What Tap Rack Bang Training does

Tap Rack Bang Training (TRB) is a privately held firearms training company operating as Tap Rack Bang, LLC, a California-domiciled entity founded and led by Ernie Medina, a former U.S. Marine Captain and Naval Academy graduate with nearly three decades of firearms instruction experience. The company's core offering is Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) certification training for California applicants in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego counties, delivered through a 16-hour curriculum (12 hours classroom plus 4 hours live-fire) that explicitly exceeds minimum legal and law enforcement benchmarks. Supplemental offerings include 1-Day CCW renewal courses, fundamental and advanced pistol and rifle classes, a five-session Defensive Pistol Program, private one-on-one training sessions with three named instructors, and a Monthly Private Training subscription at $255 per month.

The business operates through four physical locations: a classroom headquarters in Fullerton, CA, plus three partner ranges — FT3 Tactical in Stanton, CA, Tetelestai Range in Tonopah, AZ, and Mike Raahauge Shooting Enterprises in Corona, CA. Revenue is generated across five streams: group class training ($150-$475 per course), private training sessions ($255-$275 per 2-hour session), a monthly subscription tier, CCW administrative services including the $200 White Glove application assistance and $50 Add-A-Gun appointments, and merchandise/gift certificates. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company website (trbtraining.com), with community events like Armed & Anchored men's gatherings and a USCCA marketing partnership serving as top-of-funnel channels.

The company is fully founder-owned and independently operated with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or subsidiary structure. Operating geographies are limited to Southern California and Arizona, with explicit jurisdictional exclusions for 12 Los Angeles County cities. Growth signals include the Arizona expansion, subscription pricing introduction, multistate UT/AZ endorsement training, and broadened advanced curriculum, though headcount remains constrained to three named instructors and no funding rounds have been announced.

Name

Tap Rack Bang Training

Legal name

Tap Rack Bang, LLC

Website

https://trbtraining.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tap Rack Bang Training is a founder-owned California firearms training company providing CCW certification and advanced pistol/rifle instruction across four Southern California counties and Arizona, delivered by three instructors including a former U.S. Marine Captain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Firearms Training Services

NAICS

Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Firearms, Range Safety & Less-Lethal Weapons Training (EDAOAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Law Enforcement / Military / Security Defensive Tactics Training (HSADADAI)

Keywords

• Firearms training
• Concealed carry certification
• CCW permit courses
• Defensive pistol training
• Tactical rifle instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Orange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Group Class Training: Revenue from scheduled group classes including 2-Day CCW courses, 1-Day CCW Renewal courses, Fundamental Pistol/Rifle classes, and Advanced CCW courses. Classes priced per person with tiered pricing for CA new applicants, renewal applicants, and multistate options.
2. Private Training Sessions: One-on-one or small-group private instruction with instructors. Two-hour sessions with Ernie Medina at $275, Josh Cabato at $255, and Tyrin Bailous at $255. Range fees not included. Monthly subscription option starting at $255/month for one session per month with 3-month minimum.
3. CCW Administrative Services: CCW White Glove Service at $200 for application assistance via Zoom, Add-A-Gun appointments at $50 per session, and Add Multistate to CA CCW at $50.
4. Merchandise and Gear Sales: Sale of TRB apparel, stickers, patches, Ranger Padded Range Bag, holsters, and parts through the company's shop.
5. Training Gift Certificates: Gift certificates for private training, group training, and CCW courses ranging from $300 to $550.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tap Rack Bang Training is a privately held firearms training company that delivers concealed carry weapon (CCW) certification courses and advanced defensive pistol, rifle, and combatives instruction. Its core offerings include 2-Day CCW courses, 1-Day CCW renewal courses, fundamental and advanced pistol/rifle classes, private one-on-one instruction, and a monthly private training subscription, primarily serving California (Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego counties) and Arizona residents.

Product overview

Tap Rack Bang Training is a firearms training company offering concealed carry weapon (CCW) certification courses and advanced firearms training. The core offerings include 2-Day CCW Courses and 1-Day CCW Renewal Courses authorized for California counties (Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego), supplemented by CCW White Glove Service for application assistance and Add-A-Gun Appointments for permit modifications. Training programs span fundamental and advanced pistol and rifle courses (Basic Pistol, Basic Rifle, Fighting Rifle Series), plus specialized advanced courses (Moving & Shooting, Low Light Shooting, Room Clearing, Armed & Anchored). Private training options include one-on-one sessions with certified instructors and monthly subscription plans. The company also offers merchandise including apparel, range bags, and training gift certificates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 2-Day CCW Course Two-day concealed carry weapon certification course for new CCW applicants in California, covering 12 hours of classroom instruction and 4 hours of live-fire range qualification. Authorized for Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, and San Diego County.
• 1-Day CCW Renewal Course One-day CCW permit renewal course for experienced CCW holders, featuring an 8-hour live-fire range session with advanced qualification requirements for applicants in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.
• CCW White Glove Service One-on-one 1.5-hour Zoom call with a TRB expert to assist with CCW application completion and submission, including document gathering, interview preparation, and application tips. Priced at $200.
• Add-A-Gun Appointment Service to add additional firearms to an existing valid CCW permit, conducted during the Sunday morning range portion of CCW classes. Allows adding multiple firearms for one $50 fee.
• Private CCW Course Tailored CCW course for individuals, families, groups, or private companies. New applicants receive 16 hours total (12 classroom + 4 live-fire); renewal applicants receive 8 hours total (6 classroom + 2 live-fire). Group pricing available.
• Advanced CCW - Moving & Shooting Advanced pistol course teaching students to accurately shoot while moving in various directions (forward, backward, side-to-side) to neutralize threats and become a more difficult target. Priced at $150.
• Advanced CCW - Shooting in Low Light Progressive pistol class improving skills in daylight and low-light shooting engagements, including use of handheld and weapon-mounted lights. Priced at $150.
• Armed & Anchored (CA) Men's gathering centered on growth in skill, discipline, faith, and community, combining structured training, fellowship, and biblical discussion at Mike Raahauge Shooting Enterprises in Corona, CA. Priced at $60 for range costs.
• Basic Pistol 1 & 2 (Fundamental Pistol Series) Two-part fundamental pistol class teaching essential knowledge and skills for firearm safety, operation, and responsible ownership. Each session priced at $150.
• Basic Rifle 1 & 2 (Fundamental Rifle Series)

