I have had one foot in at this location for ten years now. I purchased my first pistol here, and…read morereceived my first ar-15 platform here as a membership gift. Ten years ago, they really wanted your membership, bad, and were willing to bend over backwards to get it, which is probably why I ignored so much and signed up. I was sold on the idea of more lanes, expanded services, and longer lanes being right around the corner. Well, they since have added shorter lanes, re-arranged a few times, and started talking about adding things that make no sense like a skating rink?
First off - prices. They are HIGH. If you have pro plus super membership it's like not on sale optics planet prices, but if not, the markups for things like lights, red dots, ammo, etc, are big. Membership is also expensive, to the point where it's like high-end country club prices. Like, can I even justify this one to myself type prices.
Shooting lanes - fine. Probably the best air circulation of any range in the area. 25y maximum. The restaurant and gym (future skating rink I guess lol) is stuff I don't care about or consider related to my gun club gun range experience.
They also recently closed their Tekamah location, which was a huge part of the reason I signed up. Only to realize after signing up, that it wasn't just some open outdoor long range area I was allowed to use whenever, but an "event space" that was basically not open, and not something I could just go and use. Another sort of wishy-washy thing that was over-glorified to help convince me to sign up.
"Armory Services". Used them once. To time a muzzle device on 9mm PCC. Pretty simple right? Would of done it myself but the one on there was on so tight I needed a torch and vice. Neither of which I have. So, after I picked up my PCC the polymer front end was scratched to all hell. Just completely totaled out. Like obviously destroyed, to the point where why did you even hand this back to me? Did you think I wouldn't notice? They rectified it eventually by replacing the ruined parts, but the absolute lack of caring involved in handing that back to me in that condition was unforgivable. Like rotating my tires and giving the car back with the windshield broken out, and not saying anything, just insane. Literally 88 Tactical's gunsmith/armorer is the reason why I have since purchased an entire suite of tools and started doing any and all "gunsmithing" myself. A vice, torch, and specialized wrench cost less monetarily than that experience cost my faith in humanity.
Custom Service - the big one. This is where 88 tactical drops the ball in an unforgivable way. It's just as bad as the gunsmithing. If you actually needed the attendants/cashiers for anything you have to go way outside your comfort zone to get their attention. Like being very loud right in front of their face while still being ignored. The kind of unreal rudeness where you wonder if this guy is doing it on purpose to mess with you. They will have like three plus people in there that are SUPPOSED to be helping you, getting guns out of cases, asking if you want to know more about it, etc. I personally have stood next to a glass case, holding my range bag, staring right in the eyes of the employees, and had them ignore me for so long you have to go up them and be rude. You have to walk up to someone and say hey, I know you work here, I know you see me, we locked eyes like ten times over the last thirty minutes, what's the deal, do you not want to help me or is this some bet between the two of you to see how long I'll stand here before I walk out? OBVIOUSLY I want to get in this case! It's beyond unacceptable, considering the PRICE. For how much it costs even for membership these guys need to be all over you with the "yes sir right away sir" stuff or what really are you paying for?
I've been in country clubs and it's the exact opposite of how it is here. You ask any employee for anything and it works it's way around to happening. If it's not possible they apologize profusely and do what they can to mitigate fallout. If you need something they can't help you with, they will get ahold of whoever can help you, and start helping you in a timely way. This place? This is like a game of trying to convince you to leave and cancel your membership without coming straight out and telling you to. Making you feel ignored and stupid and like you sure as hell don't want to give these people three grand a year plus some for very little in return.
Overpaying for great service is basically just paying for great service. Overpaying for no service makes you feel stupid. I'll pay the range and target prices and go two or three times a year, but I'll never sign up or make an actual purchase here again.
TL;DR- after a decade of going here off and on, and experiencing every aspect of this place at many different points, my advice is to use the lanes if you like, but avoid membership, the shop, and the gunsmithing/armorer services like the plague.
