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How Much Does It Cost to Build a Shooting Range
A shooting range is a place where shooters practice and improve their marksmanship. Most people in the world, including the United States, refer to this as firing a gun, rather than shooting an arrow or bullet. A shooting range can have varying configurations of target backstops and be constructed from various materials.
How much does it cost to build a shooting range, how much does a gun range cost to build, how much land do you need to build a shooting range? Well, that depends on a few things, including the location of the range, what you’re looking to build (an indoor or outdoor range), whether it’s commercial or private use, the size of the range itself and the equipment needed. However, this guide will go over some general costs associated with building a shooting range.
Shooting Range Cost To Build
🔧 Estimated Construction Cost for a Two‑Lane Static Range
Expect to invest between $230,000 and $500,000 for a well-engineered, health-compliant, two-lane static indoor range.
- This range type includes essential features like ballistic-safe stalls, bullet traps, soundproofing, and advanced ventilation systems to control lead particulates (especially HEPA-grade air handling).
🧱 Per-Lane Build Cost
According to industry estimates, costs range from $35,000 to $60,000 per lane, depending on bullet trap style, target technology, and HVAC quality
- A 10-lane facility thus easily approaches $500K+ just for lane construction, before other operational and infrastructure costs are added.
🏗 Full Startup Cost Breakdown
Here’s a high-level view of the startup costs for a small-to-mid size indoor range:
| Category | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Range construction & safety lanes | $200,000 – $500,000 (2 lanes) |
| Equipment (stalls, bullet traps) | $100,000 – $300,000 |
| Ventilation & HVAC | Included in build or $75K – $150K |
| Licensing & permits | $5,000 – $20,000+ |
| Insurance (liability) | $10,000 – $30,000/year |
| Design/Architecture | $50,000 – $150,000 |
| Total initial setup | ≈ $300K – $1M+ |
These numbers are consistent with reports across multiple industry sources
A complete grasp of the starting costs and meticulous preparation are prerequisites to opening a shooting range.
You should consider the following expenses:
Purchase of Equipment: Buying the necessary equipment is a significant expense when beginning a shooting range business. Among these are: – Weapons
- Pepper spray
Objectives -
gear for safety
Things needed for range maintenance
Benchrests for shooting
- Dividing ranges
- Air filtration and other related toolsThe first step in constructing an outdoor range is to find an appropriate piece of land. Location, distance from homes, local zoning rules, and range size are all factors that affect land prices. A suitable structure must be constructed or rented in order to house an indoor range. Building soundproofing, lighting, ventilation, shooting lanes and bulletproof barriers will also cost you money.
Staffing your shooting range with competent individuals is essential to the success of your business. Keep in mind the price of labour, which includes wages, benefits, training, and continuing education for employees.
Expenses Associated with Forming a Business: There are expenses associated with forming a business, such as a corporation or limited liability company, for your shooting range. Fees for things like insurance, licenses, permits, legal representation, and registration could fall into this category.
You can expect to spend money on marketing and promotion if you want to bring in clients to your shooting range. Various forms of advertising, web design, social media campaigns, pamphlets, signage, and online marketing may all be part of this.
Lead generating software can help you zero in on certain demographics and people who could be interested in what you have to offer. Attrock has compiled a list of lead creation software options for your perusal.
third, draft a comprehensive business plan
Like any other kind of business, opening a shooting range requires careful planning. Your objectives, plans, and financial projections can be better laid out in this way.
Make sure your company strategy has these essential components.
Set a price for your services. This is your pricing plan. Think about things like equipment costs, overhead, research on your competitors, and how much your target market is willing to spend.
Money coming in: Make a list of all the money you have lying around—personal savings, bank loans, etc.—that you can use to start a shooting range. To entice investors, your business plan must lay forth a transparent and practical strategy for how you intend to spend the money.
Approach to marketing: Create a plan to get the word out about your shooting range and bring in clients. I propose a mix of online and offline marketing strategies, including social media, email, local ads, and collaborations with like-minded groups.
To run your business well, you must get the necessary software, including tools for sales management, software for business text messaging, software for accounting, and software for delivery management.
👥 Real-World Experience & Reddit Insights
- Builders report $60K per lane on a 10-lane range, excluding shell construction—scaling beyond $500K easily with amenities.
- One user built a 30×60 ft steel/concrete building with concrete pad for nearly $75,000, and noted that a lengthened version could cost $50K+ just for the pad. A full indoor facility under $250K would be highly unlikely.
