but a few AA rigs, a Marauder, a ... , a ... and pellets & slugs, always need more ammo. Did not know it was there until I saw AirForce with the Squirrel painted on the side,made a u-turn & went in. Wife had a restaurant in the front airguns and Air , had two good compressors, in the back. Was really taking off and in his case would have done very well but timing with covid combined with too much overhead did him (and his wife) in.
It can be done. It is not easy.
I know of a half dozen people here who are or were dealers hoepfully they come along & add. People with actual stores not so much. As much advertizing as you can get seems important to me.

Lot's to consider.


John
 
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Not in Florida but would use an indoor range quite a bit. Especially if it offered 30, 50 and 75 yard lanes.
You should offer air for people shooting the lanes, if needed. And perhaps fill tanks as part of your store service. The more you can offer the better you will do as you will serve many different facets and interests.
Good Luck.
 
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Good day,

So I’ve considered multiple options as to what the range would look like. I’ve lived in Florida my entire life so I want to enclose the area and make it an indoor range. We would provide air but like most ranges there would be a time limit to ensure all individuals have time to shoot. Appointments can be made and reservations. Im currently gauging the demand. Air guns are quite easy to work on. The most profitable thing will be services, supplies, and range time.
 
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DeSoto aitgunner shoot in Atcadia. Matches are once a month. I lived in Zephyrhills and shot at least 3 times a week. Weather was never all that bad to require an indoor range, IMO. Yes it’s hot and humid in summer so you shoot early. Covered shooting benches are really needed. If you put up an indoor facility, then you’ll have to air condition it then maybe wrestle with local environmental regulations about lead. I know a dealer in Northern FL that planned to do that, but I haven’t heard any more about it. Personally, I see no ROI.
 
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air-hunter_canyon said:
Good day,

I have been researching how to open an air gun store located in central Florida just east of Orlando. I am going to open the store which will also contain an indoor shooting range for air rifles, only. I am in the process of re-searching what the demand is here in the central Florida area. Does anyone have any suggestions or would anyone be interested in joining a club if it were to open?
Click to expand...
Check out CMP in Huntsville Al
 
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air-hunter_canyon said:
Good day,

So I’ve considered multiple options as to what the range would look like. I’ve lived in Florida my entire life so I want to enclose the area and make it an indoor range. We would provide air but like most ranges there would be a time limit to ensure all individuals have time to shoot. Appointments can be made and reservations. Im currently gauging the demand. Air guns are quite easy to work on. The most profitable thing will be services, supplies, and range time.
Click to expand...
Also look into Palmyra Sportsman assn
 
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Air Hunter, I live in Melbourne and just came across this thread. I am very interested in having an indoor airgun only range east of Orlando. Are you considering the Daytona Beach area? BTW, there is an outdoor shooting range run by Indian River County on the border between Brevard and Indian River counties. Haven’t been there in a bit, but they have a dedicated airgun range that is on the right as you drive into the grounds. The biggest problem I find with outdoor ranges in Florida is the heat - at 78 I can’t take much of it and I don’t think I’m alone in that, so an indoor range hopefully closer to me that is not fouled with cordite smoke would be most welcome. Perhaps if you tied it to a club with reasonable monthly dues, that would help to defray your costs. I’d be in as long as it isn’t too far away and, I’d suggest, outside of Orlando to keep the traffic down. I’m also open to assisting you in getting it set up working out of my home.

An additional service you could provide is an airgun smith as there appear to be many gunsmiths but few that seem to do airguns. For example, I have two air rifles, a Crosman Challenger 2009 and a Tau 2000 (co2 cartridge) that will need to be resealed but the Crosman service rep in Orlando does not reseal Challengers and referred me to a phone number in Pennsylvania. I cannot seem to find anyone to work on the Tau but really would like to get that gun working first.

So, if any members know of a smith in the Orlando area that can reseal those rifles, please advise.

I think your idea is great. I guess the biggest challenge is locating it centrally to the largest number of users.

Thanks for reading - Dave B
 
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I was recently in the UK for a competition, and went to my friend Brian Samson's range in Doncaster England. His range is the Doncaster Airgun Range, its indoors, on the top floor of a 100 year old foundry building. He has 45 yards to shoot inside. He runs mostly benchrest comps there, but regular folks can go in and use it to plink of get your kit sorted. The range for plinkers is spinners, and field target style targets and paper target holders. He charges 15 pounds per 3 hour session. He has a website and people book on line and it was full each time i was there. He is open 6 days a week. Check his place out on YouTube. there are a few videos. It works in England because there are so many pellet gun shooters with their 12 FPE laws. Would you fill it here in the USA??? Enough to pay the building rent, lights and staff, plus your liability insurance for when someone shoots someone else, who knows. I started a Field Target Club here in the Pensacola area, and have about 6 people show up to shoots. None from Florida. My buddies from Louisiana and Alabama come when their schedules permit. Unless I had money to burn, I wouldnt be buying/renting a building and hope people show so I could pay the bills. Look at the regular shooting ranges, they sit vacant most of the time and are busy on weekends during good weather. Mon-Thurs are ghost towns at most shooting ranges. That doesnt help pay bills and make for a happy life. Like field of dreams, you can build it and hope they come. Best of luck to you.
 
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air-hunter_canyon said:
Good day,

I have been researching how to open an air gun store located in central Florida just east of Orlando. I am going to open the store which will also contain an indoor shooting range for air rifles, only. I am in the process of re-searching what the demand is here in the central Florida area. Does anyone have any suggestions or would anyone be interested in joining a club if it were to open?
Click to expand...

air-hunter_canyon said:
Good day,

I have been researching how to open an air gun store located in central Florida just east of Orlando. I am going to open the store which will also contain an indoor shooting range for air rifles, only. I am in the process of re-searching what the demand is here in the central Florida area. Does anyone have any suggestions or would anyone be interested in joining a club if it were to open?
Click to expand...
 
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I replied in 2023 and still like the idea But it would depend on where you located the store. I just commented to a friend in Arizona the having a club and shooting with people other than in my back yard would be great. Just having a place to shoot, see and shoot others guns and exchange info would make the sport more enjoyable. Locating east of Orlando on SR 50 would get me there twice a week. Daytona Beach is a longer haul for me, but I’d go at least twice a month, perhaps more often. my offer to help you start-up is still open as long as my health holds. Dave B
 
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Deland is about an hour from me and I could see going every once in a while since we shoot once a week already. My son shoots 22LR at the Central Florida Rifle and Pistol Club but we practice fundamentals at home with a CZ200. They have competition air guns and train juniors with them so it could be a good thing to reach out to Mick Langfield at the club to get his thoughts on your idea.

www.cfrpc.com/programs/junior.html
 
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air-hunter_canyon said:
Good day,

So I’ve considered multiple options as to what the range would look like. I’ve lived in Florida my entire life so I want to enclose the area and make it an indoor range. We would provide air but like most ranges there would be a time limit to ensure all individuals have time to shoot. Appointments can be made and reservations. Im currently gauging the demand. Air guns are quite easy to work on. The most profitable thing will be services, supplies, and range time.
Click to expand...
I’d come up for a few shoots during the summer from WPB. Especially with the new commuter train coming up there. I’d be looking for a convenient location near a terminal if you’re really thinking about the demand.

Good luck 👍🏻
 
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