Have you attended formal tactical firearms training?

Have you attended formal tactical firearms training?

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Yeah, I've never understood the overuse of the word 'tactical' myself; as in 'tactical cargo pants' for example. What are those, the opposite of 'strategic cargo pants'? :confused:
 
I've been a training Junkey ever since I broke my Piggy bank to attend Gunsite when i was a PFC.

Gunsite, Andy Stanford, Tactical Response, Gomez, Suarez, Barrett, Redback one etc...

Not stopping.

I enjoy it, it's a skill, it's the hallmark of a free man etc...
 
Casual Carbine?

I wonder if the 'Tactical' marketing slant came into being
as a result of the 911/War on Terror?

Nowadays, if a school was marketing a "Casual Carbine" class
they'd soon be out of business.
 
I'd like to, I want to put myself and stuff to the test and see how it works and what breaks.
 
i so look forward to attending one of these classes next year. i am gong to try to get my friend to attend too.
 
Aside from my military training and the training I received getting CCW's from five different states, one of which I had to relinquish because I moved away, I haven’t had any formal tactical training.

That will change, however, after the first of the year. I was able to buy two four day defensive handgun courses at a huge discount from Front Sight in Nevada (I know, a lot of you guys are going to discount them because of all the emails and their promotions but the research I’ve done, including talking to some of my local LEOs leads me to believe the training will be worth it). Also, because the price was so low I was able to convince my wife to attend and that would have been impossible otherwise.
 
I have had multiple courses in Tactical Shooting, and Advanced Tactical Shooting. These courses have been among the best investments I ever made.

Next summer, I intend to enroll in three precision shooting courses that train one to hit moving targets to 800 yards, and stationary targets to 1,000 yards...God willin' and the creek don't rise, I'll be there. I plan to have my brother go with me.

Geno
 
On the job training courtesy of our dear Uncle Sam. Lots of moving targets and practice in the '60s with all types of weapons. I was paid some just to learn which was necessary after the letter that started Greetings from the President arrived.
 
Ok, so since we have answered the OPs question honestly, would it be fair to now pose one to the OP, or Sam, or the other advocates of the formal courses who have found that their training was indeed valuable? Since I would primarily look for training for the purposes of what I thought I "needed" and not something that I wanted, I would basically see it the same way as Johnbiltz. What should I look for in a course (or class) that dealt specifically with handguns in a primarily defensive setting, such as CCW and SD/HD? And what should I stay away from? Not necessarily specific names, but I agree with him, if I ever have to draw it will most likely be from a IWB. It's likely to be fairly close and/or dark. What would be the major advantages of taking a course such as the one that I mentioned, or what could I hope to gain from it?
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Old Krow, I just saw your post so as the OP I apologize for the late reply.

Here's a bit of a catch. Much of what people think they "need," they really don't. Much of what people really do need, they don't even realize. Many just don't know what they don't know and unfortunately, that can have dire consequences.

Since I obviously offer such classes, I will provide my answer based upon my curriculum. Students often look for a course, and find mine, because they want to become better shooters in hopes of surviving that life threatening situation. And yes, I guarantee they will become better shooters for having attended any one of my courses. But here's some things that they will learn, yet not really even realizing that they even needed.

The mental aspects of carrying a weapon cannot be overstated. Therefore, whether it be in a classroom setting or informal discussions while reloading between range sessions, we will discuss the decision to carry a weapon, situational awareness and techniques, the use of force continuum, escalation and de-escalation techniques, taking action vs. tactical patience, measuring a response, choosing not to respond, being a good witness, dealing with the aftermath of a shoot, and more.

Legal issues cannot be ignored. In the same setting as the mental aspects we will discuss the merits, or lack thereof, of shooting to stop, shooting to kill, shooting to wound, appropriate statements, interacting with a suspect, interaction with the police, making a call to 911, post-shooting review, providing statements to police and attorneys.

Of course the shooting is a big portion, and the part that most excites the student. Unless the course is specifically to teach such tactics, I am not preparing my students for an all out battle against an invading enemy force. I expect my students to show up with a serviceable firearm and practical, every day equipment. I request that they bring extra magazines but not because I believe they will be carrying dozens, but because it is a time saver for the class. If you show up as a civilian with equipment that is better suited for the Soldier of Fortune, I will point that out to you. My classes are reality based.

So what "tactics" do I teach exactly? Again, that varies by course but let me take the practical classes, such as those I am presenting in the next month or so. For a handgun course you can expect to shoot out to 30 yards or so. We review the fundamentals, though you are expected to be proficient with a firearm before the class. We address speed vs. accuracy, target selection, failures to stop, shooting while moving, getting off the X, proper use of cover and concealment, barriers, multiple threat engagement, and shooting in/from/around obstacles you may find in your environment (cars, curbs, poles, etc). You will have the opportunity to shoot one-handed, perform reloads, malfunction clearances, shoot at contact range, and more. Many of my courses, including those coming up, include a low light/night shooting portion in which the same skills are covered as in daylight. Rifle courses obvious extend the range and address additional techniques. Regardless of the course or the student's previous experience/abilities, we never fail to identify incorrect techniques, improve skills, and provide additional ways of doing things.

Here's the deal. I do my absolute best to keep it practical, whether my student is a civilian, a police officer, or military.

I provide critiques that students complete anonymously via a website link. I have yet to have several students from each class state that it was one of the most practical courses they have ever taken. Further, a large percentage of students point to the academic aspects (mental/legal) as one of their favorite portions of the course, emphasizing it's value even though they had not before considered it.

So I guess the easiest way to describe what I would look for in a class is to describe what I provide in a class. I hope this helps. Unfortunately, many students don't know what they don't know and therefore fail to take advantage of a valuable experience.

While I would never disparage a certain name or school, I would make every attempt to determine whether a particular school or instructor is thorough in providing practical instruction.

For the record, many of my courses do say "TACTICAL" in the name. That is what it is, and I do believe that any person who would be willing to utilize a firearm for offensive or defensive purposes needs to have that tactical training, whether they like the word or not. "Tactical" does not have to be synonymous with "fatigue wearing operative." It should simply mean being prepared to appropriately meet any defensive challenge that may arise in a focused, professional, and capable manner.
 
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No, don't plan on it, but in all honesty really, really ought to; especially from an instructor who keeps up with self-defense case law and actual SD incidents. In SD when is just as important as how.
 
Is that "formal training" as in "tuxedo required"?

JamesBond.png
 
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