Rangemaster Advanced Instructor class AAR

[Cruel Hand Luke]

Just a quick mini review here of the Rangemaster Advanced Instructor Course I attended Dec 13-14.

The class was essentially an "invitation only" class that was open to previous graduates of the Rangemaster 3 day instructor class taught by Tom Givens. This class would expand upon that material, test the students teaching and shooting ability, cover course design and target design, and delve into mindset and even cover treating accidental (negligent) discharge gunshot wounds and cover some disarm material.

As with every class I have attended with Tom the shooting was challenging. We shot the Model Law Enforcement course of fire which includes not only up close and fast shooting, but position shooting at 25 yards. We shot both the LAPD SWAT Qualification course and the FBI SWAT Qualification Course, and the Rangemaster Level 5 qualifier. Time limits were tight and the accuracy expected was high. The courses were all shot for score and an aggregate score was given to each shooter for the course.

The shooting was challenging, but there was no rest for the weary as while you were not shooting you were coaching your partner trying to help him improve his score. So there really was no downtime in the class. You were either shooting or coaching. You and your partner also had to design a drill and turn it in.

The lecture portions were handled by Tom ( who covered course and target design and bullet placement and why not all hits are equal) , John Hearne (who did his FBI statistics on Criminal offenders lecture and his Newhall Massacre presentation), a medical briefing by Gerald Foon EMT(who had some very innovative props),and William Aprill covered retention and disarms.

After the final results were tallied the scores were pretty impressive by any one's standards. The LOWEST score in the class was a 90% aggregate total on all 5 courses we were scored on. The highest score was 99.6%. If I remember correctly 8 people shot a 100% on the FBI SWAT Qualification and several shot 100% on the LAPD SWAT qualification and unlike them, none of us used $2000 1911s to do it.

Great course and gives me some things to mull over as far as my own presentations in class. Other than the long drive home it was a great weekend. Thanks Tom!