Quantifiable outcome

• 16 hours total CCW training for new applicants (12 hours classroom + 4 hours live-fire); 8 hours for renewal applicants (6 hours classroom + 2 hours live-fire)

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FT3 TacticalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFT3 Tactical provides the live-fire range facilities for CCW qualification portions in Stanton, CA. Students complete their live-fire shooting qualification at FT3 before proceeding to TRB HQ for classroom instruction. Range fees are separate from course fees.
• Tetelestai RangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTetelestai Range in Tonopah, AZ serves as the primary training location for Arizona-based TRB Academy classes including Fundamental Rifle, Fundamental Pistol, and Advanced CCW courses.
• Mike Raahauge Shooting EnterprisesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMike Raahauge Shooting Enterprises in Corona, CA hosts Armed & Anchored community events. The $60 event fee strictly covers range costs with donations beyond that going to Mission Bible Church.
• Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD)coreOthersTap Rack Bang is authorized to provide CCW training for Orange County residents. OCSD processes CCW applications for Orange County regardless of what city applicants live in.
• Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD)coreOthersTap Rack Bang is authorized to conduct CCW training for all cities in Los Angeles County EXCEPT Bell, Beverly Hills, Burbank, El Monte, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Monrovia, Redondo Beach, San Fernando, San Marino, and Santa Fe Springs. Some LA cities have their own police departments overseeing CCW applications.
• USCCA (U.S. Concealed Carry Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partnership with USCCA for distribution of Concealed Carry Guide. TRB promotes the USCCA Concealed Carry Guide on its class pages as a resource for prospective CCW students.
• Mission Bible ChurchminorOthersDonations collected during Armed & Anchored events beyond the $60 range fee are donated directly to Mission Bible Church in support of their ministry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gunsite Academy: Premier firearms training academy offering defensive pistol, rifle, and concealed carry instruction for civilians, law enforcement, and military. Highly comparable as a premium, instructor-led training destination for serious defensive shooters, similar in positioning to TRB's higher-tier courses.
• Tactical Response: Defensive/combatives and firearms training school delivering pistol, rifle, and force-on-force courses. Overlaps with TRB's combatives framing and defensive-tactics positioning.
• SureFire Institute: Tactical training school providing low-light, handgun, and rifle courses emphasizing equipment-specific skills. Overlaps with TRB's Low Light and Fighting Rifle advanced offerings.
• Front Sight Firearms Training Institute: Multi-day defensive firearms training resort offering pistol, rifle, shotgun, and CCW courses with structured curricula. Comparable to TRB's multi-session Defensive Pistol Program and 2-Day CCW format, and similarly targets motivated civilian defenders seeking outcome-oriented training.
• USCCA (United States Concealed Carry Association): Membership and education organization offering concealed carry training, certification, and insurance to civilians. Directly comparable as a CCW education provider and an existing TRB marketing partner; competes for the same permit-applicant customer.
• Sig Sauer Academy: Operated firearms training facility offering defensive pistol, rifle, and instructor certification courses. Directly comparable in scope (pistol/rifle/combatives curricula) and audience (civilians plus LE/military) to TRB's core offerings.
• Point Blank Firearms Training: Multi-state CCW and firearms training provider offering concealed carry certification and advanced classes. Comparable CCW-focused curriculum and direct-to-consumer booking model akin to TRB's website-driven scheduling.
• Thunder Ranch: Long-running tactical firearms training school offering defensive pistol and rifle courses taught by former military/LE instructors. Comparable to TRB in instructor pedigree, advanced curriculum (Moving & Shooting, Low Light), and premium civilian clientele.
• Citizens Safety Academy: California-licensed CCW and firearms safety training school offering concealed carry certification across Southern California counties. Head-to-head competitor for the same OC/LA/Riverside/San Diego permit applicant that TRB targets.

Broad incumbents

• NRA Training: National-organization-led firearms training and certification network setting baseline curriculum standards that TRB's courses exceed. Indirect competitor setting the floor on training quality and pricing across the broader CCW market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/taprackbangtraining
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tap-rack-bang-training

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tap Rack Bang Training