Would appreciate feedback for a product idea
Where should I start? Well, I start off by telling you how I envisioned this.
Last year, I was invited to go shooting at a gun range, something that I have not done in a few years. In fact, I haven't fired a weapon prior to that in almost 4 years. When we got to the range, I was getting excited. It was an outdoor range and there was wooden pallets, plastic barrels, stacks of tires and even an old car that had been shot at least 5000 times. I stood there and watched the guys I was with shoot there M4's and when it was my turn, I stepped up to the firing line and shot a magazine worth of rounds. I had a good time, but I felt something was missing. Something more.....lifelike. I got bored really fast shooting at stationary paper targets and steel plates. I wanted to shoot at something that looked more....human and acted more humanlike.
On the way back, the guys who invited me were talking about there skills and recapping the whole experience. I suggested that in the real world, your enemy wouldn't stand still and just let you shoot at it.
This got me thinking.
Over the coarse of a few days, I started drawing some simple designs and writing notes on how I wanted my idea to work. The problem was, that I didn't know much about what people want from a range. Perhaps people are content shooting at stationary targets. But I was thinking on a "Walt Disney" level. What if I could make an ordinary range feel more......like a real world environment.
So I started gathering supplies, acquiring some mechanical components and started building some mock ups. What I came up with was a hollowed out mannequin torso with a 1/2" steel plate underneath with articulating shoulders. This would look lifelike as can be, and with the articulating shoulders would allow this target to pull a weapon up to its shoulder and then lower. I also mounted the target on a pole that would allow the target to "lean" out. This target would be otherwise, be concealed behind a wall or some type of barrier, at any given time, the target would lean out from behind cover, draw a prop-weapon up to its shoulder and then return back to cover, giving the shooter a very short window of opportunity to hit that target. The steel plate attaches to a frame and has a piezoelectric sensor which will notify the shooter and indicate a hit or kill. ( ill get into that in another time).
I dressed up this target to look more like a "middle eastern insurgent" with an Adidas track jacket, black ski mask, basic AK-style chest rig and "ISIS" head band. I thought, what are people most likely going to want to shoot at and so I figured some type of terrorist. I also purchased some clown/zombie Halloween mask and costumes from Spirit and they look spectacular with a black light.
This was basically a demo and a very crude prototype that is not even recognizable anymore, I have made many modifications and shot it over 1000 times. I used that demo to help create a better product. Right now I have developed my 3rd prototype and I think I am definitely in the ball park. In November of 2018, I was awarded a Patent and Patent Pending status for what I call the "Combat Simulator". What I am doing now is creating 4 simulators that have different characteristics. I have the one I spoke about, this will lean out from behind concealed cover, draw a weapon up to its shoulder and then return to concealment. The second simulator is going to be able to "pop up" from behind a barrier like a car, pallet of barrels etc. and draw a weapon to its shoulder and then return to its original cover position. The third simulator is one I am getting excited about, this one will be able to move between two objects at a distance of 30-40 feet at a speed of about 6-10 MPH and draw a weapon to a "hip fire" position. Basically, this target will run from cover to cover while simulating shooting from the hip. The forth is basically just like the 2nd simulator but operates on a section of track that allows the simulator to move in a 8' area.
Right now, I am using pneumatic cylinders to operate the simulator. All of the mechanical components, like the articulating shoulders are protected by the 1/2" steel plate or otherwise out of the bullets flight path. I tried using electric stepper/servo motors but the cost would be to high. I am trying to create a product that will be marketable to consumers and affordable. The Patent Pending status I was awarded was on a PLC algorithm that would allow up to 20 of these simulators to operate during a single session without any user input. You would basically step up to the firing line, press a button and the range session would start and you as the shooter would not know which simulators would operate first. This in my mind, would force a shooter to use more quick critical thinking skills and reflexes rather that marksmanship skills. Also, I feel this simulation would give a shooter a more realistic environment to train on.
So I'm going to stop there and ask my first question:
Question: Right now I am at a crossroads. I have gotten some feedback, nothing great, but nothing bad. I have heard, "its cool", "no one would really use it", "I think its got potential", "paper and steel plates are a lot cheaper", "people just want to shoot", "maybe for SOCOM but good luck with that". The best feedback I got was at Shot Show 2019 by Erik Prince, who gave me his business card and asked me to send him any information I had. He also set up a lunch for me and some guys who said that run the Range 37 procurement department. But I didn't get a good feel from these guys. They had no facial expressions, they were quiet and asked very complex questions that I didn't have answers for, but they did give me there contact info and asked for me to send them more information. Im about 78% sure they were just wanting a free meal.
So..... Is this a good idea? Should I continue to fund this out of my own pocket and continue to make improvements or should I scrap this and move on to something else? So far, I've got about $30k into this and all I have is a low quality functioning prototype, some half ass engineering drawings and some technical notes that look like a child wrote them.
I know a lot of ranges, especially outdoor ranges are not set up to accommodate pneumatic target systems and my targets would require 110/220v and a pretty good size air compressor and an air tank (1000 gallon)- maybe two, especially if your going to run many simulators. I was thinking something like Dave & Busters but for guys like us who own guns. I think I can sell this, but it might take a while to get this off the ground. I would have to convince range owners to update there ranges and to buy my product and then create a realistic environment around my product. That would require them to invest money, buy props like cars, build a façades, add lighting etc.
Attachment 56110
This is a photo containing a few CAD drawings and 3D scan I have done as well as Mk2 simulator, which is mocked up to look like an insurgent (ISIS). The torso is filled with a dense rubber and leaves a small cavity to slide over the steel plate. The arms attach using a steel collar and set screws. Arms are possible and made of super think rubber/epoxy resin. I'm trying to get as many pictures into this thread as possible. But basically, I think you get the idea.
I am including a 10 second CGI animation of what my simulators would look like. The animation is the best I can do. Its not 100% true to the performance but hopefully you will see what I am trying to achieve.
https://youtu.be/LLC5qscpZpk
Looking forward to your feedback and or input from you. I am only interested in hearing back from people who have something relevant to add. Thank you. I will add more photos in a later post. I don't have a working model right now, but should have my MK4 (I sound like Tony Stark) available for a short demo video in a few days.
