As we age in the firearms world, it is often easy to forget the challenges presented to someone new to shooting. I live in the West with miles of public land. I have my own pile of steel and targets from when I ran a training company. When I learned to shoot a pistol, it was from professionals in the military. This was all part of the benefits package from giving up your youth to play hardball in all away games. It is very easy to overlook the cost and time barrier for someone just starting, not to mention the lack of access to shooting areas for most people. So while I am normally not a user of indoor ranges, I was excited to see the new system Action Targets is installing across the country.
Though I initially saw the system at Action’s Headquarters in Provo, Utah, I got a chance to play with it in depth closer to home. Independence Indoor Shooting opened not long ago in Meridian, Idaho, and they let me come in after hours to film a segment on the new range. Action Targets has always been an industry leader in indoor ranges, it is their core business. But this year is something special. Gone are the dim lights and clothesline target hangers. This isn’t your grandfather’s indoor range, hang onto your hats.
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The first difference you notice with the new system is the robust I beams in the target carriages. Not only does this make for smooth target movement, it ensures the range isn’t going to shut down every five minutes for line repairs. It also makes target movements that otherwise wouldn’t be possible a reality. The lighting is well engineered, with enough LED lumen power to perform surgery if needed. I took a SIG Sauer P320 X-Five with fiber optic sights as my test gun specifically to test this. Not once was the lighting a problem. Just as important, the lighting can be controlled to simulate any environment you like. I could run the pistol through its paces in all conditions. Low light, no light, even sirens, and strobes.
The best part, by far, is the new computer control system. The problem with indoor ranges has always been, what if you don’t know how to train? You’re stepping up to a range for the first time and aren’t sure what types of drills to run. Maybe you’re a seasoned shooter, but remember when you were a new shooter. How did you know what to do? You buy a gun and some bullets, learn to put those bullets through cardboard, with no idea if you are improving on speed or skill.
Enter the Action Targets system. It has onboard training drills that range from beginner to advanced. It is a system that grows with you, steady progression from Barney Fife to John Wick. The beginner modules are simple, but they do build on fundamentals with both speed and accuracy. The advanced models are challenging, even if you have been at this for a while. And if you do get past the advanced models, you can always program your own. The training includes both rifle and pistol drills, and the range reaches all the way to 100 yards. Also included are several Federal Agency qualification sequences, a good check on progression. A very far cry from the indoor ranges I have seen in the past.
In the very near future, Action Targets will have a link on their website showing you the indoor ranges with the upgrades in your area. If you train by yourself, this is an awesome resource to use.
For more information about Action targets, click here.
For more information about Independent Indoor Shooting Range, click here.
One commentor complimented the quality of the produced video. I fully agree; a breath of fresh air.
I shot this system at VANCE OUTDOORS at Columbus Ohio in 2016. The range was fairly new and Springfield Armory teamed up with Vances to showcase a new pistol. I bit and made the trip, about 45 miles.
VERY WORTH IT !
The system was new and the programming wasn’t all that user-friendly/intuitive. At First. I did learn how to set up programs. I do like the concept.
This vid shows that ACTION has improved their program and has included several ‘canned’ programs to reduce setup time, giving more trigger time. Good idea if you’re paying by the hour.
I LOVE what ACTION has developed and will return and spend more time honing my skills on their dynamic range.
Besides, their “store” is modern. stocking many items the sportsman could want.
Damn! Somebody had a lot of $$ to spend! Awesome, I’ve never shot in an indoor range simply because I’ve always lived on the edge of the world so no need but that is awesome.
Costs? Can’t be an inexpensive system and range hourly rate???. But sure, you can’t put a price on good training, and most folks don’t have a piece of farmland or a Best of the West (large open range) close by. I’d want to use it at least once a week for the fun factor and variation alone.
WOW!!! Repeat WOW!!! Best one stop shopping I’ve ever sceen. When I head back to my old stomping grounds (Payette/Nampa/Star) to visit Family, I’ll have to add a day to go spend a time at Independence!
I don’t know who shot the vid but it was a well done. I thought you might have been taking remedial video classes until you and the camera shot moved. The camera panning around the handgun shelves was a great shot by a smooth operator. Nothing wrong with the normal one man show, very functional but the material covered in the shop and in the range areas was a cut above and deserving a great presentation. Well Done.