[Gryff]

Blackwater Worldwide is bringing their mobile training to Northern California in April. They will be offering their Advanced Handgun Skills class on April 3rd and 4th (Friday/Saturday).

If you are interested in attending, please contact me. (One Spot Currently Available)
-----------



Advanced Skills Handgun Course
Mobile Training – Richmond, California
April 3rd & 4th, 2009


Prerequisites (one of the following):
• Completion of Blackwater Tactical Pistol 1
• Completion of a basic tactical pistol course (Gunsite, Yavapai, etc)
• Active Law Enforcement or Military (combat arms MOS)
• USPSA “C” Classification or higher
• IDPA Marksman Classification or higher

Class Size: 12

The purpose of the Advanced Skills Handgun course is to teach advanced handgun manipulation skills that will enable the shooter to more effective employ his weapons system, in practical competition or actual tactical environment. The focus of this course is the advanced development of general handgun shooting skills such as speed shooting, long range accuracy, the draw, reloads, shooting while moving, etc. More importantly, considerable emphasis will be placed on how to practice most constructively and how to evaluate and track one’s own skill level. The target audience of the course is the experienced law enforcement/military operator or IPSC/IDPA competitor who is looking to improve his marksmanship and gun handling skills to the next level.

• Basic Diagnostic Evaluation Exercises
• Review of the Fundamentals of Marksmanship
• Correction of Grip, Stance, and Trigger Control Issues
• Trigger Management & Sight Management
• Improving the Reload
• Efficient Practice / Using a Training Log
• Driving the Gun (Target to Target)
• Sight and Recoil Management in Rapid Fire
• Movement from Position to Position
• Shooting on the Move / Moving Targets
• One-Handed Unsupported Shooting

Ammunition List: 1,000 rounds

Gear List: Pistol, holster, three to five magazines, magazine holders, belt, wraparound eye protection, ear protection, rain gear, weapons cleaning kit clothing appropriate for climate and conditions and a water bottle or other hydration system.

Course Cost: $350.00

Date & Location: Friday, April 3rd and Saturday, April 4th, 2009; Richmond Rod & Gun Club, Richmond, California

To Register: PM me with your phone number or email address. Participants are required to submit a completed Blackwater training application as well as documentation of responsibility. A 25% deposit will also be required to guarantee your spot.

[explorer1046]

pm sent

[SuperSet]

PM sent. Thanks for setting this up Gryff.

If my son was not due to be born April 1st, I'd jump on this!

It is nice to see such quality training being brought to the Bay Area. Thanks Gryff. Richmond IDPA brought Mike Janich out last year twice which made for some very good training.

[explorer1046]

I wonder how many others are interested?

[Gryff]

Originally Posted by explorer1046

I wonder how many others are interested?

In 24 hours, we've tentatively filled 33% of the class...

[mxndrnks]

How often do you guys come up this way? I would love to take a course with you!
I will be away on the fourth..... So I wont be able to take this one....

[Gryff]

Originally Posted by mxndrnks

How often do you guys come up this way? I would love to take a course with you!
I will be away on the fourth..... So I wont be able to take this one....

This will be their first class in Northern California. Nothing else is on the calendar at this time, but more will be scheduled based upon the interest.

[agental1934]

I want in on the class. PM sent.

[Mr. Joshua]

Sweet! Might be able to make this. I'll need to see if I can get Sat night off though. Looks like it would be an excellent class to take.

[lehn20]

Gryff
I sent a PM for Reg info
thanks

[Gryff]

All PMs replied to.

[CaptainGlock]

What would "documentation of responsibility" consist of?

[MrNiceGuy]

PM sent.

[Gryff]

Originally Posted by CaptainGlock

What would "documentation of responsibility" consist of?

For all courses:
Copy of their current driver’s license.
Proof of citizenship and place of birth based in the form of the following documents:
(1) a copy of their unexpired passport (including Visa page(s)), birth certificate, U.S. Citizenship ID card, or U.S. Legal Permanent Resident ID card (”green card”) AND
(2) a copy of government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, military photo ID, government ID card).

