‘Out of the box’ Texas shoot-’em-up ride in Humvee with AR-15 rifles. Is this even legal?

One North Texas business is giving customers the ride of a lifetime.

Brok’n Tusk Adventures, based out of Chico, provides a unique experience where customers can shoot fully automatic rifles from a Humvee, co-owner Brad Price said. The vehicle takes up to two riders on an outdoor course where they can unload on a series of targets.

Gearing up with a rifle and piling into a Humvee isn’t exactly what the normal person does everyday and that’s what the company is counting on, Price said.

With more than a million guns registered in Texas, and AR-15 rifles are a popular choice for gun owners, the business plan seems to be on solid ground. The popularity of the assault rifle is unmistakable with over 20 million AR-15 rifles in the U.S., according to statista.com.

“This is something that’s kind of out of the box,” he said. “We just thought we’d roll the dice and see if we could provide that kind of experience, and hopefully make enough money to keep going.”

Brok’n Tusk Adventures comes from Price and Karl Amerson, a pair of Marine Corps veterans who co-own the company.

The idea dawned on Price while working in the helicopter hog hunting world. The idea of aerial hunting moved the sport of hog hunting from the ground to the sky, and Price noticed how excited people got about the concept.

But while fun, helicopter hog hunting costs a pretty penny, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars per person. Price, a helicopter pilot himself, knew there had to be a way to provide a similar but cheaper experience for the average person.

After convincing Amerson to join him, the pair zeroed in on a helicopter air assault course where customers could shoot targets from the sky. But when their helicopter purchase fell through, they pivoted to a ground assault course and purchased a Humvee.

“It’s an exciting experience that’s cost effective,” Price said. “That’s kind of what we were looking for.”

The ground assault course costs $200 per person and lasts about 30 minutes.

A typical day starts with a safety briefing, weapons training and walk-through of what to expect, Price said. Then its time for action. Customers pile into the Humvee, which is driven by either Price or Amerson. Whoever is not driving sits in the back as a safety officer.

The shooters, equipped with fully automatic and silenced AR-15 rifles with roughly 120 rounds each, are able to shoot freely at the series of targets along the course — some even containing tannerite, a binary explosive that produces a small explosion.

By the end of the drive through the Texas countryside, the Humvee pulls up to a bunker where a few more targets are placed to end the ride with a bang.

“It also has tannerite in it, so they get a little bit of pyrotechnics,” Price said.

Is shooting automatic rifles even legal in Texas?

While gearing up with an assault rifle and shooting from a moving vehicle is any Texans dream, is it all legal?

Yes, the company has registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), who are fully aware of what’s taking place, Price said. In addition, Amerson has a federal firearm license and a special occupational taxpayer status that’s also registered with the ATF.

The Federal Firearms License Experts explains what an SOT is as: “An SOT is a Special Occupational Taxpayer. That’s government speak for ‘somebody who does things we don’t like but everyone else loves, so we are going to tax and license them for it.’”

It is essentially “something you get with certain FFL’s (Federal Firearms License) in order to engage in different forms of business involving NFA (National Firearms Act) items.” according to FFL123.com.

Another safety component is that customers cannot bring their own firearms to the experience, instead using the rifles provided by Brok’n Tusk, Price said.

“If there’s a safety violation, we will immediately stop everything,” he said. “It’s over at that point.”

Brok’n Tusk Adventures only just launched at the end of September, but Price and Amerson have big plans for the company.

The pair hope to eventually purchase a helicopter to fulfill the company’s initial pitch, along with setting up a “full auto buffet,” where customers can fire a variety of fully automatic guns at a shooting range.

Reservations can be booked on the company’s website and Price said they can accommodate larger parties for those businesses or bachelor parties looking for a different kind of experience.

“Hopefully this is something that everyone can enjoy,” he said.