YOUNGSVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — A new indoor-shooting range in Youngsville is gaining attention after recently opening its doors.

“The range needs to feel open and it needs to feel friendly to welcome everybody — that’s not something we see across this industry,” said Kurt Lieberman.

Liberman, the president and owner of Youngsville Gun Club & Range and Tar River Arms, said after a year of construction, they opened the facility to the community on Franklin Park Drive. He said the shooting range is open to all ages but it is unlike what people might have experienced before.

“It is very unique and it’s different. It’s the only place in North Carolina that has digital live-fire targets,” said Lieberman.

The owner of the club added, “Everyone’s been asking us, does it use real guns? Yes, it’s using real firearms and ammo and what it’s using is heat.”

The facility is less than an hour north of Raleigh.

Cutting edge facility

Lieberman said the facility is using cutting-edge gun range technology that can display digital targets and track where a bullet hits infrared cameras. It can be used to inform users to make better decisions and correct how they’re using the firearm.

“Safety before entertainment is what we’re all about. And that’s what is one of my missions is there are lot of firearms and people with firearms. When Tar River Arms was by itself, we were selling a lot of firearms but were frustrated because we weren’t able to train them after,” said Lieberman. The owner of the club said people can now buy, rent and practice with their firearms all under one roof.

For Michael Nordozzi, a veteran who traveled from Rolesville, using the shooting range is an opportunity to spend time with his son.

After a few minutes of practice, Nordozzi laughed, “He seems to be doing really well — better than me!” The father said it was his son’s second time using a firearm.

He added, “I think that a lot of it has to do with the people who are here, they are really professional… I think it’s the family environment and the education to shooting safely.”

In addition to 20 shooting lanes, the club also includes two classrooms that are used for gun safety education, a VIP room, and a simulator that can be used for anything from golf to target practice. Staff said they even have simulator training for law enforcement.

“We’ve got some excellent trainers, 30-year military veterans, those type of folks that really know what they’re doing. They’ll help anybody who is willing to learn from the basic to the most seasoned,” said Lieberman. He said trainers can help teach everything from the basics to hunting and even self-defense.

Importance of gun education

While recent events have created controversy for the sport, Lieberman said he hopes to change that and wishes to highlight the importance of education.

He said, “It’s a right of every American citizen… One of the biggest fears that I have — before I got into all of this — was not my kids because I trained my kids how to use firearms. That training aspect of it is important whether you have a gun or not because they are going to go to places that do, and to understand how they pick it up, not to pick it up…. All that stuff is important.”

Lieberman said they hope to make the sport more inclusive and offer memberships starting at $35/month. The owner also said anyone who wishes to use a firearm at the indoor range must be at least 10 years old.

The club has a list of training courses on its website where people can learn the basics of cleaning and taking a firearm apart to even one-on-one instruction with a skilled trainer. Head to Youngsville Gun Club & Indoor Shooting Range to learn more.