Following yesterday’s post which mocked the British ideal of “dream garden”, here are my own (ranked) top ten desirable backyard features:
1. four-bay 25-yard air-conditioned indoor pistol range
2. 100-yard rifle range with back stop and shaded shooting benches
3. sporting clays area, with six or more stations
4. six-car garage
5. climate-controlled storage shed for ammo and sundry shooting supplies (maybe backing off one of the ranges) with a decent reloading setup inside
6. outdoor kitchen with both charcoal- and gas grills, including a bar counter
7. woodworking shop, e.g. Norm Abrams’s “New Yankee Workshop”
8. swimming pool
9. surrounding the entire back yard with a couple extra corners thrown in, a go-kart track which could accommodate grownup cars e.g. a Caterham 500
10. Guest house where my friends could stay for their (probably weekly) play dates.
Okay, the race track is possibly something of an overreach, but not necessarily.
As for the “garden” idea… meh. Patio or deck with pool and BBQ grill, no lawn. Pots with artificial flowers.
Dallas Gun Club. $25,000 / annum membership, by invitation only.
Orthogonal to the main topic, I heard this the other day and thought you might be interested:
https://peterattiamd.com/formulaone/
In the late-50’s as the go-kart craze really took off, and commercial tracks were built, the California Sports Car Club (aka CalClub, and not affiliated with SCCA at the time) put on limited “time trials” events at one or two of the kart tracks in the Greater L.A. Area, limited to small production cars IIRC in E/F/G/H Production. The winner usually drove a Bugeye or a Seven.
At around the same time, the Compton (CA) Hunting & Fishing Club built a one or two lane underground HP rifle range under the right of way they sold (with easement) to CalTrans for the new Long Beach Freeway. That range is still available to members.
I’ll start with Kim’s list with the following “adjustments”
Pistol range needs to be 50 yards.
Rifle range needs to be at least 600 yards and preferably 1000.
Shotgun ranges are not needed. In its place, a metal fab shop with welding, forming equipment etc.
Garage must be air conditioned, have at least 2 lifts and be filled with classic
and modern sports cars & motorcycles with a work area and full shop tools.
Kim’s storage shed is A ok as long as it has reloading equipment to suit my many firearms.
Woodworking shop is A ok as Kim specifies.
Pool, yard and guest house all are great as is.
A well stocked wine cellar is mandatory.
Hmm…
WRT the range, I want the pistol setup for 50 meters. An Olympic Rapid Fire bay for 25 meters. Rifle range bermed for 100 meters, with target positions at 50 and 100 meters and yards. Probably no shotgun.
Stand-alone magazine at a safe distance.
Swimming pool. Nice lawn.