Northern California Handgun Instruction

[alcmaeon]

Hey All

I'm going to take up the advice of many at TFL and get some formal handgun training. What I know is self taught combined with formal training in rifles and shotguns as a boy (Boy Scout .22 ranges) with a few informal "tips" from others and lots of reading and than trying out what I have read in real life.

I know of Thunder Ranch and some of the other centers for training but as nice as a Texas vacation might be, I'm not wealthy enough to spend a week at one of these centers.

So, can anyone recommend a place or person to get formal instruction from either in the San Francisco Bay Area or within a reasonable driving distance of here (reasonable= up to 4 hours drive or so)?

Thanks!

[PressCheck]

http://www.thehalogroup.com
click on the HALO Group icon.

Concord, CA.

Check out the courses.

[45R]

www.tftt.com

[Preacherman]

Some of the very best training you could ever hope to get is given by travelling instructors such as Randy Cain, Gabe Suarez and Jim Crews. They're all multiple graduates of Gunsite and/or Thunder Ranch and/or other schools, and are so widely respected that they're all on the API List (the e-mail forum for Gunsite graduates and others of demonstrably similar skill levels). I would VERY strongly recommend that you find out when they're coming to your area, and book with them. It's also a lot cheaper than a five-day course at a "fixed" institution!

Contact details:

Randy Cain - http://www.guntactics.com/

Gabe Suarez - http://www.suarezinternational.com/

Jim Crews - http://www.marksmans.com/

I particularly recommend Jim Crews' "Some Of The Answer" series of manuals. They're available on paper or CD-ROM, and are IMHO the finest training aids of their kind ever produced. Jim also has an awesome reputation for working one-on-one with individuals to diagnose their problems and rectify them. However, the other two are also outstanding, and I'd willingly pay my money to any of them (hopefully all of them before I'm through! :D ).

HTH

[alcmaeon]

Thanks for all the Info guys! I'll be checking all of them out. Have a good New Years!

[QuickDraw]

Hi alcmaeon,
I've been thinking of going to Halo.The basic combat pistol
course is $125.00(I think).Need 10 to make a class.I'm #1 if
your #2!
They also do private lessons,more$$.
If you call,talk to Kevin,seems like a nice guy.
Let me know if interested.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Concur with the Randy Cain recommendation, using the first link provided as that is his site.

Louis Awerbuck comes to the Bay Area on occasion, as does Bill Jeans.

If you are up for a one or two day trip to LA, I'd suggest Scott Reitz and Larry Mudgett.

I've got to run to work, so I'll add the links in the AM.

Erick

[SKN]

Hate to correct the padre but the 'Some of the Answer' series is by Jim Crews. They are available through his web site at http://www.marksmans.com

[Preacherman]

Thanks, SKN - you're absolutely right! I've corrected the error in my post. Also, Erick, you're right about Louis Awerbuck and Bill Jeans - both are in the same league as the three I've named.

[Erick Gelhaus]

The links for the instructors I mentioned:
Bill Jeans @
www.morrigan-consulting.com
Louis Awerbuck @
www.yfainc.com
Scott Reitz & Larry Mudgett @
www.internationaltactical.com

For the South Bay area, I forgot to mention Eric Ching, long time Gunsite staff, and Don Lazzarini. Both very knowledgable people and good instructors.

[CWL]

Only one guy in the Bay Area.

Walt Marshall of AWT
www.awt-co.com

Walt has survived/won dozens of gunfights while a LEO and has battled gangsters, gang bangers, drug dealers, Hells Angels and other assorted BGs in his 30-year career. Walt led the high-risk entry team in his dept. and has logged thousands of armed entries into hostile house-holds (if you want real CQB experience).

Walt was formerly Rangemaster at Gunsite and has had the pleasure of kicking Masaad Ayoob off the course twice for screwing-up. Walt also has trained border-patrol, police and Special Forces. He now also consults for movies.

AWT also holds night firing and simunitions shoot-house training.

All of his staff are active or retired LEO with true gunfight exerience. He also runs a hot range, compared to some others.

AWT classes are run all over Silicon Valley to East Bay.

Very strongly urge anyone in the area to look this man up for real training.

[Sven]

Well, there ARE other guys than Walt here in the Bay Area, but they don't advertise!

=)

[PressCheck]

Concord, CA. March 15-16, 2003

http://www.thehalogroup.com
(click on HALO Group icon)

5 slots left.

Snooze ya lose.

[dghboy315]

hi, i'm new

thank for the info
i've been looking for training since i moved to sacramento

one course that i could make and seem really interesting was the High Risk Environmental Training by Tactical Firearms Training Team: http://www.shooters-edge.com/tftt/s2/index.htm

it seems to blend a whole bunch of different skill together in just a weekend for a reasonable price

anyone have any experience with this course or the TFTT school in general?

basically, i'm an average law student who likes this stuff and does ok at the local idpa and ipsc matches. i am looking in to working in the law enforcement field, someday.

thanks again for any info

[Sven]

Halo Group website just crashed when I submitted my credit card number.... hrm.


Server Error in '/' Application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ExecuteReader requires an open and available Connection. The connection's current state is Closed.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.InvalidOperationException: ExecuteReader requires an open and available Connection. The connection's current state is Closed.

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:

[InvalidOperationException: ExecuteReader requires an open and available Connection. The connection's current state is Closed.]
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ValidateCommand(String method, Boolean executing) +279
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream) +103
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteNonQuery() +206
dev.thehalogroup.com.application.SaveApplication(Object s, EventArgs e) +4079
System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e) +108
System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.System.Web.UI.IPostBackEventHandler.RaisePostBackEvent(String eventArgument) +57
System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(IPostBackEventHandler sourceControl, String eventArgument) +18
System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(NameValueCollection postData) +33
System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain() +1263

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:1.0.3705.288; ASP.NET Version:1.0.3705.288


Ouch. I called the number for reservations (925-680-4874) and left my contact info - hope to hear back. Would love to train with Chuck Taylor and his team.

[PressCheck]

Don't know what happened. Application page seems to be working. I just tried it.

[DVDTracker]

Sven, I run the HALO web site. I haven't been able to reproduce the problem or track down why it's happening. Drop me an e-mail and we'll see if we can get it fixed. Thanks!

pete@thehalogroup.com

[Sven]

Pete - email sent. It appears I actually did register, so all is well.

-s

[PressCheck]

Detailed course descriptions for 2003 are now up on the website.

http://www.thehalogroup.com

[PressCheck]

March 15-16 Class is FULL.

HALO will take "stand by" applications in case of cancellations.

[Ronbaci]

I am sponsoring Gabe Suarez in July in the Sacramento area. Check his web page: http://www.gabesuarez.com./

[dwestfall]

How much longer will HALO be holding classes at the Concord location? I don't imagine the business park occupahnts will want to look down on the range...

[PressCheck]

You are correct. At some point the Range will be squeezed out, but not anytime soon.

[dwestfall]

Glad to hear it.