GOOD TRAINING FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Just got back from a pleasant weekend with great people, doing good stuff for a good cause. Tough to beat!

The venue was the Central Florida Tactical Conference in Bartow, FL, coordinated by trainer Jim Clark. 65 or so attendees comprised physicians and other medical personnel, cops, military, and a bunch of law-abiding armed citizens who take responsibility for their own, and their families’, safety. All proceeds from the tuition went to the Wounded Warriors Foundation, and all the instructors and staff donated their time to the cause.
Each eight-hour day of the weekend was divided into four two-hour sessions. On day one, the four squads of students rotated through a bloc on shooting tactics, taught by Andy Stanford, author of “Tactical Speed Shooting” and former winner of the National Tactical Invitational; emergency treatment of gunshot wounds, taught by Dr. Barry Garcia; and a hand-to-hand segment led by Hapkido instructor Phil Peplinski. The final rotation was a challenging pistol match that included the original, famously difficult Federal Air Marshal’s course, and a difficult segment that comprised multiple targets from standing, kneeling, and downed positions and culminated with offhand head shots at a pretty challenging distance. The second day included the match; a revolver course taught by John Strayer, winner of the famous 2005 Snubby Summit and current Florida/Georgia regional champion of Enhanced Service Revolver shooting; a “hit fast and accurate” seminar taught by Shannon Smith, current Florida state champ in Enhanced Service Pistol; and a classroom segment on the physio-psychological aspects of violent encounters taught by yours truly.
The weather was gorgeous, things ran on schedule, and there were no injuries except the expected minor cuts and bruises from the hand-to-hand. Learning curve was excellent and a good time was had by all. It was a smooth blending of natural allies, in a pleasantly uplifting mutuality of purpose.
Best of all, the event raised several thousand dollars for one of the most worthy causes out there, the Wounded Warriors Foundation. Big kudos to Jim Clark and his team for making it happen! It’s definitely worth putting on your calendar for next year, and a Google search for Central Florida Tactical Conference will bring you to everything you need to know about it.

Tom Givens

Advanced Pistol Skills

Friday – March 30th, 2012
To register for this class, contact High Point Personal Security Training. We will contact you shortly thereafter to confirm your registration.

$200 (Tom will be donating 10% to 10-78 Trust, Inc.)

This is an intensive one day course designed to hone, refine and polish your defensive shooting skills. Our goal is to be able to deliver decisive hits, at speed, under all conditions. Topics covered include rapid, reliable presentation from concealment, high speed shooting, fast reloading, one handed manipulations, and more. You will need:

• Primary sidearm, revolver or semi-auto, caliber .38 Special, 9X19mm, or larger, at least three magazines (auto) or speedloaders (revolver).
• Quality belt holster, either inside waistband (IWB) or outside, with covered trigger guard, worn in a stable manner on a decent belt, with a separate pouch for the magazines or speedloaders. Please, no cheap, flimsy nylon holsters. Leather or Kydex are fine.
• Eye and ear protection are mandatory. If you don’t wear prescription glasses, you must wear safety glasses. Either muff type or ear plug hearing protection is fine. You will need a ball cap and a concealment cover garment (jacket, vest, windbreaker, etc).
• Please bring 500 rounds of quality ammunition. Please don’t bring junk gunshow reloads. You will spend more time fiddling with your gun than learning how to fight with it. Good ammo will keep your gun running and make for a much better learning experience.
• A cooler with soft drinks and snacks is mandatory. Bring rain gear. We train rain or shine. We will supply a workbook. Please bring a pen.

If you customarily wear a back-up gun, feel free to wear it in class. The training will be conducted in street clothes, from concealed carry. Please dress as you do in your daily routine. Training in BDU’s with a thigh rig is fine, IF that is what you wear daily.

Class will start promptly at 9:00 am. Please be in place NO LATER than 8:45 am, for paperwork, workbook issue, etc. Safety briefing starts at 9:00, you must be present for that. We conduct a hot range. Report to the classroom with your gun worn in the holster. DO NOT handle your weapon, just leave it in the holster.

Instructors: Tom & Lynn Givens – www.rangemaster.com

Shannon Smith

Monday – April 2nd, 2012

$250.00

Time: 0900-1630
Max Students: 8

Short lecture, presentation, and discussion of the benefits of competition shooting for the armed officer or concealed carry citizen. Practical exercise on Natural Point of Aim. Practical exercise on fighting/shooting from High and Tight Retention.

Equipment required: Carry gun and gear. 30-50 rounds.

Gear requirements: Strong side holster (OWB recommended), 1-3 magazine pouches, firearm, 3 magazines, eye and ear protection, 500-700 rounds.

Contact me directly. 813.732.5249 SmittyFL@Gmail.com $100 deposit refundable until 3/1/12. Reminder due at class time. Cash, check, VISA, MC

Topics: This is the core program from Shannon Smith’s Fast Accurate Shooting Techniques series of instruction. This will cover the grip, stance, draw, sight picture, trigger squeeze, accurate shooting, fast shooting, speed reload, shooting on the move and more!

Other info: We will break for lunch somewhere local. I will have water, if you would like other drinks or snacks during the day bring them. If you are interested in the course and have any other questions please feel free to call or email me anytime. SmittyFL@Gmail.com – 813.732.5249

Click here to download the complete FAM scoring report

Congratulations to Jon Hodoway. Not only did he place 1st … he distinguished himself as the only shooter to earn a go/pass on all 7 string times/averages, and he made the minimum points requirement as well. Jon wins the Bulldog Cases AR 15 case.

FAM Course 1st Place Prize

No less challenging was COF #2. Unlike the FAM which is speed biased for scoring purposes. COF # 2 was all about accuracy. With various unorthodox firing positions, targets dressed in shirts, and precision shots at distance, this course proved a challenge as well.

Click here to see COF #2 Complete Scoring Reports

Congrats to Steve Pavent winner of COF #2 and an Uncle Mike’s GunRunner Belt Pack Holster, and Wilderness 5 stitch Instructors belt.

COF#2 First Place Price