By Christopher J. Jackson
Gunsmoke.
No, this isn’t Dodge City, but there’s a new pistol range in town.
Scott Calhoun opened Gunsmoke Indoor Pistol Range on Feb. 1 next door to Riviera Stone at 120 Hardwoods Drive in Beckley and says he has seen a steady flow of pistol enthusiasts, novices and beginners come through his door.
“It’s picking up every week,” he said. “Every person that walks through the door says ‘we needed this.’”
Gunsmoke is the only indoor pistol range in Beckley that is open to the public. Calhoun said there are outdoor ranges in the area, but they’re far from town.
Calhoun, a gun owner himself, said there “needed to be a place for people to shoot — close.”
A big factor for opening the range was that a lot of people carry concealed guns, he said, but there aren’t places for them to practice shooting.
“There’re so many people getting concealed weapon permits,” he said as shots echoed from the range. “A lot of people are carrying guns and have nowhere to practice, shoot and get familiar with the guns. I think there’s a need for somebody to carry a gun to be responsible enough to practice and get familiar with them.”
Calhoun said a lot of his customers are coming in during lunch breaks or after work. He’s even had drug representatives bring in doctors.
Dan Snead, a local architect, was at the range Wednesday shooting his new Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum revolver and Ruger semi-automatic .22.
Snead, who’s been shooting only for about a month, stopped in after work to sharpen his aim.
“It’s a great service he has here,” he said. “I’m fascinated in the sport.”
Snead said he’s been stopping by the range after work or on weekends since it opened and that he no longer has to shoot in his backyard.
But if you think you’re just going to see your typical gun-loving male at the range you’re dead wrong.
Calhoun said there are a lot of women coming to shoot.
“When I designed the place, I did it so women would be comfortable coming in here,” he said. “There’s a lot of women carrying pistols these days.”
Calhoun recalled that one man form Lewisburg brought his wife to the range so she could work on her marksmanship.
Entire families are coming in, as well, he said.
“There’s quite a bit of family involvement here,” he said, “more so than I would’ve thought.”
A person doesn’t put in the time and the money to open a pistol range unless he loves guns and Calhoun is no exception.
Calhoun’s grandfather got him shooting shotguns at the age of 9, he said.
“I’ve been around guns my whole life,” said the Flat Top native. “I’ve enjoyed hunting and never been into competitive shooting, but I’ve been a gun owner all my life.”
He said he usually shoots at the range every day.
There’s no tough day at the office for him.
Laughing, he said, “It’s an enjoyable job for sure.”
Calhoun also owns and operates Riviera Stone and the range is in the same building.
He said he converted a section of his building he used as a warehouse to make the range. Also, he added, the building business isn’t what it use to be.
The range offers five 25-yard lanes, which will eventually expand to seven. They feature electronic range retrievers. The retrievers are exclusive to indoor ranges, he explained, and makes it safer because people don’t have to go down line to set up new targets.
He offers gun rentals and ammo for people who come to shoot.
Gunsmoke also offers two classes — a basic handgun safety and marksmanship class and an advanced tactical training class.
The instructors are Mark Dempsey, who is National Rifle Association certified; Raleigh County Sheriff’s Sgt. K.R. Hopkins and Dan Farley, who’s been a certified firearms instructor since 1972.
To inquire about a class, call Calhoun at 304-929-2546.
Gunsmoke is open Monday through Friday from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The range costs $10 for a half hour. The cost of a target is a $1 and ammo is between $15 and $30, he said. Gun rentals are $15.
John Cox traveled from Oak Hill Wednesday evening after he heard about the range. He said he’d never been to an indoor range before and was looking forward to the new experience.
“I’m glad to have it,” he said.
— E-mail: cjackson@register-herald.com