For all firearms courses:
Military: copy of current Active Duty Military ID card.
OR
Law Enforcement: copy of current agency ID card.
OR
Civilian: Evidence of no felony criminal history from a law enforcement agency on their letterhead or photocopy of current Concealed Weapons Permit AND letter of good character from your employer or other community leader. Former military personnel may provide a copy of their DD214 as an alternative. Some courses will require a copy of the applicable Federal Firearms license.

[Gryff]

This class sold out within 72 hours of it being announced. Therefore, Blackwater has agreed to add a second class date on May 15-16.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s....php?p=1972505

If you are interested in attending, please contact me as soon as possible.

I look forward to the After Action Review on this class. It is nice to see quality training in California and that the class sells out quickly despite the economy.

Just a comment on the paper work requirements, how hard is it to get your local PD to give you a the prerequisite evidence of a non felony history? Is this something you can just walk in and demand (politely) or does the agency of discretion about handing it out?

[Gryff]

Originally Posted by Dont Tread on Me

Just a comment on the paper work requirements, how hard is it to get your local PD to give you a the prerequisite evidence of a non felony history? Is this something you can just walk in and demand (politely) or does the agency of discretion about handing it out?

It's a simple process. You just go into your local Sheriff's department and request it. It may take a couple of hours for them to generate it, so you might call them in advance.

They will tell you that it covers only your criminal felony record for that county, but that is normally adequate for Blackwater.

[6litespeed9]

Please keep me on the list of interest if you ever have a class in Socal. Would love to attend and improve my skills with this wonderful course.
Kory

[explorer1046]

Gryff....if your at tommorrows idps classifier, can I give you my remaining balance for the blackwater course or do you perfer I mail it to you instead?

[Gryff]

Originally Posted by explorer1046

Gryff....if your at tommorrows idps classifier, can I give you my remaining balance for the blackwater course or do you perfer I mail it to you instead?

Yep, I'll be there. I'll be the guy standing soaking wet in the rain running the timer for the shooters.

[DREADNOUGHT78]

I would be in for the Tactical Pistol 1 class and would be willing to travel anywhere in Ca for it! Don't qualify for this particular class or I would do it!

[lehn20]

What time does the class start?.
0800?

[Gryff]

The class will run 800am to 400pm on Friday and 800am to 300pm on Saturday.

[agental1934]

Just one week away!!!!

[Gryff]

Gentlemen,

We go live in three days, so here is the final information regarding the training.


Days and Time
-------------
Friday 8am to 4pm
Saturday 8am to 3pm
Range will be open beginning at 7:30am


Location
--------
Richmond Rod & Gun Club (in the Action Pistol Range)
3155 Goodrick Ave
Richmond, CA 94801

Door-to-door instructions: http://tinyurl.com/cjrbm3

The training will take place on Action Pistol Range. You do NOT need to check in with the rangemaster on the public range when you arrive. Simply park in the main lot, and then walk into the Action Pistol Range.

Please note that Richmond is a Cold Range. If you have a CCW, please do not bring a loaded weapon on to the property. If you are law enforcement and are armed when you arrive, let me know once onsite so that we can have you unload. Once on the range, you can handle mags and ammo anywhere (except in a Safety Areas). You may uncase, handle, and/or holster your weapons only in the Safety Areas, unless instructed to by the Course Instructor or a club Range Officer.


Gear List
---------
Pistol
Holster
Magazines (3 to 5)
Mag holders
1,000 rounds of ammo
Ballistic-quality eye protection
Hearing protection
Boots/shoes with good traction (range surface is gravel/stone)
Sunscreen and chapstick
Band-aids
Water bottle/hydration pack
Snack bars


Attire
------
This time of year, Richmond's weather ranges from very cold to pretty warm. It is strongly suggested that you wear layers that you can discard or put on as needed throughout the day. No rain is currently expected. A visored hat is recommended.


Food
----
There is limited-to-no food/beverages available at the range. I will bring some water for everyone, but you may want to bring Gatorade/sports drinks for your own consumption. We will break for lunch each day, and there is food a couple of minutes up Richmond Parkway (Quizno's, A&W/KFC, Mexican and Thai sit-down, Starbucks).

Originally Posted by Gryff

If you have a CCW, please do not bring a loaded weapon on to the property.

