Have You Been to a Shooting or Training School?

G

g.willikers

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Contrary to popular rumors, we are not all born with terrific shooting skills as part of our DNA.
Those skills actually have to be learned the hard way, and it seems few gun owners bother to actually do it.
Has anyone here been to a genuine training facility?
If so, tell us all about it, please.
 
I'm assuming you do NOT want the concealed carry courses where all you do is demonstrate some proficiency with your firearm at the end of the course.
 
I took a course from Rob Leatham a few years ago to help with my USPSA shooting. Rob is a great instructor and one of the best shooters in the country.

I was the only one in the class with a revolver. Rob thought I would hold back the class but I surprised him. I had 50 moon clips loaded for my Model 627 and while the auto guys were taking additional time to reload their magazines I was set for the entire class.:)

I'd highly recommend taking a class from a qualified instructor. You will learn a lot .
 
Basic pistol training. The usual - don't point pipe at your face, long uncontrolled burst are superior to carefully aimed shots, etc.

Intermediate pistol training. Better grips, faster point shooting, faster multii shot combos and clearing.

Basic self defense (not chl). draw and point shooting, draw and shooting to critical areas, awareness and alternate target drills (aka one target then while looking around another target may be designated too).

I found them very worthwhile (KR training in Texas) and will be taking more advanced classes in the next year and hopefully competition classes.

Basic rifle: Dad (ex DI). He blared a horn at me once saying "now add screams and blood and *&^* and thats how I learned in Korea."
 
Tons of classes, too numerous to list. But I will second Zincwarrior on KRtraining. I've taken their basic classes and AT series plus attended guest instructors at Karl's.
 
I will add one notation. IDPA and USPSA are very good at helping with some of the basics: practicing reloads and tac reloads, shooting with weak hand, night shooting, breath distance shooting as well. If you don't regularly practice this at home its very helpful. Its not defensive shooting but you're around very good shooters and can pick up skills in these areas mentioned. I'm sure other types of competition are helpful as well.
 
I attended the United States Army Marksmanship Unit Small Arms Firing School (Conventional Pistol) in Joliet Illinois about 12-14 years ago. Learned a lot. Went to a Long Range Rifle School in Waterman Illinois about 6-7 years ago, hosted by SAFER USA. Does an Appleseed count? Been to one of those also, in Ottawa Illinois.
 
While I haven't been to "a genuine training facility" I have been blessed to have taken classes from some genuine great instructors. Well worth the cost of the classes.

I also have benefited from shooting IDPA with other folks far more talented than I am (at this point).

My first "training" experience came while in college NROTC. The Marine Master gunny sgt had a interest in winning rifle and pistol matches and gave us lots of...I'll call it colorful encouragement. He also raised funds for Eley Tenex match ammo by charging us poor college folks for poor marksmanship.
 
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Yes, I've taken a number of classes at Tac-Pro Shooting Center and Texas Pistol Academy as well as classes by various travelling instructors at various local ranges.

The worst class I've ever taken was a CHL renewal class in Garland that I scheduled at the last minute. That was literally the only firearms class where I didn't learn something to make the investment in time and money worthwhile.
 
Just recently Handgun Tactics with Low-Light from Tiger Mckee at Shootrite Firearms Academy and about 18 months ago Tom Givens 3 Day Instructor Development Course. I feel very fortunate to have trained under both of these gentlemen.
 
If you're carrying it should be manditory !! Farnam's course amazed me in the amount I didn't know !!:eek:
 
Started out at age 5 with a bow & arrow, Grandpa taught me basic and advanced ballistic theory with Archery.
Cannot emphasize enough how much that helps later on...especially with a .45-70 or a super-blooper ;)

At age 12 with a Ret. Marine instructor (Grandpa again) who first showed me how good HE was with a rifle...
he set up a few jugs of water, loaded his M1 Garand, and busted them all, one shot each at 200 yards...
then he looks over at me with what I can only describe as Hard-Corps Grandpa and said,
"If you ever screw up the family name, consider yourself as one of those targets. Now we begin your Instruction."
Which, if nothing else, made me a somewhat more careful & selective teenager ;)

Note: If you run across an old guy with a gun he's been shooting his whole adult life, try not to become one of his targets ;)

The rest of the formal training occurred during service with the Navy, and then Army, then personal training.
This is also a great reason to have multiple weapons...so there's always something new to work with...
keeps interest alive, yet you are still practicing the basics regularly!
Its what one has to do to stay sharp!


Hrm...that reminds me...anyone remember the old Shotgun Range at NAS Memphis??
Best training ever received on moving targets occurred there!!
 
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I have taken several courses over the years from various folks. I have been sorely disappointed by courses from those with "national fame" in most cases so I avoid those now and I search for the best specialist for a skillset I want to improve. I try to take one a year. I am thinking it will be a sporting clays class in 2016.

Police and Pursuit Driving, Winter Driving, edged weapons, defensive HtH, Surveillance, Wilderness survival are the non-gun ones. One rifle and one team tactics course. The rest have all been handgun courses that I took, and what I am still the worst at.
 
I have taken Defensive pistol and Defensive Shotgun and an Urban Rifle class. I have also taken the Idaho enhanced CCW course (not really training). I have also gotten alot of help at some competitive shoots (not true training either but it does help)
 
The flip side of this question. If you hang out a bit at a local range you see shooting ability from good to absolutely abysmal!! There is a crying need for BASIC instruction about how to shoot.

I think as a group effort clubs and ranges should offer biweekly or monthly instruction on how to shoot. Think of this as Appleseed basic, or Appleseed for handguns.

I was helping our club at Deer sight and there were perhaps 10% of the folks younger than 20 years old. One early teen girl started crying because the shotgun with slugs hurt her shoulder. We started a short training session with a 22 to calm her and teach basic skills. When she left her 20 gauge pump was sighted in and she didn't like it, but could hit the target off the bench.
 
FBI LE Firearms instructors course, NRA LE Rifle Instructors Course, USAMU Sniper School, SAFS (a few times), NG-MTU Coaches Clinic, CMP Master Instructor's Course. 4H Shooting Sports Instructor Course. USA Small Arms Instructor Course (forgot what it was called)

If you're carrying it should be mandatory
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I do believe everyone should seek as much training as possible but I'm totally against making it mandatory. Mainly I'm concerned with who sets the standards. Would it be legit or would the standards be set by some anti-gun Politian who would make the standards do difficult it would eliminate many people from having the means to protect themselves.

Also what would be the cost, would it be such that self protection would be a rich man's game.

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I want to give a shout out to the SAFS. (Small Arms Firing School) for both rifle and pistol.

This program started out in 1904 under President Roosevelt where Congress task the Army with training the US Citizen in the use of military rifle and pistols. Under the direction of the army's Division of Civilian Marksmanship
(DCM) and now, since 1996, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP).

First taught at the National Matches but under the CMP throughout the country at the CMP Games, and locally.

This is a low cost, (if any) course that will teach the fundamentals to be built on with practice.
 
When I was a kid, a friend of my Dad's was a State Pistol Champion Shooter. He gave me lessons which helped me throughout life. Then there was the Army Marksmanship training and a year in Vietnam. I also was trained by two different Government Agencies, each with stringent standards. And when I retired, I began attending Front Sight on an annual basis. In between Front Sight visits, I train with LEO Instructors on a weekly basis. I feel that one can never over train and I am confident in my abilities and skills. All the training in the world is not going to help unless one takes the time to practice, practice, practice.
 
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