ShootingClasses.com Blog

How to Prepare for a Range Session: A Student's Point of View

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:42:46 -0500

For many of us, whether industry professionals, trainers, law enforcement, or just other gun enthusiasts, we normally have an idea of what to bring to a range day or shooting class.

Many times, when we take classes ourselves, we probably exceed the instructor's requirements with equipment and that sort of thing. But, I wanted to approach this blog article from the student's point of view.

First Timer Feelings

I’ve been training law enforcement and civilians alike since 2004, and the one thing I have found is that many students are new to the "gun game," and some may be apprehensive or, at the very least, a little bit nervous before they come to a live fire event.

The student likely feels the optimism of learning something new but yes, also has some stress about what it will be like.

Stress can be from the unknown, coming into an environment that they normally don’t experience like a grocery store, or even taking a night class at a local college. Who’s going to be there? How will they be dressed? How will they act? Are these guys going to be super serious? What equipment am I going to need? And the list of questions and anticipation goes on and on.

There certainly are trainers out there with more experience than I have, and maybe there are more factors, but I broke this blog down into two considerations as your students get ready to take an event with you.

Expectations & Preparation

If your student enrolled via ShootingClasses.com, they hopefully will have read the equipment and outcomes sections of your listing. Use clear, non-jargon language like "perfect for beginners" or "our most popular class" as examples.

Clearly establish prerequisites or other benchmarking that the student would need to have before they take your class. If it’s a beginner class, make sure you outline that with language that supports the fact that they may have never fired a handgun before. If it’s an advanced pistol class, enumerate all the skill sets that the student should already have been exposed to and maybe change the language to "this course will challenge you."

Equipment Requirements

Not unlike expectations, we list our equipment needs on our class listing. But what good does that do for us if we use jargon or technical terms?

I’m sure many instructors have conducted an advanced pistol class only to have someone show up with only one magazine or an inappropriate holster. If you plan on shooting close to 300 rounds, make sure that you tell the student to bring more than that.

If you have low enrollments for that class, maybe having extra rounds will allow you to do more drills with the existing students. Giving your students more drills and more exposure is never a bad thing.

Be specific when it comes to equipment requirements. If you’re doing an advanced rifle class, maybe a full kit is in order, and spell that out. If you’re going to require specific equipment, consider putting links on your personal website with photos. Don’t be afraid to have a student contact you directly through email or text message for issues of clarification. A well-equipped student saves you time and saves them stress.

Help Your Students Help You

In closing, put yourself in the shoes of an adult going back to college. What would you like to know before that first night class? Giving students clear direction prior to class drops their stress levels and allows them to focus on learning.

Switching to Rimfire Training During the Ammunition Shortage

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 13:22:37 -0500

Let me begin this article by acknowledging the two elephants in the room, coronavirus and the ammo shortage. Whether you are a shooter, range owner, or firearm instructor, you can see how COVID-19 and the current ammunition shortage have significantly impacted the firearm industry.

Firearm Training During the Current Ammunition Shortage

I don’t need an economics degree to tell me that 9 mm and other common training and self-defense rounds are in short supply. I have had countless customers call me and ask if I could provide them with ammunition to take one of my defensive pistol classes. Just a few short months ago I would willingly agree and simply sell them a 9mm white box for the $10 it cost me at my local Walmart. Those days are gone for now, but what can we do in the meantime?

Changing My Bad Opinion of Rimfire Pistol Training

I had a bad outlook rimfire pistol training. To be completely honest, I hated it and didn’t like doing it. I didn’t even own a 22 pistol.

For many years I was against rimfire training for a multitude of reasons.

Rimfire training was dirty
The pistol frequently jammed
The training didn’t provide students proper recoil feedback.

My list of rimfire grievances went on and on. Maybe I was just being a snob by insisting that my customers train with the caliber that they intend to carry. Or maybe I was simply being unrealistic. The ammo was cheap but still susceptible to jams. I didn’t think there were suitable pistols to simulate proper training.

You had the James Bond looking Ruger‘s and bull barrel target pistols with the occasional 10 shot revolver but nothing suitable for training and no options that simulated a modern-day self-defense gun. Disclaimer - if you have been training with 22 the whole time, you can stop reading now. I will admit that I was wrong about rimfire beliefs.

Guns That Emulate CCW Units

I was wrong about a lot of things but definitely wrong about 22LR. This ammunition shortage caused me to revisit my negative thoughts about rimfire training. Once I looked around, I realized I was way behind the curve. I was excited to find guns like the Glock 44, Taurus TX 22, and Smith and Wesson M&P22 that emulated my beloved CCW units.

I sought out these guns, shot them with good ammo, and had great results. I subsequently ended up purchasing some of these guns and as much 22LR ammo that I could get my hands on. All of a sudden, I was back in business. My clients liked them too!

Don’t get me wrong, I will never give up my 9 mm and I carry one every day. However, training people with rimfire is a great option. These guns feel, point, and handle nearly identically to their 9 mm and larger big brothers. And yes, it’s true that they don’t provide great recoil feedback, but it’s still easy to teach new shooters all the safety and fundamental elements.

Final Thoughts on Rimfire Training

Handgun calibers may come and go, but universal safety rules will never change. Nor will the principles of marksmanship. Ultimately, we want to teach people safe, effective and efficient gun handling skills. If we need to adjust firearm training to accommodate the current ammunition shortage, rimfire is a great option.

