Training Report: Basics of Defensive Shotgun

[Guest Len]

Basics of Defensive Shotgun

May 24, 2008

Austin's Tennessee Firearms School

(http://www.firearmsclasses.com/, they are TGO authorized vendors and members)

This was a full and fairly intense day of classroom and range work. Here is a brief synopsis.

Classroom Portion:

I. Introduction of Instructors Mike and Sam (both have extensive experience and are great instructors, always with a good story to tell)

II. Choosing a Defensive Shotgun, including accessories such as lights, side-saddles, etc.

III. Introduction to Defensive Shotgunning, including lethal force, levels of awareness, mindset, possible responses.

IV. Basic skills, including tactical reloads, shooting from behind and around cover (over top of cover and from both sides of cover), shooting while moving forwards and backwards, alternative shotgun holds (above shoulder, below arm, off hand), slicing the pie, defensive movement in a house, etc.

Range Portion:

I. Safety briefing, range rules & commands, overview of range activities

II. All basic skills listed in IV above conducted on the range, finishing with a "last man standing" exercise. Also shooting various types of combat shotguns, including a SBS. (VERY sweet!)

III. Q&A, discussion of ammo choices, patterning, debrief.

I was tired and sweaty, so it was a good day. I'm much more comfortable with tactical reloading and basically not acting like a clay shooter. I made some mistakes, which were reviewed and then the drill repeated. At one point (and I will get grief for this forever... ) I loaded a shell backwards, the adrenaline was pumping, my hands were shaking, and the dang shell flipped in my hand and went in the chamber. Needless to say my time on that drill was awful and we had to field strip the shotgun to get the shell out. I used a Benelli Nova Pump Tactical, and I am an unabashed fan of the fine Italian shotgun. Field-stripping requires unscrewing one cap and pulling the barrel off. We were back in action in no time. The gun was flawless. Not so much the shooter, but I did get better.

All in all a great time and I recommend anyone in East TN who needs some training to head to Oak Ridge and Austin's. They even play good music at the sports bar we ate dinner at last night, right around the corner from the shop. Bring lots of ammo, you'll use it.

[Guest Boomhower]

Great review. Sounds like you had fun!

[strickj]

Nice but whats "slicing the pie" mean?

[Guest price g]

Tactical sequence... as you move from cover targets appear, you engage them in tactical order the way you see them appear, from the outside most target inward.Just like pie!

[Guest Grout]

Nice but whats "slicing the pie" mean?

.

[Guest price g]

.

Well, then there is that

[strickj]

[Guest Phantom6]

Len,

Congrats you did a great job in the class. I have searched and searched my memory and I can't recall if I told you that as with any of our classes, students are welcome to come back, sit in and "audit" the class at any time during the future. You might want to order yourself some 12 gauge snap caps from Brownell's or borrow some from Greg to help you practice that combat loading. You'll be doing it as well or better as you do with your pistol in no time.

There is an old Chinese saying- "When the student is ready the teacher may teach". You came with an open mind and a willingness to learn and your progress was outstanding. You've got the fundamentals down well. Now dry practice, dry practice, dry practice.

BTW, I wasn't going to mention anything about that brass forward method of combat loading a shotgun thing but you've got to admit that that's funny. You just kind of lost your concentration for a moment, that's all. A good teachable moment though- move to cover and clear the stoppage and now you know what it takes.

[Guest Len]

Already got the snap caps for the 12g.

I had a great time and thanks for the "audit" info.

[greenego]

I took this class last Saturday 7-26. I have to agree with everything Len has in the original post. Phantom6 does a great job. I would highly recommend his training.

[Marswolf]

I have a great fondness for Phantom6.

He knows how to actually train without becoming the fantasy trainer of "operators" from the Black Imaginary Lagoon. You learn useful skills from him, not silly chest swelling mindlessness.

The gun training industry has a lot of phonies. Phantom6 seems to understand what training is actually needed and desirable and he provides it without all the hokum and outrageous and stupid marketing of his competition.

[BigPoppa]

When's the next 'un ???

[Guest Phantom6]

When's the next 'un ???

The "next 'un" will be held on Saturday 4 October. We are already beginning to get inquiries regarding that class. Our training schedule can be found on the class schedule page of our website whose url is http://firearmsclasses.com