WINDHAM – As a result of ongoing noise complaints by neighbors of North Windham-based Bushmaster Firearms, local leaders and a representative from the Windham gun manufacturer toured an indoor firing range in Saco recently.

According to the Windham officials who took part in the tour of General Dynamics’ indoor testing range at Saco Defense in April, a similar range would go a long way in easing the frustrations of neighbors who are growing weary of the rat-a-tat-tat of Bushmaster’s rifle testing. According to neighbors, the guns are tested almost daily within earshot of their homes that surround the range in North Windham. The testing, which company officials report is mandatory for some of Bushmaster’s contracts, takes place in R.J. Grondin’s 800-acre pit off Route 302.

That frustration, building up for several years now, led nearly 100 nearby residents to sign a petition drawn up and circulated door-to-door by 27 Chimera Hill Road resident Cliff York, who said an indoor range would be a welcomed solution. Earlier this year, Bushmaster completed a major 10,000-gun contract and indicated testing would diminish. York, however, said the noise hasn’t disappeared.

“It’s still the same, on and off every day, same as ever. The noise isn’t getting any better,” York said.

York’s not impressed with the recent tour by Windham officials, and is looking for something more tangible.

“Anybody can go look at (the indoor range in Saco), but to make a plan and do something, that’s altogether different. Nothing is getting done, they can say what they want,” York said.

According to Tom Bartell, Windham’s economic development director, an indoor range in North Windham would help neighbors as well as local and state police agencies who are being crowded out of their traditional test ranges. Bartell, who also took the tour of Saco Defense’s indoor range, said urban sprawl is making it “more and more difficult” for law enforcement to find suitable ranges.

“The whole concept is this, is there a way a facility can be built to accommodate not only Bushmaster, but also just as importantly, local law enforcement? Other towns are getting similar complaints where there’s a firing range used by law enforcement. As neighborhoods get built up, there’s a change of use around these firing ranges,” Bartell said.

Windham police Lt. David DeGruchy said Windham police no longer have access to Grondin’s pit in North Windham, and are instead using a range in Gorham on Huston Road behind the Gorham Public Works building. That range, however, is one of a handful in the area and is often busy.

“It used to be very easy to find a place for our guys to qualify to maintain their state law enforcement certification. Now it’s almost impossible,” DeGruchy said.

DeGruchy said police officers need to maintain qualifications in pistol, shotgun and rifle. He said a typical officer needs four to five hours per year at a firing range in order to meet the state’s requirements. He said an indoor range would also allow Windham police to train during inclement weather.

“Right now, we have to dance around the weather. An indoor range that’s buried and contains the sound, and keeps the weather out, that would be the ideal,” DeGruchy said. “But we gotta find something. Sprawl is definitely making it much more difficult to find a place for our guys to train.”

Windham Town Councilor Carol Waig, who works in the law enforcement field at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, said, “it’s a fact that they’re closing ranges all the time,” and that “firing ranges are few and far between.” Waig likes the idea of an indoor facility, and was impressed with the Saco Defense tour. She also notes the environmental importance of reclaiming spent bullets, which she said can be more easily done in an indoor range.

“Reclaiming of lead in outdoor ranges is a huge expense. An indoor range is the way to go. Noise, lead, these things would be taken care of with an indoor facility,” Waig said.

The only barrier is expense. Windham officials are loath to jeopardize the jobs Bushmaster provides in the area and require the gun manufacturer to build an indoor facility, but they are also mindful of the hundreds of homes within earshot of the Bushmaster firing range, all of which pay thousands in property taxes. Waig said some sort of deal may be reached, however. “There’s something in the works, but I’m not at liberty at this time to say what that is.”

But Bushmaster neighbor Mary Jo York, of 33 Chimera Hill Road, says Bushmaster has the money to pay for an indoor range, and should do it in the spirit of neighborliness.

“There’s no reason Bushmaster can’t help the town, and the neighbors. They’re making how much money off government contracts? You’d think it’d be a good community service to help law enforcement with an indoor range. State police, Cumberland County, Windham, they could all use it. Seems pretty simple to me,” York said.