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ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The final round at the current shooting range on the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area has been fired. The range closed its doors on Dec. 28 to make way for a major construction project, the result of which will be a new, state-of-the-art shooting facility. The entire project is expected to take 24-30 months, depending on construction and weather.
Phase I of constructing the new range began January 2. It entails demolition of the current facility, and site preparation and grading for the new one, which will be built from the ground up on the same location. There will also be an extensive lead reclamation effort during this time.
Phase II, which should commence in 2016, will be the construction of the new range. The new and expanded shooting range will feature additional shooting stations and a new classroom facility for hunter education and outdoor related education programs.
Originally built in 1975, the shooting range currently sees more than 40,000 shooters annually, which is the highest number of shooters for all MDC ranges in the state. The new range will incorporate the most current national shooting range design standards, and include numerous improvements for user convenience, safety, and reduced waiting times.
To help shooters stay informed and engaged during the Busch shooting range renovation project, MDC has an online Busch Range renovation update blog. The blog will include periodic postings and photos documenting all stages of the renovation project, including initial demolition of the old range through final construction and opening of the new facility. It also offers other informative content such as shooting safety, hunter education, events, and other shooting-related opportunities. Stay informed on renovation progress at mdc.mo.gov/blogs/busch-range-renovations.
Shooters can learn about alternative MDC shooting ranges to visit during the new Busch Range construction at mdc.mo.gov/shootingranges. Still more range options can be found on the National Shooting Sports Foundation's website by going to http://wheretoshoot.org/index2.cfm.
