The Nexus Difference: Part 5 - Luxurious & Comfortable WIDE Lanes

THE PROBLEM:

You may have noticed in the previously posted pictures that the lanes at Nexus Shooting appeared significantly wider than the "standard" lanes found at most indoor shooting ranges.  Next time you are shooting elsewhere, we challenge you to measure how much space you are given.  Most indoor ranges in South Florida have lanes which are a paltry 3 feet wide.  This is barely enough room for one person and their gear.  Trying to squeeze two people into these narrow stalls is not only uncomfortable, but inherently unsafe as well.  Multiple people handling guns in a tightly enclosed space is a recipe for disaster.  Bags and gear are strewn about the floor outside of the stalls and pose tripping hazards.   Instructors must stand uncomfortably close, looking over the shoulders of their students and invading their personal space.  Obviously, the more people a range can pack in, the more money they are making, so it is contrary to their interests to provide adequate space.

THE NEXUS SHOOTING SOLUTION:

At Nexus Shooting, most of our stalls are FIVE FEET WIDE, providing the ultimate in luxury!  Two adults can comfortably fit into a single stall.  Giving everybody plenty of elbow room decreases the likelihood of accidents.

The increased space enhances everyone's safety by allowing bags to be kept within your individual stall and out of the way of other patrons.  You can easily keep an eye on your gear inside of your stall instead of placing it behind you or against the back wall, increasing security.

Instructors will easily be able to see what their students are doing and can quickly correct their technique.  The increased space also gives instructors the ability to safely control inexperienced shooters.  Reaching around or over your student's shoulders in a standard narrow 3 foot lane is not optimal.  In our five foot wide lanes, you can stand side by side where the student's gun is easily accessible and controlled.  Students will be able to view demonstrations in an unobstructed manner.  This makes for a much more pleasant learning environment and experience and allows students to learn at a much more rapid pace.

Ladies, you now have plenty of space to learn without worrying about less than savory individuals hovering over you and getting "too close for comfort".  You are there to learn proper shooting technique, not what brand of aftershave or deodorant your instructor is wearing (or not wearing!)

Nexus Shooting's wide lanes also decreases the chance of crossfire where other patrons accidentally shoot your target.

The wide stalls allow for an increased dimension to your training by providing enough width for a couple of steps to the left or right.  One common theme with any sort of practical, realistic, or tactical training is that even just a single sidestep at the initiation of a confrontation will significantly increase your odds of survival by taking you off of the preset axis of your assailant.  Do you want to stand still or move if your life is in danger?  How you train is how you will perform.  Training with your feet rooted to the ground makes you an easy target.  Train the right way at Nexus Shooting!

Construction Update #5: November 2012

Here are some progress pictures from the construction site.  We're about three quarters done with the exterior painting and most of the interior drywall is up.  Even prior to painting, the massive monolithic concrete structure really makes its presence known!

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After some paint is applied, the angled architectural elements are really accentuated and the building is brought to life! 

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Our monster ventilation system is almost complete.  The ducting is so large that you could probably drive a golf cart through some of it! 

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When the building is viewed from a distance, you can really get an idea of how immense and complex our ventilation units are. The roof looks almost like a small city with all of the air conditioning units. This rooftop "city" will keep our ranges cool, clean, and comfortable!

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The main retail area is coming together.  With our massive central skylight, the showroom will be well illuminated with plenty of natural light!



See our range equipment being built!

We recently took a visit to the Action Target factory to watch the production of our range equipment.  Action Target just recently moved into this new facility.  It is modern, clean, and a model of efficiency.  It was really impressive to watch the assembly line deal with the ballistic steel.

The curved pieces of steel in the picture below form part of the deceleration chamber.  The kinetic energy of the bullet is safely absorbed as it swirls multiple times in the chamber and eventually slows down enough to safely drop into the collection trough.

These are the large "screw augers" which automatically move the spent lead from one end of the trap to the other.  Eventually, the lead is deposited into barrels for collection by the metal recyclers.

