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Open a Training Center in W Texas.??


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Hi.

 

I do NRA Certified Basic Pistol instruction (since 2003) and have a few MARINE / LEO buddies..

 

I've also done EP and Private Detective work in the past 18 years on/off.. (and have licenses to hang on my WALL) :lolol:

 

I can train up to 4 people per NRA training rules for live fire..

 

I have obtained some decent waivers/forms as used by the bigger names in the training industry..

 

I can get the NRA trainer insurance also. (which I know is NOT the best). & some GL insurance would be good..

 

7 miles from US-90.. road is HARD dirt and county maintained.. there is power on the road..

 

I'm thinking if I build-it and HYPE it.. people will come.. :super:

 

heres my site: OffGridTraining.Com

 

granted its still a work in progress..

 

What do folks think??? good idea or bad?? I have almost 500,000 sq ft outdoors.. on some flat and some hills... (you only need 435,000 for shooting on property in most areas of TX..) :super:

 

I can put up some small sheds/buildings to simulate 'kinda-sandbox' enviroments..

 

 

Albert

Edited by YWHIC
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I've gotten a few PM'd questions.. about places to stay while attending this 'possible' training site..

 

They have a RV site in Alpine about 86 miles away for $27/night.. with showers and such..

 

Van Horn approx 23 miles North has like 12 hotels/motels..

 

We have Balmorhea State Park with camping and RV camping also.. about 95 miles away.. from $6-20/night and ROOMS for $60/night.

 

I got the El Paso Airpost 150 miles North.. I also plan on having at least 1 office building out there and room for TENTS..

 

The point is to ROUGH it for 4-7 days while you learn, train, apply, then live-fire.. also having a shooting area for some people would be a plus.. :killer:

 

Training classes are at minimum the 10 hours for the NRA Basic which would go for $160 and you'd get a Cert.. I am looking into possibly becoming a TX CHL instructor, which also would yield more revenue.. :super:

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Hi.

 

I do NRA Certified Basic Pistol instruction (since 2003) and have a few MARINE / LEO buddies..

 

I've also done EP and Private Detective work in the past 18 years on/off.. (and have licenses to hang on my WALL) :lolol:

 

I can train up to 4 people per NRA training rules for live fire..

 

I have obtained some decent waivers/forms as used by the bigger names in the training industry..

 

I can get the NRA trainer insurance also. (which I know is NOT the best). & some GL insurance would be good..

 

7 miles from US-90.. road is HARD dirt and county maintained.. there is power on the road..

 

I'm thinking if I build-it and HYPE it.. people will come.. :super:

 

heres my site: OffGridTraining.Com

 

granted its still a work in progress..

 

What do folks think??? good idea or bad?? I have almost 500,000 sq ft outdoors.. on some flat and some hills... (you only need 435,000 for shooting on property in most areas of TX..) :super:

 

I can put up some small sheds/buildings to simulate 'kinda-sandbox' enviroments..

 

 

Albert

 

Before I spent too much investing in such an operation, I would look this guy up and get feedback directly from him. It can be a bitch trying to live in the desert. This guy is making a go of it and he has a blog.

http://www.thefieldlab.org/

 

NY Times Article:

http://www.nytimes.c...en/10texas.html

 

Pics from his operation:

http://www.nytimes.c...ml?ref=garden#1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/texasdesertlife/sets

 

Live Webcam:

http://www.thefieldlab.org/webcam.html

 

Good luck,

Yakdung

Edited by yakdung
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Thanks Yakdung for the links...

 

I am planning a training facility for my property and also will be moving on-site as well..

 

This topic is more about making a Training Center on my property.... I realize I will need water, toilets, showers, etc..

 

I am not asking the people whom may attend training to live out there for weeks on end.. though that may come in a multi-week course if I can plan out a schedule to go with that thought.

 

Al

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Thanks Yakdung for the links...

 

I am planning a training facility for my property and also will be moving on-site as well..

 

This topic is more about making a Training Center on my property.... I realize I will need water, toilets, showers, etc..

 

I am not asking the people whom may attend training to live out there for weeks on end.. though that may come in a multi-week course if I can plan out a schedule to go with that thought.

 

Al

 

You're welcome. Looking at all of his photos makes me want to pack up my shit and go west.

 

Good luck,

Yakdung

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on a few other forums I polled/asked (2 TX forums) everyone agreed on:

 

  • Research
  • Good Course Curriculam (gotta have variety)
  • Insurance (even with the 'waivers')
  • May reduce the illegals sleeping in my 'office/shack' :lolol:

  • Hire some ex-military and/or LEO for trainers

Anyone else have any input / suggestions from here??

