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A little bird told me today that all Silver Eagle Group Emp. were released today..

epilogue

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
147
Location
Centreville
Talked to the front desk, they are all still employed but there is some validity to it. If they lay off guys like Ryan and Jack, I will be removing my membership.
 

Riana

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2008
Messages
943
Location
Fairfax County, VA
Wow. I wonder what exactly is going on? Is the range still going to be open to the public (both members and non-members)?
 

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
Seeing as how Silver Eagle's business model was set up, it's not surprising that they would be bought out...

They started out with plans to become what essentially amounted to a high-end country-club shooting range/training facility, with high membership prices, outrageous range fees, and a snooty attitude.

When that model failed, they kept it open to the public (but seemed to always have the attitude that private customers were somehow an imposition) and focused on LE and "professional" clients, and didn't have much luck there, because they weren't part of the "inside the beltway" cronie cabal.

So to find that they have been bought out by an international merc group comes as no big surprise.

I'm sure that they will probably completely shut down to the general public now, and become a merc training center, with some focus on local and federal LE clients, and when they get those contracts established and the money coming in again, they will most likely do what Blackwater/Xe has done, and open things back up to very select, deep-pocketed private individuals again...

If they had opened their doors in the mid 1990s, when the money was flowing into the private sector in NoVa by the wheelbarrow-loads, they would have been MUCH ore successful with their individual-citizen-targeted business model, but to think they could be successful with this "country club" price structure in a post 2009-crash economy was simply delusional.

They get no sympathy from me. And considering the way they treat most of their "customers", I say good riddance. I'll gladly spend my money at BlueRidge or the NRA range--where they treat paying customers like customers--NOT like it's a major imposition for them to take my money.

That's just my read on it...
 

swinokur

Activist Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2009
Messages
917
Location
Montgomery County, MD
I got it from a fairly reliable source (former training official) that the range is going to reopen, Apparently MVM lost a 23 million dollar High Threat OGA contract that affected their ability to keep the facilty running as currently configured.

I do not know a time frame for any of this.Hopefully not long for folks who use the facility
 

darthmord

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2008
Messages
998
Location
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
--Snip--

They get no sympathy from me. And considering the way they treat most of their "customers", I say good riddance. I'll gladly spend my money at BlueRidge or the NRA range--where they treat paying customers like customers--NOT like it's a major imposition for them to take my money.

That's just my read on it...

Given how poorly a friend and I were treated at the NRA range when we went to it for the very first time, we will never go back even if the NRA paid us to. I've never met a more arrogant & condescending bunch of jackwagons (to quote Gunny Ermy) in my life.
 

epilogue

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
147
Location
Centreville
I have a nostalgic draw to Blue Ridge, where my Dad first taught me how to handle a .22 pistol in the early 90's, as well as Clark Bros where I learned to respect a 30-06.

Last several visits to BRA I observed multiple safety issues and not a single RSO to be found. Obviously, every time you use a public range you are betting your well being on the guy/gal next to you knowing how to safely operate a firearm, and I've found SEG to have the least tolerance for people doing stupid thit.

If you feel slighted at SEG, it's most likely due to the way they see people; you're a safety risk until you prove otherwise. I now have a wonderful relationship with the RSOs, admins, and merch counter staff, but I too went through being treated as an outsider when I went for the first few weeks.

Either way, I really hope a majority of those guys/gals can hold onto their jobs.
 

t33j

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
1,384
Location
King George, VA
Given how poorly a friend and I were treated at the NRA range when we went to it for the very first time, we will never go back even if the NRA paid us to. I've never met a more arrogant & condescending bunch of jackwagons (to quote Gunny Ermy) in my life.

This mirrors my experience at the NRA range.
 

crazydude6030

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
512
Location
Fairfax, va
Never had a problem at the nra range. I have seen some knuckle heads play with a gun in the lobby area though, didn't take long before they were yelled at.

I refuse to visit blue ridge for a number of reasons that I don't care to post on a public forum.
 
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Walt_Kowalski

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
354
Location
Ashburn, Virginia, USA
Another little bird told me this:

From a current RSO trying to remain somewhat anonymous, as to hopefully become a future RSO -
****
You can choose to believe me or not. But this is where things are right now...

Management change is in process. Existing office staff were let go 2 weeks ago, and have already been replaced.
All SEG RSO's as of today are still employed (through at least this weekend.) All are being required to re-apply to MVM (as Ed stated) for the new MVM RSO positions. Some will be kept, some will not be.

At this point, we don't know who will or won't be kept. Jack and Ryan should be safe, as should Dave.

The facility will still be open to the public during the restructuring, and after the change is complete.

This is what we've been told so far.
 

marshaul

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
11,188
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
Never had a problem at the nra range. I have seen some knuckle heads play with a gun in the lobby area though, didn't take long before they were yelled at.

I refuse to visit blue ridge for a number of reasons that I don't care to post on a public forum.

Yes I quite prefer the NRA range to BRA.

I've never been yelled at when I didn't deserve it at the NRA range (one time I accidentally bounced a couple slugs off the floor into the ceiling). And the ventilation seems pretty elite (yes, this does matter).
 
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swinokur

Activist Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2009
Messages
917
Location
Montgomery County, MD
I go to the NRA range at least once a month. I have always found everyone there to be complete pros. I hope anyone's bad experience is the exception not the rule.

The NRA range is great as far as ventilation and safety features. They even have sinks to wash your hands as soon as you exit. Sometimes their ammo is cheaper than a gun store's.

Hopefully a next visit will go better.
 

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
I go to the NRA range at least once a month. I have always found everyone there to be complete pros. I hope anyone's bad experience is the exception not the rule.

Something we can finally agree on!

Yes, it has been my experience that the folks there are complete pros. I've been going to the nRA HQ range since they opened, and never witnessed a safety violation that didn't result in a SERIOUS dressing down for the offender, and even those are very rare.

It's clean, well-lit, and the facilities are nice too.


The NRA range is great as far as ventilation and safety features. They even have sinks to wash your hands as soon as you exit. Sometimes their ammo is cheaper than a gun store's.

This might not be a big issue for dudes, but I take a LOT of my female friends and family members to NRA HQ to teach them how to shoot, and for occsional "range days" when I'm in the area. For women, things like good ventilation and lighting, and CLEAN restrooms, and sinks for washing hands afterwards can be a deal-breaker. I've NEVER had a negative comment about NRA HQ from one of my female guests--friends, daughters, girlfriends in the past, etc.

Of course, I will admit that it appears that they are a little more cordial if you are a member, and have a NRA HQ range pass...

But compared to most of the indoor ranges in MD, the NRA is a little slice of heaven.

Of course, compared to most of the indoor ranges in MD, the streets of Baltimore are safe, clean, and well-disciplined... :banghead:
 
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