Action Target has a patent on the formula for their proprietary steel, AR550, which is rated to a Brinell harndess of 550 (most ballistic steel is rated at 250-500).  Due to the extreme hardness of the steel, a robotic plasma cutter was needed to make the intricate pieces of the traps, deceleration chambers, and steel targets.

The Nexus Difference - Part 4: Private Training Bays

In the previous segment of The Nexus Difference, we looked at how our specially designed walls have multiple layers of protection built in to enhance shooter safety.  Now, let's take a look at how we are using those walls to create multiple independent bays to enhance your shooting experience even further! 

THE PROBLEMS:  Most ranges compromise your safety by crowding multiple shooters into a single room.  Looking at the diagram above, it is easy to see how having many customers of varying skill levels packed tightly together is detrimental to safety. 

-  Sweeping muzzles:   Untrained shooters may have poor muzzle discipline or even walk around behind other patrons pointing their firearms in unsafe directions.

-  Noise:  Trying to shout loudly enough to be heard over the continuous gunfire as well as through earplugs and muffs is nearly impossible. For nervous first time shooters, being unable to hear instructions is unacceptable!

- Unrealistic training: Training from a static firing position is only adequate to learn basic target shooting. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to defend yourself, being able to shoot a non-moving piece of paper while you are standing still in one spot is of limited value. In a real life scenario, the players are constantly in motion! Also, the majority of home intrusions occur in the dead of night. How can you handle a low-visibility nighttime shooting if you've never practiced in those conditions? 

-  Poor Ventilation:  The inadequately ventilated room fills with smoke and vaporized lead from multiple shooters (see our prior post about the differences in ventilation systems here... http://nexusshooting.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-nexus-shooting-difference-part-1.html).

THE NEXUS SOLUTION:  As can be easily seen in the picture above, having multiple shooting bays at Nexus alleviates these issues.  This makes it is easier for us to separate customers for the ultimate in safety.   Nexus has EIGHT independent shooting bays varying in size from 10 to 150 feet wide!   Whether you want a whole bay for yourself or have a large group of 10 to 20 people, we can easily accommodate you.

-  Control of the entire room:   Control of an individual bay allows for easy discussion without having to shout over the gunfire of other patrons. 

-  Privacy:  Families with children, public figures, celebrities, and women seeking a safe and discreet experience can shoot without being concerned about other customers. 

-  Low light training: Look at the female patron in the left most bay.  Having your own bay means you can turn the lights to a low setting to properly practice with a handheld or weapon-mounted light.  In our opinion, this is the only way to prepare for the possibility of a nighttime encounter.

-  Shooting on the move:  By separating the range into multiple bays, experienced members will be able to shoot on the move.  Practical training like this is unavailable in any other indoor range around!  This is also key for practical firearms competitors.  Those of you engaged in USPSA/IPSC, IDPA, 3-gun, etc. will find Nexus to be your ultimate training ground.  You will no longer have to limit your training at static ranges.  Rent out your own bay, set up your own course of fire, and gain a competitive edge!   We will have equipment similar to those found at most practical competitions available for your use, including obstacles, cover, doorways, windows, reactive steel, moving targets, etc.

The Nexus Difference Part 3: Shooter Safety

In this segment of The Nexus Difference, let's continue to take a closer look at what makes Nexus one of the safest ranges in existence.  In the previous article, we described how we are utilizing a million dollar military grade ventilation system to ensure the health of our patrons as well as our employees by decreasing dangerous lead and airborne toxin exposure. 

The most important way to ensure safety is to emphasize shooter education.  Shooters who are knowledgeable on fundamental etiquette and range rules are vital for everyone's safety.  We will discuss this aspect of safety in a future segment.  For this article, we will describe some of the innovative features built into the physical range itself.

The first safety system in place is the stall walls separating adjacent shooters.  Amazingly, if you read some of the range safety rules posted at other ranges, they state explicitly that their stall walls are NOT bulletproof.  Our stall walls are constructed of ballistic steel UL rated to the appropriate level of protection.  You can shoot without worrying about the safety standards of the person in the stall next to you.

