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I agree with you, but it's also about the range and environment. Variable reduction is good for rhe range to avoid people shooting prohibited rounds of any type, but it's also a source of revenue. With fees so high, membership will be naturally lower and there would be opportunity to vet members who want to use their own ammo and preferred grain weight.Thanks @Wolkenflieger for sharing this, I heard of H&H but didn't know the details of their business model. There is something more interesting here than just whether the price is justified.
The real product is not range time, it is a controlled environment.
The high cost, ammo restrictions and structure are not arbitrary. They reduce variability. Fewer people more staff tighter rules and a curated space all minimize the biggest unknown at most public ranges which is the person in the next lane. I was at a shooting range that experienced suicides and uncontrolled mag dumping from noobs. Because I am not familiar with the folks at my range I find the safety concerns both valid and compelling.
It is not that members there are better shooters, H&H is engineered to be more predictable.
@Scubabugdiver pointed out it might attract people who otherwise would not try shooting. I agree. This gets more compelling when you connect it to something Matt Cubeiro said in his AMA thread. When asked what question people should be asking he did not point to legal strategy. He said the focus should be on preserving rights by introducing new people to firearms in a positive repeatable way. It is not about winning in court. It is about growing the base through experience.
Seen through that lens a place like this makes more sense.. traditional ranges can be intimidating or chaotic for first timers. Noise unclear norms and random behavior are not great onboarding conditions. This model flips that into something familiar w/ clean social structured and low friction.
Less like Knott’s Berry Farm w a rough crowd. More like Disneyland early entry where access is controlled and standards are enforced.
Less like Southwest Airlines with chaotic boarding and seat disputes. More like United where structure and expectations create a more orderly experience.
The more interesting question is whether pricing is the only way to achieve this kind of environment. Right now the model uses money as the filter. Pay more get less chaos. It works but it is blunt. If the goal is broader adoption you would want similar outcomes through culture not just cost.
There is something here.. not as a replacement for traditional ranges or training but as a different layer in the ecosystem. A controlled socially acceptable entry point. The real opportunity is figuring out how to replicate that environment without needing a country club price tag.
Or, the range could simply check ammo at range check-in with penalties for shooting prohibited ammo such as steel jackets or whatever is prohibited.
The high fees themselves reduce crowds and that itself is a nice safety perk...exclusivity...like a private golf club.
The lanes themselves are pristine and not all shot up like some other indoor ranges.