Darnalls Gun Works and Ranges
Darnall's Gun Works and Ranges started in 1923 when Ron Darnall's grandfather combined his gunsmith trade with a passion for the outdoors. What began as Bloomington Gun Company in downtown Bloomington eventually expanded in 1984 to its current location at 6125 E 1175 N Rd., where Ron and Sue Darnall...
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Darnall's Gun Works and Ranges started in 1923 when Ron Darnall's grandfather combined his gunsmith trade with a passion for the outdoors. What began as Bloomington Gun Company in downtown Bloomington eventually expanded in 1984 to its current location at 6125 E 1175 N Rd., where Ron and Sue Darnall built the indoor and outdoor range facilities that made them central Illinois' only year-round shooting complex with trap, skeet, and 5-stand sporting clays.
This is a working shooting range and gun shop, not a retail outlet. They host SASS Cowboy Action Shooting on the 3rd Saturday of each month (8am-12pm), 3-Gun competitions, IDPA events, and various trap and skeet leagues for business teams and organizations. They're also home to the longest-running NRA Youth Shooting and Hunting Camp in the United States and operate the Central Illinois Precision Shooter's Facility—an Olympic-level training setup for youth interested in air gun and rimfire competition.
"With over 100 years of combined experience between our gunsmiths, we are the place to go to fix your gun troubles."
Their gunsmiths include apprenticed craftspeople and formally-trained specialists with degrees from Pine Technical College and S&W armorer certifications for both revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. Scope and optic sighting is available for an additional $20.
All instructors are certified as Master NRA Firearms Instructors. Here's what they offer:
| Class | Duration | Cost | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Gun Owner Safety/Basic Pistol | 4 hours (Thu 5-9pm) | $140.65/person | Learn pistol operation, safety rules, fundamentals. Shoot .22 LR, .38 Special, and 9mm (supplied). Max 5 students. No FOID required. |
| Illinois Concealed Carry | 2 days (8am-5pm) | $156.25/person | 30-round qualifier, dry/live fire exercises, state/federal law, firearm maintenance. Held outdoors in warm months, indoors in winter. |
| Concealed Carry Renewal | 3 hours (times vary) | Price not listed | 100 rounds required, outside-the-belt holster mandatory. |
| Private Lesson (1 person) | Hourly rate | Not listed | Pistol, rifle, or shotgun. $10 rental fee if you don't bring your own gun. Scope sighting $20 extra. |
| Group Lesson (up to 6) | Hourly rate | Not listed | Groups of 7+ are $480 plus $60 per additional student. |
They also offer DNR Hunter Safety Classes (free, late summer/early fall) and TAN Card Requalification.
Darnall's offers individual and family memberships. Here's the breakdown:
Individual Memberships: - Outdoor ($195/yr, $130/yr for veterans/first responders): Unlimited outdoor range access. Indoor range at $12/hr per lane. Trap and skeet 5-stand at 25 targets complimentary. Unlimited $10 gun rentals. - Complete ($395/yr, $330/yr for vets/first responders): Everything above plus unlimited indoor lane time Tue-Fri (1 hour Sat-Sun). $25 or $20/gun FFL transfers. - VIP ($795/yr, $600/yr for vets/first responders): Complete package plus 3 free guests/year, 2 free targets per visit, 2 gun cleanings/year, 1 machine gun rental (50 rounds) annually.
Family Memberships: - Outdoor ($235/yr, $155/yr for vets/first responders) - Complete ($415/yr, $355/yr for vets/first responders) - Family VIP ($1,350/yr, $750/yr for vets/first responders): Up to 5 free guests/year, 2 gun cleanings/year, 2 machine gun rentals annually.
Group rates available: 3 Family VIP memberships for $2,250; 6 for $4,350.
- •Tuesday - Thursday: 9am - 8pm
- •Friday - Sunday: 9am - 6pm
- •Monday: Closed
- •Address: 6125 E 1175 N Rd., Bloomington, IL 61705
- •Phone: (309) 379-4331
- •Email: [email protected]
Ron and Sue Darnall operate on a simple principle: treat customers like family and build a community where all shooters feel they belong. Over 100 years in, that approach still works.