New England Airgun is an innovative indoor airgun range in Hudson MA. Owner John Swenson had the idea for a “Lead-Free” and “Environmentally Friendly” air gun target shooting range and store. So he started New England Airgun and now it’s been running successfully for over 2 years!
John’s customers are not only “hard core” airgunners. He also markets the range to people looking for something different to do, or to get out of the New England weather for a while!
New England Airgun is making a statement as a lead free range. All the pellets shot there are alloy – mainly JSB and H&N types – which John finds to shoot well in many airguns.
There are 6 lanes. Each is 50 Feet (15 Meters) long and equipped with fully-adjustable overhead target carriers. These carriers can accept targets up to 17 x 22-inches and John also has a large-format printer onsite to print custom targets.
Shooters can use standing, sitting, kneeling or prone positions and there is also CCTV for each lane with zoom cameras and a monitor by every shooting point. This makes it easy for participants to see where their shots hit and makes for a very professional environment.
All shooting is at paper targets only. New England Airgun concentrates on marksmanship skills through game targets and NRA / ISSF Competition targets. The range can handle lead-free pellets in .177 .22 and .25 calibers, plastic BBs and steel BBs.
John says: “It’s a Lead-Free, Alcohol-Free ( that’s no-Alcohol not free-Alcohol! ) environment and we still have lots of fun! We’re open every weekday from 5:00PM to 10:00PM and weekends from 10:00AM to 10:00PM.”
Kid sized rifles and safety glasses are available to encourage the younger generation of shooters. One lane is set up with a Chrony and lights so that customers can measure the performance of their airgun.
With an airgun store on-site, John offers the chance for his customers to try out PCP, CO2, break barrel and pump airguns on the range and – if they fall in love with it – to buy that airgun they’ve just been shooting.
New England Airgun also caters to enthusiastic airgunners and clubs wanting a clean, warm and well-lit indoor location to shoot. There’s a large parking lot to accommodate all, including teams with buses!
The range design and safety are handled identical to a firearms range. This means that new shooters will be totally prepared if they choose to shoot firearms in future. New England Airgun also has many firearms shooters that are finding they prefer airguns once they give them a chance.
There’s a NRA-certified Range Safety Officer (RSO) on location at all times to handle equipment questions and provide helpful safety reminders as good practices wander with the “Experienced Shooters”. New shooters tend to be more careful and follow safety instructions better, says John!!!
Before gaining access to the range there is a 15-20 minute safety and range orientation each shooter must attend. During this, New England Airgun staff go over 10 key points of gun safety and “Do’s and Don’ts” in the range. These include examples of correct and incorrect actions that have been observed and corrected in the past.
John stresses: “Safety is stressed over and over again and fun is always #5 on the list. First there is safety, then safety, then more safety, and did we mention safety, then fun can happen!”
For the future, John plans expansion to include five additional 6-meter lanes (20 feet) for pistol shooting. Further out, he hopes to install “Olympic-style” precision electronic targets on the ranges too.
For more information, check out www.newenglandairgun.com or phone John on 978-567-6970.
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