AAR: 914 Consulting VSM Handgun 06 April

[mikejg]

Thanks again Chris for a great weekend of shooting and instruction.

This was a full class of 12 shooters. There were Glocks (a few G19s and a G22), a .45 Sig (P250?), 2 H&K .45s (USPs?), a 1911, an FN, and a Steyr in .357 Sig. Someone help me out if I forgot something.

The Steyr had issues all day long and Chris had to loan out a G17 halfway through the day because it had so many issues. I'm not sure if any of the other pistols had issues. All the Glocks near me ran without a hitch.

We started with the assessment on the 3x5 index card from 3 yards for a baseline.

Chris went over grip, stance, trigger control, sight alignment, accuracy over speed, reloads, draw from holster, engaging mulitple targets.

Once all of the basics were covered we did a couple of walk back drills and a team competition and finished up with the re-assessment on the 3x5 cards.

Chris had everyone keep their index cards from the beginning of the class to compare with the reassessment at the end of the day and there were some drastic improvements.

Chris brought burgers and hot dogs to grill for lunch, which gave everyone time to talk and learn and ask questions while eating.

It was a great class and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get some quality training.

[FozziestBear]

First off, this was my first training class of this nature. I was pretty amped from the beginning just to get out there, work on skills/fundamentals, and confirm what I need to do develop proficiency as a shooter.

Mike, the OP, was on the far end from me, so I hope to offer some other perspectives from my side of the firing line.

First, Chris ("Hans") was an excellent instructor. He taught by example, demonstrating the fundamentals and techniques desires as he explained them and then made sure each shooter received solid feedback on their performance so they could further develop after the course.

I was literally amazed at how correcting a few things with regard to grip, stance, and trigger control can make all the difference in accuracy. I personally learned that when against a timer or an audience, I tend to feel that pressure, rush, and then snatch the trigger -- which is a huge thing to realize and then make adjustments for. Accuracy is final. Good words to train by.

This was a big class and everyone appeared to learn a lot and develop quite a bit over the course of the day. As Mike mentioned, everyone's 3x5s at the end were much tighter than at the beginning.

Someone like me was literally drinking from the firehouse so absorbing as much as possible was a daunting task. I took notes and practice some of these drills dry firing at home to further develop proficiency. In other words, if you're committed to developing as a shooter, the value of the class extends well beyond the day's range time and instruction.

Finally, Chris is an excellent resource and is very responsive before, during, and after the class to questions we have. I've followed up a few times as I try to confirm what I was taught, getting recommendations on equipment that works, etc.

I can't recommend this class enough for basic pistol training.

[seribralcrow]

This too was my first class. The environment was very conducive to learning. As soon as we hit the range it was all business. There was a ton of information in a short amount of time. The class focused on the fundamentals. Chris spent a lot of time ensuring that each individual was learning the proper mechanics before moving on. With a group of this size it can be difficult to spend time with each student. Chris did a great job giving feedback to each of us.

The class was light hearted as I am sure goes with most classes. We had a great time joking around. Chris had a lot of interesting stories. The competitions were a nice way to incorporate our newly acquired skills in a timed fashion. I am really glad Chris brought food for us. The range we were using was secluded and it would have wasted half of the day for people to grab food and get back to the range.

Overall, this was a very positive experience. I learned a lot and I definitely feel like I am a better shooter because of Chris’ training. It was nice to be able to trace my progression through the various targets we used. I have begun to incorporate a number of the drills we learned into my training. I look forward to taking a class with Chris again in the future. I would highly recommend this class for people who are new to shooting or are looking for a refresher on those fundamental skills.

[chris914]

The number of pictures is limited to those that JWYank could take prior to needing to leave to tend to his wounded (dog bite) hand. I appreciate him coming out and helping out.

[chris914]