New Miami Gun Range Promises a Unique Experience
Stone Hart’s Gun Club & Indoor Range focuses on being clean and friendly
Stone Hart’s Gun Club & Indoor Range has teamed with Action Target to build a progressive shooting range families can enjoy. Located near the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, the new facilities include a firearm and ammo retail store, two indoor shooting ranges and classrooms for in-depth instruction.
The idea for the range came in 2010 when three friends started playing with the idea of building a test range for their growing ammunition company. The idea soon evolved into something bigger, however, when they realized how few resources were available to shooters in the Miami area. Instead of building a range like all the others they had seen, they decided to create something that would have a positive impact on the shooting community.
“Our main goal is not to sell guns or ammo or memberships, but to offer people entertainment, training and therapy,” managing partner Adolfo Vivas said. “I wanted to make the best range in South Florida, and I think we’re finally going to get it.”
Stone Hart’s features two eight-lane 75’ ranges (one for handgun shooting and one for rifle shooting) equipped with the latest technology like target retrievers from Action Target with digital distance control and a Carey’s ventilation system that removes 99.7 percent of contaminates and lead dust from the air to keep shooters and the environment safe. But the owners believe the most unique aspect of their range is the family friendly environment.
“Our approach is family-oriented. It’s not like a men’s club,” Vivas’ business partner Augusto Luna said. “We want to make it welcoming to families. We want people to be comfortable bringing their kids so they’re aware of firearms at an early age and can learn how to handle them safely.”
Stone Hart’s managing partners have gone out of their way to provide firearms education by hiring three professional trainers including former Top Shot contestant Gabby Franco to teach classes on self defense, concealed carry and shooting safety. Free seminars for children on gun safety will also be offered.
In addition to educational classes, future activities will also include competitions, contest, games and ladies’ nights.
“We want to be a 5-star range, so we’re working toward that right now,” Luna said. “We’re just scratching the surface right now for what we want to do. We have big plans for this place.”
Among their big plans are a deli sandwich counter in the pro shop, free cable and wireless Internet and future ranges for archery and tactical training.
“Now that people have options,” Luna said, “it’s opening people’s eyes as to what a range should be.
Find out more about Stone Hart’s Gun Club & Indoor Range or register for classes by visiting www.stonehartsgunclub.co.
About Action Target Inc.
Action Target Inc. is a privately owned business headquartered in Provo, Utah. As a world leader in shooting range technology with more than 4,000 products and 40 patents for the systems it designs and manufacturers, Action Target has installed thousands of shooting ranges across the United States and in 25 other countries around the world. Action Target also designs systems and conducts firearms training for law enforcement and various military divisions. For more information on Action Target, visit www.ActionTarget.com. To learn more about Action Target products or to purchase items online, visit www.ActionTarget.com/store.
Holiday Special: 15% Off Rimfire Targets Until the End of the Year
Happy holidays from Action Target!
From now until the end of the year, get 15% off the Rimfire Plate Rack
, the Rimfire Spinning Jack, or the Rimfire Dueling Tree when you buy online. Just enter the code RIMFIRE15 at checkout and save big on your holiday shopping.
Action Target Launches New Online Store
Action Target is pleased to announce the launch of a new online store. In an effort to make things more convenient and efficient for our customers, we have been working hard to improve our online store and to increase its functions. The new store not only looks better, but will hopefully make the purchasing and customer service processes easier for our customers.
Here is a look at what’s new:
Increased User Friendliness
We’ve been listening closely to your suggestions, and we’ve done our best to make this new interface easier to use and even more organized.
Our online store now has mega-menus that drop down from the top bar for more convenient product location. These menus allow you to find products based on functionality and use like reactive steel targets or moving portable targets. For example, under the steel targets menu, you can find reactive steel, rimfire steel, rifle steel, and static steel targets.
If you’re looking for targets that are similar, you can also browse target families like the Torso Family which includes the PT Torso, PT Tactical Torso, PT IPSC Torso, and the PT IPSC A-Zone.
If you already know what you want, you can now add it directly to your cart from the multiple product page with the new quick add to cart button.
