The Cowtown Range Story

In 1973 western movie stuntman Ron Nix decided to do something about Arizona’s rapidly disappearing old west heritage. So, he purchased a 78-acre parcel of land just south of Lake Pleasant on the banks of the Agua Fria River, and began to build props and infrastructure for what he originally named “A Day in the West” experience. His concept was to build an Old West town venue for weekend visitors, movie stunt training, photography and best of all, making old time western movies – to experience the west “the way it was.”  Apart from his movie stunt performances, Ron also was an accomplished builder, and he single handedly built most of the town in addition to building his own home on the property.  He literally lived “A Day in the West” every day.

Visitors experienced the old west buildings, small shops, “Miss Kitty’s Saloon” (christened by Amanda Blake, who played “Miss Kitty” on the 20-year hit Western TV series “Gunsmoke” staring James Arness), a blacksmith shop, a “jail,” shootout reenactments, live fire trick shooting, movie stunt demonstrations and rodeos. Catered special events of all kinds were popular, including corporate retreats, weddings, reunions and birthdays. Over time additional activities were offered on the property, including horseback riding, professional photography, ATV tours, and Cowboy Action Shooting. To better accommodate this variety of activities, the original name was changed to “Cowtown.”

When Cowtown’s era as a Western movie set came to an end in the 1990s, Richard Shaw acquired the property in 1994, transforming the historic venue from a place of reenactments and movie shootouts into a sophisticated live-fire training facility. Under Shaw’s vision, what began with Hollywood blanks evolved into a premier training ground for U.S. Special Forces and SWAT teams. Despite becoming a sought-after special operations training base, Cowtown remains “The most famous Shooting Range you never heard of.”

While Cowtown boasts an impressive list of film credits that fulfilled founder Ron Nix’s vision, its most vital legacy stems from its impact on America’s military and law enforcement communities. Following 9/11, Cowtown’s unique high desert terrain became a coveted location for classified training of elite special operations units, offering an austere environment that closely resembled Afghanistan for long-range precision shooting and fieldcraft training.

Since 1998, Cowtown and GPS Defense have established themselves as premier training destinations for America’s finest shooters. Our facility has proudly trained legendary marksmen including U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Chris Kyle, featured in “American Sniper,” alongside every U.S. Navy SEAL team including the elite SEAL Team 6.

Our distinguished client roster spans all branches of military special operations, federal agencies including DHS and FBI, and premier law enforcement units. From specialized federal teams to elite SWAT units from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, Cowtown has become the trusted training ground for America’s most demanding operators. Our reputation for excellence extends internationally, serving select law enforcement agencies from seven nations.