Gun shop aims to educate

A new business owner in Vacaville has long-range plans of serving gun owners' needs, aiming to both equip and educate shooters.

Ed Tubbs, who is also assistant Dixon fire chief, recently opened Center Mass Shooting Range and hopes to complement the gun shop and range with several firearm education classes. The 12-lane range is on Commerce Circle in the old home of the Shooting Gallery which closed last year.

Tubbs has worn both badges, been a hunter for years and is president of a local Mule Deer Foundation chapter. Guns have always been something he's interested in, so he decided to make it his business.

"It's something I believe in and enjoy," he said. "It was always one of those things that I said 'Man, that would be great.' We're giving it our best shot, so to speak."

As for the name, center mass refers to the middle of a target.

"It came from how I learned to shoot," he said. "I'm old school. I learned to aim for center mass."

Helping him out with the venture are friends like fellow enthusiasts Lee Smith, who brings with him a long record of working as a range master and safety man around guns. Don Mort, former police chief of Dixon will also be tapped to teach courses in first-time gun ownership and home protection.

Like the previous tenants did, Center Mass will offer a hunter safety course and has plans to teach a class for women gun owners, taught by and for women, Tubbs said.

"If you educate properly and effectively, you eliminate fear," he said. "It's key to better educate those that want to get involved. Education is the first tool we can use."

The courses likely won't start until the first of the year, Tubbs said, because getting certified with paperwork will take some time. He learned that this month when dealing with the hurdles of government, forcing a delay on his shipment of guns and ammo.

That hasn't stopped the store from filling special orders. Tubbs said he is confident that the business will thrive, even given the economic climate. He also said ammo and guns are still high in demand and the nationwide ammo shortage is starting to come to an end.

"This is a great industry with great support. You always have niche. That's who supports you," he said. "I don't think this is a bad time."

Instead of being a hindrance, Smith said the bad economy has led to more folks turning to crime which has some on edge. When that happens, he said, folks tend to protect themselves.

"I think a lot of people are taking it back to basics," Smith said. "Back to protecting themselves. They think 'What I have is all I've got.'"