We Bet that Even Your Parents Didn't Protect You This Much!

Here are some of the latest construction pics demonstrating the real life implementation of some of the safety features at Nexus finally being installed.  Are we going a bit overboard with safety?  Most other ranges would say yes, but we don't think so!  Safety is our highest concern and a major priority at Nexus Shooting!  The next time you shoot at another range that makes similar claims, ask which of these safety measures they have in place.

 The purple drywall is a specially designed multilayered acoustic drywall that protects the hearing of customers in the retail and classroom areas.

 These are the safety walls being built on one of our handgun ranges.  Ballistic steel lines ALL of the walls on this range for 360 degree protection!

Diagramatic representation of the specially designed multi-layer safety walls including protection against both hearing damage as well as injury from inadvertent discharges

Here is the real life implementation of the multi-layer safety wall one one of the rifle ranges.  These are the layers that will protect you from high velocity rounds in the neighboring rifle bay.

Rendering of the isolated private shooting bays that will increase everyone's safety!  Bays range in size from 10 feet wide all the way to 50 feet wide to accommodate various sized groups.

Wouldn't you like shooting in one of our private bays?  You can enjoy your time safely on your own, with your kids and family, or with a group of friends!

Ready to install thousands of pounds of ballistic steel!

Ceiling safety baffles being installed.

Here comes 100 parking spaces worth of asphalt!

Nexus Shooting revised opening date.

Some of you may have noticed that the countdown timer on our website has been rolled back.  There are a few loose ends left to take care of and rather than rush out a subpar unfinished product, we've decided to push back the opening to ensure that everything is done to the highest quality and be able to provide an unparalleled customer experience when we finally open.  We are working continuously seven days a week to bring you one of the greatest shooting ranges in the United States.  We appreciate everyone's continued patience, enthusiasm, and support.  Thank you.

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.