Less Time Spent on the Phone With Customer Service
The new online store makes it easier to get the help you need without having to spend time calling customer service.
Product parts and pieces are now available for order through the online store. You can browse parts and accessories from the dropdown mega-menu like feet, stands, hardware packages, and accessories like the Pelvic Hit Zone.
You can also find all of a target’s parts and pieces for sale individually at the bottom of the product page. Now you can purchase extra feet or target plates when you buy a PT Dueling Tree or purchase a package of bolts and nuts if you happen to lose one.
(Note: this feature is still in the process of being implemented. Product parts will be made available for purchase on the online store as soon as they are ready.)
Additional resources like frequently asked questions, our simple customer service form, and detailed information about shooting steel from the Steel Resource Guide means less time waiting on hold and more time shooting.
More Detailed Product Information
Whether you just decided to upgrade from tin cans or you’re training for an international speed shooting competition, we’re making sure you have the information you need.
With more detailed descriptions, photos, and videos for each product, you can see exactly how your target will work and what you can do with it. If you shoot a video using one of our targets and send it our way, we may even feature it on our website!
The new online store will also have frequently asked questions for each product to make it easier on you when deciding how to best design your training program. (Note: this feature is still in the process of being implemented. Frequently asked questions will be added to products chronologically.)
Visit our new online store today and let us know what you think! We value your feedback and we’ll do everything we can to make sure you have a pleasant experience while shopping with us.
Myths About Rubber Berm Traps
At its most basic level, a rubber berm trap is approximately two feet of chopped rubber laid on top of an angled support structure to create a backstop or “berm” to catch bullets fired into it. There are several different approaches to this fundamental idea, but the same basic principles apply to them all. When you shoot into a dirt berm, the friction of passing through the dirt is what ultimately stops the bullet. A rubber berm trap works exactly the same way, with the obvious difference being the use of chopped rubber instead of dirt or sand.
Because the rubber is a softer collection medium, ricochet and lead dust can be significantly reduced in some applications. Cross-range firing is safer, as is firing at extremely close distances. Such benefits make this trap an excellent choice for certain indoor ranges and other low-volume ranges where lead dust is a concern.
Rubber berms aren’t perfect in every circumstance, however, no matter what you may read. In our experience, we’ve encountered several myths about what rubber berm traps and their accompanying accessories are capable of doing. Before you make any decisions on your range, make sure you know the facts.
CLAIM #1: Action Target disapproves of rubber traps because all they make are steel traps.
Not only does Action Target approve of rubber traps for certain shooting range applications, we have been manufacturing our own for more than a decade and have patents covering our unique berm trap technology. The hassle-free design of Action Target’s rubber berm trap takes advantage of the practical and beneficial properties of rubber, while eliminating the weaknesses and unnecessary elements of other designs.
We recognize steel traps and rubber traps have very different benefits and limitations. It is important for the range operator to understand these issues clearly before choosing one technology over the other.
CLAIM #2: Rubber berm traps capture all bullets whole and eliminate splatter and ricochet.
Chopped rubber is obviously softer than steel, so some bullets can indeed be captured whole. However, that is not the whole story. After multiple rounds have been fired into the same concentrated area of the trap, newly fired bullets can begin impacting other bullets previously suspended in the rubber. As one bullet impacts another, both can begin to break into small pieces. These “hot spots” of concentrated lead can form behind turning targets, indoor range target retrievers, and other fixed-position targets on your range and can pose a significant ricochet hazard if not managed properly.
When cleaning rubber berm traps, it is not unusual to find masses of small bullet fragments that are nearly indistinguishable from bullet fragments taken from a steel bullet trap. Just because you are shooting into a soft substance does not mean the bullets won’t fracture and break up. There is still the chance for the bullet to strike another bullet, and that chance increases with every day of range use.
Because rubber berm traps have no hard surfaces or obstacles to interfere with cross-lane shooting, they can be particularly effective in tactical applications where shooters move from one position to another and engage targets that are not directly in front of them. As long as hot spots are effectively managed, a rubber berm trap can also be a good choice for very close range shooting.
CLAIM #3: Rubber berm traps are specially treated so they will not catch fire.
