Bear Arms owner, Nathan Murrell, plans unique shooting facility

El Dorado Springs may get an indoor shooting range if the City Council grants a request for ordinance changes by Nathan Murrell DBA Bear Arms.

The ordinance changes include allowing guns to be fired inside the city limits.

Tuesday, the Sun spoke with Murrell about his plans.

He said, “Basically, it’s a modified shipping container that’s ballistically lined with AR-500. It has heat and air. It has a ventilation system that draws out all the lead contaminants and gun powder smoke. It’s going to be a two lane indoor pistol shooting range.”

Q. How long?

We are looking at maybe a 40 footer. They make a 50 footer. Forty to fifty foot – we haven’t fully decided.

Q. What are the limitations on what guns you can shoot?

The pistol calibers are limited to 2,000 feet per second. Mainly all pistol calibers except a Thompson Center where they stick a 30-06 or 30-30 barrel on a pistol.

Q. It can handle a 44 magnum or a .45?

Yes, it can do all those. I think a .357 is slower than 2,000 feet per second.

We hope to get it all approved. I think it would be a neat addition to El Dorado Springs.

I think it may help gun sales because people will have the option to try stuff out. We are hoping to have some rental guns where you can rent several guns and see how they shoot or try them out before you buy them.

We may have some guns that people wouldn’t want to purchase but would like to say they shot.

Q. What’ your time frame after you get approval?

I think the place that makes them says their lead time is 90 to 120 days. Hopefully we can get ‘er done before the end of the year.

Q. What are the acoustics like in there?

They put some stuff in there to help the acoustics. They also insulate them with R-19 insulation. I’m sure you can stand outside and hear a noise but they are not supposed to be as loud as if they didn’t have anything ballistically in there. They are supposed to be muffled.

I’m mainly going to concentrate on pistols now. I’m not saying that rifles will be totally out of the picture.

Their bullet trap is actually rated for 3,600 feet per second. The sides are only rated for pistol calibers.

We are looking into some other options. They make some ballistic chunks of rubber they mount on the sides.

We are just seeing if we can get approved now then we will see what our options are and go forward with it.

Q. What are you going to charge?

We don’t know. Obviously we will try to keep it as low as possible.

Q. Will standard shooting ear muffs be enough?

Yes, standard earmuffs then, of course, eye protection.