Is On Target shooting range in So. OC under new ownership

[BC9696]

The place has changed. Not how it used to be. Don't wanna ask on their board (which is all but dead) and figure people won't post their honest feelings about this place there. But the "fun" of shooting no longer exists here with the new rules and unhappy, almost pissed off staffers.

[CAL.BAR]

Don't know about new mgmnt, but the OLD mgmnt wasn't very receptive to shooters either. Ever since the pandemic, they stopped all "extracurricular activities". They stopped our Cal. Guns shoot with the excuse that we kept shooting up their hangers and that it was "too expensive" to keep the range open for us (we went for 2 hrs at the close of business on Fri). They got rid of the IDPA style tournament shoot they had all of ONCE a month before opening on a Sat. Again, too expensive to keep the range open for two hours . (sure)
They are a victim of their own success. Ever since the pandemic, there has been an uptick in the regular public coming to shoot and THAT is their bread and butter. (the once in a while shooters who buy their ridiculously overpriced reloads, targets etc.) They cut their hours to limit any unnecessary expenses,

That, coupled with the insultingly high ammo transfer prices they tried to charge when the no ammo by mail law was passed was really sad to see for an organization that CLAIMED to be all about supporting shooters. In, short, they are all about the MONEY. Come in, shoot (buy our expensive ammo) and get the hell out.

[BC9696]

OMG!

I guess I must update my review and reduce my previous score by 2 stars based on recent experience. I went in to qualify a new Glock for add-on to my existing CCW and was told it was mandatory by law that I purchase their ammo for this...which I did. I told the clerk I had preloaded magazines and did not need or want their ammo and was told I can shoot the ammo in my mags but purchase of the box of ammo from On Target was required. Fine, I bought the box, tossed it in my bag and did my qualification shoot. Took like 12 minutes. But when I go to get my CCW Modification certificate they tell me to return tomorrow, that my original trainer had to process it. So, I go back the following day and my trainer isn't available and James Gordon handles it. James is customer service oriented and the only person there I dealt with that is...at least this month. My past trainer David Diaz was head & shoulders above the crowd too. The others I encountered recently are Honey Badgers.

So the following week I return for weekly practice and realize the required box of ammo they insisted I buy is 9mm but I don't own a nine. I ask em to exchange it for the proper caliber they should have given me but no, that's not possible. What? They will allow me to use of their 9mm rentals to shoot it if I'd like. No thanks. So I shoot my new gun for 30 minutes and when I pay for the lane am told I cannot just leave with the unwanted, unusable 9mm ammo they forced me to buy last week. I have to stand at the front counter for 15 minutes and wait for them to do a DROS. License, Passport, a one dollar bill and two signatures are passed before I am finally allowed to exit the building.

Now after all this bovine excrement and after staffers agreed this hassle was stupid I am expecting some kind of make good effort. Some free range time perhaps? Something to compensate me for the avoidable waste of my time & money that On Target staff is wholly responsible for. It seemed a reasonable expectation. Nope. Honey Badgers do not give a ####. I left filled with distain and disappointment. The staff has gone downhill, the customer experience is negative and the house rules increase exponentially. No double taps, no Mozambique practice, they seemed to yearn for any opportunity to chastise shooters around me...not a pleasant experience.

So out of curiosity I called a couple other indoor shooting ranges in OC to see if they had comparable policies. The unanimous answer was a resounding NO. Sure, you can shoot your own ammo on a qualification shoot. We encourage shooters to challenge themselves and practice self-defense drills. That is what we are here for.

So it is not a law...it is an On Target policy (no doubt intended to maximize sales & profitability...like selling you a cable lock with a new gun purchase) and the run around I got after they gave me the wrong box of ammo was unnecessary and negligent. I think I will be taking my range bag with me whenever I have to drive near Oceanside, Orange or Huntington Beach. Returning to On Target will now be based on dictation of circumstances rather than going to enjoy myself. Shooting should be fun. Oh and the place I bought my new Glock from comped me the cable lock. Huh.