There are many documented cases of rubber bullet traps catching fire. Most manufacturers, including Action Target, treat their rubber with some kind of fire-retardant substance to reduce the risk of fire, but without taking additional precautions, it is still possible to have a serious problem.
You may see a demonstration where a piece of fire-treated rubber is held to a direct flame without burning, or you might read reports about tracer rounds being fired into rubber berm traps without igniting the rubber. These are unrealistic scenarios. A full size trap on an actual shooting range can collect large quantities of unspent gunpowder and flammable debris from paper and cardboard targets. Also, bullets fired into the trap can break open chunks of treated rubber exposing the untreated surfaces inside. These issues alone may pose a considerable risk of fire, but the risk can increase dramatically if tracers or other incendiary rounds are fired into the trap – a practice that Action Target strongly discourages.
A recent attempt to decrease the potential fire hazard of rubber berm traps involves mixing the chunks of chopped rubber with hydrated gel beads. The theory is that as bullets are absorbed into the rubber, they will be cooled by the gel to reduce heat build-up. Because no long term data seems to exist to support this theory, it is unclear whether the gel can keep a fire from starting or keep the fire from spreading after it has already started. It is also unclear what difficulty such a gel may cause when it comes time to clean the trap and separate the lead from the rubber.
Rely on the Experts for Help
There are hundreds of things to take into consideration when building a shooting range, but your top priority should always be safety. Before anything else, make sure your range is going to be safe for your customers, your employees, and the environment. If you are considering building a range, talk to the Action Target representative in your region and he will be happy to help you find the right equipment to fit your needs and budget. You can also use our Request a Quote form to get started on your range upgrades today.
Please note: the information included in this article has come from both documented studies and the personal experience of Action Target shooting range specialists. This information has been found to be helpful for many clients throughout the years but may not apply in all situations. Please use judgment in determining which tips will be helpful in your particular situation.
PT Pepper Popper Rubber Kit
Take the unnecessary banging and scraping out of your PT Pepper Popper with a rubber add-on kit that’s easy to install.
The PT Pepper Popper Rubber Kit is designed to make shooting PT Pepper Poppers on indoor ranges or concrete pads more convenient. Because the PT Pepper Popper has a steel base, it tends to slide a little with every shot if placed on a hard surface. The PT Pepper Popper Rubber Kit eliminates the possible damage to floors as well as the target face with four rubber feet and an additional rubber bumper to cushion the fall of the steel target
Functions / Uses:
The PT Pepper Popper Rubber Kit is an optional add-on and is designed to be compatible with any Pepper Popper produced by Action Target. The package comes with four rubber feet that easily attach to the bottom of the base of the target to prevent the target from moving when placed on a hard flat surface like a concrete floor. The package also includes a rubber bumper that attaches to the top of the base to prevent the target face from getting marked up by repeated hits against the steel frame.
Technical Overview:
The feet and bumper of the PT Pepper Popper Rubber Kit come bolted onto steel brackets which can be easily connected to the frame of any Action Target Pepper Popper using the provided hardware. The rubber used in the feet and bumper is specially hardened and designed for long life and durability.
Specifications:
- Total Weight: 9 lbs.
- Rubber Feet: 1” diameter by 3/4” tall
- Rubber Bumper: 3.5” tall by 6” wide by 3” thick
- Steel Brackets: 13” long by 3” wide (foot bracket) / 6” long by 3” wide (bumper bracket)
AT the Official Target of 2012 Steel Challenge World Championship
Steel Challenge Shooting Association begins international shooting championship Nov. 1 with custom targets from Action Target
PROVO, Utah – The Steel Challenge Shooting Association recently named Action Target the official target of the 2012 Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championship. The championship, which is held in Frostproof, Fla., begins Nov. 1 and ends on Nov. 4. This year it will be held at the Universal Shooting Academy for the first time.
“Action Target is one of the premier suppliers of modern steel targets in the world,” said Dave Thomas, Executive Director of SCSA/USPSA. “The Steel Challenge is happy to recognize them as the official target of the World Speed Shooting Championship.”
Championship competitors will face eight shooting stages with five steel targets placed at various distances on each one. Action Target custom designed three targets for the competition featuring spring‐loaded armor steel head plates that provide extra bounce for immediate visual and audio feedback.
