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So I have been certified as an instructor for over a year now but recently found time to schedule more classes. As I don't have a dedicated range to shoot at is it a good idea for start up training businesses and instructors to use remote locations as a starting point?
 
Let me preface this with :
I mean no offense with my following comment.

Going into a "remote" area with strangers who are armed....
Just how that reads makes me a bit wary.
It would take a lot of trust to get me to take a firearms class in a remote location with strangers.

I understand how difficult it is to "start up" any business , let alone a firearms training business.
It must be extremely difficult when the firearms training business , does not have their own range...

I do wish you the best in your venture and I hope that you find a range of your own soon.
Andy
 
I mean no offense either Stormfire, but certified by what organization? and with this being your first post.......but still wish you the best of luck..
 
Congrats on the cert...but has been asked, cert from who/what organization?

As some jobs require that one works under someone for a time to gain some experience, I would recommend a new instructor does the same. Get some experience and something for the resume.
 
Let me preface this with :
I mean no offense with my following comment.

Going into a "remote" area with strangers who are armed....
Just how that reads makes me a bit wary.
It would take a lot of trust to get me to take a firearms class in a remote location with strangers.

I understand how difficult it is to "start up" any business , let alone a firearms training business.
It must be extremely difficult when the firearms training business , does not have their own range...

I do wish you the best in your venture and I hope that you find a range of your own soon.
Andy
I love you Andy.............sounds like "Deliverance"............to me, certifications mean that you sat through a class and passed a test. To be useful, it needs to be backed up by extensive experiance and talent. My wife got her engineering degree in 1975, worked for 5 years as an understudy before getting fully "certified" to design buildings and even with that didn't work unsupervised for another 10 years. She constantly is in the process of teaching young "certified" engineers that have little or no real experiance. I have many "certifications" some well earned or deserved and some not. The term is just too subjective to mean much.
 
Last Edited:
Is this a side-gig or are you wanting to do it full-time? Are you against signing on at an established facility to gain some experience?
If you're jumping into the world of small business, even as an independent contractor, there's going to be some legwork involved and contacts to be made.
Best of luck to you, stay with it.
 
Do you have any other experience or background?

I.e. Ranger, Seal, other military specialty service?

If not then (and I am wrong at times so this is an assumption) you may have a bit of a hard time drumming up business when there are some exceptional instructors in the area with a lot of background.

I would focus on what makes you stand out from the rest and why people should take your training.


Also, remote public land shooting areas are not a guarantee. What happens when another group shows up early and takes your designated spot?

Just my 2¢ for what it's worth.
 
Do you have any other experience or background?

I.e. Ranger, Seal, other military specialty service?

If not then (and I am wrong at times so this is an assumption) you may have a bit of a hard time drumming up business when there are some exceptional instructors in the area with a lot of background.

I would focus on what makes you stand out from the rest and why people should take your training.


Also, remote public land shooting areas are not a guarantee. What happens when another group shows up early and takes your designated spot?

Just my 2¢ for what it's worth.
I'm a marine corps veteran. I was a field artillery cannoneer. Served 4 years.
 
Is this a side-gig or are you wanting to do it full-time? Are you against signing on at an established facility to gain some experience?
If you're jumping into the world of small business, even as an independent contractor, there's going to be some legwork involved and contacts to be made.
Best of luck to you, stay with it.
Looking to do this full time.
 
One of my Combat Rescue Pilots owns and runs a company that does real special ops training for contractors and government operators in Northern Utah. He owns 10,000 acres and has access to the entire restricted peninsula south of Promatory Point owned by ATK (previously Morton Thiokol) and the military range at Lakeside UT. he has aircraft, a fleet of military type vehicles and every type of modern night vision, drone and even access to military satellite information. He retired as a LT Col after 23 years as a Combat Rescue pilot and was called back for another 5 when the gulf war went down. His training classes are highly classified and coveted by the alphabet organizations. I doubt that he has a NRA "certification"............but he does have a brother that is a federal judge and another that is a congressman.
 
One of my Combat Rescue Pilots owns and runs a company that does real special ops training for contractors and government operators in Northern Utah. He owns 10,000 acres and has access to the entire restricted peninsula south of Promatory Point owned by ATK (previously Morton Thiokol) and the military range at Lakeside UT. he has aircraft, a fleet of military type vehicles and every type of modern night vision, drone and even access to military satellite information. He retired as a LT Col after 23 years as a Combat Rescue pilot and was called back for another 5 when the gulf war went down. His training classes are highly classified and coveted by the alphabet organizations. I doubt that he has a NRA "certification"............but he does have a brother that is a federal judge and another that is a congressman.

Hook a brother up;):D
 
Hook a brother up;):D
I haven't talked to him for years but from what I read, the program isn't open to the public. I knew all the family well in the old days, used to hunt on there property and trucked hay for them from there ranches while we were still mostly in the military.
 
Do you have any other experience or background?

This may be a plus or avenue to explore...

I have military experience and training ...but :
One thing to keep in mind , just how the military taught you to do something , may indeed be the best way while in the military or in combat...but it may not fit in so good out in the civilian world...
Tailoring what you have learned and experienced to what your students actually need and will use seems key here...
Also I do have combat experience and have really and truly gone to Airborne , Ranger and SERE school...but
So have many other folks and they may be teaching a class as well So...

A look at what sets you apart from the others may be needed here....Finding a niche in a crowded martketplace may be what you need to do...
Andy
 
@Stormfire0811

Get with your lawyer before. There are restrictions on commercial enterprises in a lot of public places. I often see this when someone takes a photo, and wants to sell it.

There have to be liability insurance issues as well.

Welcome to NWFA,
And best of luck with your business.
 
I'm a marine corps veteran. I was a field artillery cannoneer. Served 4 years.

Stormfire0811,

Capitalize the "M" in Marine as well as "C" in Corps...!!!

Currently it's going to be a bit difficult getting startd in todays climate with firearm training, I've been doing it for years, lot's of ground work, getting ranges to use, this should have been covered in the Instructor Classes you attended... Just saying... my 2 cents worth...

Good Luck & Welcome aboard...

USMC 69-91
 
Thoughts, many people have small or large ranges at their ranches, perhaps look leasing one from these people
of course insurance is an issue perhaps with the homeowners, it gets touchy.
I know nothing about running a range or instructing, I do know enough about the laws to know no matter where you train them there is huge liability for you as a business owner. Especially with possible novices not that it matters, but will be a good question the D.A. will asko_O.
I know its rough, I have opened three businesses in my life 2 successful and they didn't involve live ammo :)
If I was you, I would back up, ask about insurance coverage and how its covered and where. Second and this is just me, go talk with your local Sheriffs office and see if there is any county areas not out in the middle of no where you can train people.
And lastly licensing, if you are operating in your home depending where you live rules may vary from a business with firearms and the gen public and I am just shaving the top layer. Maybe try and hook up with out of area trainers that might be willing to help you find the ropes. As your training business will be 80% none firearms related.
 
StormFire0811, if you need some direction feel free to call...easier to discuss than typing. Number is on the website.

I am very fortunate that my range is on my property, the NRA is my insurance carrier, and the overhead is low because of both. But trying to get folks to train with you is another subject. Easier to draw people if you have a resume...will help where I can.
 

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