GINA B. GOOD / PVT Award-winning shooter Debra Strickland demonstrates a Cowboy Action Shooter timed series of target shooting using her six-shooter at the Lone Wolf Shooters Range. RELATED STORY How to get to the range? Advertisement

A shooting range opened this month in Pahrump -- finally.

After years of false starts and dead stops, meetings, mapping and planning for different areas around Pahrump Valley -- both on private and BLM land -- the long-awaited range is a reality as a result of a casual conversation between two long-time Pahrump residents, Debra Strickland and Jim Wulfenstein.

"I went all around with our proposals for a range," said Strickland. "I went to the town board, the county commissioners and to BLM."

But it was a coincidental meeting of the minds that turned the tide. "Jim mentioned to me one day, he wanted to do something with his played-out gravel pit and I told him we needed a shooting range. He said 'OK, well let's do it.' So, he built it for us," said Strickland.

Wulfenstein used his heavy equipment and manpower to level the area and cut into the sides of the gravel pit to create berms -- from 12 to more than 20 feet high -- around each of the eight ranges where shooting bays are located.

Half the bays are for cowboy action shooting only and set up to use lead bullets on steel targets. The other four ranges are open for modern handgun, shotgun and rifle use. The berm at the far northeast of the facility can also be converted into a 100-yard rifle range when no other shooters are using the ranges or clubhouse, as all those locations are down range from the 100-yard shooting table.

While the range has recently expanded to offer a limited number of memberships, it has been operational for more than two years. In 2007, it was the site for the Senior Olympics shooting competition and regularly hosts Single Action Shooting Society matches, like the one each Sunday that is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Since Wulfenstein handed over control of the facility to Strickland, she has gathered a cadre of range safety officers and sponsors for special events and to offer ongoing firearm training for first- time as well as experienced shooters.

Concealed carry classes are offered by appointment on a monthly basis by Robby Brentlinger, owner of The Master of Arms gun shop. Rangemaster Chuck Burnett also offers classes on general use of firearms for different levels of expertise, scheduled through Brentlinger's shop.

Pahrump Sanitation provides the range with a portable toilet and free service, while T&M Group and Strickland Construction, owned by Debra and husband Larry Strickland, provide range maintenance and set up for certain events.

Emmalee's Guns & Emporium, Acme Pawn & Gun and The Master of Arms are affiliated with the range, sometimes setting up shop in the facility's rustic clubhouse for visitors and members to rent and test fire handguns, rifles and shotguns.

Back to Basics, a business that carries survival and preparedness equipment, set up under a shade structure at a recent range event, as did Gisela's Café & Deli.

Tips on spending a comfortable day on the range include bringing water, snacks and a folding chair. Ear protection is necessary for shooters as well as guests who may not be shooting.

According to Strickland, the three most important rules at Lone Wolf Shooters Range regard handling guns safely: point the weapon in a safe direction, always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot and always keep the gun unloaded until it is ready to use.

At the first open house weekend event, held this month, range membership soared from 35 Cowboy Action Shooters to 110 general members.

That's a lot of people who now have a place to feel home on a range.