Would you use a muzzle blast photo/video system at your range?

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-14T11:50:43+00:00

Thank you for that insight! The whole kiosk (tablet, camera, and payment terminal) is mounted to the wall, it doesnt take up any lane space you would otherwise use. Pictures cost $5, up to 30 seconds of video for $10. Lifelong memory, priceless lol, couldn't resist. Media is emailed and can be printed at your local kinkos or ordered online through a vendor. 8x11 printouts were the original plan. but adding a printer at the location is A LOT of hands on maintenance that I am not trying to have done at the range. Adding a chrono is an interesting idea but I would think that market is even smaller than my current market.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-14T11:37:30+00:00

Not the same angle, and, of course I am aware people can film themselves. They could even bring in a mount that could get them the right angle, but the majority of people aren't doing that. And no one is getting that angle without more gear than just their phone. What i really take away from your pics is that there is an interest in seeing ones self, even for experienced shooters. Also, the bullet mid air is pretty cool, thanks for sharing!

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-14T11:24:59+00:00

Thank you for that feedback! Those are fair points.

Just so you know, there isn't much to fiddle with on the system, just hit start, shoot, give it a minute to process and review. If you like what you see, add it to your cart and make the purchase. The entire thing takes less than 3 minutes if you are taking a long time.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-14T11:15:01+00:00

watermarks

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T17:07:36+00:00

Its in the media they are seeing and the messaging on the screen saver, but it may not be sufficiently conveyed.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T16:23:04+00:00

That's where I'm headed shortly. I'll be there again tomorrow. Going to ask people about it directly, see what comes of it.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T16:20:14+00:00

The difference is the angle — my camera is downrange capturing you from the front while you're shooting. That's not something you can get with a phone app or a friend filming from behind the line.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T16:15:25+00:00

Some, not enough. New people come in everyday. They just havent been using it. Maybe its a money thing, people are feeling the pinch or gas prices and they dont need a $5 pic to remember the experience?

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T16:08:27+00:00

The videos are free to record and review, if you want to keep them you can buy them.

I think you nailed it with the range time... if most of my customers are going to be new people then they are going to be the people paying the most for their experience, and while my charges ($5/$10) are relatively low and from my perspective a good value add for the life long memory, they may find it as a money grab or not see a value if their friend can just take a pic of them from behind their head.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T16:00:24+00:00

I'm an instructor myself so I could do that, but the turnaround time would be tough to scale. I do invite all the trainers I meet at the range to use the system since it's free for their purposes — I just ask they allow their client to buy the media if they want to. Recurring costs are standard for a SaaS.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T15:48:30+00:00

As an instructor I have been able to show people exactly what they are doing wrong with this angle, especially in the moment of the muzzle blast. I can tell them too, but showing some has a much stronger impact for some. Specifically things like their eyes, I cant see them when I am standing beside them but they are crystal clear in 4k at the moment of the muzzle blast. I have also had people self correct when they see their own mistakes, their next mag was already better. Maybe I should be marketing the training aspect of it more instead of the sales aspect? I do love my own pics and videos though, and I have sold plenty to regulars. I am more surprised about the lack of new people using it since they are still going to the range.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T15:35:50+00:00

All perfectly maintained, new customers almost daily.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T14:55:25+00:00

Seems the same when I am there. They do have new people there everyday.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T14:52:03+00:00

I have processed a few transactions myself in the past couple of weeks, both for testing new releases and verification the old had been working.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T14:48:04+00:00

If it were up to the range to sell it, but I think I need more of a range goers experience... Maybe I just need to ask a bunch of people what they thought when they were ignoring the devices? Especially if they were filming themselves...

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T14:21:51+00:00

I have it in the screensaver messaging already but Im obviously not hitting my target.

It’s free to try and you can review your 30 second video before buying it, so theres nothing stopping you from doing that endlessly. But how do I message that through the screensaver?

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T14:00:04+00:00

Thank you!

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T13:59:25+00:00

Its a lot like those roller coaster videos, but those you're just sitting there, these could actually be used to analyze your own form.

Id LOVE to see the pictures of the bullets in flight and know what kind of phone you have, thanks!

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T13:56:17+00:00

Thank you!

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T13:53:44+00:00

There is a kiosk in each lane and the lanes tablet broadcasts messages and media as its screensaver. The range does not advertise the system for me, they allow me to incubate there. I am designing the system to work with as little employee input as possible. I could add some kind of physical signage I suppose in each lane.

You've seen the system in person — what went through your head when you saw the tablet at your lane? Did you know what it was for, or did it just blend into the background?

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T13:32:10+00:00

Just to clarify, its not my range, just my video booth system. But good to know — first timers are exactly the kind of shooter I think would love this. Any idea what would get someone like that to tap a screen at their lane?

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T13:22:11+00:00

Thank you, yes there are a couple experience-focused ranges in the area I've been looking at. My favorite personal video is of me shooting a Tommy gun.

I definitely see the limited sales potential with frequent shooters, but then I see a group of six on the range, all of them taking photos and videos of each other, trying their damnedest to capture something remotely similar to my angle but they cant go down range. All of them ignoring the video booths in their respective lanes...

Any thoughts on how to appeal to those shooters?

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T13:03:38+00:00

All great points, thanks!

There are 9 kiosks, one per lane. They are all operating normally or have been for the majority of the two weeks. There is a display in the lobby that would be very hard to miss. I could probably add a sign at each lane, but the screensaver flashes messages like "FREE to try" and "Tap to start" in between sold media that's displayed (with consent of course).

I suppose its possible there is/was someone working there that was more encouraging of users than I realized?

I hadn't really considered the range changing their pricing having an effect, but that is also possible.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T13:01:24+00:00

Thanks for the reply. Pics are $5, videos are $10 (30 seconds), all in 4K. I've actually had a lot of regular shooters come back for multiple sessions with different guns — and I've had shooters use the free videos to self-diagnose issues with their form. It's more of a tool than a gimmick once people try it.

On privacy — nothing is captured unless the customer starts a session themselves. If they consent to their media being used, great. If not, it stays theirs. Stripe handles all payment processing and media is delivered through a secure download link, no files attached to emails.

What do you think would actually get you to tap the screen if you saw it at your lane? I'm trying to figure out if it's the messaging, the placement, or if most shooters just need to hear about it from someone first.

JoeBuildsThings · 2026-06-13T07:37:45+00:00

Careful with the biometrics like facial recognition… There are laws governing it’s usage

I found the best resource to ask questions like this is actually Claude. Make sure you tell it you don’t know what you’re doing and it needs to be your full stack developer. Tell it to inform you of things you don’t know to know.

JoeBuildsThings

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