In the vast stretches of woodland and farmland surrounding Fayetteville, hunters have long targeted a boon of game such as deer, bear and turkey. Now they have a place to sharpen their shooting skills in the offseason.
Saturday marked the opening of TigerSwan Sportsman’s Range, located on Doe Hill Road just off N.C. 210 in Stedman. And this isn’t your ordinary shooting stop.
TigerSwan President Brian Searcy brought 16 years of Delta Force experience and a history of competitive shooting on a national level to nearly 2,000 acres just outside of town to create a world-class firing range.
“Because I was in competitive shooting for so long, I’ve seen a lot of ranges and I’ve always had a dream of building a world-class range for recreational shooters out here,” Searcy said. “And I think we’ve done it.”
Most of the range’s 1,800 acres make up a safety zone, which buffers firing activity and ensures any rounds that make it over the 20-foot berms will land harmlessly within TigerSwan’s borders.
“It makes this range comply with Department of Defense safety standards, and I think there’s only one other range on the East Coast that meets those standards,” Searcy said.
Besides the high safety standard, TigerSwan may spoil patrons with its portable target stands, shooting benches and overhead cover.
“The pistol shooting stations have screens between each shooting lane so that the brass from shooters’ pistols aren’t hitting the other guy while he’s trying to shoot. Little things like that really make the range nice,” Searcy said.
A pro shop is set to offer ammunition, shooting equipment, drinks, snacks and TigerSwan apparel. And if you want to squeeze off some rounds with a Glock 17 or civilian version of the Army’s M4 rifle, they are available for rent.
Searcy also intends to enhance targeting and add an archery range in the future. “The plan is, a couple of months before hunting season, to get some steel targets out here that replicate deer. I’ve never seen a range that has that, so I’m very excited about it,” he said.
Global security
Searcy formed TigerSwan with Jim Reese, also a former Delta Force soldier, to offer services from tactical training for law enforcement and the military to VIP security for U.S. corporations operating around the world. Based in Apex, TigerSwan has offices in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. But the facility in Stedman has long been a goal.
“The training collaboration center has always been in our vision. The idea was to build a training center close to Fort Bragg, and this location is perfect because it’s relatively isolated, and the important thing is the size of the land here,” Searcy said.
Courses such as introductory and advanced pistol, carbine, hunter safety education and concealed weapons are also offered on the premises, and the range stands to enhance skills regardless of experience.
“It doesn’t matter how good of a rifleman you are, if you don’t have it zeroed, you’re probably not going to hit the target,” Searcy said.
About TigerSwan
TigerSwan delivers risk mitigation and crisis management solutions to governments and private corporations worldwide. The company provides integrated solutions to potential and difficult challenges. TigerSwan’s services include security, corporate intelligence, investigations, training for military and law enforcement, and program implementation and management. TigerSwan is a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business.