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Thread: Venue AAR: Mead Hall Range

  1. #1
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    Venue AAR: Mead Hall Range

    This isn't a class AAR, but rather a review of a venue from the perspective of an instructor.

    Dad and I taught our 2-day Shotgun Skills class at Mead Hall Range in McCloud, OK (just east of Oklahoma City) this past weekend. Weather was perfect, the students were great (That Guy failed to make an appearance!), and the facility/host was amazing. It's probably the nicest privately-owned facility we've taught in. But let me start earlier in the process.

    Dad and I were contacted by Bill Armstrong, the owner, saying he'd love to host us. After the usual pleasantries, I called him and we got down to business. Bill emailed me a comprehensive packet with waiver, medical plan information (more on that later), and a link to his website https://meadhallrange.com/. The call fleshed these things out and it quickly became apparent that he had the necessary infrastructure to host our class. Range fees were discussed and set, and we moved forward to scheduling. I booked hotel rooms for Dad, Bob and me using a Mead Hall group rate at the local Hampton Inn (about a 15min drive from the range) and created the Eventbrite event.

    Bill and I corresponded several more times over the intervening months, from hashing out some neat ideas based on his range's capabilities, to just general BSing. Lots of fun discussion, and he made sure to publicize the class to his regulars (who attended in droves).

    When we arrived early on Saturday morning for the class, Bill and his wife Sharla gave us the grand tour of the facility. The clubhouse had a large classroom with projector and side TV capability; a full kitchen with stove, two sinks, dishwasher, and full-size refrigerator; an armorer's room with bench and basic tools/supplies; men's and women's restrooms; a massive safe for storing students'/instructors' weapons if they didn't want to leave them in the hotels when going out to dinner, etc; and a really neat Airsoft/laser-based simulator system that became a center of entertainment after TD1. A couple hundred yards away lie the range we'd be using. 10 lanes with pivot/moving paper target stands behind a railroad tie barrier, and lines freshly painted to indicate desired yardage (Bill had contacted me a few days before the class to make sure he knew which yardages to paint for our needs). A couple dozen yards behind and to the side of the range, there was a concrete pad with permanent shade structure covering some picnic tables where the students could eat lunch, relax on breaks, etc. This area was provided with a giant cooler full of bottled water as well as ammo cans full of various helpful things, including armorer's tools, sunscreen, bug repellent, lube, etc. There was also a comprehensive trauma kit in a very clearly labeled and red-colored Rubbermaid container, which contained the same pre-written medical plan that Bill had emailed me earlier. This included step-by-step directions to the local hospital and the nearest level 1 trauma center in the city, approximate drive times, and precise GPS coordinates to allow a lifeflight bird to land at the 100 yard line of the range. When we began class both days, Bill made sure to have an appointed vehicle staged for medevac with the keys on the front seat and a path clear to exfil (and we arranged primary and secondary drivers), while Sharla kept all the admin tasks well in hand with ensuring students signed in, filled out release forms, etc.

    Next to the shade structure was the target barn and bathrooms (yes, flushing toilets, sinks and urinals maybe 25 yards off the left rear corner of the range itself!). The target barn was well stocked and meticulously organized, and Bill gave us the lay of the land and carte blanch to use what we needed. He had color-coded milk crates stacked up on one side. Black had pasters, staple guns, staples, while green had pasters and spray adhesive. There were organized piles of target uprights, various types of steel, stands (along with the all-important stakes and a hammer to keep them upright under violent shotgun recoil), blue barrels, VTAC barricades, etc outside, and a wheeled cart to haul them to and from the range. On the other side of the shade structure, they'd set up a small three-sided berm with a table for handling/casing/uncasing firearms.

    Throughout the class, Bill (who was also a student) was constantly making sure we had what we needed. Not to the point of being a bother by any stretch, he simply paid attention and if it looked like we were looking for something, he'd pop over and help us out (and generally knew what we were looking for before we even asked). And lest I be remiss, Sharla made chocolate chip cookie bars for the students every morning. Students and instructors alike were raving about them.

    All in all it was an impressive facility and host, who clearly care about making quality training available to their customers. We will definitely be back, and hope to make it a regular stop on our circuit. I for one can't wait to see how they've improved it in a year's time, because it was clear they weren't done. If you're an instructor looking to put on a class, get with Bill and get rolling.

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    Matt Haught
    SYMTAC Consulting LLC
    https://sym-tac.com

  2. #2
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    +1 to what Matt wrote. I was a student in that class, and I was super impressed with how good the range was - the best in my experience, and I'm a geezer - and how nice Bill and Sharla were to all involved.

    I was signed up for a class in Beaumont and found out yesterday that it was canceled due to lack of enrollment. I went on the instructor's website and found that he'll be at the Mead Hall range in June. I signed up for that class rather than wait until next year due to the range and environment. It's worth the (1,000-mile round trip) drive.

  3. #3
    Bill has put his heart, mind and soul into that facility...and it shows.

  4. #4
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    Bill and Sharla are top-notch hosts at a top-notch facility! Take a look at their schedule... Lots of training opportunities with national caliber instructors.

  5. #5
    I met Bill this past weekend at TacCon. After talking to him and hearing him speak with passion and intelligence, it is no surprise that range is so superb. The man truly cares about making it an awesome facility, and he is not even close to being done with it.

    I am going to see about doing Tim Chandler and Ashton Ray's Shotgun class out there this summer, partly just to see it for myself because I have heard so much good stuff, and Bill is a good guy.
    For info about training or to contact me:
    Immediate Action Combatives

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cecil Burch View Post
    I met Bill this past weekend at TacCon. After talking to him and hearing him speak with passion and intelligence, it is no surprise that range is so superb. The man truly cares about making it an awesome facility, and he is not even close to being done with it.

    I am going to see about doing Tim Chandler and Ashton Ray's Shotgun class out there this summer, partly just to see it for myself because I have heard so much good stuff, and Bill is a good guy.
    I think you'll have a great time. Great class, great facility.


    Matt Haught
    SYMTAC Consulting LLC
    https://sym-tac.com

  7. #7
    I taught a class there the same weekend that the world ended. Bill is good people, and he is an outstanding host.

    @Cecil Burch there are two Braum's within 15 minutes of the range.
    I had an ER nurse in a class. I noticed she kept taking all head shots. Her response when asked why, "'I've seen too many people who have been shot in the chest putting up a fight in the ER." Point taken.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by jlw View Post
    @Cecil Burch there are two Braum's within 15 minutes of the range.
    A cone with a scoop each of butter pecan and pistachio...

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by revchuck38 View Post
    A cone with a scoop each of butter pecan and pistachio...
    I'm a peanut butter cup man.
    I had an ER nurse in a class. I noticed she kept taking all head shots. Her response when asked why, "'I've seen too many people who have been shot in the chest putting up a fight in the ER." Point taken.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by jlw View Post
    I taught a class there the same weekend that the world ended. Bill is good people, and he is an outstanding host.

    @Cecil Burch there are two Braum's within 15 minutes of the range.
    Bricktown Brewery in nearby Shawnee (right down the access road from the Hampton Inn where we stayed) also has some solid food.


    Matt Haught
    SYMTAC Consulting LLC
    https://sym-tac.com

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