Will On Target recognize the benefit of providing shooters a positive experience? Probably not. They'll likely deny me a lane and blackball me next time for publicly calling em out on their failings. BTW, I own and run four corporations (one is a national franchise) and know firsthand how difficult it can be to keep track of your employee impact so I send people in periodically to test them and report back to me. I have hired, fired, retrained and promoted numerous employees based on such feedback. It IS possible to ensure customers are kept happy even for people like me who work over 100hrs a week. Saddened to see a favorite stop reduced to a hall of negativity. Nobody smiles there. Not even shooters. (((sigh)))

[MrRichards]

I shoot at On-Target often as a member because its ultra-convenient for me. Some staff members seem like they're angry or want to appear intimidating. They've always been that way. I just try to minimize my contact with them.

Yes they gouge you for ammo and the gun prices are outrageous - I would never purchase either from OT. I am interested in receiving some instruction but would not consider OT due to the off-putting vibe.

Hopefully they will pay attention to this thread.

[ar15robert]

Use to live nearby and use to shoot there often when they first opened in the mid 90s. Went recently and it has changed a lot but was spending too.

[BigStiCK]

Recently did a ppt there and returned after the 10 day to pick it up. Got there about 45 minutes before they closed. Waited 20 minutes for ANYONE to help me. Dude finally asks what I want, then tells me they stop doing purchase paperwork 30 minutes before closing. Tried to explain that I was there prior to and had to wait. He couldnt care less.

Never going back.

[smoothy8500]

Yeah, been a member for 4-5 years now and customer service is not their focus. I go at least twice a month usually in the afternoons. Certainly won't purchase or do a PPT there. I never really noticed any angry or intimidating staff, but certainly not going to treat you like a waiter at your favorite restaurant. Then again, other than Brian at Reload OC, is anybody in the gun business really friendly or customer service oriented?

[9Cal_OC]

Yeah, been a member for 4-5 years now and customer service is not their focus. I go at least twice a month usually in the afternoons. Certainly won't purchase or do a PPT there. I never really noticed any angry or intimidating staff, but certainly not going to treat you like a waiter at your favorite restaurant. Then again, other than Brian at Reload OC, is anybody in the gun business really friendly or customer service oriented?

You haven?t been to 2AZone, have you?

[Ora Serrata]

I go so infrequently, but when did they change management? Was this in the past couple months?

That policy on only shooting their reloads, is that for everyone just renting a lane? Or because you were qualifying?

I do wish there was another indoor range in South County.

[MrBones]

Been a member for about 10 years. Lately, I go once a week. There's definitely good and bad about OT. When I first started going it was half the size it is now. Just the store nearer to the dance school. It was expanded to the adjacent store near the body shop about 6-7 years ago. I think that's when owner/management changed. Previously, you couldn't shoot any ammo rated over 1400 or 1500 fps. Friend of mine brought his 454 Casull in and they told him to put it back in the car. Now, you can shoot anything including rifle and shotgun.
I've bought guns and ammo there when they advertised specials. Prices were competitive for in state purchase. I agree that the requirement to buy their ammo for a firearm add on is cheesy but it only applies to the first gun. I went in to add two guns and only had to buy a box for one gun. The other was my ammo. Can't figure that unless they are trying to recoup some $ for the instructor's time to fill out the training cert. All the ammo I have bought is new; Federal or equal. They do not require anyone to buy and shoot reloads.
True, some attitudes could be better. The range counter staff are pretty cool once they recognize you but they are always harping on policy. IMO partly because they had several ND's with shooters carrying loaded guns away from the firing line to their range bags. Also, some bone head shot tracer ammo from his rifle while I was there once and started a fire. We had to evacuate and leave our gear until the fire dept gave the all clear. I only heard of a much more serious incident that I won't go into but if you go the the web page and read FAQ #5 it doesn't take much to figure what happened. To me, all this adds up to higher insurance cost, hence the attitudes. Not good for customer relationships.
I've done PPT there without much hassle but it was early in the day. I would rather go to OT than Turner's for sure and I tried calling Rifle Gear about a PPT and all I got was a run around and told to make an appointment.

[BC9696]

They kinda look at me funny now cuz I don't NEED anything from them. No ammo, no targets, nada. I get in, shoot my 100-200rds and leave ASAP. The one really heavy range guy there always looks constipated.

[igs]

The place has changed. Not how it used to be. Don't wanna ask on their board (which is all but dead) and figure people won't post their honest feelings about this place there. But the "fun" of shooting no longer exists here with the new rules and unhappy, almost pissed off staffers.

Sounds just like the old management.

Regarding ccw add on: https://ontargetrange.com/ccw-addreplace-a-firearm/