By Tim Barker
If you own a gun, chances are you’re spending at least a bit of time at your local shooting range. Maybe you’re fortunate enough to live somewhere with a handful of options. But have you ever considered settling down and making a commitment with a range membership?
Sure, it’s a financial commitment. But there is much to be gained from that monthly or annual outlay. As American Express told us in its 1980s advertising campaign: “Membership has its privileges.”
Some of these advantages are more obvious than others. Let’s glean some insider information from long-time range operators.
1. Discounts Abound: Need We Say More?
Who doesn’t like saving money? That’s perhaps the most obvious membership benefit. Details will vary from one range to the next and, possibly, by membership tier. But you could see discounts on retail purchases of guns, ammo and other accessories. If they offer classes, training or competitions, you may be paying less than the customer who walks in off the street.
Of course, memberships aren’t free. But if you are an active user, you can easily recoup membership fees through the various discounts.
At Hyatt Farms, outside of Charlotte, N.C., members pay half price for matches, get 20 percent off classes and 10 percent off ammo and other accessories. This isn’t the primary driver of membership at the outdoor range, but it helps.
“It’s a little perk for membership,” said Owner Larry Hyatt. “You have to have a lot of perks because people are paying up front.”
At Ultimate Defense Firing Range & Training Center in St. Peters, Mo. (a St. Louis suburb), members pay lower rates for lanes, guests and transfer fees. They also get reduced pricing for classes and events.
“It’s about saving money fast,” noted Managing Director Paul Bastean. “We’re trying to create that customer loyalty where it doesn’t make any sense to go anywhere else.”
At Range USA, which operates 50 stores in 14 states, a tiered membership program offers unlimited range time (though the lower tier has some restrictions during busy hours) along with varied discounts on firearms and accessories.
“It's a great discount; it really does encourage people to come in and use the range and become more familiar with their firearms,” said Ryan Stiner, Director of Memberships and Experience.
2. Less Waiting, More Range Time
If you’ve ever popped into a busy range at the wrong time of day, you know the frustration of having to stand around killing time while waiting for a lane to open up. You may have even experienced the extra bit of pain that comes with watching a member of that range cut ahead of you in line.
So now let’s add time savings to the list of benefits. Every range handles it differently, but they generally offer some sort of priority access to members when assigning an open shooting lane.
Range USA offers a couple avenues to make life easier for members, starting with an online reservation system. In the store, they have two lines.
“Think of it as a fast pass at a theme park,” explained Chief Operating Officer Jimmy McManus. “We’ve got a member-type fast pass line. And then we’ve got a standard non-member line. So we do give our members priority access.”
At Ultimate Defense, top-level platinum members get bumped to the front of the line as soon as they walk in the door. Meanwhile at Hyatt Guns, members have priority access — along with the ability to make early reservations.
“They can reserve golf carts and they can reserve bays. That’s really important, because on Saturdays it will get really busy. So the members definitely take advantage of that,” Hyatt said.
3. Gain Access to Special Events
So, now you’ve saved some money and time through your range membership. How about something that makes you feel just a little bit special? Many ranges offer perks available only to members. This could include first dibs on new classes and competitions and members-only access to certain range features.
Consider Hyatt’s outdoor shooting complex, with a mix of amenities that includes a restaurant and bar. Everyone is welcome to use the restaurant, but only members have access to the bar (after they’re done shooting, of course) and also have their own private dining room. The range is also working on a new sporting clays event exclusively for members and their guests.
At Ultimate Defense, platinum members get first crack at new classes. They are, as Bastean describes it, sort of like crash-test dummies for the new stuff.
“Every time we do a class, we put it out there to this group. Usually, the first three classes are filled with our platinum members,” he said.
The same applies to popular special events, like an annual zombie apocalypse shoot that’s been going on for 16 years. Platinum members get a five-day head start on signups. They also get a first look at the used guns and gear the store accumulates through estate purchases.
“It’s like our own gun show, where we actually have all the guns and stuff laid out,” Bastean said. “We’ll invite platinum members the night before the sale opens to the public.”
4. Be Part of a Like-Minded Community
The first three items on this list are concrete examples of what you gain with a range membership. This next one is a little more difficult to define. But consider your range is a gathering point for people with the same particular interest. Can you think of a better place to connect with new friends who also enjoy shooting?
There are many ways you can forge those new connections. Simply being a regular will put you in contact with other regulars. You may see the same people at competitions or special events. Hyatt sees those connections forming in that members-only bar.
“The socialization part is really important and we try to encourage it,” Hyatt said. “They get to be around like-minded people. Even if they don’t agree on anything else, they enjoy shooting and firearms.”
Bastean has watched the evolution of shooting friendships over the years at Ultimate Defense. One such group started 15 years ago with several Boeing employees shooting together on Tuesday mornings. These days, the expanded group still gathers every Tuesday morning at the range, before breaking for lunch at a restaurant down the street.
It’s also nice to be able to walk in the front door of your range and be greeted by name or, at least, a familiar wave.
That’s something stressed at Range USA, where employees strive to cultivate relationships with their members.
“If I’m in a store, I would say that for about half the guests who walk in, our associates know them by name,” McManus said.
5. Proficiency Breeds Confidence
This final item gets to the heart of why most people go to the range in the first place: They want to be more proficient with their firearms. One of the best ways you can improve your accuracy and gun-handling skills is to spend more time at the range. When you invest your dollars in a membership, you’re essentially making a commitment to get better by visiting more often.
Consider this basic bit of research by Range USA: “The average non-member visits us about twice a year. The average member visits us five times more than that,” Stiner said. “We see members are more efficient, proficient and comfortable around firearms.”
Hyatt sees the same thing at his range: “Your trained members are safer; that’s a huge issue for shooting ranges.”
A big part of Ultimate Defense is built around training courses focused on the mental aspects of shooting and self-defense. But there is a mechanical side that needs repetition to strengthen.
That’s where more regular time on the range — as opposed to a couple visits a year — can be invaluable.
“It definitely reinforces the mechanical aspects of self-defense,” Bastean said.
More Resources Available for You
In order to become a member at a range, you first need one within reasonable driving distance. An excellent starting point is available on Where To Shoot®, the web’s most comprehensive directory of shooting ranges. Search by city, state or zip code and even by preferred services and amenities. For on-the-go utility, the Where To Shoot mobile app is available for free download through the App Store and Google Play. Thousands of ranges are at your fingertips!
If you are looking to enhance your next visit to the range, make sure you join in Lanny Oakley’s monthly Ascent Challenge. Elevate your skills, while encouraging friends to join in, as well.
