If you could?

[J.R. Logan]

If you could live in a gate community with  a world class shooting range on property would you?  Kind of like the people that live around a golf course.  Range would be at back of development with house in front.  Everyone in a house would have to join the range.

Thoughts or comments and why has this not been done yet?

J. R. Logan

[Forty Rod]

No way in hell.  Too restrictive on what I want and need.  Like a neighborhood home owners association or a condo/town home set up, or any gated community.

Not for me.

[pony express]

Well, I have the gate, and plenty of places to shoot, but as for a community.....well it's a community of one house, known as my farm. I'm with 4T, won't live anywhere there's a homeowners association. Or even Zoning.

[rdstrain49]

Nope, I'll settle for my 200 yard range next to my bass pond.  Don't want anything to do with a "community".

[Major 2]

Anything, that has "Commune" or owners association is not for me....

I have a gate and prefer "POSTED"  and
" if you intend iniquitous behavior on these premises,  be capable on running beyond 900 feet per second. "

So... No 

[Angel_Eyes]

Could be ok if there was a running boar range or preferably a 'running politician' range and free ammo, of course!

(Oh dear, I may be getting to that point in my life,,,,,,,,)

[Stu Kettle]

Have a range in my backyard. Nearest neighbor is a mile and a half away, restricting shooting range in that direction. Pretty much no limit to how far I could set targets in most directions & I set the rules & decide who can shoot here. Pretty much the perfect set up in my opinion.

[St. George]

Good Lord, no...

Scouts Out!

[Mean Bob Mean]

I would have zero interest in that setup.

[Ranch 13]

If I were to retire and decide to sell the ranch, I would be tempted to move to Raton NM , where a person could take full advantage of all that the Whittington Center has to offer..
The type of community you are talking about would be extremely expensive to build , and the range maintenance costs would be a fright, not to mention the range insurance..
It could be done, but it would take an awful lot of land, in someplace that was shooter friendly and situated in a temperate climate that could make full use of the range year round.

[River City John]

J. R.,

a lot would depend on zoning and goodwill of surrounding areas. Such a subdivision would only work if you advertised towards urban gun owners who placed gun ownership above all else, and that would be rare therefore very slow in filling up lots. Not to say there aren't plenty of gun owners who would like to be home owners, but having an exclusive range would not be high on the attraction list.
Things like public transportation services, rating of schools, access to commercial shopping, crime rates and property values, etc. are always more important.

Best location would be if you chose an area along the lines of, say like the city in one of the upper plains (I forget which state, Idaho, Montana, Dakotas?), that voted that all citizens must be firearm owners.

You could build the Range, and a Library, a Bowling Alley and a Community Center, and any other multiple use functions covered within the same building. (Thinking indoor range here.) With proper placement an outdoor range could be designed, but by nature, there would be a lot of overpriced wasted real estate stretched out to give decent distance to the range compared to the cost of Residential lots in the same gated community.  
Besides, resale value is a huge consideration to home buyers. Such a narrow appeal may be a deal breaker.


I would think just building a decent range with reasonable access to a community and forget tying it up in a gated community with membership mandated, and explore alternative avenues that encourage use. Approach local Law Enforcement and offer discounts, 4-H or Scouting clubs for marksmanship programs, discounts to military service people, special privileges to area Sporting Goods or Gun shops, offer Hunter Sight-in discounts, self-defense or CCI classes, etc.
(Think also of the range where we have the NCOWS National in Evansville. Not a "gated community" and suburbia has grown to surround it. Different situation, I know, as that range is grandfathered in.)


Anyway, sorry about the rambling. Short answer is No, I wouldn't choose a gated community that featured a mandated range.  All the other considerations I mentioned would be the determining factors.


RCJ

[St. George]

Actually, upon reflection, I've lived in such a place for extended periods of my life.

Gated community, recreational areas, nearby shopping and groceries, golf course, libraries, nearby schools, bowling alley and movie theaters - the whole nine yards.

It's called 'Fort Bragg'...

Airborne!

Out

[pony express]

It's called 'Fort Bragg'...

Airborne!

Out

Yes, but while they may have extensive range facilities, most likely not available for much recreational shooting....

[Jayhawker]

We're not fond of neighbors in general...so no thanks...we live in a 900 sq. ft. cabin on a quarter-section. Nearest thing to what you'd call a town it about 4 miles away... Gates at both ends of the driveway...one to keep the uninvited out on the road, and the other to keep the cows out of the yard.....We can shoot whatever we want, whenever we want....

[rdstrain49]

If I were to retire and decide to sell the ranch, I would be tempted to move to Raton NM , where a person could take full advantage of all that the Whittington Center has to offer..
The type of community you are talking about would be extremely expensive to build , and the range maintenance costs would be a fright, not to mention the range insurance..
It could be done, but it would take an awful lot of land, in someplace that was shooter friendly and situated in a temperate climate that could make full use of the range year round.

The only time I've been to the Whittington Center the staff was not very knowledgable, not very helpful, and down right rude.  Don't care if I lived next door, I'd not waste my time by going there again.  What a huge disappointment.

[Ranch 13]

The only time I've been to the Whittington Center the staff was not very knowledgable, not very helpful, and down right rude.  Don't care if I lived next door, I'd not waste my time by going there again.  What a huge disappointment.

Might want to go back and try it again. That is a marvelous place and could very well be a vacation destination.The staff from the folks in the front gate to the grounds keepers, and everyone inbetween were just fantastic. My wife tried to reserve a spot in the campground for this year when we checked out last year.
I am so pumped about going back to shoot the bptr nationals, I can hardly wait for Sept. If the haying would work out with the schedules, it wouldn't be a stretch to go run down for the levergun and 22bpcr matches.

[rdstrain49]

Thanks for the input but as for me, once bitten twice shy.  I'll never go back.