Massive indoor gun range opens in Blue Ash

BLUE ASH, Ohio - Thursday marked the opening of a massive 20-lane gun shop and shooting range opened in Blue Ash.

Point Blank Gun Shop & Shooting Range, which is located at 10930 Deerfield Road, features 20 indoor shooting lanes. The facility also boasts a large selection of guns, classes, and a clean environment.

From housewives to people on their lunch breaks, a wide variety of people seem to be taking to shooting ranges these days.

"Both concealed carry licenses and gun ownership are at an all-time high nationally, state wide, and locally resulting in an increasing demand for this type of facility," founder and president Tom Willingham said. "Learning to shoot a gun and the recreational aspects of marksmanship are becoming more and more mainstreamed."

Dan Engen and Joe Brooks were two such people who ventured over to the shooting range during their lunch breaks.

Brooks was brought to the range by gun owner Engen.

"I like to bring somebody only because I like to share the excitement and the joy," Engen said.

Willingham said the goal of the location is to provide a clean, safe and convenient venue for gun owners to improve their shooting skills and have their questions answered. The location also provides away for non-gun owners to introduce themselves to shooting.

Brooks isn’t an avid gun supporter, but he thought going to the shooting range would be something fun to do with one of his buddies.

"I don't really even own a gun…I had a bb gun as a kid," Brooks, a self-labeled gun novice said. "The wives went to the spa and we went to the gun range."

Co-owner Dawn Green said guns and shooting ranges are as popular as ever in the Tri-State. Green says that shooting is more than self-defense. Shooting is a sport that’s starting to grow in popularity.

"Gun sales are up and shooting has really become a mainstream sport," Green said. "I really just think it’s a fun sport and people are getting into it."

According to Green, it’s that excitement is what is driving sales. Green believes a gun can be a great holiday gift, but urged people to be careful when purchasing a firearm for someone else.

"You don't necessarily want to buy a gun for somebody unless you know that that's what they want,” Green said. “Kind of like jewelry for a woman. You really want to make sure they want what you're buying them."

Green says guns are personal and users need to be comfortable with the one they operate.

Engen is one of those who decided a gun was right for him. What did Engen choose? He went with a glock.

"It's very simple. It's very easy to fire," Engen Said.

Engen said he plans to frequent the range often because there are a few things he wants to work on to improve his shooting. He says shooting provides a personal challenge.

"I always want to make sure I get my grouping tighter and actually put the bullet where I'm looking at," he said.

The shooting range offers climate controlled shooting lanes where rifles and handguns, up to .308 caliber, may be fired.

The range is ventilated with HEPA filters to keep the environment smoke free.