“We’re really excited to be a part of this,” said Chad Burdette, portable target specialist of Action Target. “The Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championship is a fantastic program and represents the potential this sport has.”
Shooters from all over the world are expected to attend this year’s Steel Challenge world Speed Shooting Championship which is the culmination of the steel shooting season worldwide. The match also features various walk‐up events where competitors and non‐competitors alike have the opportunity to shoot and win a variety of different guns.
The custom targets designed for the competition by Action Target will be available for sale on its online store beginning January 2013.
About Action Target, Inc.
Action Target, Inc. is a privately owned business headquartered in Provo, Utah. As a world leader in shooting range technology with more than 4,000 products and 40 patents for the systems it designs and manufacturers, Action Target has installed thousands of shooting ranges across the United States and in 25 other countries around the world. Action Target also designs systems and conducts firearms training for law enforcement and various military divisions. For more information on Action Target, visit www.ActionTarget.com. To learn more about Action Target products or to purchase items online, visit www.ActionTarget.com/store.
About SCSA
The Steel Challenge Shooting Association is a wholly owned subsidiary of the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). SCSA expands the shooting opportunities for its affiliated clubs and individual members.
About USPSA
The United States Practical Shooting Association is a non‐profit membership association and the governing body for the sport of Practical Shooting in America. USPSA has over 22,000 members and nearly 400 affiliated clubs which host weekly matches throughout the country providing recreational shooters with the opportunity to test and refine their shooting skills in a safe, competitive environment. USPSA is also the US Region of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), which is comprised of approximately 67 nations. For more information, visit www.uspsa.org.
New Product: Action Target Introduces New IPSC A-Zone
Action Target is pleased to introduce the newest member of the Torso Family, the IPSC A-Zone.
The IPSC A-Zone was designed with competitive shooters in mind. With a torso made to the exact size and dimensions of the standard IPSC Metric Target and a reactive A-zone cutout for immediate visual feedback, the IPSC A-Zone is a great target for competition training.
Because it combines the scoring benefits of a paper target with the immediate visual and audio feedback of a steel target, the IPSC A-Zone can save you time and frustration. Instead of having to constantly go downrange to switch out paper targets, you can shoot thousands of rounds at this steel version of the IPSC torso without having to reset or replace anything. The A-Zone cutout also makes scoring simple with a reactive swinging plate that allows you to instantly see if you hit the right spot. The swinging plate is gravity reset and can be repainted with a spray paint of your choice to show shot placement.
The torso and swinging plate are made of through hardened AR550 armor steel with no exposed bolts, clamps, or brackets allowing you to shoot just about anything you have at it without fear of ricochet, splatter, or damage to the target. The rear hinge brackets are also made of armor steel (AR500) to minimize wear and tear from daily use and provide you with a lifetime of tactical training.
Because all of the shooting surfaces are made of AR550 steel, the IPSC A-Zone is compatible with rifle shooting from distances greater than 100 yards and with ammunition that does not exceed 3,000 fps. Shooting the target closer than 100 yards and/or with rifle ammunition exceeding 3,000 fps may cause dents and deformities in the shooting surfaces rendering the target unsafe to shoot.
Be the first of your buddies to get the new IPSC A-Zone!
Combat Mindset – Are You Ready for the Next Active Shooter Incident?
By John Krupa III.
Our nation was shocked yet again by another senseless mass murder on July 20th when deranged psychopath James Holmes walked into a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and murdered 12 unarmed citizens and wounded more than 100 others.
With the increased frequency of mass murder incidents in our nation – Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and now Aurora – are you prepared to deal with the next active shooter incident when it happens in your backyard?
As a police officer and professional trainer, I can’t emphasis enough (law enforcement officers and armed citizens alike) how important it is to remain vigilant, maintain situational awareness, and be ready for anything – anytime, anywhere!
I teach personal defense courses to law enforcement officers and civilians across the country on how to respond and react to active shooter situations, and while the rules of engagement may differ based on situation, the combat mindset is the same.
