New indoor shooting range coming to Rock Falls

ROCK FALLS — Dakota Hagerman saw a demand for an indoor shooting range in the area, so he thought he would give it a shot.

Hagerman, 27, of Sterling, bought the building at 1406 S. First Ave. in Rock Falls – next door to Boss Roofing and Siding – 3 weeks ago, and is about midway through remodeling what will become Carry On Range Inc. sometime in April.

"I've been doing Carry On firearms training for 6 years, and I worked at Riglers (Shooting and Sports Supply) for a long time, so I saw what people wanted," Hagerman said.

Carry On Range Inc. will be open 24-7. Membership will be required to access the facility, similar to how many around-the-clock gyms operate.

"You can be here any time you want, and it will be all self-serve," Hagerman said. "There will be a self-registration and self-serve kiosk, and you'll pay with a credit card."

A biometric entry that uses members' fingerprints to open the door will control access to the shooting range. Once inside, there will be eight lanes for shooting and electronic target retrieval.

The shooting range will be for handgun-caliber-only firearms and rimfire, which is small-caliber guns. Shooters must bring their own ammunition.

There also will be a vending machine with targets and ear and eye protection for shooters who may have forgotten to bring those items. He also will sell shirts, hoodies and tumblers with the Carry On logo.

Annual memberships will cost $125; a daily membership will cost $20. He will start selling memberships as soon as the range opens, in the meantime, potential members can text their names to 815-632-9044.

Shooters must present a valid FOID card when registering for membership.

Hagerman also teaches concealed carry classes at his other business, Carry On Firearm Training, at 13420 Galt Road in Sterling. He plans to move those classes to the shooting range once it is open.

Classes

Dakota Hagerman, owner of Carry On Firearm Training, teaches concealed carry classes, including specialized classes for youth and for women only, as well as firearms safety and basic handgun classes.

The cost is $200 for a 16-hour class, $100 for an 8-hour class and $75 for a 3-hour renewal class. Participants must bring a FOID card, Illinois driver's license, a concealable firearm with 50 rounds of factory ammunition, and ear and eye protection. A holster is optional.

He plans to open Carry On Range, a 24-7 shooting range for handguns and small-caliber guns, at 1406 S. First Ave. in Rock Falls in April; he then will be teaching classes there.

Find Carry On Range Inc. and Carry On Firearm Training on Facebook or call 815-632-9044 for more information.