4-Day Defensive Handgun

What were your reasons for taking this course?

I have had my CCW for about the last four years. I have taken some basic pistol
classes and gone to our local range and shot targets; but even with that, I didn't feel like I was as proficient in the use of a firearm as I should be.

General Comments

I loved everything from the moment I first set foot on the property! The truth is that the facility is top notch. The instructors were absolutely first rate. They were patient and knowledgeable. Every time that we got individual attention from them, the instruction was great. The class itself and the curriculum is probably some of the best instruction that I have ever had, and that includes military training from many years ago. As a matter of fact, one of the guys that I took out there with me is a law enforcement officer from California; and he said to me that the training was far better than anything that he ever received through his department.

We got a decent amount of one-on-one time with the instructors. They spread their attention pretty well. I think that they spent a little more time with some of the people who needed more help, and I was okay with that. But the times that they did come over to me to give me a couple pointers or correct something that I needed to change or work on, it was great and just what I needed.

I thought that the structure of the class was done very well. I enjoyed the fact that every day in the course built on the previous day's exercises and training, so that by the time that you got to the third and fourth day, you really felt like you knew what you were doing.

Out of the forty people in my class, six people, including myself, graduated from the Skills Test. There weren't any distinguished graduates in my class, either.

The bottom line is that I am a better shooter today than before I went there. I know that may sound a little simplistic, but that is the whole reason that I went to Front Sight: to get better.

Do you have an tips for first-time students?

Other than the obvious, which is be familiar with your weapon, read Gun Training Central's Travel Guide. I think that it is an excellent resource.

Most importantly, I would say go out there with the right attitude. Go out there with the intent to have fun and to learn and commit to having an open mind to learn their techniques. A lot of people go out there and say, "Well, that's not the way that I learned how to do it!" For someone going out there for first time, it is very important to have an open mind and do the techniques the way that Front Sight is showing you how.

Would you suggest this course to others?

Yes, I absolutely would.

How did you get there?

I drove from my home near Denver, CO, which took about 12-13 hours.

Where did you stay?

I stayed at Saddle West. I thought that it was kind of dumpy. It was adequate in that it had a bed and a shower, and it worked for what we needed. However, it was definitely not a resort hotel!

How did you handle the ammo situation?

We brought our ammunition with us in the car. However, in the future, I think we will purchase it from Stockpile Defense there at Front Sight. Their prices were pretty close to what I pay at home.

How did you handle the lunch situation?

There were four of us in our group. One of my friends and I bought our lunches from the Beach Café on site, and the other two of my friends brought a cooler and tailgated in the parking lot every day.

I personally enjoyed the lunches. I don't think that they saved much money by bringing their own food in the cooler. It was just so much easier to come off the range and go right into the lecture hall and have my lunch there waiting for me, and they were pretty tasty too!

Do you have any dinner suggestions?

We ate every night at the Pahrump Nugget dinner buffet. It looks like a "people of Wal-Mart" convention, but the food is very good and quite reasonably priced, if you ask for the Senior Citizen discount.

What other courses are you planning to take in the future?

I would like to take the 4-Day Defensive Handgun Course again and take my son and wife with me. I would also like to take the 2-Day Handgun Skill Builder and the 4- Day Advanced Tactical Handgun Course.