The next feature that makes Nexus Shooting safer than most ranges is the actual physical walls of the range.  Most ranges have a single layer of bare or painted concrete block (often times hollow), or even worse just a couple of sheets of drywall.  Clearly, this would be ineffective at preventing penetrating rounds, ricochets or shrapnel.

As can be seen in the diagram below, at Nexus Shooting the walls between each range have ELEVEN layers of protection, each with a specific purpose.  The first layer is a two inch thick layer of sound insulation.  This helps to protect your hearing by decreasing the reverberation and noise of gunfire.  Personal hearing protection is still required; however, this sound insulation is a beneficial adjunct. 

The next few layers include plywood, a rubber membrane, crushed rock, and ballistic steel.  These multiple layers are specifically designed to contain errant shots.  The bullet penetrates the plywood, rubber, and crushed rock, and smashes against the ballistic steel.  This prevents penetration into the adjacent rooms.  But, the shrapnel from the smashing bullet and ricocheting of the bullet itself can be almost just as dangerous as the primary penetration of the bullet.  This is where the other layers come into play.  The energy of the shrapnel is dissipated and the fragments are contained by the crushed rock and plywood layers.  The middle layer is solid 4000 PSI concrete.  Then, on the other side of the concrete, the same layers are repeated (steel, rock, rubber, plywood, and sound insulation), thus DOUBLING the protection between ranges. 

Every wall between our separate ranges is protected in this manner.  This allows for safe tactical training all the way up and down range.  Lining all of the walls with these multiple layers of protection is expensive, but at Nexus Shooting, your safety is our highest priority! 

Construction Update #4: Quick peek at our ventilation system

Here are a couple of quick pictures of the ventilation system.   The first picture is only one of the TWELVE units required for cooling and ventilation of the range being installed on the roof.  These units require a semi-truck to deliver and a huge crane to install.  As you can tell by the size of this monster, we aren't messing around when it comes to having the best cooling and ventilation possible!  Also, check out the massive ventilation ducting for one of the ranges!

Construction Update #3

The build is moving along at a rapid pace.  Our partners, Action Target and Carey's Ventilation, who are outfitting the range have done hundreds of ranges throughout the nation, and both have stated that they've never seen a range built so quickly, especially one that is so intricately detailed.

The steel framework for the front facade is in place, and now the beautiful angled architectural lines of our building are clearly evident.  Our massive skylight will fill the retail area with natural light and give it an open and spacious feel!  We won't be just another plain and dark rectangular box building, warehouse, or strip mall range!

Nexus Shooting is seeking a diversified staff!

We would encourage members of all ethnic groups, all ages, and both genders to apply for positions at Nexus.  We feel that in order to provide the highest level of service to our customers, a staff with varied life experience will best help us gain insight into the needs of our patrons.  Nexus Shooting wants to break the mold of the testosterone-fueled-alpha-male machismo atmosphere of most gun stores with a friendly, professional, and diversified staff.  We have already extended job offers to members of four different ethnic backgrounds and a nearly equal number of males and females.  So, for anyone concerned about the prototypical staff seen at most gun shops, we would assure you that your future colleagues and work environment at Nexus will be far superior to what you've seen and encourage you to apply today!  Details on the application process can be found here: 
http://nexusshooting.blogspot.com/2012/10/nexus-shooting-is-now-hiring-apply-today.html

Nexus Shooting is now hiring! Apply today!

Are you interested in joining Nexus Shooting?  We are looking for enthusiastic, clean cut, friendly, and energetic team players to help us bring our vision into reality.  If you DON'T have the typical "I know more about guns than you and you are not worth my time!" attitude that seems to be the norm at most gun shops, then you'll fit right in!   NO prior firearm experience is necessary. 

Nexus Shooting is bringing the future of indoor range shooting and firearms retail to Davie, Florida.  With 40 lanes available in traditional or electronic targeting systems, reactive and moving targets, an advanced air-conditioned ventilation system, run and gun, and private bays, Nexus will provide an unequaled state of the art range and retail facility.