There is a long history in the evolution of combat mindset and how we prepare the mind for combat going all the way back to World War II with Rex Applegate’s publication Kill or be Killed. This was followed by two excellent short books in the ‘70’s by Jeff Cooper: Principals of Personal Defense and Color Codes of Awareness.
Fast forward to the late 90s and early 2000s and we have Dave Grossman’s fascinating research On Killing: The Psychology of Killing in War and Society as well as Sharpening the Warrior’s Edge by Bruce Siddle. Do a quick search on the Internet and you’ll find a plethora of articles and publications by writers from all over the country supporting combat mindset research and development.
But once we have absorbed all this combat mindset information, how do we use it, and how is it applied in real world situations such as active shooter incidents?
I like to break it down the same way I learned it:
Situational Awareness
A catchy phrase, but what does it mean? I think the Color Codes of Awareness best summarizes how you should be conducting yourself in your everyday travels – stay out of condition white (the lowest awareness level of Jeff Cooper’s color code), be aware of your surroundings, identify specific problems or threats, and be prepared to execute a tactical plan to deal with each threat as it presents itself.
Visualization
Part of being prepared to deal with a situation is to play the “what if” game in your mind everywhere you go. As a field training officer for the Chicago Police Department teaching new recruits how to work the mean streets of Chicago, one of the first things I would teach them is to always be prepared for the unexpected. I challenged them to think about locations we would respond to for calls before we arrived. Visualize the interior of a structure or building upon approach, and always play the “what if” game. Think to yourself, “If this or that happens, what would I do?”
The same game can be played off-duty or as a civilian. If you walk into a store, bank, mall, theater, etc., your head should be up and on a swivel. You should be looking around for things out of the ordinary (running through the Color Codes of Awareness), looking for things that are odd or out of place, paying attention to detail, and always looking for a point of egress. I call this the “Krupa relaxed paranoid mode,” because that’s exactly how you feel, but this is what you need to do to develop Situational Awareness.
Vigilance
A trait that can’t really be taught but is learned through life experience. Alertness is the first principal of personal defense. Some people have it, some never will.
Obviously, victims are never to blame when tragedy strikes, but there are some actions and habits that may decrease your chances of survival in dangerous situations. The people in the most danger are what I like to call “sheeple.” We’ve all seen them – people that walk around every day like wandering sheep in condition white, oblivious to their surroundings. Just stand outside on a busy street, public transportation hub, or in a mall. Everywhere you go, people are walking around with their heads down, texting or operating one of the many electronic devices that have become an integral part of our daily routines and way of life.
People are walking into each other, walking into obstacles, walking into oncoming traffic, falling off train platforms, and falling down stairs because they are oblivious to what is going on around them! In order to avoid this dangerous distraction, people need to put those devices away, minimize their use in public, and get back to being aware of their surroundings. You will never have situational awareness if you are not vigilant.
The Winning Mindset
To avoid becoming a victim, there may be a time when you have to use various levels of force, up to and including deadly force for personal defense.
The last three principals of personal defense are needed to accomplish this task – decisiveness, aggressiveness, and ruthlessness. Jeff Cooper was specific in selecting these last three principals, and he combined them as the primary elements of what he believed is necessary to win the fight when you’re at the phase where the meat meets the metal.
Once you have made the decision to execute a tactical plan, be decisive in its execution. Aggressiveness is needed to overcome your adversary – dominate the threat! Ruthlessness is necessary in the application of ANY level of force that may cause death or great bodily harm to stop an assailant’s deadly actions.
Ultimately, the person that possesses superior mindset, tactical aptitude, and situational awareness is the person that is most likely going to WIN the fight!
It’s not a matter of if another mass murder active shooter incident is going to occur but when and where! ARE YOU READY?
For more information about our training courses, visit our website @ www.TeamSpartan.com
As always, stay safe and Fight to Win!
John Krupa III
Master Firearms Instructor
President / Director of Training
Spartan Tactical Training Group, LLC
About John Krupa III
John is an active duty police officer with the Orland Hills Police Dept. (IL.) and has over 21 years of experience in LE. He has previously served as a patrol officer, rapid response officer, FTO and firearms instructor with Chicago PD. He is a graduate firearms instructor from the Secret Service Academy, FBI, DEA and FLETC. John is founder and president of Spartan Tactical Training Group, Director of Training for the DS Arms LE Training Division and has previously presented at training conferences across the country with the AFTE, ASLET, GTOA, IALEFI, ILEETA, ISOA, LETC, MidTOA, NTOA and TTPOA.
