Changes in 2013

Coffee + Hot Chocolate + Tea + Hot Water service

The Coffee + Hot Chocolate + Tea + Hot Water service was abandoned completely in April or May 2013. There are no more 'free' hot beverages available in the classroom during initial orientation and/or any meal periods. The microwaves remain for time being. HOT beverages can now ONLY be purchased at the Beach Café. The average cost is now about $2.

Beach Café and Vending Machines Relocated

Between July and December, the Beach Café was relocated to a new position on the EASTERN border of the parking lot, near where the maintenance storage sheds are located. The food trailer they now occupy is at least TWICE the size of the original trail, and frees up a great deal of space around the check-in area adjacent to the main classroom, and permits more handicapped parking spaces. See photo 1-2

There are at least 2 picnic tables immediately adjacent to the Beach Café trailer. These tables even have a canopy to protect from minor weather elements and the sun.
See photo 3

Between July and December, the FOUR soda vending machines have been relocated from inside the class room, to a position outside the classroom near where the OLD Beach Café was initially located. See photo 4

Factory Reload Permitted

With the prolonged ammunition shortages from late December 2012, Front Sight started allowing factory re-manufactured ammunition to be used on all courses. Home reloads are still not allowed. If you are renting a firearm from Front Sight, you must use ammunition from Stockpile Defense, Front Sight's on-site partner. *****Editors note****Front Sight doesn't trust people to not mix in their own home reloads and they do not want their guns exploding.

Rifle Range Expanded- Rifle Skills Test/Courses Changed

Front Sight recently expanded one of the rifle ranges so that the rifle range now extends to 750 feet. Because of this longer range, the skills test for the rifle courses has been adjusted accordingly. They have built a nice berm on the EASTERN edge of this same range, behind the furthest 750-yard rifle shooting position. Shooting oppositely from the Rifle students, there is now another PISTOL range in the other direction. As of December 5th, 2013, the pistol range distances had been 'staked off', but construction was well short of a completed surface. There are no rocks on the ground to aid in drainage, nor had the lane-distance 'flowers' been 'planted'. Absent too were target stands or storage equipment sheds for the pistol area.

Practical Rifle Skills Test

Since July, the Practical Rifle Skills Test has been modified. There are no longer any shots from the 200-yard line. Now, the longest shots in the test are at the 100-yard line. What drove this decision, or what

other shots have replaced the 200-yard shots were not determined, but the elimination of 200-yard shots from the test has been 'confirmed'.

Precision Rifle 1 Skills Test

As of December 2013, the Precision Rifle 1 Skills Test has been modified. Three shots beyond 600-yards are now included. The thoracic-cavity shots at 100, 200 & 300 have been replaced by additional thoracic-cavity shots at 650, 700 & 750 yards. This is all due to the EXTENDED Precision Rifle Range development during the past year. The grading system remains the same. The maximum number of points that can be missed to receive a 'DG' = ONE single peripheral hit, or 3 points down.

Precision Rifle 1 Course

No longer are students provided with a 'freebie' range/shot log while attending this course. The gratuitous spiral-bound range log for meticulous 'plotting' of each and every shot and weather condition is gone. It has been eliminated entirely. When I attended in December, they were no longer being produced, even for sale in the Pro Shop. There are 'other' vendors wares available on the market, however NOT 'on-site'. The reasoning for the elimination of these guides or the lack of its availability in the Pro Shop was not readily apparent.

Saddle West Hotel

Saddle West administration and pricing for First Family members has changed during the past year. Front Sight membership ID card and/or other Front Sight membership material identification is MANDATORY for the additional First-Family discount. Without proper 'First Family' identification, you may be offered only the 'student' rates instead. Additionally the pricing structure has been stream-lined. Presently, the nightly cost of lodging for 'members' is a flat $50/night for the economy rooms EVERY NIGHT of the week. No longer is there a separate Sunday-Thursday rate, and an increased Friday-Saturday rate.

Front Sight Pro Shop

Front Sight Pro Shop has changed the 'methodology' and crediting of certain monetary exchanges:

• A New CASH transaction still gets a 40% discount for Diamond/Ambassador/Executive members.
• Front Sight CREDITS have NEVER qualified for the 40% discount (they are used on a one-for-one dollar basis).
• Previous gift certificates, or paper Pro Shop vouchers or Pro Shop 'Credits' NO LONGER qualify for the membership 40% discount reduction. They are now administered exactly like the "Front Sight Credits", on a one-for-one dollar basis only.
• Any annual crediting of Pro Shop credits no longer qualifies for the 40% discount. (Example: Diamond membership at $2,000 with the promise of $200 Pro Shop credit for 10 years, etc.) In year's past the $200 amount was eligible for the 40% discount as well. This is now NOT the case as of 01 January 2013.
• Sales tax is charged on the ENTIRE purchase price and may not be drawn from either Front Sight Credits or Pro Shop Credits. Tax must be PAID with 'new' money, separate from either of these accounts. NO LONGER can tax be withdrawn from the "Pro Shop Credits" as HAD been the case in year's past.