Melbourne gun range takes aim at new breed of shooters









MELBOURNE – William Orndorf, a 47-year-old Melbourne financial adviser, appreciates guns as well as the practice and discipline it takes to use them proficiently.

For years, he found area indoor gun ranges limiting in that the shooter pretty much had to stand in a lane and shoot at targets that in no way mimic what might be a real-life self-defense shooting scenario.

And most indoor ranges don't allow rifle shooting, but rather only pistols meaning his favorite weapon, an AR-15 Jack Carbine, wasn't an option.

All that changes for Orndorf with the soon-to-open FrogBones Family Shooting Center in Melbourne, a high-end shooting range with attached retail store, storage lockers, a restaurant, TVs and lounge area.

Dubbed "guntry clubs" by The Washington Post, new shooting rangers like FrogBones are popping up all across the United States. Their game plan is to cater long-time gun enthusiasts but also expand interest by targeting first-time shooters, women and younger individuals who may not be as familiar with guns.

"It's basically going to be a country club for gun enthusiasts," Orndorf said. "I'm not comfortable in a country club setting but I'm very comfortable in this type of setting.

"There's nothing out there in this area that I've seen that even comes close to this," he said.

FrogBones near to his heart

FrogBones — named in honor of Navy frogmen — will be a nearly 14,000-square-foot shooting range when it opens in early April.

It's the brainchild of former Harris Corp. engineer and longtime Indialantic businessman, Ed Andre, and Doug Torpy, who formerly was with Action Outfitters in Melbourne.

Their idea is to create an upbeat and comfortable place for both serious shooters and gun enthusiasts, as well as families. Think of a gun range mixed with a bowling alley and you kind of get the picture.

Andre, a Marine veteran who served in Vietnam, said he first shot a weapon in Arkansas when he was 7, under the supervision of his grandfather. It was a .22-caliber rifle with a scope. He has shot dozens of weapons since then, as well as becoming a collector.

An architect working on the Andre family retreat in Georgia eventually led to discussions about designing a facility in Melbourne. M.H. Williams Construction is building FrogBones. The project's price tag wasn't disclosed other than it's a multi-million dollar project.

A dedicated family man, Andre saw an opportunity for increased awareness about the sport, as well as gun safety for people not familiar with guns.

So at FrogBones there will be shooting leagues involving area gun ranges, women's shooting events and events for kids involving air guns and .22-caliber rifles.

"We're going to have lots of activities that appeal to families, or date nights or ladies nights and events, under parental supervision, for kids to learn to shoot safely," Andre said. "People want to learn about guns and they want to learn about them in a safe, friendly environment."

Torpy, who is well respected in the local gun community for his knowledge on weapons and firearms laws, said certified gun instructors will be on hand to teach safety and proper shooting techniques.

FrogBones will boast 18 lanes certified both for handguns and rifles. There will be 12 standard commercial target lanes of 15 yards and six tactical 25–yard lanes. Also on hand will be certified weapons instructors who can tutor new shooters and assist people in obtaining concealed weapons permits.

One of the things people will notice — or rather not notice — is the odor of smoke and gun powder that typically comes with older shooting ranges with non-efficient ventilation systems.

"The air exchanges every 90 seconds inside the range," Torpy said "You can come in here and shoot, go back to work and you won't smell like you've been in a gun range."

The retail store, at 3,000 square feet, could be the largest gun store in Brevard.

Growing trend

FrogBones is one of a number of nicer galleries popping across the United States. Within the shooting industry there is increased emphasis on luring women and younger shooting enthusiasts while also providing an upbeat atmosphere that encourages socializing and meeting people as well as firing several rounds from, say, a Glock handgun.

There also will be opportunities to shoot automatic weapons, including a vintage Thompson submachine gun, also called a "Tommy" gun.

"I think these ranges are going in because of the fact that more and more people are interested in shooting sports generally," said Mike Bazinet, director of public affairs at the National Shooting Sports Foundation based in Newtown, Connecticut.

"These ranges are becoming much more of a destination," he said. "In years past, bowling may have been the sport of choice. Increasingly, shooting is that sport. And with social media, people are sharing their experience at the range. They no longer have to seek out a specialized magazine to find out about it."

According to Bazinet's organization, the average age of new target shooters is 33 years old and 37 percent are female. It's estimated that shooters shell out $10 billion annually on ammuntion, guns and fees at ranges.

Also helping the industry is that more fun manufacturing are on the scene making weapons at different price points so owning a gun isn't as expensive.

And as interest in shooting grows, Bazinet said, a desire for nicer facilities follows.

"Higher end doesn't mean exclusive," he said. "They often offer memberships but they're nowhere near the cost of a golf club membership."

Brevard and guns

The Space Coast has special ties to the gun industry.

It's home to four manufacturers, including is Diamondback Firearms LLC, Cocoa; Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Cocoa; I.O. in Palm Bay; and Knight's Armament Co. in Titusville.

And interest in gun ownership appears to be growing, at least by one measure.

As of Nov. 30, 2014, there were 1.337 million concealed-weapon or firearm licenses issued in Florida, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The state went over the 1 million mark in December 2012, becoming the first state in the nation to surpass that figure.

Not just for 'gun heads'

A number of shooters said some ranges in the past probably haven't been the best place for families because of some of the individuals shooting there.

FrogBones is promoting something entirely different and that's what attracts Charles DeSaulnier, a 48-year-old conditioning and plumbing contractor who enjoys firing weapons as well as archery, which also will be allowed at the new facility.

"It's not going to be a bunch of gun heads and stuff like that and more oriented to families and providing a family-friendly atmosphere," said DeSaulnier of Palm Bay. "I think it's going to take off."

He and others see FrogBones as a place that will attract veteran shooters, and families to Melbourne from across Florida.

Even rival shooting ranges are excited about FrogBones, hoping it will increase interest in shooting in Brevard.

"That's going to be really nice," said Steven Kennedy, owner of the Merritt Island-based The Gun Site Range, who plans to establish a competitive league with FrogBones at some point."There is a lot of interest in the community about this."

Contact Price at 321-242-3658 or wprice@floridatoday.com.