I know this is not down to you Gryff, but Richmond has its head in the wrong place on this one. People either drive through one of America's most dangerous cities unarmed or they have to unload/load in the car off the range property. I saw all the new red clearing barrels and thought the policy had been fixed.

[explorer1046]

Jim,

Do we have a full class and are visitors viewing the course allowed? Are we allowed to take video/photos?

[Gryff]

Originally Posted by Dont Tread on Me

I know this is not down to you Gryff, but Richmond has its head in the wrong place on this one. People either drive through one of America's most dangerous cities unarmed or they have to unload/load in the car off the range property. I saw all the new red clearing barrels and thought the policy had been fixed.

You may be right. I heard something about this, but don't have the full information. Lacking it, I went with what I know.

If I find out different, I'll post here.

Originally Posted by explorer1046

Do we have a full class and are visitors viewing the course allowed? Are we allowed to take video/photos?

The class is full. I would imagine that since it is paid instruction, visitors would not be appreciated by the instructor.

As for video/photos, taking them of yourself to analyze your performance is fine. You should refrain taking them of the other students or the actual instruction, though, due to either identity or copyright concerns.

[agental1934]

Gryff, Thanks for setting up and coordinating this training. I had a great time.

Originally Posted by agental1934

Gryff, Thanks for setting up and coordinating this training. I had a great time.

We need more of an After Action Review!!! Come on, what was the instructor like, what did you guys learn? Can you give us some idea of the drills? Did Gryff do anything we can laugh about?

[Rogue187]

Class was high speed and low drag..
If your not an accomplished shooter and you think that this class is on how to handle and become a better shooter, this class is NOT for you..

This class is more for those who have done some shooting before.
This is an advanced class.

If your just a basic shooter this is not the class. If you have shot IPSC/USPSA and are competent then you would do well in this class.

Some of the techniques are advanced and if you are unsure of yourself..the training you are about to get would go over your head.

I got some great training and good case of sunburn..

Pros: Great techniques to learn even if you know it all. Learned new shortcuts to shoot better.

Cons: Sore thumbs and sunburned.

Great class to take if you are up to speed..

[explorer1046]

Gryff....this was some of the best training I have ever had. I hope there are more courses from blackwater (us training) in the future. With the knowledge I gained from the course, I believe I am able to take my shooting skills to the next level!

[MrNiceGuy]

I've been shooting a long time at the range, thought I knew it all.
Tactical shooting is a completely different animal.
I learned some many new skills in two days, it's hard to cram it all into my head....:P
Definitely got my money's worth.
Thx for hooking it up Gryff!

[AR-shogun]

[mecam]

Originally Posted by MrNiceGuy

I've been shooting a long time at the range, thought I knew it all.
Tactical shooting is a completely different animal.
I learned some many new skills in two days, it's hard to cram it all into my head....:P
Definitely got my money's worth.
Thx for hooking it up Gryff!

So, can you apply this training to competition shooting or is it a totally different animal?

[MrNiceGuy]

Actually the course was going to be called Advanced Competition Shooting.
So yah, I think my time and accuracy will improve at the next tac pistol.
Provided that I actually apply what I learned to the actual match....:P

[SuperSet]

AAR: Blackwater - Advanced Handgun Skills - 3 Apr 09 - 4 Apr 09

The Instructor:
I first met our instructor, Bill Go, at the 2008 Golden Gate IDPA Regionals, where he served as Blackwater’s main match sponsor. At the time, I figured that the company wanted to send a representative to principally 'fly the flag', meet the competitors and sell their training courses. Little did I know that their company rep actually wanted to shoot the match and did he ever! After having seen him shoot, I eagerly wanted into his pistol class. As part of his introduction, Bill spoke about his background as a retired Marine Corps officer, subsequent experience as a Blackwater private contractor and trainer and his history and love of competitive shooting. In fact, he started his shooting career at Richmond gun club while attending Navy post-graduate school.

The Students:
We had a diverse mixture of civilian and local LE presence for the class. Prior to the class registration, the Blackwater prerequisites included LE, MIL, or Competitive Shooting experience. As a result, everyone was dialed into the class from the first shots of the day. I was honored to attend with such an excellent group of shooters. On a personal note, I recognized several familiar faces from the countless pistol matches there so it felt really good to return to the NorCal area and see old friends again!

