Firearms Training schools

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Plumber576

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Ok guys, here si the dea and I would appreciate any help and opinions.

My roomate and I are lookign forward to spring break 2007...we don't want to be in the background of a Girls Ogne wild video and jsut drink our asses off and waste money on some beach...we want to go to do some kind of handgun training.

I am looking for some different schools, and hopefully somewhere warm. The places I know of are Thunder Ranch (a great idea, but it's going to be in march, in oregon), Valhalla (expensive), ggunsite, front shight, and that's about it. I hear there is somethign in Mississippi. I would like ot go some place warm, and know of some others. It would be in march, and we would be looking to take some kind of advanced concealed carry class, or defensive pistol, for at least 3 days.

Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated. If you have websites for any other schools that would be great. It would be my first multiple day class, but I really want to make it worth while and plan this out right. I think it would be great to find one in Florida...it'd be warm and not too far of a drive for two guys who jsut finished finals.

Thanks!
 
Louis Awerbuck and many other instructors do traveling classes across the country every year. Black Water also hosts quite a bit of training at some decent prices. Do a search on the various instructors.. there are a few in the south.
 
Steve Silverman does quite a bit of traveling and is a good friend. Steve' site . He just came out with his schedule, about 1/2 the classes he usually offers are on the schedule now. He is also certified to teach the Utah concealed carry permit course. Its a great value among the non-resident permits, the course can be taught in a day, the entire application can be done by mail. And since Steve travels he'll come to you to teach it if you have enough folks to make the trip worth his while.

The crew at Insights Training Insights site offer an integrated package of defensive skill sets. Our study group has met nearly each one of the current training staff and they have at least one representative, commonly several, come out each year for the past several to participate in the National Tactical Invitational (NTI) events . We often benefit from at least one reprentative presenting a topic at the event. Unfortunately, John Holschen is no longer on staff for personal reasons. The community is lessened by his absence. He was a great instructor, and one of the greatest men I have ever met.

John Farnam also has regularly made appearances at the NTI for several years, and is one of the most gracious men I've met. He also often presents a topic. Amazing how a crusty old Jarhead like him has remained humble. John's site He is constantly trying something new and refining his material to stay current.

Tom Givens at Rangemaster in Memphis is a recent participant at the NTI, and presented last year. His school has the distinct reputation of seeing more of its graduates involved in shootings than any other. Before you roll your eyes, remember that Memphis consistently placed among the top of the FBI's Uniform Crime Report of dangerous cities. This year it again made #1 for dangerous cities of populations of >250,000. Its residents face a 1 in 100 chance of being raped, robbed, assaulted, or murdered. Tom's students have credited their survival to his school, and he often hears from them and publishings accountings of their orders in his monthly newsletter. Tom has an event scheduled in Baton Rouge in March.

I can recommend any one of these schools. I have seen each person here mentioned on the range on multiple occasions, studied under them, practiced along side them, and with the exception of Steve, have run them and their staff thru my respective shoothouse at the annual NTI. Each one is committed to solid instruction and you would find hard to do better than any of the schools mentioned here and in your question. I mention these specifically due to personal interaction and experience.
 
I think you should decide if you want a shooting skills school or a defensive tactics school. For shooting skills, I would suggest Rogers in Ellijay, GA. For defensive tactics, any of the schools mentioned, plus a dozen more, will suffice although I would probably go with Rangemaster based on reputation.
 
What is your idea of warm ?
There arn't going to be very many places that are warm in March. Frontsight will probably be as warm as anywhere in the US, plus after you complete the course you can also be in the background of a girls gone wild video in Las Vegas.
Gunsight is in Arizona, but it is at higher elevation and will be pretty chilly in March. Most of the other places mentioned will be cold.

I have taken classes at several different schools and have had some of the instructors already mentioned in this thread. That being said, I couldn't recommend Frontsight enough. It would be my first choice for a handgun class. If you take that guy from the last post up on his offer, it will be the best $100 you ever spent. I guarentee that you will be thrilled to tears with the class.
 
Sweatnbullets said:
I can get you set up for a four day HG course at Fronsight for $100. Take the money you save and have a great time in sunny Las Vegas.:evil:
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WOAH! What was that? $100? If you are serious, please let me know!
 
