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Shooting range offers chance
to polish old skills, learn new
The All Seasons Shooting Range at
4713 Hartley St. is the only indoor
range in the area for pistol and rifle
shooting. Two Daily Nebraskan repor
ters had the opportunity to exper
ience the range first-hand recently as
they emptied a few rounds with a .45
caliber pistol. -
Owners Larry and Karen Gulbran
son have operated the range for a little
more than two years. The Gulbran
son's observed a similar operation in
Kansas City to help them design theirs. ;
The range handles almost any caliber
pistol or rifle, but deals basically with
big bore pistols, according to Gulbran
son. The actual range consists of six
lanes with adjustable targets of either
25 or 50 feet or 25-meter Olympic
range.
"We put in the 25 meters in case
anyone seriously training for the Olym
pics wanted to practice here," Gul
branson said. There are more shoot
ing events than any other Olympic
sport."
All aspects of the range are geared
toward personal safety. Steel walls
and shield guards costing $30,000 di
vide shooters in each lane, while sound
absorbing walls help lessen the ampli
fication of the ear-splitting gun shots.
Because of the deafening blasts and
the risk of empty shells popping back
in the shooter's eyes, everyone is requir
ed to wear glasses and ear muffs while
ontherane.
The rans is monitored via closed
circuit television which allow the Gul
bransons to supervise activity from
the front of the shop. Warning lights
can be flashed or the range shut off if
anyone is suspected of mishandling a
weapon.
v "Safety is paramount. Everything is
designed for the shooter's safety," Gul
branson said. "We've had a few minor
incidents, but we've never had to repri
mand anyone for doing anything crazy,"
he said.
Besides marksmen wishing to sharp
en their eye, the range also conducts
Practical Pistol leagues and a $40
four-week course on self-defense.
Mrs. Gulbranson said quite a few
women attend the self-defense course.
"We can teach them how to' use a pis
tol, but whether they are psychologi
cally ready to use a gun, they will never
really know."
The pistol leagues include such act
ivities as shooting out a poker hand on
a target. The night we were there,
cardboard "hostages" were being set
up which had to be fired around in
order to hit a scored target.
"Shooting is getting bigger all the
time," Gulbranson said. "Originally it
was a self-defense type of thing, but it
has kind of turned into a game. A lot of
gamesmen are involved with things
now such as the quick-draw." He said
in the Soviet Union, people up to age 19
are strongly encouraged to practice
pistol shooting.
Mrs. Gulbranson said there really
hasn't been much interest shown by
university students toward the range.
She said university rules prohibiting
firearms in living units make it difficult
for students to own guns. The range
does rent guns and ammunition and is
trying to acquire lockers where people
could store their own equipment. An
hour's lane time is $4 for one person or
$5 for two.
"I think we give people an avenue to
keep their skills proficient," Mrs. Gul
branson said. "We think this is some
thing people can enjoy."
"We're also an alternative for people
whoVe never gone out with a gun to get
experience," Gulbranson said.
"We've had a lot of people become
interested in all different aspects of
guns, such as collecting," Gulbranson .
said. "We've had a lot of beginners in, a
lot of people who w6uld never other
wise have dreamed of using a gun."
Story By
Kevin McCoy
Photos By
David Trouba
Top: A .357 Python Mag
num one of the hand
guns for sale at the All
Seasons Shooting Range.
Upper right: The Gul
bransons' workbench
with its closed circuit
television for monitor
ing the shooting range.
Lower right: Reporter
Kevin McCoy "empties
a few rounds' at the
rsne. Lower left: The
.45 caliber automatic.
McCoy used at the shoot
ing rare. The pistol has
two safeties and auto
matically ejects the
shells after firing. -