Positions currently available include (see descriptions below):

- Sales

- Range Safety Officers

- Greeters
  
- Gunsmith

All employees will be expected to provide the highest level of customer service, assist in the daily operations of the range, follow Nexus policies and priorities, and be able to work in cooperation with other employees.  Employees will also be expected to become familiar with federal, state, and local firearms laws, and take a quiz as part of the interview and selection process.  No prior firearm knowledge is necessary as regular training classes throughout the year as well as a one month intensive pre-opening course will be provided.  Employees may be required to undergo random drug testing. 

To apply, please click this link to fill out the online application and upload your resume at the bottom of the application form:  https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form?EQBCT=7b320ec7aaa546d6a90841d70bb99edf

Questions can be directed to zrmcwilliams@nexusshooting.com or calling (954) 587-8005.

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Sales

Primary Responsibilities - Assist customers in sales of firearms and with accurate knowledge of current firearms law in firearms and accessories sales.  Become familiar with range equipment such as the customer kiosk, lane selection interface, and electronic targeting system.  Be proficient in handling refunds, consignment transactions, rentals, and firearms.  Stay up to date on product information and firearm law.  Ensure compliance of firearms transactions with federal, state, and local laws.

Pay/Benefits - $11/hour initial pay increasing up to $15/hour based on time, experience, and proficiency plus profit sharing.  A health insurance plan will be available.  Employee discounts provided.

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Range Safety Officer

Primary Responsibilities - Ensure that customers are shooting in a safe manner and in accordance with range policies.  Perform daily maintenance and cleaning of the range.  Assist customers with firearms malfunctions and range equipment. Ensure that all shooters are adults or minors accompanied by a parent/guardian. Ensure that ammunition sales are made to adults or minors accompanied by a parent/guardian.  Accomplish these tasks both on foot throughout the range and at the central monitoring station.

Pay/Benefits- $9/hour base pay increasing up to $12/hour based on time, proficiency, and experience plus profit sharing.  A health insurance plan will be available.  Employee discounts provided.

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Greeter

Primary Responsibilities - Greet customers entering the premises. Inform new customers of membership options, range policies, and direct them to the appropriate location.

Pay/Benefits- $9/hour base pay increasing up to $12/hour based on time, proficiency, and experience plus profit sharing.  A health insurance plan will be available.  Employee discounts provided.

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Gunsmith

Primary Responsibilities - Provide basic gunsmithing services including, but not limited to, installing and adjusting sights, cleaning, NFA engraving, basic diagnosis and repairs, after-market customizations, and preventative maintenance of range rental guns.  Be knowledgeable and meticulously detailed in proper intake, modification, and release of firearms in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws.  Prior experience is a must.  Gunsmithing degree or certification is a must.

Pay/Benefits -$12/hour initial pay increasing up to $18/hour based on time, experience, and proficiency plus profit sharing.  A health insurance plan will be available.  Employee discounts provided.

The Nexus Shooting Difference - Part 2 - Bullet Traps

Arguably, the single most important piece of safety equipment on a shooting range is the bullet trap.  A properly constructed trap is vital to prevent bullets exiting the range and harming people and property outside of the range.  But, an often overlooked aspect that is equally as important, it that it must capture and prevent ricocheting bullets to prevent harm to the patrons inside of the range.  There are a wide variety of bullet traps in existence including granulated rubber traps, steel funnel traps at each lane, wide open steel funnel traps, or even a dirt berm in a basement.  All of these serve the primary purpose of ensuring that bullets do not exit the range adequately.  But, only one of these is the best at protecting the shooters inside of a range. 

The  steel funnel type of trap at each individual lane seen below is very common at indoor ranges.  Why?  Because it is relatively inexpensive.  The problem with this kind of trap is that the very narrow opening that leads to the bullet deceleration chamber can clog with lead residue over time and eventually these openings can fill up to the point that bullets strike the buildup and ricochet erratically.  Also, the presence of vertical partitions between each trap provides a second area where bullets can and have ricocheted.