Find local shooting classes today.

What is REAP? Have a Range Emergency Action Plan

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 15:50:01 -0400

A range emergency action plan—frequently abbreviated to REAP—is an absolute must on any live fire shooting ranges. It is not a firearms safety lesson. REAP is for a post-event life-threatening emergency involving an anaphylactic, cardiac, hemorrhagic issue or similar event.

You should go over your range emergency action plan each day at the beginning of the range session or at any time when new instructional personnel come or go. In this post, I will outline the minimum material I cover before any live action shooting.

The 5 Ps of REAP

1. Plan

Create a laminated card that reminds you or any other instructor on how to conduct a REAP. Include all the information in a concise format, and have it written so that another instructor could pick it up and know exactly how to do it. Think of it as a lesson plan and update accordingly. “Oh shit, now what?” is not a good plan.

This is not elaborate info, but it will set the tone at the beginning of class. Students and firearms instructors will be reassured that you have a plan in place, because things CAN happen. This has a positive psychological effect on everyone.

2. Personnel

Begin by soliciting WHO has what medical experience in your detail. For example, if one shooter is a two-year EMT and the other a 17-year Navy Corpsman, give the primary medical task to the higher skill. Solicit skill sets of TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care), EMT, MD, etc. and who is agreeable to provide front line care. Have at least two people assigned to front line care and a third if possible. Remember, that person might be you. Should your primary TCCC become the injured party, the secondary is now the primary and so forth. These people are your medics. Get verbal agreements that they understand and accept their roles.

The next people that you need to enlist are your communication transportation personnel. These people (choose 2 or 3) should have a cell phone on his or her person with good coverage OR be able to communicate by police radio or landline. If an emergency arises and the 911 system needs activated, the callers are the responsible parties to do so. They should be very familiar with the area and have a knowledge of ambulance routes and/or the landing of aircraft, the address of the range, GPS of the range and landing zone (LZ) if not the same.

REAP cards should contain means of egress and the nearest hospital and trauma center as people may be unfamiliar with the area. Prepare a separate card for each range location. Callers should state the following:

The nature of the emergency
What action has been taken (ex. “We applied tourniquet.”)
Planned action (ex. “We are bringing him by car.”)
Time stamps (ex. “The police car is 10 minutes out,” etc.)

3. Products

Make sure you have a first aid kit, trauma kit and AED. (I will go into more detail later on.) It is critical these kits are on-hand and immediately available. Having them in the trunk of a car is useless. They should be in plain sight on the range deck and visually recognizable. Show the actual kit to everyone during the REAP briefing.

Simply put, the first aid kit is self-serve and the trauma kit is not a toy. I personally put all my med stuff at the “control point,” which is the furthest usable yard line. This would be 25 on a pistol range, 50 for rifle, etc.

4. Police Vehicle/Civilian Vehicle

A marked police vehicle designated as the “grab and go evac” is best. If you’re on a civilian range, a large SUV, truck or van is best.

Assign two people who are familiar with the area to drive and assist. Have the car staged near the range with the keys in it, unlocked and unblocked. If you are without electronic communication or in a very remote area, a member induced vehicle evacuation and transport may be the best option.

5. Problems

Ask students if they have any existing medical conditions, allergies, medications and the like. Do this discreetly but honestly with the safety of everyone in mind. For example, you could ask them to list conditions, allergies and medications on their waiver before class.

Dehydration and heat-related emergencies on the range are real and frequent. Remember: Your range, your shooters, your job.

Have a First Aid Kit and More at the Range

The first aid kit (FAK) is typically a white metal box issued by the department or purchased at a retailer such as Sam’s Club. Either way, make sure it’s labeled as such so it can be easily identified.

The first aid kit will include all the essential medical supplies that will be used for non-serious injuries. These items can be accessed regularly to treat small scrapes, cuts and other minor injuries. This kit should be monitored on a regular basis to ensure that used items are replenished. This kit can be self-serve for students and instructors.

The trauma kit is typically a soft canvas bag that is red in color. Use an indelible black marker to write TRAUMA KIT on the front, back and sides of the box or bag so it can be easily identified. The trauma injury kit will include all of the essential medical supplies that are needed to treat serious trauma injuries such as hemorrhage control, deep lacerations, penetrating puncture wounds, gunshot wounds, sucking chest wounds and tension pneumothorax.

The trauma injury kit should ONLY be accessed for serious injuries and by personnel that have been properly trained in TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) or training of equivalent level.

An AED—automated external defibrillator—is not necessarily related to treating a gun shot. However, these devices can be a real lifesaver for a cardiac event.

Be Prepared

None of this has to be elaborate, but it at least needs addressed. While shooting range-related issues are rare, they do happen. We are around firearms so often that despite our best efforts, complacency creeps in.

I have heard all too often of a live round making its way into a classroom by an instructor or a negligent discharge from a nervous student. I know all too personally about how quick this can happen, as I was shot in the chest (vest) by a cadet in 2009. While I was totally fine, my team had my clothes cut off and checked by pale and fat laden body for other wounds. Despite being very scary, then funny being naked, it was reassuring that our plan worked.

Is your plan in place?

If you want to learn more about shooting range safety, read more from the ShootingClasses.com blog: