Range Development 101

An important aspect of practicing your second amendment rights is having somewhere to shoot. Developing and building an indoor or outdoor range is no easy task, says NRA Range Services Manager John Joines. But spend a few days at an NRA Range Development & Operations Conference learning about range engineering, administrative controls, environmental issues, and safety, and the task moves within reach.

"We normally aim for around 75 people per conference," Joines said. The response to the upcoming conference, Sept. 20-24 in Las Vegas, has been huge. No more spots are available. "Right now we have 82 people registered."

Joines estimates the conferences have served more than 1,500 participants from across the nation.

During the conference participants hear from experts on the topics of business planning -- "people underestimate the need for a business plan," Joines said -- EPA and OSHA lead standards, construction, range equipment costs, range maintenance and safety, law enforcement partnership possibilities, insurance, public hearings, sound abatement, and NRA programs.

"We go through the construction aspects of both indoor and outdoor," Joines said. "We talk about the pitfalls you can run into and having your documentation ready if you need to make presentations. We talk cost analysis. We talk range safety. We hit everything."

Each participant of the NRA's Range Development & Operations Conference receives an NRA Range Sourcebook, which is available to the public in both paper and CD-rom format.

Keep your eyes open for information on the 2009 conferences: Jefferson City, Mo. March 14-18; Phoenix, Ariz. May 2-6; and Providence, R.I. August 29-September 2. Register online, or call (703) 267-1276.