 

 

Albert

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Updates..

 

I talked to the County Deputy Sheriff today and he almost sounded THRILLED about having some shooting out my way.. :smoke:

 

He said NO RESTRICTIONS or requirements "out where I am out" :lolol:

 

I managed to setup a FORUM board on the OffGridTraining.Com website.. (link at bottom of the main page.)

 

I did list Saiga separate under the Shotguns section of the forums.. per some PM's I got..

 

Once you get into the forums from the main page it moves semi-quick.. I have this domain pointing to my EPS company website server..

 

Now if i sell my DPMS LR-308, Saiga 308, Ruger 10/22, Marlin P70, & my car I may just have enough to go do this sooner..

 

Anyone got any other tips on here?? Anyone from West(ern) Texas on here??

 

 

Al

Edited by YWHIC
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Updates..

 

I talked to the County Deputy Sheriff today and he almost sounded THRILLED about having some shooting out my way.. :smoke:

 

He said NO RESTRICTIONS or requirements "out where I am out" :lolol:

 

I managed to setup a FORUM board on the OffGridTraining.Com website.. (link at bottom of the main page.)

 

I did list Saiga separate under the Shotguns section of the forums.. per some PM's I got..

 

Once you get into the forums from the main page it moves semi-quick.. I have this domain pointing to my EPS company website server..

 

Now if i sell my DPMS LR-308, Saiga 308, Ruger 10/22, Marlin P70, & my car I may just have enough to go do this sooner..

 

Anyone got any other tips on here?? Anyone from West(ern) Texas on here??

 

 

Al

 

Al, "he almost sounded THRILLED" - Welcome to Texas my friend.

 

Yakdung

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

I think it's great you are pursuing your dreams. I have friends in this profession and I have attended some awesome training classes so I may be able to provide you with some info. Who is your target audience? LEO, Military, Civilian?

 

You and your instructors need to be very credible and have lots of real world experience if it is intended for LEO and Military or it probably wouldn't fly with them. If you are training Military, you will need a damn good source for the latest Enemy TTPs and adjust the training to the latest ones. We went through a pre-deployment polishing up where the TTPs were a couple of weeks old, then went through another where they were a couple of days old. That shit is important when lives are on the line. (Some contractors have great Military connections). NRA credentials may be great for civilians but very questionable to LEO and Military inquiring about the curriculum if you cannot produce anything else.

 

If the training is geared for civiians, once again, be credible and experienced as some "students" attending may have more experience and throw up a bullshit flag. Try not to create some kind of Mall Ninja Academy because that will bring bad publicity to you. Basic firearms handling and CCW type training is appropriate for civilians. Building shoot houses and trying to train inexperienced shooters how to Shoot, Move, and Communicate while clearing a building room to room with live rounds is not something to I'd want to fuck with as an instructor and neither would the insurance guys.

 

You cannot expect your students to rough it while attending training just because you don't have the facilities to accomodate the training. You need a classroom environment, a care and cleaning area, and secure weapon storage as well as running water restrooms. I've been to classes where you are literally on the range for 12 hours per day for a straight week. The last thing you want to do with those long days is sleep in a fucking pup tent. If you want to conduct a specific class where students have to rough it, that's your choice although the sleep deprivation may create some safety issues on the range. The Military goes through enough of this crap and really won't see paying for more of it.

 

I've run ranges while Active Duty and some people are downright scary with a weapon and live rounds. You definitely have to be on your toes around some of them, for your safety as well as everyone else on the line. The suggestion to hire some ex-military and/or LEO for trainers is a great idea regardless of your target audience. One of my friends hires Active Duty from the Special Operations Community to help him run courses. They take a week of leave here and there and are compensated very well for doing so. Good luck, hope things work for you.

 

Forgot to mention the EPA thing. How bad is it in Texas for throwing lots of lead into the environment off a full blown training facility? They are cracking down in lots of states and are starting to mandate bullet traps with ventilation systems to contain any solids, vapors, etc. Even the Military ranges are affected and are installing this stuff. Might want to look into that as that's getting big nowadays.

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  • 4 weeks later...

MT.. thanks for the tips..

 

starting with basic civilian training and small course..

 

I laid out on paper a l-r or r-l variable distance setup.. combo of rifle and pistol..

 

everyone has to show proficency/safety before we go to that setup..

 

start everyone with a super-short NRA 1st steps course..

 

ETA: Cabin should be on-site come spring.. saving my $$ now..

Edited by YWHIC
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