All About Metal Madness Xtreme

Since 2013, the folks at Metal Madness have been innovating the shooting sports with fun games designed to please longtime competitors, as well as to attract new ones. The latest is called Metal Madness Xtreme, which is modeled on the original rimfire game, but geared towards indoor spaces with the use of airsoft guns.

Metal Madness Xtreme is an indoor version of the traditional Metal Madness outdoor range.

The first new target frames were installed at the Eddyville, Ky., Metal Madness Xtreme location on Tuesday, Jan. 5. With the same look as a live-fire elevated shooting house, but located indoors, Metal Madness Xtreme has competitive shooters rent airsoft guns with the look and feel of .22 LR rifles and pistols. (You can also bring your own airsoft guns.) Not intended to replace the live-fire sport, rather, this alternative to the rimfire Metal Madness game is an excellent way to keep in practice without expending valuable ammunition. Plus, the use of airsoft guns can be more palatable to novices who are not yet ready for live-fire shooting.

As such, the response to Metal Madness Xtreme has been positive, much like that of the original .22 LR game. The groundwork for the new endeavor commenced last summer. Says founder Ed White:

"We have been working on Metal Madness indoors for a while now. Last August, we ran a test market study at a local outlet mall that is all but closed, with only four stores open (out of 40 spaces) in a town with a population of 700. We did not charge anyone to shoot to see if the airsoft would be an option over .22 LR. The turnout was staggering. Over nine hours, we shot more than 40,000 BBs with over 200 people of all ages showing up to try it out."

Over the six-week test period, the first Metal Madness Xtreme location averaged 21 people a week visiting the indoor range—in a nearly vacant strip mall in a town with a population under 1,000.

So why airsoft? It seems that some prospective gun owners prefer to begin their journey in the shooting sports without recoil to worry about. For those looking to get their feet wet, Metal Madness Xtreme is a fun way to learn basic gun safety and fundamentals for competitive shooting.

"We have found that people who would never try live fire are willing to shoot airsoft," said White. "We are even giving gun safety classes to people who were once gun haters, with some visiting a live-fire range after shooting airsoft."

In addition, home practice lanes for Metal Madness are coming soon. White also stated that the MMSSA (governing body of Metal Madness) is seeking applicants to build affiliate Metal Madness indoor ranges. To learn more, visit mmssa.net.