3 Marketing Strategies to Get People in Your Shooting Range
By Mike Stilwell, Action Target Range Consultant and owner of Range Masters indoor shooting range in Springville, Utah.
When I bought my first handgun 20 years ago, there wasn’t a place to shoot it. There were hardly any shooting ranges in the area, and the ones that did exist required expensive long-term memberships. That really bothered me, so when my midlife crisis hit, I decided to build my own shooting range. I wanted to build a place where anyone could feel comfortable and enjoy the fun of target shooting. I wanted to build the kind of range I would have wanted to go to 20 years ago.
In building and managing that range, however, I didn’t always make the best business decisions. I already had a good job, so I wasn’t in it for the money. I was in it for the love of the industry. Owning my own shooting range was a dream come true, but to be successful, I needed to combine my passion with a little business sense. Over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two through trial and error and by watching what successful range managers do. Based on my own experiences, these are three marketing strategies I would recommend to any shooting range trying to pay the bills.
#1: Constantly look for new customers
The truth of the industry is if you don’t market to get new customers, your customer pool will quickly dry up. People lose interest, they move away, they get more demanding jobs, and sometimes they just find a shooting range they like better than yours. No matter the reason, your customers won’t be around forever, and that is why you need to constantly work to get new people in your range every day. Think of it as a funnel. The more people you get to come through your door, the more people are going to come back. The more people you get to come back, the more money they will spend. The more money they spend, the more likely they are to buy a membership and become a long-term customer. Obviously, not everyone that comes in your door is going to buy a membership, but some of them will. The key is to constantly add customers to the funnel so it can siphon down to the few who are going to be loyal for months and years to come.
One of the great ways to get new customers is through free range passes. I know it can be painful to watch someone use your range without paying a dime, but maybe that person didn’t even know your range existed until now, and after a day of shooting, he/she plans to come back again and again. Giving someone a freebie can sometimes mean more money for you down the road. For example, I send free range passes to Sportsman’s Warehouse and Cabela’s. When people walk into one of those stores and buy a Glock 17 or some other gun, they get a free pass to shoot it on my range. All of a sudden, they have a great excuse to visit me, and when they do, they may find a new weekend pastime. Additionally, they may realize that I sell the same gun for a little cheaper which means they’re likely to come to me for their next firearm purchase. So instead of spending a ton of money on mass advertising, I target the customers I really want by handing out a few freebies to new gun owners.
Another good way to get people in your range is to do games and contests. I call this the “bowling league philosophy.” Often, bowling alleys rely on bowling leagues to stay open. Why? Because it’s a lot more fun to go bowling with a group of people that love it as much as you do, and that is what gets people in the bowling alley. Shooting ranges have a lesson or two they can learn from that. Shooting is quickly becoming more and more of a social activity and the industry needs to adjust. I’m not talking about professional target shooting competitions, though. I’m talking about fun contests and games that anyone can participate in. Every other week, I have a “fun shoot” at my range. We shoot bowling pins, we do trick shots, we do playing card targets where whoever shoots the best hand can win a cash prize. The purpose is to be safe and fun while getting new people in my shooting range. It’s not strictly regulated so more people can participate without feeling they have to be professional or even good, for that matter. Every time, I get 40 to 50 shooters who participate and 10 to 12 of those are new shooters. We hold a new shooter orientation with those 10 or 12 so they can be familiar with the rules of safe shooting, and then we have a great time. The people that participate are hooked and come back again and again.
Once you get someone hooked on your range, the next hurdle is to get him/her to buy a membership. For the majority of shooting ranges, memberships are what pay the bills. They provide consistent revenue and are likely to carry over from year to year. But convincing a new customer to drop a wad of money on a long-term commitment can be a little difficult. Sometimes you need to give them a little taste of what having a membership would be like so they can convince themselves it’s something they want to do. I sell 10-time discount punch cards that essentially give customers benefits similar to owning a membership. They get discounts on range use and ammo, and after they use the card up, they can roll it over into a membership. Many customers shy away from buying a membership at the start, but after using up a discount punch card, nearly every one of them end up becoming a member.
