Own a real shooting range

Sleipnir

Sleipnir

Not who you think I am
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
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Location
RDU, NC
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Quit annoying the neighbors. Enjoy the beach, too.
 

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I’m guessing this is Ye Olde Gun Club? Wonder how much lead cleanup would cost if someone wanted to convert it to a different use. Hope it somehow stays a gun range. Hate to see any of them go away.
 
The Olde Gun Club ... I’ve been waiting for the township of St James to move and shutdown this range. Back in the late 90’s when some St James Plantation people started their movement to go to a township the gun club was enjoyed by all. As St James (and Southport as a whole) suffered from the influx of idiots the area has changed ... small family businesses have closed due to big box stores moving in ... traffic has tripled ... crime has gone up about 30% ... another nice quiet beach community bites the dust. St James is going the way of Bald Head Island ... we have higher property values and need to protect them so the old ways need to change to the ways we were used to before we move into the area.
 
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I have couple of power ball tickets for tonight’s drawing. If I win, i will buy this range and make it the CFF range.
 
If I had a million dollars I would have my on private range.
 
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BatteryOaksBilly said:
I do. With catfish ponds too. It sure as hell didn't cost a million dollars.
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Chuck bought the land back in the mid to late 80’s and I heard paid $10k for it back then ... Southport hadn’t taken off and St James was just being thought about so it was BFE land.
 
When John Green, Basil Watts, Joe Justice, and Roy Daniels built the range in Southport in the 80s, it was as nice a place to shoot as there was in the driving area. I am assuming it is still in operation? It was on the left off the main road going into Southport off Highway 17.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
8 miles from the ocean and less than 1 mile from he Waccamaw River.
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Not saying you don't have a great place, that I wouldn't love. Just that real estate values are a fickle thing. Actually, this disparity is what allowed me to trade a small city house, on a small lot, but in a hot neighborhood for good acreage out in the middle of nowhere. But, I love it. ;)
 
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This property has no road frontage on 211 (the main road) ... it’s about 1/4 mile off via paved then dirt road. There’s another tract that’s 63 acres about 1 mile west with about 100’ frontage on 211 and power running into it to a deep freshwater well that is leased to Brunswick Co. That tract is $540K ... about $9,250 per acre versus the range at a bit over $35,000 per acre. Sure Chuck has the range lanes and some buildings plus the protection of NCGS 14-409.46 Sport Shooting Range Protection ...
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who owns, operates, or uses a sport shooting range in this State shall not be subject to civil liability or criminal prosecution in any matter relating to noise or noise pollution resulting from the operation or use of the range if the range is in compliance with any noise control laws or ordinances that applied to the range and its operation at the time the range began operation.
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to help fight when people try to shut down the range in the future ... but $990K is at least twice what it’s worth ...
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
George, can you imagine EVER living on a small lot in town again? Unbelievable quality of life change!
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When I go into town it feels claustrophobic. I see the houses bunched together and wonder how people can live that way? I wonder how "I" lived that way. Being out in the country changes you perspective on everything. I don't think about "prepping" anymore, like I used to. I just think about living. I don't worry about where I'm bugging out to, I'm already there.

Now, everything I do has a more direct benefit for the family and feels more permanent. Before, things felt temporary or transient. Got a lot to do. Haven't set up my own range yet. Still mapping that out.

God lead me to this place and provided for me in ways I wouldn't have imagined. I truly believe that.

;)
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
When John Green, Basil Watts, Joe Justice, and Roy Daniels built the range in Southport in the 80s, it was as nice a place to shoot as there was in the driving area. I am assuming it is still in operation? It was on the left off the main road going into Southport off Highway 17.
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Joe Justice was one of the two guys along with Richard "Tim" Timberlake that ran Ant Hill back in the day. I shot many a USPSA match at Ant Hill. They used to host the state match and put on a good feed and all the beer you could drink, drawing for prizes and the match for like $35. Good times.
 
I worked with Joe at the nuc plant many years ago, nice guy once you meet him.
 
jimmyjames8 said:
Joe Justice was one of the two guys along with Richard "Tim" Timberlake that ran Ant Hill back in the day. I shot many a USPSA match at Ant Hill. They used to host the state match and put on a good feed and all the beer you could drink, drawing for prizes and the match for like $35. Good times.
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Joe was a salt of the earth kinda guy. And a good shooter. The originals were John Green [owned the land], Basil Watts [had the money], Joe Justice [helped with the work]. The first match we had, every car and truck had to be pulled out with a tractor. Bog hole from hell. As the months went by the range turned into a beautiful shooting "park". Lotsa good times and lotsa great food. We shot the first of the month and they show later, so we could shoot both places. Timberlake and the others came along later. The ranges were done and the reputation was in place. Anybody know if any of those folks are still kicking? I'd like to get them here for our October meet.
 
Joe quit setting up and shooting matches a long time ago. I shot a steel match there in the last 5 yrs and Tim was there. I'm sorry to say i havent been there in at least 3 or 4 yrs.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
Joe was a salt of the earth kinda guy. And a good shooter. The originals were John Green [owned the land], Basil Watts [had the money], Joe Justice [helped with the work]. The first match we had, every car and truck had to be pulled out with a tractor. Bog hole from hell. As the months went by the range turned into a beautiful shooting "park". Lotsa good times and lotsa great food. We shot the first of the month and they show later, so we could shoot both places. Timberlake and the others came along later. The ranges were done and the reputation was in place. Anybody know if any of those folks are still kicking? I'd like to get them here for our October meet.
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Tim and his wife Barb Timberlake I believe still hold the lease for Ant Hill range. I see them around there occasionally on match days but they aren't very involved with the matches much anymore. You could probably get in touch with them through Ant Hill's website.
 
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