I am sure he is serious. Frontsight has certificates for any of their basic classes that are really cheap as a means of enticing people out to their facility for the first time.
That was the best basic handgun class I have ever taken. At the end of the class, you will be doing 1.5 second headshots from a concealed holster.
I am taking Frontsight Practical Rifle, two day skill builder, this coming weekend for the third time.
 
I second (third?) the Front Sight idea. Nevada is reasonably warm in March, the training is good, proximity to Vegas is a plus if you're into that kind of thing, and the price can't be beat. My wife and I recently went the certificate route (got 'em for $150 on eBay, and probably overpaid) for handgun training and were very pleased with the training. It was my wife's first formal training experience. Her shooting improved considerably, her gunhandling skills improved radically, and her confidence level soared.

Front Sight is straight Modern Technique, essentially out of the Gunsite book. Some people find it's not "progressive" enough. I personally think it makes a fine basis for future learning no matter what other training you may eventually pursue.

Someone will soon appear to bash Front Sight as the home of uber-litigious Scientologist doctrinaire quack salesmen. Let me preemptively say that the membership sales pitch (and I hesitate to even call it that) was VERY low key, and attendance at the talk was optional. I never heard a peep about religion of any kind, either.
 

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I have never been to that school that Sir Aardvark mentions, but the instructor (Bill Murphy) is the real deal. He is a long time Gunsite rangemaster and I had him as the rangemaster in basic carbine at Gunsite. You can read some of his writing in "Combat Tactics" magazine (put out by Surefire). I think it comes out like once a year. He has several articles in the latest edition. He is affiliated with Surefire also.
 
Plumber,

Thanks for considering Valhalla.. we have a lot going on in April, take another look at our tuition and I think you'll see that our prices are in line with eveyrone else that you're looking at... inexpenive loding is available in Montrose (18 miles away).

Let me know if I can answer any questions...

-Rob Pincus
-Director of Operations, VTC
 
Good Option

Tom Givens runs an excellent school (Rangmaster) in Memphis TN .. pretty close to MS.

Tom has some great courses, and often uses Jim Higgnebotam teaching in his courses... who is really outstanding.

Take a look at www.rangemaster.com for more info.

Thunder Ranch may be the best...but I understand it is already booked thru 2006.


FWIW

Chuck


Plumber576 said:
Ok guys, here si the dea and I would appreciate any help and opinions.

My roomate and I are lookign forward to spring break 2007...we don't want to be in the background of a Girls Ogne wild video and jsut drink our asses off and waste money on some beach...we want to go to do some kind of handgun training.

I am looking for some different schools, and hopefully somewhere warm. The places I know of are Thunder Ranch (a great idea, but it's going to be in march, in oregon), Valhalla (expensive), ggunsite, front shight, and that's about it. I hear there is somethign in Mississippi. I would like ot go some place warm, and know of some others. It would be in march, and we would be looking to take some kind of advanced concealed carry class, or defensive pistol, for at least 3 days.

Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated. If you have websites for any other schools that would be great. It would be my first multiple day class, but I really want to make it worth while and plan this out right. I think it would be great to find one in Florida...it'd be warm and not too far of a drive for two guys who jsut finished finals.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
This frontsight deal is sounding better and better. i still have some time, but it will be sometime between march 15 through the 26th 2007. I was looking at blackwater and really like the look and relative closeness to me.

I'm tossing many ideas around, and you all have been extremely halpful. Htank you ver much.
 
Blackwater ?
I thought you said warm. :neener:

I just took a two day skill builder class at Frontsight this weekend. I took the Practical Rifle, Two Day Skillbuilder. I used an AR15, but shot the whole class with back up iron sights. Anyway, I can honestly say that everytime I have ever gone to Frontsight I have been more and more impressed.
What impressed me this time ?
That will take a little background info. At the end of the classes, in fact any class I have taken anywhere, they have a skills test to test you on what they intended for you to learn at the class. At Frontsight, they have "grades" with 90% or better being a "Distinguished Graduate". This is considered a big deal and they make a big deal of presenting the DGs with their certificate at the end of the class. It is difficult enough that this past weekend, no one made DG. Everyone who took the class has taken it before, it was my third time: but the test is challenging enough that after taking it multiple times before and practicing all weekend no one got a DG. Ok, so Frontsight also offers an ADVANCED Practical Rifle class. I was told (this weekend) that when you show up to take Advanced Practical Rifle that the first thing you do is shoot the skills test for Practical Rifle and if you don't shoot a DG score you pack your stuff up and go home. In other words, if you can't shoot DG on demand, you can't take the advanced course. Appearently it doesn't matter if you traveled there from Spain to take the class, you are gone if you can't shoot the DG score on demand. This is what I was told by a student who says he has taken the class.
That is what impressed me this weekend.

