If you spend much time at a public shooting range nearly anywhere in the United States you’ve probably noticed the same thing I have. The range is great and you can get in a lot of practice, but there’s no place to get a beer anywhere in the joint. But if you happen to live near Daytona Beach in Florida, you won’t have this problem any longer. By the end of this year you should have access to the first shooting range with a bar in the Sunshine State. ‘Murica, baby! (CNN)

CNN affiliate WFTV reported that Daytona Beach city commissioners have signed off on Ron Perkinson’s proposed facility, which Perkinson hopes to open by late November. The facility will be located near Daytona International Speedway just off Interstate 95.

In an interview in June, when he announced his plan, Perkinson — who owns a gun shop, Volusia Top Gun, in nearby South Daytona — told WFTV that he’s aware of concerns about mixing alcohol and guns. There would be a stringent division between the two, he told the TV station…

The facility will have lockers for patrons to lock up their guns, or they’ll be asked to take the firearms to their vehicles, he added.

As you read the details there’s really nothing all that shocking going on here and the story is really only worth highlighting to make the heads of liberal gun grabbers explode. It’s not actually a gun range with a bar; it’s a gun range attached to a restaurant which also has a bar. Mr. Perkinson is going above and beyond the call of duty to keep the two separate based on his description. People going into the eatery and ordering alcohol will have their ID taken and scanned, resulting in their not being allowed into the firing range for 24 hours. That’s actually more of a security blanket than you have at the average range where they insist you don’t come in drunk but you don’t generally get hit with a breathalyzer before you take the line, so if you don’t smell like booze there’s probably less assurance that nobody is drinking and shooting.

But on the plus side, you can still stop off for some food and adult beverages after you’re done shooting, so it will probably make for a more social experience for the local shooting clubs. While the anti- gun crowd will howl I doubt there’s much by way of grounds to object. After all, we already have states where you can carry in bars, such as in Georgia and probably Arkansas before long. Also, as opponents almost always ignore, the sort of folks you find participating in events at a public shooting range and following all of the rules and restrictions which go along with that are generally not the ones sneaking into your house to steal your television or shooing up rival crack dealers.

Another bonus to the plan is that the owner expects to offer the use of the range to local law enforcement.

Perkinson said that nothing could be more important. Law enforcement officials will probably use the shooting range for practice and are expected to be a steady presence, he said.

“Seeing what protocols are in place, and what I have in place, I fully, honestly believe this will be the safest restaurant — and range, whether they’re under the same roof or not — in the state of Florida,” Perkinson said.

The place won’t be entirely unique. Rumor has it that there are already a couple of other such ranges in St. Lois and South Dakota. I may have found a new vacation destination.