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Old November 12, 2002, 07:44 AM   #10
Pat Rogers
Member in memoriam
 
Join Date: July 31, 2001
Posts: 303
Gunsite

Foxy
Having been out there while you attended the class, and having had the pleasure of having both Erick and Louie work for me (Louie for 3 weeks) and seeing Denny at the Roundtable (a Rose among Thorns for sure) i'll make a few comments that may help others.

What to bring?
Go back to March 02 SWAT. There was an article therin, titled "Firearms Academies - What to Bring, What to Expect".
It probably would have answered most of your questions.

Pro Shop
The pro shop stocks gear for the guns most commonly seen in the regular classes. Those attending are usually enthusiasts (on the civilian side) and therefore use 1911 pattern or Glocks. Those cops or conventional military who attend with duty gear will have M9's or whatever the local PD issues.
As a rule, they don't buy anything, and absent the CCW classes, DA guns are about as rare as July snow on the ranch.
The shop stocks what sells, and DA stuff doesn't sell.
As KS states, guns break. Regardless of the make model or caliber of the wondergun you have purchased because of the glowing reviews on the errornet posted by people who may or may not actually shoot, they break, malfunction, or otherwise go TU at inopportune times. All of them
Every make, model and type.
(You should have traveled over to the 'Smithy and looked at the box of broken locking blocks for the Beretta's).
The reality is that while one can shoot a DA pistol well, from our experience in actually doing this, it takes longer to bring someone up to the same level of training.
Couple that with the fat bodies, long trigger reach and so on, and it becomes patently obvious why we don't see a lot of DA pistols in the hands of those who have a choice.

Breachers Class

They wore issue Sage Green Nomex Flight Suits, not BDU's

Clothing

As you have seen (and stated) the course didn't include a lot about clothing. There are only so many hours in the day, and as you noted, several of the students were clueless- something repeated at every class (the fact that they did go to class makes them a lot less clueless in my mind. At least they are giving it a shot -no pun intended).
Getting the class safe, and then getting them to perform to a minimum standard is the goal. Some classes have better flow, and some just struggle to keep their collective heads above water.

Rant

While there are many on this and other forums who are strongly opposed to any training, feeling instead that certain genes inherent in their American bodies will permit them to miracle through any situation, the fact is that is just absolute nonsense.
Without training the gun may not be an asset- in fact it may be worse then that.
Any training is perishable, and refresher training is necessary.
Training does not include reading about it nor watching videos. It does not include plinking nor having pictures taken while striking a hero pose, finger on the trigger.
It requires having instructors who are well versed in their art, who have the experience necessary to translate reality into something that can be understood, and who can critique everything you do.

Rant Off

Anyway, glad you attended. Remember that this is only a first step. Continue the process, because it never ends.
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