Instructor: Joe Weyer, Alliance Police Training
Class date: March 10-11 2018
Class fee: $300
Equipment: Pistol, 500 rounds ammunition, Square Range PPE
Prerequisites: Valid concealed carry permit
Disclaimer: This was my first training course
Overview: Class focuses on dissecting drawing of handgun and first round on target. Class begins at 0800 with brief introductions and safety briefing. Safety is stressed and tasks are delegated to individuals in the class and pertinent information is maintained close to a land line phone [numbers for responding departments, GPS coordinates]. The glass was made up of a wide variety of shooters and levels of experience.
The class then goes out to the range and fires 1 round from 15 or 20 yards. Joe uses an interesting piece of technology to record the shot [coach’s eye]. With this, he is able to capture the entire draw stroke from buzzer to shot fired at 240 fps. We then returned to the class room, clear firearms, and watched a break down of the movements caught on camera. Personal notes and tips are then given to everyone.
Joe then beings to present his draw stroke. He builds the draw stroke from the grip and works it back. He explains the advantages of the thumbs forward grip and gives visible marks to help ensure tendon lock out. He also goes into how to diagnose issues that are found with accuracy on the range. A pivotal point of his instruction and ability to get first round on target both quickly and accurately is the context given for why a firearm is being drawn, when it is “okay” to begin trigger press and completing the trigger press while in motion. He also has a gives a point of clarity on knowing and becoming intimate with the trigger you have. From this he gives additional information on what to flex and tighten when breaking the shot. Everything is built upon until the class begins to work on a par time. In the first day there were close to 400 draw strokes. All of the draws were completed under close observation by either Joe or his A.Is to ensure that each draw is being performed with a high degree of accuracy. He closes the day with saying not to practice over night and to try to relax and a quick debrief.
Day 2 started at 0800 with brief safety brief again, firearm clear out and then a few draw strokes. We then head out to range to set the line. We then begin to live with the use of the draw stroke and continued practice of the draw and getting rounds on paper. There were multiple drills ran at varied distances, to include: sight alignment and loading, firing from retention, follow shoots, motion shots [partner moving your shoulders on the line] target transition, walk back and the ability to fire an RMR mounted firearm. Through all of the drills, Joe give multiple points of instruction to the entire class and then reinforces them with personal observation. The class then has a shoot off to determine top shot. To close the class, everyone fires 1 round under coach’s eye again. Everyone then goes inside and the new video is dissected with everyone.
Take aways: With this being my first course, this built a solid foundation for what I need to develop and what classes to take. Joe gives very empowering feed back and instruction in a manner that everyone in the class was able to gain benefit from the class. There were some students that have been taking training for decades that gained both speed and accuracy. The class as a whole either increased their speed and/accuracy on the first shot. The lay out of the class was direct and logical at a pace that made it possible for a high amount of information to be conveyed and retained. The biggest take away is that Joe breaks everything down in a way that allows you to practice the fundamentals, sights and triggers, at home and diagnose problems with both dry and live fire.
Based on the course results for all students, I would recommend this course for shooters of all points of interest and experience. An additional AAR was done with Practically Tactical at http://www.practicallytactical.com/episodes/handgundiagnostic and
with multiple students from this class.
This is by no means a comprehensive review of the class or the topics covered, gotta take the class.
Class date: March 10-11 2018
Class fee: $300
Equipment: Pistol, 500 rounds ammunition, Square Range PPE
Prerequisites: Valid concealed carry permit
Disclaimer: This was my first training course
Overview: Class focuses on dissecting drawing of handgun and first round on target. Class begins at 0800 with brief introductions and safety briefing. Safety is stressed and tasks are delegated to individuals in the class and pertinent information is maintained close to a land line phone [numbers for responding departments, GPS coordinates]. The glass was made up of a wide variety of shooters and levels of experience.
The class then goes out to the range and fires 1 round from 15 or 20 yards. Joe uses an interesting piece of technology to record the shot [coach’s eye]. With this, he is able to capture the entire draw stroke from buzzer to shot fired at 240 fps. We then returned to the class room, clear firearms, and watched a break down of the movements caught on camera. Personal notes and tips are then given to everyone.
Joe then beings to present his draw stroke. He builds the draw stroke from the grip and works it back. He explains the advantages of the thumbs forward grip and gives visible marks to help ensure tendon lock out. He also goes into how to diagnose issues that are found with accuracy on the range. A pivotal point of his instruction and ability to get first round on target both quickly and accurately is the context given for why a firearm is being drawn, when it is “okay” to begin trigger press and completing the trigger press while in motion. He also has a gives a point of clarity on knowing and becoming intimate with the trigger you have. From this he gives additional information on what to flex and tighten when breaking the shot. Everything is built upon until the class begins to work on a par time. In the first day there were close to 400 draw strokes. All of the draws were completed under close observation by either Joe or his A.Is to ensure that each draw is being performed with a high degree of accuracy. He closes the day with saying not to practice over night and to try to relax and a quick debrief.
Day 2 started at 0800 with brief safety brief again, firearm clear out and then a few draw strokes. We then head out to range to set the line. We then begin to live with the use of the draw stroke and continued practice of the draw and getting rounds on paper. There were multiple drills ran at varied distances, to include: sight alignment and loading, firing from retention, follow shoots, motion shots [partner moving your shoulders on the line] target transition, walk back and the ability to fire an RMR mounted firearm. Through all of the drills, Joe give multiple points of instruction to the entire class and then reinforces them with personal observation. The class then has a shoot off to determine top shot. To close the class, everyone fires 1 round under coach’s eye again. Everyone then goes inside and the new video is dissected with everyone.
Take aways: With this being my first course, this built a solid foundation for what I need to develop and what classes to take. Joe gives very empowering feed back and instruction in a manner that everyone in the class was able to gain benefit from the class. There were some students that have been taking training for decades that gained both speed and accuracy. The class as a whole either increased their speed and/accuracy on the first shot. The lay out of the class was direct and logical at a pace that made it possible for a high amount of information to be conveyed and retained. The biggest take away is that Joe breaks everything down in a way that allows you to practice the fundamentals, sights and triggers, at home and diagnose problems with both dry and live fire.
Based on the course results for all students, I would recommend this course for shooters of all points of interest and experience. An additional AAR was done with Practically Tactical at http://www.practicallytactical.com/episodes/handgundiagnostic and
This is by no means a comprehensive review of the class or the topics covered, gotta take the class.