FWIW, I have DGed both Practical RIfle and Handgun, but skills are perishable. You need to constantly keep your skills tuned up. Bottom line, I can't shoot DG with a rifle on demand. I have done it in the past, but can't do it on demand.
 
OK, I'd be kinda pissed if I took time off for a class, paid for air fare and board, showed up and got turned away like that. If they're gonna do that, better let me take that Basic class again while I'm there.

FYI on the Blackwater training - its got a . . . militaristic flavor to it is the best I can describe it. I'm not gonna tell you that you can't or won't learn anything from them. But, from the target audience, their instructors, and their mission, everything they do is much more geared towards military and law enforcement type activities.

Someone here who's taken a Blackwater course will disagree with me. OK. That's fine. I still encourage you to take a course from Tom Givens as your first. His classes are a great value, and he's got a LOT of experience training civilians the skills they needs to fight and stay alive in the environment we operate in. And as I mentioned before, more of his high students have been involved in fights requiring shots fired than anyone else; Memphis is a violent city. And those students return and he makes special effort to learn from them and incorporate those lessons into his cirriculum.
 
"OK, I'd be kinda pissed if I took time off for a class, paid for air fare and board, showed up and got turned away like that. If they're gonna do that, better let me take that Basic class again while I'm there."

Right, I agree. I don't know any more about it than I already said, but I would think that they offer the basic class at the same time for the reason you give. But, I think this policy points out a couple things that I found interesting. Obviously, they don't want to waste the other student's time or that of the instructors on people that arn't totally serious about this training. People who arn't serious won't train enough to pass the test. By the same token, those that pass are totally serious. He also mentioned that if you show up late at any time during the class you are also out.
If you arn't familiar with Frontsight, they offer memberships. As a member, you can take the classes your membership entitles you to take as many times as you want. You can take a class every couple weeks, year round if you want to. So, if your membership entitles you to take this advanced pratical rifle class, you might just take it on a lark: it doesn't cost you anything extra to take it. So, they might have had people who squeaked by the basic class, maybe never even took the skill builder, showing up to take the advanced class just because they could. On the other hand, you can take that skill builder over and over and over until you gain the skills to pass the test: and, you arn't paying for the class every time. I have taken that practical rifle and the skill builder three times now. I have taken it with an AR15 every time but I took it once with an Aimpoint, once with an ACOG, and this last time I took it with my BUIS. I fully intend to take it with my FAL, my HK G3, my M1A, an AK, maybe an M1, .30 Carbine, SBRs, SPR etc. All it takes is time and ammo.
 
Lee Lapin said:
Take a look at http://www.southernexposuretraining.com/schedule.php and see if it fits in with your schedule. It's in Florida...

lpl/nc
Click to expand...

Big +1 for Southern Exposure. I've taken three classes there: Randy Cain's Tactical Handgun 101 (twice) and Larry Mudgett's Intermediate Handgun. All of the classes were excellent. Search the forums or Google the names of the instructors who teach at Southern Exposure and you will be impressed. Prices are very reasonable and you could do a three day class at Southern Exposure and still have a few days left for Girls Gone Wild in Daytona or Panama City Beach.
 
www.livesafeacademy.com

Regardless of what kind of combat training you want these guys will provide as good of training as anyone. They mostly just do training in south east Michigan, but will and have flown out of state to train groups of people. I just took an unarmed sd class with them through a college, and having studied martial arts at a few other places for over 6 years, I can honestly say these guys offer the best methods known to me. There ideas come straight from Rex Applegate, who trained most of their instructors.
 
Plumber576 said:
WOAH! What was that? $100? If you are serious, please let me know!
Click to expand...

That seems to be a standard rate here in NY. At least in Western NY state...

BTW, anyone heard of any classes here in WNY lately???
 
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