Although rubber traps do a very good job of capturing bullets and are very cost effective initially, they are subject to a high degree of maintenance.  These traps can work just fine as long as the are regularly maintained every few weeks to months depending on the volume of shooting.   However, if the rubber traps are not cleaned out frequently, a large pocket of lead can build up in a highly concentrated area.  As the superficial layers of rubber are worn away and this lead ball builds up to the surface of the trap, the likelihood of a bullet striking this large metallic mass increases, as does the chance of dangerous ricochets.

  

We could have easily equipped our range with one of these less expensive traps; however, just as we spared no expense obtaining the best ventilation system possible to protect our customers' health, we purchased the safest trap available despite the fact that it costs considerably more than these other options.  Thus, we decided to go with Action Target's Total Containment Trap for our rifle lanes.  These are the same traps used at many military and law enforcement installations.  The design of this steel ramp guides bullets into a deceleration chamber with no intervening vertical components present that could cause dangerous ricochets.   This trap is not subject to the same maintenance requirements as rubber traps as the spent lead is automatically and continuously collected into containers by a mechanical auger system.  So, patrons can shoot without worrying about whether the range management is performing the necessary maintenance to ensure safety because for the Total Containment Trap it is being maintained continuously!

In fact it is so safe that shooters involved with tactical training will be permitted to shoot as close as only 1 yard away!  Also, for tactical shooters you can shoot at any angle all the way across the entire width of the range from a single position due to the lack of vertical obstructions.  

Watch the video below to see an officer fire as close as 1 yard away and shoot  an AR-15 at multiple angles!

On the pistol side of the range, we will be utilizing Action Target's flat trap which incorporates an angled metal plate that stops bullets, but we will also have multiple layers of self healing rubber curtain which prevents splatter and ricochets.  When a bullet passes through this rubber material, a 9 mm bullet leaves a hole only the size of a pinhole enabling the curtain to take hundreds of thousands of rounds before needing replacement.  The curtain prevents any backsplatter or ricocheting metallic fragments from reaching the shooter. 

Nexus Shooting is committed to shooter safety and well being.  In the next additions of our Nexus Shooting Difference series, we will continue to detail our plan to create the best possible indoor shooting range environment by covering topics such as sound abatement, innovative safety products, and more.

Construction update #2: The storefront has come a long way!

Sorry about the long delay since our last construction update.  As you can see in the animated slideshow, the build has been humming along and at this point the storefront is very recognizable.  We are getting closer to achieving our vision of an eye-catching, modern, and unique piece of architectural art!

The Nexus Shooting Difference - Part 1 - Range ventilation

We will be writing a multi-article post describing features of Nexus Shooting that will set us apart from the typical shooting range.  For this first article, let's discuss the important topic of range ventilation.

Lead poisoning is a very real problem with many shooting ranges.  The Center for Disease Control / National Institue for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH) has published the following guidelines for preventing occupational lead exposure which also includes many case reports of lead poisoning from shooting.  Feel free to peruse their recommendations and the case reports by clicking this link:  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-136/pdfs/2009-136.pdf

Lead poisoning can induce nausea, vomiting, headache, high blood pressure, abdominal pain, memory and mood disorders, and alter fertility.  Because of these significant effects, lead levels of shooting range employees are very strictly regulated.  Have you ever seen any of the employees at a range wearing one of these?

 

It is because their blood lead levels tested abnormally higher than allowed!   Fortunately, they have the good sense to follow the recommended testing and prescribed intervention.  But, these guidelines are for EMPLOYEES of ranges.  Where are the guidelines for CUSTOMERS of gun ranges?  THERE ARE NONE!

Besides lead, there are all sorts of different byproducts of shooting which can be inhaled.  Carbon monoxide, gunpowder, smoke, etc.  Below is an actual picture of a standard N95 filter mask (in front)that has turned visibly grey after shooting 100 rounds in a poorly ventilated range (a new clean filter is in back for comparison).  Clearly, this is garbage that you do not want to inhale!

