Why Does Utah NOT Have the Best and Most Shooting Ranges in the County

[brisket]

Lee Kay wouldn’t be so bad if they opened at least 6 days per week and increased the hours from dawn until dusk. That’ll never happen though. Heck, put lights up and extend the hours even more.

I probably shouldn’t be saying this as I don’t want them to get any busier, but if you’re looking for an awesome 100 yard range to sight in the rifles, go to TNT in Murray. It’s a little pricey, but lately is open until midnight on the weekends.

[APD]

Originally Posted by BPturkeys

There is no financial incentive(profit) to be made in a simple shooting range and nowhere near enough usage by the public to justify a tax supported one.
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There would be if the government would quit spending my tax dollars fighting fires some a hole with steel core ammo wants to shoot on public lands.

[taxidermist]

You need a "controlled environment" when it comes to Public Shooting Ranges! There isn't any way you know the skill, knowledge, safe weapon handling, etc. of any person entering into a facility.


Last time I went to Lee Kay this year, I was given a "bench" next to some folks that were shooting three rifles with breaks. "S.O. a B." I was pissed!! every time they shot, I felt the pressure and tasted the powder of every shot. I wasn't mad at the shooters, I was mad at the Gal that told me where to shoot from. I asked to be moved, but she couldn't because all the benches were taken.


If one were to build a range, I know it would be at least $30,000 a day just for the heavy equipment that would be needed to make it, and depending on the size it would take two weeks to make the lanes and tunnels/pits. Not a money maker at all! You'd have to build a liquor store next door to make any money.

[middlefork]

I guess it sucks to live in SL or Utah county. Cache, Box Elder, Weber and Davis counties all have ranges open to the public. Rich doesn't need one because few people live there. Even Morgan/Summit county has a shooting area.

It would certainly be nice if shooters would be responsible in the areas they shoot and clean up after themselves and everybody else.

[Lone_Hunter]

I'm in Utah county and I just checked the zero on my muzzy, and squeezed off a few rounds from a couple other rifles for fun, just this last sunday. All 100 yards, but I could have easily shot much further if I wanted to. Of course I'm on the south end of Utah county, and I know my local area fairly well. You just have to know where to go. Cleaned up my trash... but... i forgot my shooting sticks dammit!

[caddis8]

It isn't as easy as wanting a gun range so we use tax dollars to do it. Those tax dollars already have more hands reaching out to grab them than dollars available. Tax dollars and license fees are used for multi use and multi interest people. Fishing ponds? Family recruitment, birding, biking, jogging, etc. They're fairly low maintenence once built, and except for some trout stocking, can become self sustaining provided people follow the rules.

Skiing? Top tourism money maker, also largely privatly funded. Golf courses? Usually city/county run and not state run.

The last and largest issue is the liability and maintenence cost required. I have no idea what the liability would cost, but it won't be cheap.

In my prior life, I was the buyer for treestands at a large outdoor retailer. Just to get in the game for us to talk, each company had to have a $10 million PER OCCURANCE policy. That's treestands. Firearms risk insurance was much higher.

This is probably best left to the private market. If there is sufficient demand then a gun range would succeed. But indoor shooting would be needed so it isn't used only 5-6 months a year as that is a money pit.

I dont' see it at all like second class citizens. I see it as efficient use of limited tax dollars. Utah complains about taxes, but you should live other places and then review your tax situation. It's not that bad. My property taxes on a modest home will dwarf what many of you are paying for a $400,000 home, and my valuations are much lower than Utah's. Just a thought.

But slobs should pick up after themselves and stop shooting exploding targets and such to start fires. You won't win much support with that as the vast majority of the population doesn't shoot that much or support it.

I personally would rather have $ go to Conservation, land access, and enforcement of rules against slobs.

[Lone_Hunter]

Caddis has a point there. Don't go asking for things that will ultimately be funded by taxpayer dollars. Besides, we are number 3 in terms of acreage of public land in the uniion. Alaska is Number 1, I think Nevada is number 2, and we are third. With all that public land, you can find *somewhere* to target shoot or sight in a rifle.

[Aznative]

You all have great points to this. Im struggling being newer up here to find a place to sight in hunt rifles longrange. I have a AZ bull tag and have been respectful all summer waiting to sight in my gun due to fire danger. Im old fashioned to where I only shoot out to 500 yards even with my 300 win mag. But I like to set targets up every 100 yards to 500 and make my dope card. I guess alot do it ballistically now. But if any of you know any spots out to 500 yards within 100 miles of the Heber area please pm me and I will pay you back promise. If not I will just make the trip to Price but trying to locate a spot around here for future. I know there are spots around Strawberry resevoir however they will be snowpacked soon and all the spots now have tons of dry brush.

[Critter]

I have no problems shooting around dry brush. However where I am shooting from is dry dirt and my backstop is also dry dirt even if I have to spend a half hour making it that way.

I also take a shovel with me just in case. I also don't shoot exploding targets or steel rounds

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[shaner]

What is sad is that Magna Gun Club, Salt Lake Gun Club, the awesome sporting clays range off of I-80, and Holiday Gun Club all got closed down and Lee Kay still has pathetic/disappointing hours.
Provo City has an awesome club, as does Heber and Eagle Mountain.
The County Gun Club in Draper that was proposed dwindled away as well as the Herriman Gun Club that was killed in it’s infancy.
Sad,sad,sad.

On a side note, could someone please explain to me why I pay the same launch fee to launch my Utah registered boat as does the person next to me at the lake who is plugging up the ramp to take the un-registered plastic paddleboard off the top of her Subaru......