The Curriculum:
Bill mentioned that the original name for the class was the 'Competition' or 'Technical Skills' course but was later broadened to attract non-competition shooters. At class conclusion, I circled the words 'Technical Skills' because you will spend the majority of your time focusing on the technical aspects of shooting a handgun accurately, at speed while working out your inefficiencies. You will have A LOT of input to process so a notebook and a pen would be very much recommended.
Bill also mentioned that he believes that Blackwater's training curriculum is 'state-of-the-art'. I believe this may likely be the case not because they've somehow mastered the secrets to pistol shooting themselves but kept their curriculum open to emerging and innovative techniques from as many sources as possible. Or as Bill stated, 'we learn as much from our students as they learn from us'. For example, during our malfunctions clearing section, we were taught a technique for clearing double feeds that was taught to Blackwater by CAG operators. Todd Jarrett also shared with Bill some efficient movement and presentation techniques. As regular procedure, Bill would ask about our other training classes that we’ve attended and what curriculum they were teaching. Even though he was our instructor, I got a sense that he is always a student as well.

The Class:
- Introductions and history lessons. Bill did quite a bit of name dropping that morning. :-)

- Review of pistol marksmanship fundamentals. You should already be familiar with these due to the course prerequisites. Highlights include:
- Stance. Modified isosceles now dominates.
- Grip. Thumbs forward grip proven to work.
- Sight picture. Acceptable vs. Perfect (very important later).
- Trigger control. Slack is not part of the trigger press.

- Assessment phase. Cold bore shots from low and high ready to assess his strengths and weaknesses. I started to really enjoy shooting from high ready after this phase.

- Rhythm shooting. 6 shot groups at varying speed to test your grip, stance and sight alignment. You must shoot your gun to learn how it feels in recoil and how fast you can go. This section also serves to help you learn what is an acceptable sight picture.. one of the first components to learning how to shoot fast.



- Draws. Blackwater teaches a 3-point draw so you can get the gun up and shoot from high ready as soon as possible. Bill's teaching point about Presentation vs. Set was excellent as it shows you when to go fast and when to go slow. Big A-HA moment for me. Shown here, practicing your draw speed at 25 yards.. hint.. it's the same speed as 7 yards.





- Reloads. Tactical, Reload with Retention and Speed Reload. My tactical reloads are much smoother now, after this class.



- Turns. Setting up to shoot is more important than the shot. Lead with your head, then legs and then the gun.



- Position shooting. Standing, Braced Kneeling, Monica, Squad and Prone. BW teaches prone shooting with the magazine touching the ground for added stability, similar to rifle shooting.



continued...

[SuperSet]

- Shooting on the move. Let the sights dictate cadence of fire. Forward and backwards movement. Sideways movement also covered excellently. Bill Go demonstrates here with his 'carrying a water glass' method.



- Malfunctions. I’m a Glock shooter so I slept through most of this part.


- Failure drill. Mozambique is not always the solution. Notice the circled area here.



- Angle shooting. Work transition speed and recoil control. Shoot, eyes snap, and shoot again. I could have shot this all day since it was so much fun!





- Bill Drill. Allows you to integrate turns, transitions and rhythm shooting. Bill Go speaks to tracking the site through recoil.



continued..

[SuperSet]

- One-handed shooting and one-handed malfunction clearance. You’d be surprised how quickly you pick this up after a little practice.



- Barricade shooting. Don't crowd your barricade, plant your foot and rotate at the hip.





- Deadliest men. Fun contest involving a walk-back drill starting at the 7 yard line and ending up at the 30y line.. shooting strong hand only. Here's your winner:



- Training regime. In some ways, I found this section the most important as the lessons of a training class can disappear quickly without constant reinforcement and practice. When Bill pulled out his training logs to detail his presentation and split times, I understood why he became the excellent shooter that he is.


Conclusion:
I’m sure I missed some training points as BW stuffs so much material into this 2-day course that it’s likely one of the best training values out there. If you’re looking for a one-stop shop, Blackwater presents an effective, innovative and tested curriculum that’s applicable to a wide range of shooters. If you’ve built solid pistol skills and are looking for a ‘graduate-level’ course, you will not be disappointed by looking these guys up. Plus, your graduation certificate looks really cool.