I'm researching the history of what happened to the rifle ranges and leagues in Chicago. There used to be a good handful of ranges around the city. Does anyone in this forum have any intel about where they were located. Or, even better, did anyone here used to shoot at rifle ranges in Chicago? I'd love to hear what you know!
Old rifle ranges / leagues in Chicago?
- Thread starter ellen
- Start date
Hey Ellen! Welcome to the forum.
I was wondering if you are talking about 'real' rifle ranges with 100 yard lanes or better or are you talking about 'gallery' shooting ranges like they have at state fairs with moving knock over targets.
There's a thread with pictures showing what I mean about a 'gallery' shooting range here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=571608
I was wondering if you are talking about 'real' rifle ranges with 100 yard lanes or better or are you talking about 'gallery' shooting ranges like they have at state fairs with moving knock over targets.
There's a thread with pictures showing what I mean about a 'gallery' shooting range here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=571608
shuvelrider
New member
Many of those ranges were shutdown or forced out back in the 80's, some of those old clubs and ranges were along Lake Michigan in the Northern suburbs. The city and anti-gun crowd figured out how to use EPA rules against the clubs, some of those clubs were skeet and the lead shot fell into the lake. Certain clubs had been in existence for most of the century at that time. I read about that movement in the Chicago Tribune, back when I lived in north central Illinois.
DaleA wrote: I was wondering if you are talking about 'real' rifle ranges with 100 yard lanes or better or are you talking about 'gallery' shooting ranges like they have at state fairs with moving knock over targets.
Thanks for your response Dale! I am talking about "real" indoor small bore rifle ranges and their associated leagues. I know there was one run by Commonwealth-Edison and another somewhere on the University of Chicago campus. I've heard there was also a range at Kodak Labs in Chicago and another somewhere in Roseland.
What I'm trying to figure out is when they closed and why. And even better, I'm hoping to find someone who shot at one of these ranges before they went away.
Thanks for your response Dale! I am talking about "real" indoor small bore rifle ranges and their associated leagues. I know there was one run by Commonwealth-Edison and another somewhere on the University of Chicago campus. I've heard there was also a range at Kodak Labs in Chicago and another somewhere in Roseland.
What I'm trying to figure out is when they closed and why. And even better, I'm hoping to find someone who shot at one of these ranges before they went away.
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This isn't in Chicago but In my home town the YMCA had a 50 foot indoor range for years. Closed in the late '70's (I think) for not being 'in line' with what the Y wanted to do...their 'mission statement' didn't include marksmanship.
In the Twin Cities a 50 foot indoor range I shot at was closed for 'renovations'. The range was in the basement of one of the park buildings that was being renovated.
As I understood it the main club that used the range was promised the range would be upgraded like the rest of the building. The renovation took about three times the amount of time forecasted and I heard the folk in charge had determined the interest in having a range had 'waned' so they gave the square footage to maintenance equipment storage. Sigh. This was in the '80's.
In the Twin Cities a 50 foot indoor range I shot at was closed for 'renovations'. The range was in the basement of one of the park buildings that was being renovated.
As I understood it the main club that used the range was promised the range would be upgraded like the rest of the building. The renovation took about three times the amount of time forecasted and I heard the folk in charge had determined the interest in having a range had 'waned' so they gave the square footage to maintenance equipment storage. Sigh. This was in the '80's.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Welcome to the play pen! 
Hazarding a guess or two: Many indoor ranges closed due to health regulations. The cost of air control and ventilation was too high for the marketplace.
Other ranges closed as residential expansion led to political pressure against noise and purported hazard.
Another factor during the Vietnam war era was the reduction in ROTC in high schools and college, as well as other public attitudes about guns.
In talking to the owner of a range in Florida, I learned that the mix of health factors and of insurance premiums require a range fee that only the more dedicated shooters can afford.
Hazarding a guess or two: Many indoor ranges closed due to health regulations. The cost of air control and ventilation was too high for the marketplace.
Other ranges closed as residential expansion led to political pressure against noise and purported hazard.
Another factor during the Vietnam war era was the reduction in ROTC in high schools and college, as well as other public attitudes about guns.
In talking to the owner of a range in Florida, I learned that the mix of health factors and of insurance premiums require a range fee that only the more dedicated shooters can afford.
My hometown had several indoor rifle ranges, all were in the basements of businesses and hosted Scouts, 4H, and adult leagues. They all closed when the businesses tried to expand, discovered square footage cost of new construction-vs-using what they already had that was under utilized. Add to it the liability if a round went stray....lawyers and insurance salesmen pretty much finished them off.