So, how is a ventilation system designed to prevent inhaling all of these shooting byproducts and help reduce the chance of lead poisoning?  The recommendations by the CDC/NIOSH state "Perforated radial air diffusers mounted at ceiling height have been tested and demonstrated effective in meeting established industry and regulatory air flow criteria.  Diffusers that produce jets of air can create turbulence at the firing line." - page 14 of  guidelines for preventing lead exposure

This diagram shows ceiling air diffusers which draw outside hot air in and  produce swirling air and turbulence.  Clearly, this is ineffective at properly ventilating the range.  Additionally, the introduction of jets of cold air from standard air conditioning vents disrupts air flow, causes turbulence, and is only minimally successful at producing "warm" air.  Even worse, some ranges only turn on the ventilation sporadically to save on energy costs!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The diagram below shows what optimum airflow from a radial diffuser looks like.  The air moves as a single mass, all in a downrange manner, in a laminar fashion with NO turbulence at 75 feet per second.  The ventilation system should be on the whole time.

 

 

The above radial diffuser works great at ventilation, but the problem with the this setup is that it draws its supply from the hot humid outside air.   Some ranges try to band-aid fix this by introducing those same standard air conditioning vents which cause jets of air, disrupt the laminar airflow, and result in turbulent warm air as shown below.  With this type of system you are back to square one with a poorly ventilated sauna!

The best way to obtain the combination of great ventilation AND ice cold air is to cool ALL of the air coming out of the radial diffuser while recirculating a portion of the cold air through multiple layers of HEPA filtration as shown below.  Obviously, this is the ideal situation to have at an indoor shooting range.  So, why don't all ranges use this system?   Because it costs about FIVE TIMES more in just the capital costs of the equipment alone and cooling the entire volume of air sends the electric bill through the roof!  But, because we are committed to providing the best shooting environment possible, we are installing this ventilation system, which literally costs $1 million!  This is the same exact system used in many military and law enforcement indoor ranges.

As a medical doctor, I am acutely aware of the numerous health risks present in most pre-existing shooting ranges. At Nexus Shooting, if we can provide the healthiest and safest environment for shooters, we can sleep easy at night knowing that we care about our customers and are not just trying to maximize the bottom line.  

- Dr. Bernard Hsiao, MD. Ph.D, co-owner of Nexus Shooting.


 

 

Nexus is now on Facebook and Twitter!

Click here to check out our Facebook page!

 

Click here to follow us on Twitter!

Refined Renderings of the Retail Space Interior Design

The absolute last thing that we would want to do is the same boring cookie-cutter store that everyone is already familiar with.  If you've seen inside one shooting range and firearms store, you've basically seen all of them.  Everyone has the same crowded and cramped rectangular box shaped store, wood racks, generic glass counters, guns on peg boards, banners of manufacturers on the wall, animal head trophies, etc.

Our vision for a unique shooting experience is clearly evident in the design of our modern eye catching building exterior (see this post from March 6th).  Now, we are applying that same vision to our interior.  Below are a couple of concepts. 

This first one was our attempt at really emphasizing the technology and state of the art characteristics of our range. We were going for a futuristic feeling similar to what you might find at Epcot or on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, but in the end felt that this would be too extreme and probably a bit too sterile.  Click each picture for a larger view.

 

Below are some of the latest renderings.  These are a lot closer to what the final product will actually be.  Warm, spacious, clean, modern, and inviting but still packed full of technology and innovative ideas.  This is a space you will really feel comfortable in and receive the best service anywhere.  Get ready for a first class shooting experience!

 

 

Construction update #1 - Footers ready to be poured

Here's a video of the current state of the construction site:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ty6Wp6U6A8

Clilck the pictures below for larger images.  The lot has been completely cleared of shrubbery, and our beautiful view of the lake is now visible!

The framing for our footers is built and ready for the cement. The framing already gives you a good idea of the layout and size of the range. 

We will be fast tracking construction, so these powerful floodlights will allow our crews to work through the night!