So in another typical NJ case of over-development at all cost, Iron Horse Gun and Archery in Gloucester is getting sued by a developer. Went on their web site and they appear to either be closed until this is resolved or only open when an RSO is around. https://bearingarms.com/john-petrolino/2026/08/24/developer-sues-new-jersey-gun-range-in-potential-land-grab-n1233604
This is such bullshit. Business that’s been around since 1947 and now has to bear the expense of an attorney (and possibly tens of thousands in remediation) to fight the obvious land grab is crazy. How the hell any gun related business stays alive in NJ with all the roadblocks is nothing short of incredible.
only open when an rso is there. they changed the code on the locks. only rso’s have it. we can’t take guests in either now.
and yea. i think it’s the same developer that’s trying to over-develop the old freeway golf course. range has been there since the 1950’s. i fear it’s not gonna survive this challenge
It’s a standard weaponization of our legal system, I’ve dealt with that myself.
The way this works - The developers first move is to try and bankrupt the club with legal fee’s trying to defend it. The developer is a lawyer so he doesn’t care, it doesn’t cost him.
The club countered that with a pro bono defender. Excellent move.
Next move is the developers
If the gun range brought in road millings to fill in the land and build it up, fill in pot holes and basically use it as land fill they are in for a long and very expensive uphill fight Once the EPA gets involved. Millings are now considered carcinogenic and a big no no, where in the past it wasn’t and a win win for land owners and paving companies.
Paving companies would bring it to you for free, all you needed to do was spread it and in time with driving on it would turn hard as rock. The EPA can force you to install monitoring wells and do an environmental study for years which needs to be monitored by a state environmental engineer cha ching.
The state can and will drag this on for years, once they make up their mind, the state will tell you your options, you need to hope there isn’t a water way near by that just amplifies the cost.
In a nutshell, your options are to remove the fill and have it incinerated, cap the piece of land or build over it basically capping it, which would be a win for the developer and in the states eye a win for the state, all political BS, all this is to stop rain water penetration and having the carcinogens from leaching into the ground.
The company I work for went through this, took 20 years of studies to reach a resolution to cap the 5 acre property, other than capping the property, any work done has to be performed by a state sponsored company, cha ching.
Depending on the findings and level of contaminations if any, the gun range unless they have deep pockets will not survive this. It’s much more involved than this but this is what they are up against.
problem is that i think the lawyer the club’s using isn’t licensed to practice in pfrnj
also…it’s not the golf course. the wadells entered into a contract to sell. the old man(and i say that with all due respect) passed away, and i think the kids saw dollar signs in selling. the club is situated on a section of land that used to be part of their property.
so i read an article that said this developer offered 250k to buy the range property. same article said that the range came back with counter-offer for a bit over 1 million. obviously the developer refused. but…if that counter-offer part is true, then i’m feeling kinda betrayed by the range personel.
To play devil’s advocate on this one: It’s an expensive process to set up an outdoor shooting range in the state of NJ. We’re going through our own issues right now at Old Bridge with our outdoor range and we’re currently looking for a possible replacement plot of land. So that amount of money may not be out of line (maybe even a bit low) if they’re going to use it to set up a new range at a different location. Not to mention all of the other development encroachment that’s closing in on them. Though on the surface I can absolutely see why that would make you angry, especially if they’ve done a piss poor job in communicating what’s going on.
they’ve been keeping this close. playing their cards very close to their chest. it took that bearing arms article for me to find out that it was the waddells that are selling, which seems to be the impetus for this problem in the first place. that all said, maybe you’re right…but i can’t really see any place anywhere near that they’d find another plot of land to do this.
what’s worse…just like we’re seeing boners starting to race on the streets again with no dragstrips left…what the hell do they think’s gonna happen with no ranges? we’re gonna have boneheads building their own ranges in their basements, or thinking…well…i can get away with a few rounds in my back yard…this just isn’t gonna end well, 'cause i think this developer’s just gonna keep filing suits till the club’s bankrupt./
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