- Depending on location and regs, total startup cost in urban areas can reach $2–3M, whereas in rural regions or moderate markets it might start around $300K–400K.
🏢 Why It’s So Expensive
- HVAC & Lead Abatement: Proper ventilation and filtration are critical and costly
- Bullet traps & safety walls: High-grade materials or modular systems can be $10K–50K+ per trap.
- Permits & Licensing: Regulators often require environmental assessments and safety plans—add thousands to startup budgets.
How Much Does A Shooting Range Cost?
| Factor | Details |
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Size of Range |
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Amenities |
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How much does a gun range cost to build
Shooting ranges can be a great way to hone your skills, practice shooting and have fun with friends. However, it can also be a great investment for your business. If you are in the market for a shooting range, then here are some things you should know about building one:
How much does a gun range cost to build?
The cost of building a gun range will vary depending on the type of business it is for and where it is located. A good rule of thumb is to expect that your total cost will be anywhere from $1 million to $3 million or more depending on how big your facility is going to be.
How much land do you need to build a shooting range?
While this depends on what kind of shooting range you plan on building, most ranges have a minimum requirement of 10 acres of land but can usually be built on less if needed.
Shooting ranges are expensive and the cost of building one can vary greatly depending on the size and location. A small, indoor range can cost as little as $50,000 while an outdoor range could cost $500,000 or more.
The size of a shooting range will determine the total cost. Smaller indoor ranges tend to have lower costs than larger outdoor ranges because they require less space and infrastructure. A smaller indoor range might only need to be 20 feet wide by 100 feet long with a few target stands, while an outdoor range might need to be 50 feet wide by 300 feet long with several bays for shooters.
The location of your shooting range also affects its cost because it determines how much land you’ll need to buy and what kind of building codes apply in your area. Most states require gun ranges to be located away from residential areas so that noise pollution doesn’t affect anyone living nearby. You’ll also need plenty of space around your building so that bullets don’t end up hitting anything they shouldn’t hit if someone misses their target (like a window).
A large outdoor shooting range may cost more than $500,000 just for land alone — and that’s not even factoring in construction costs. If there’s no available land near you or if
Shooting ranges can be expensive. The average cost of building a gun range is $50,000, but this can vary depending on the type of business and the building’s location. The cost to build a shooting range includes materials and labor for construction of the building as well as equipment such as lights and ventilation systems.
The initial costs may seem daunting, but if you plan ahead and get help from professionals throughout the process, you’ll end up with a successful business venture that will provide you with years of enjoyment. We’ll go over how much things cost in detail below, but first let’s look at what factors affect your overall budget.
The most important factor in determining how much it costs to build a shooting range is location. If you want to open up in an urban area where there are many people living around you, expect to spend more money than someone who plans on opening up shop in rural areas where fewer people live nearby. Additionally, if there are restrictions on building near schools or residential areas then these regulations may increase your costs as well.
Another thing to consider when planning out your budget is whether or not you plan on having customers come into your facility or if they’ll just shoot from outside of
The cost of building a shooting range depends on the type of facility you want to build. A basic indoor or outdoor range will cost $150,000 to $200,000, while a more elaborate facility with heated shooting bays and specialized target systems can cost $1 million or more.
The initial outlay for land is also an important consideration. If you’re purchasing land from scratch, the average cost per acre is about $5,000 — though this figure varies depending on where you live and whether you choose rural or urban property.
If you already own land that’s suitable for building a shooting range, it might be possible to qualify for tax benefits by making improvements to the property that benefit local residents as well as yourself (for example, by adding a walking trail).
Shooting ranges are expensive to build. The land, construction and equipment costs can run up to $500,000 or more.
The cost will depend on the size of the range and whether you need special zoning or permits. If you need to build an indoor range, it will be more expensive than an outdoor one.
It’s best to start with a rough estimate before you begin so you don’t get surprised by unexpected expenses later on.
The average cost for a 10-yard indoor shooting range is about $50 per square foot. This is only an estimate though, since each project is different depending on location, size and other factors like lighting and ventilation systems.
If you want to build an outdoor shooting range, expect to pay around $6 per square foot for basic construction costs alone. You may also need additional features such as drainage systems and bulletproof glass windows for safety reasons. This can easily add another $10 per square foot or more onto your final budget for these extras alone!
✅ Summary
- Small 2‑lane static range: $230K–$500K total.
- Each additional lane: $35K–$60K.
- Full retail/range facility: $1M+ depending on size, amenities, and location.