#2: Use classes to build a faithful following
Classes and firearms education are a great way to bring new customers into your range and build rapport with the community. For new shooters, walking into a shooting range can be a little intimidating. They’re not familiar with the procedure, and the ex-marine behind the counter with a concealed Uzi isn’t likely to give much encouragement. Instead of making extensive experience a prerequisite to using the range (or at least making newcomers feel that way), take advantage of this teaching opportunity to create loyal customers. Introductory classes and other training courses are a great way to help people gain the confidence they need to become shooting range regulars.
At my shooting range, I personally teach all of the concealed carry classes we hold each week. I have never advertised the class, but I get several people to sign up every time. It’s all word of mouth. If you make it enjoyable for people, make it informative and entertaining, people will share it with who they know, and you’ll never have an empty class. Of the people who attend my classes, many of them have never been to my range before, but after a day of shooting and having fun, you can bet they’re going to come back.
One range that does a wonderful job of utilizing firearms education is the Range at Lake Norman in Cornelius, North Carolina. As one of only 25 ranges in the country to be given a five star rating by the NSSF, this range is a great place to get ideas from. Designed and installed by Action Target, their state-of-the-art facilities allow for 16 different classes including advanced concealed carry, mother/daughter self defense, build your own AR, and a zombie survival class. With four or five different introductory courses, they constantly get new shooters into the range with NRA certified instructors who can help them gain confidence and become more comfortable in that setting. In addition, two of their classes, the mother/daughter self defense class and the parent teen intro class, encourage family shooting which brings more foot traffic and encourages the trend of social shooting.
#3: Make your range as comfortable as possible
You can have the best range in the world, but if you don’t have good customer service and an inviting atmosphere, you don’t have anything. Scowling Scott may be able to build an AR-15 from scratch out of raw jungle materials, but he’s not going to be a benefit to your shooting range if he doesn’t leave people with a positive impression. Unfortunately, the world of shooting seems to be dominated by hyper-masculinity and the notion that you have to know everything before you can set foot in a gun store.
Having been on both sides of the experience barrier, I do my best to consider the people who may not have a clue about what they’re doing. I remember just starting out and how much I would have liked someone to show me the ropes without making me feel like less of a man for not knowing what to do. The reality is, gun ownership is increasing and not everyone belongs to the good ol’ boys club. That’s why your employees not only need to be knowledgeable about guns and shooting, they need to have customer service backgrounds. In the end, it’s not the products you sell, it’s not how many lanes you have, and it’s not even how great your prices are. Your shooting range’s biggest asset is the people behind the counter. Hire the right people and you will get more customers coming back.
Another way to get more customers coming back on a consistent basis is to make your range as comfortable as possible. Again, customer service is probably the biggest aspect of this, but your facilities also play a huge part. Ranges that are comfortable and inviting attract customers. You would be amazed at what a little extra lighting and proper ventilation can do to the atmosphere of a shooting range. Gone are the days of hot, smoky indoor ranges where you can barely even see your target. People want to feel comfortable and safe. That’s where Action Target comes in. We design and install shooting ranges with your customers in mind. Action Target ranges are known for being clean, easy to maintain, and comfortable. Whether you’re considering building a new range or if you would like to upgrade your existing range, we can help. This isn’t an easy industry, but with a little extra help, you can definitely succeed. We’re all in this together.
Rely on the Experts for Help
There are hundreds of things to take into consideration when building a shooting range, but your top priority should always be safety. Before anything else, make sure your range is going to be safe for your customers, your employees, and the environment. If you are considering building a range, talk to the Action Target representative in your region and he will be happy to help you find the right equipment to fit your needs and budget. You can also use our Request a Quote form to get started on your range upgrades today.
Please note, the tips included in this message have been found to be helpful for many clients throughout the years but may not apply in all situations. Please use judgment in determining which tips will be helpful in your particular situation.