Been shooting here since 2020. They were operating in Franklin County under a special use permit as a shooting range on some leased farmland.

Back in May of this year, some people (Karen's) complained about the range claiming it posed a threat to the walking and bike trail that had been opened more than a mile behind the range. Some of the outright lies being posted on social media would be hilarious, except for the number of people who thought they were true (someone claimed workers on the trail reported shots hitting the guardrails on the new trail bridge over the RR tracks 1-mile from the range).

There was a hearing back in May and the Franklin County planning commission allowed the range to stay open and the range agreed to make a few modifications pending a review and report (paid for by the range) of a ballistics expert. The report was to evaluate the range, it's location relative to the public, etc and possibly make some recommendations on its layout or other possible changes. I run the ARA matches for the owner 6x a year and know them (also work with one of them). I know there were some preliminary suggestions to revise the layout some (basically rotate it ~45 so shooting is going away from the trail which again is over a mile away).

This article is from May 2025.

https://martincitytelegraph.com/2025/06/11/unique-shooting-range-south-of-kc-longs-to-keep-going-long/

Quote:

---

So far, the businesses are doing well for Yoder and Powell. Yoder is now able to run the range and Great Plains Guns full time. That doesn't mean things are always smooth and easy.

Recently, Yoder was made aware by county officials that the range would have to be closed for fear of stray bullets possibly crossing the Prairie Spirit bicycle trail more than a mile north of the range.
A Franklin County Planning Commission public hearing was held on May 15th concerning the range where, by the end, the committee allowed Great Plains Precision to continue operating while Yoder considers plans to ease concerns from the public.

---

Yesterday at the monthly hearing, the county suspended the range's special use permit. So as of now the range is closed until further notice. There was no discussion during the meeting about the range permit, just a vote at the end. Completely out of the blue.

I have no doubt the KS governors office had a hand in this decision. Nothing coming from Franklin County up to last nights meeting was leaning towards suspending the special use permit. There was no communication from anyone at the county level that there were any problems, there have been zero accidents at the range in 5+ years of operation. One incident did happen back in August when a member decided to share his gate code with some friends who thought it would be a good idea to go shooting at 10PM using their car headlights to light up the pistol range. The owner was at the range within a few minutes of getting a call from the sheriff and they were trespassed. The member had his membership revoked and they had to send out an email changing the gate code.

These two guys, along with some of us volunteering, have poured a ton of money, time and sweat into this range. It is a great place to shoot long range, everyone is super friendly and except for the 3 idiots, it's been a great experience. Now suddenly some anti 2A folks are trying to kill it.

If I understand correctly, rotating the range 45 degrees solves the problem. Is that actually feasible or cost prohibitive?

Also, is their risk mitigation measures in place to keep rifles from shooting over the berms (which I assume they have)?

SanAntoneAg said:

---

There is a paper trail somewhere. Which you can find through strategically submitted Open Records Requests.

---

That's what I was thinking. Just never done an open records request before so we'd have to figure that out.

3rdGenAg05 said:

---

If I understand correctly, rotating the range 45 degrees solves the problem. Is that actually feasible or cost prohibitive?

Also, is their risk mitigation measures in place to keep rifles from shooting over the berms (which I assume they have)?

---

The only thing behind the berms are very large and trees and a stream. The berms in some places are 1000+ yards away.

Your third question is what I was trying to learn from my second question. Any long range round can go well over a mile.

meggy09 said:

---

You're not saying it, but I feel like it's implied in your post. Is your stance here that bullets from the range cannot travel 1760 yards? ***edit*** how far is the trail from the closest firing line?

Are there physical barriers at the firing line to prevent this? Are the cartridges allowed on the range limited to subsonic or low power rounds?

---

Yes, I completely realize the rounds can go that far. Did not mean to imply otherwise. However, to do so would require someone purposely aiming over the densely wooded area at the back of the range, or being very irresponsible. Range safety is pretty important and stressed with all shooters at all matches and events all year and in communications from the range owners. But you're right, they cannot account for a lone nut doing something like aiming over the trees (and even then they'd have to aim way high).

It is a wide open field with berms and steel targets at various distances.

Rearranging the range at an angle from the current firing line would still have the tree line behind it, just further back. There would be no trails or any homes, etc. behind it. The owners do have a rough sketch of what they want to do, it was just never a condition from the county that it had to happen now. It was more of, present your plan so we can approve it and you can keep the range open with the revised plan happening over the winter for 2026 calendar year.

They had the vote completely unexpectedly last night with zero communications it was going to even be voted on.

Thanks for clarifying. Sucks re the secret vote. Someone def planned that.
I hope they can move it and get it going again.

agracer said:

---

SanAntoneAg said:

---

There is a paper trail somewhere. Which you can find through strategically submitted Open Records Requests.

---

That's what I was thinking. Just never done an open records request before so we'd have to figure that out.

---

I'm on my phone so I don't know if the gov website below pasted as a link.

https://www.franklincoks.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10152025-2123?html=true

Despite the unfortunate website name, the commissioners court meeting minutes are posted and the special permit revocation is on the agenda. Attached is a 300+ page document that outlines the situation. I skimmed the opening pages and it looks like the planning commission supported approving the permit, so someone got in the commissioners ears over it all.

Every idiot bruh with a gun is what makes ranges sketchy to go to.

Luckily, my BIL has 3 different 800 acre + tracts I could go to if I wanted to shoot.

Also luckily, I can shoot in their backyard which is down slope to a creek and they own both sides which also has a berm (although totally unnecessary in this particular situation).

I eventually want to get 50-100 acres and set up my own shooting range in the middle of nowhere east/central TN. Still a ton of land out here where no one lives.

