Tuesday, September 25, 2012

McHenry (city) approves shooting range

Last night the McHenry City Council approved the building of a shooting range in the old Sullivan's Foods store. Is a shooting range coming soon to a corner near you?

One of the Councilmen, Andy Glab, was concerned about the owner's lack of experience in operating a shooting range. The response from owner Bertram Irslinger was that he had "been shooting at ranges for more than 40 years and intends to establish a 'five-star shooting range' in McHenry."

That's an answer to Councilman Glab's concern?

Did the Council probe further into experience and into plans to create a safe range? And what is a 'five-star shooting range'? Is that like a five-star restaurant or a five-star hotel?

No doubt that Irslinger hopes to establish a safe range. The penalties are too great for not doing do. But did he inform the City Council of his plan, if any, to hire experienced shooting range managers (is there such a person?) to be present during all hours of operation?

Presumably, Planning & Development will get a shot at approving building renovation plans and improvements to walls to stop .50 cal. slugs from penetrating walls and escaping into the neighborhood.

As long as all the bullets and the sounds of gunfire stay inside the building, does it really matter how close it is to schools (except for Illinois State law, which didn't get a mention in this morning's newspaper article) or the fact that the building is "close" to residential areas?

Speaking of schools, why doesn't someone propose a shooting range at schools and teach gun safety to all students?

I did have to chuckle at the description of the other recently-approved range at 5002 West Elm Street, just a short distance west of the Sullivan Foods' building and on the opposite side of the street. When I read "members-only" shooting range, I was reminded of Iowa liquor laws years ago, when much of the state was "dry".

To get a drink in a restaurant or tavern, the customer had to be a member. The "rigorous" annual membership requirement was met with a $10 bill; it didn't even have to be new.

2 comments:

Dave Labuz said...




Hey Gus -


Glad to see a few more indoor ranges are "popping" up locally. Had been going infrequently to Maxxon in Des Plaines with my elderly father, as he has mobility issues and it is close and convenient for him. But I need more time more often, so will probably check out HP - the existing range on 120 right now.


The NRA offers Certified Instructors and Certified Range Safety Officers designations. I don't know whether or not such training and certification is absolutely required for such a business by the State. If there are local concerns about a business license, I would say McHenry could very well create their own requirements - but that's a tangle of laws I'm not familiar with. And I would warn them not to try to fix what ain't broke.


My past experiences elsewhere have been that during the heaviest periods of range usage, you usually have numerous Instructors on the range individually, or with clients, and who are also acting as Range Safety Officers concurrently.


During low usage periods, you'll get regular sweeps by store personnel. Everywhere I've gone, range rules are simple, basic and virtually identical. The on-premises rules as well. As are the State laws on carrying and transporting off the property. In every case, the only time you have a loaded weapon is on the range, and within your lane enclosure. I have also witnessed experienced customers bring violators to the attention of the staff immediately - nobody wants to share space with the lazy and the stupid. Being lazy and stupid gets you banned.


Provided the range is properly designed and constructed, there is no net additional danger to surrounding businesses, schools or pedestrians. Those who choose to shoot at a range are actually licensed and are voluntarily abiding by all laws and safety practices. They're not your unlicensed neighborhood yahoos that go out in their backyards at parties saying, "watch this!"


It's these yahoos that cause these problems. And they cause these problems everywhere BUT at gun ranges. Simple logic - you're surrounded by responsible customers and staff that are armed as well.

Dave Labuz said...

I would like to see what a "5-star range" looks like. If he can make a go of it, I'd say more power to him, and more power to those who'd wish to hone their skills.


If you read the reviews of various ranges all across the area - even for the existing "5-star ranges" - you'll see the same whiny bullsh*t - whether directed at small independents, or even at big-box chains. A corollary would be the differences between "Joe's Gym" vs a "Bally's" or "Curves".


Boo-hoo! "It's too smoky". "It's too dirty". "It's too crowded". "I had to wait". "People are mean to me".


On "smokiness" - if it's not too smoky? Then gosh - by means of adequate ventilation - it's either too hot or too cold. Choose one complaint, but you can't choose all. You have 200 - 300 rounds or explosions per lane per hour in an enclosed space. For those of us growing up during the Mad Men era, we hardly notice. For our younger, and more sensitive shooters? A smoky room is what you get when you burn or explode things continually within an enclosed space, no matter how well ventilated.


Too dirty? That's combustion in an enclosed space. Ever work in a garage, a manufacturing plant or at a warehouse with forklift traffic? It's not going to be like your Fortune 500 office or cubicle.


Too crowded and have to wait? Then we need more lanes and ranges.


People are being mean to you on the range? Granted, there are jerks and know-it-alls everywhere. But what I see, both when reading complaints and in seeing them being dealt with on the range is that generally, you're the one being stupid, lazy and thinking rules pertain to everyone else but yourself. And frankly, you're being sanctioned because the rest of us don't want to die at the hand of another. The whole reason we own a gun and are training responsibly in the first place.