Which Training Companies Are Reputable?

[NCPatrolAR]

Another vote for Mas Ayoob as the absolute best in the legal area . Gun-grabbers often bleat about about how Ayoob teaches people how to get away with murder . That's a BS cheap shot but ,
AFAIK , no LFI/Ayoob Group grad has ever been convicted for shooting a criminal .
.

Full disclosure:
One poor guy was sentenced to the standard Massachusetts 1 year in prison for possession of an "undocumented handgun " but found not guilty for shooting the criminal who was attacking him . In most jurisdictions the homicide would have never gone to trial.

Edit to add:
I just got an e-mail from Vickers Tactical announcing the Larry Vickers Regional Endorsed Instructors and the Vickers Shooting Method programs. Info is also posted on Mr. Vicker's web site.

http://www.vickerstactical.com/larry...d-instructors/

Most , if not all , of the endorsed instructors are regulars on M4carbine.net .
Their names and contact info are listed.

Here's a link to a thread on here about the REI program

http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=62548

[RyanB]

I can recommend LMS Defense, Gunsite and EAG Tactical without hesitation.

Keep in mind that people who can teach you a little, or a lot, that is worth knowing, are dime a dozen. Mix and match which thing you want to learn to where you can learn it. I like to tell new handgun shooters to go to Gunsite. Why? They are very good at opening eyes and their five day format and excellent facilities give a new shooter a jump on the game. Where I would go to learn to do a six man hit on a shoot house is going to be different than a square range pistol class to refresh my skills after a long absence, etc.

Some instructors are known for their insistence on violence of action, others for insistence on accuracy. It all has a place.

Further, some teach skills that are peripheral to shooting. Ayoob teaches a shooting curriculum that you could get from hundreds of trainers, but you aren't going to get his legal instruction or his guarantee from someone else.

One of my major pet peeves is groupies of one outfit that deny the utility of learning from other instructors. I see it here and at TOS. Someone picks a guru and attaches themselves to them. It's not helping anyone.

[Shawn.L]

Since I am not in the business of giving Tangos a dirt nap, I prefer to train with those whose real world expertise is winning fights in the streets of the US against the criminal element; which is where and against whom I am most likely to have to fight as well.

Since most LEO's rarely shoot BGs in the street in their entire careers, most of these documented shootings are ineffective misses and poor shot placement (and I mean lots of them). Granted they do a lot of pistol/weapon presentations. If that's how you want to train, it's your dime. I'll stick with the SOF professionals who stress surgical accuracy, tactics and employment of my weapons. In effect, putting a BG down in an extremely effective and efficient manner. They have done a lot more than present their weapon and miss, over their collective careers and since it is also my dime, I'd rather learn from professional SOF warfighters thanks.

Being too emotionally invested about our choices (you see this a lot in gear selection but it applies to most topics) is normally a sign of compensation, insecurity, and fear.

I prefer a well rounded learning enviroment where I can pull what fits and works for me from many sources. I try to practice intelligent open mindedness and a willingness to experiment. There a lots of applicable, and not applicable, lessons to be learned from a great many backgrounds.

Its all zen and shit

[RyanB]

I've learned useful things from cops and military types both. Military types tend to be more aggressive, which can be good, and cops tend to know more about organizing a lifestyle around your personal security.

Get both!

[NCPatrolAR]

Regardless of a military or LE background; the instructor you should be looking to train with is the one(s) that is the best teacher and best teaches to the context of the fight you are training for. The bulk of my time as a student has been with trainers from a SOF background; but I've spent time with guys from a LE background and found the training just as valuable and sometimes more so. Its all about context.

[RogerinTPA]

Being too emotionally invested about our choices (you see this a lot in gear selection but it applies to most topics) is normally a sign of compensation, insecurity, and fear.

I prefer a well rounded learning enviroment where I can pull what fits and works for me from many sources. I try to practice intelligent open mindedness and a willingness to experiment. There a lots of applicable, and not applicable, lessons to be learned from a great many backgrounds.

Its all zen and shit

Agreed, and I stated as such in my other post : However, experienced LEO trainers have a lot to offer as far as getting a different perspective in gun fighting skills, which rounds out your overall skillset IMHO.

And have taken a class with a former LEO with a very diverse training background, and would gladly train with him again.

[A-Bear680]

I agree with both Roger and NCPatrol. To take it one more step further: Perhaps the ideal combination of two starter training courses for an armed ( civilian ) citizen would be:
MAG-40 : Armed Citizen Rules of Engagement ( Covers how to survive the criminal attack and the judicial & LE systems , including basic pistol training and qualification) from the Ayoob Group.
www.massadayoobgroup.com/?page_id=7

Then follow up with Basic Carbine from any of Larry Vickers Regional Endorsed Instructors or some of the other highly qualified trainers who post on M4Carbine.
The best of both worlds. Grads of both courses would have a decent handle on how to fight with a carbine and handgun and how to keep from getting crucified in court for protecting themselves and other innocents from criminal attack.

ETA:
Now , based on some solid imput , I would suggest that carry permit holders fold an REI pistol course in after the Ayoob Group basic course .
End ETA.
Valuable skill sets , IMO.

[Tomahawk_Ghost]

www.shootrite.org

Tiger McKee is located near Guntersville, Alabama.

[Loki01]

Rod Ryan, Storm Mountain Training Center.

[NCPatrolAR]

I agree with both Roger and NCPatrol. To take it one more step further: Perhaps the ideal combination of two starter training courses for an armed ( civilian ) citizen would be:
MAG-40 : Armed Citizen Rules of Engagement ( Covers how to survive the criminal attack and the judicial & LE systems , including basic pistol training and qualification) from the Ayoob Group.
www.massadayoobgroup.com/?page_id=7

Then follow up with Basic Carbine from any of Larry Vickers Regional Endorsed Instructors or some of the other highly qualified trainers who post on M4Carbine.
The best of both worlds. Grads of both courses would have a decent handle on how to fight with a carbine and handgun and how to keep from getting crucified in court for protecting themselves and other innocents from criminal attack.
Valuable skill sets , IMO.

You would likely see more benefit, if a CCH permitee, by doing a REI handgun course instead of a carbine course. Maybe bump that carbine course on down to your third fundamental class.