Reach out to the people at this range:

https://www.pscshootingclub.com/

They do a great job making proactive improvements to mitigate neighbor issues. Sounds similar (private shooting club), although the longest range here is 300 yds. Private access with code/cards. Great people, heavily involved with NRA, that will probably have advice on how to navigate your situation.

You would have to be criminally negligent to have a round leave the property at PSC. They do it right.

You might also look at what they do at Bayou Rifles
https://www.bayourifles.org/

They are a private range out to 1000 yd with subdivisions going up around them and behind them. It is a pretty extensive list of rules and strict qualifications for long range use.

agracer said:

---

meggy09 said:

---

You're not saying it, but I feel like it's implied in your post. Is your stance here that bullets from the range cannot travel 1760 yards? ***edit*** how far is the trail from the closest firing line?

Are there physical barriers at the firing line to prevent this? Are the cartridges allowed on the range limited to subsonic or low power rounds?

---

Yes, I completely realize the rounds can go that far. Did not mean to imply otherwise. However, to do so would require someone purposely aiming over the densely wooded area at the back of the range, or being very irresponsible. Range safety is pretty important and stressed with all shooters at all matches and events all year and in communications from the range owners. But you're right, they cannot account for a lone nut doing something like aiming over the trees (and even then they'd have to aim way high).

It is a wide open field with berms and steel targets at various distances.

Rearranging the range at an angle from the current firing line would still have the tree line behind it, just further back. There would be no trails or any homes, etc. behind it. The owners do have a rough sketch of what they want to do, it was just never a condition from the county that it had to happen now. It was more of, present your plan so we can approve it and you can keep the range open with the revised plan happening over the winter for 2026 calendar year.

They had the vote completely unexpectedly last night with zero communications it was going to even be voted on.

---

Wouldn't they have had to post an agenda ahead of the meeting so that they could hold a vote? That's a requirement in Texas at least due to Open Meetings laws.

Not the first time I've seen people make false claims about "bullets hitting things" that Carlos Hathcock couldn't pull off if he tried.

spencerdhg said:

---

agracer said:

---

meggy09 said:

---

You're not saying it, but I feel like it's implied in your post. Is your stance here that bullets from the range cannot travel 1760 yards? ***edit*** how far is the trail from the closest firing line?

Are there physical barriers at the firing line to prevent this? Are the cartridges allowed on the range limited to subsonic or low power rounds?

---

Yes, I completely realize the rounds can go that far. Did not mean to imply otherwise. However, to do so would require someone purposely aiming over the densely wooded area at the back of the range, or being very irresponsible. Range safety is pretty important and stressed with all shooters at all matches and events all year and in communications from the range owners. But you're right, they cannot account for a lone nut doing something like aiming over the trees (and even then they'd have to aim way high).

It is a wide open field with berms and steel targets at various distances.

Rearranging the range at an angle from the current firing line would still have the tree line behind it, just further back. There would be no trails or any homes, etc. behind it. The owners do have a rough sketch of what they want to do, it was just never a condition from the county that it had to happen now. It was more of, present your plan so we can approve it and you can keep the range open with the revised plan happening over the winter for 2026 calendar year.

They had the vote completely unexpectedly last night with zero communications it was going to even be voted on.

---

Wouldn't they have had to post an agenda ahead of the meeting so that they could hold a vote? That's a requirement in Texas at least due to Open Meetings laws.

---

I misspoke. It was on the agenda, just absolutely zero indication they were going to suspend the permit. The agenda posted above says "Consider Revocation Or Modification Of Special Use Permit Application". My understanding is they suspended the permit, but did not revoke it.

A. Sorry to hear y'all's hard work and time was flushed down the drain by a simple vote.
B. Sounds like adjusting the range 45* is the way...however, as you can probably imagine, that is only good until something else is built behind that.
C. The only outdoor range I've been to had a very large wooden (railroad ties bolted together) column above the shooting area that made it impossible to shoot over the target/berm area. I'm sure y'all have already thought of all of these things.
D. Good luck!

EMY92 said:

---

I used to shoot at a range that had a tin roof over the firing line. The roof and lumber framing for the roof were full of holes. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people that go to ranges that are idiots. It's not too different from why you need a sticker on your lawn mower telling you not to use it as a hedge trimmer.

---

I used to go a range near Pearland. The tin roof above the firing line looked like Rambo had taken a machine gun to it. Bullet holes everywhere.

Read through a lot of the 300 pages.

They are trying to force the range to have someone as Range Safety or Range Master on site at all times when the range is open. There is no way they can do that an stay open 7 days per week from sunrise to dusk. Seems like they are searching for a way to shut things down.

I've been to un-staffed ranges where they are very clear that the first person on the range is the designated safety officer and it has to be passed off once that person leaves. Pretty sure I had to sign something agreeing to that to be a member also. It may not meet the spirit of what they are trying to do, but may technically count?

Also I don't think I would worry so much about idiots aiming 150' high on purpose, most of it would likely be negligence and mishandling. Does the range have any "qualification" requirement to shoot at longer range targets? For shorter(100yd) bench bays you can construct railroad tie barriers. A few yards in front of the line that don't limit shooting at the targets, but any round that would clear the berm would actually hit the barrier first.

Just possible things that might appease.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/arrowhead-shooting-range-hearne
this guy went through the same hell, even though law enforcement were training there in-the-day
he solved it all with plywood, not 45d $$$$ ... !?!?!?!?!?
so could be a resource for your buddies

Ideal range Gunsmoke in Snook closed their 300yrd and the whole tamale (river flooding?), so such close-by facilities are becoming rare