Where/How to train?

[Old Fud]

I just bought a "Neighborhood defense" shotgun -- REM 870 Express Magnum black synthetic 20" Bbl w/extended magazine. My one and only SG, intended purpose to defend against drive-by's, looters, and animal-attacks.

How/where to train?
(I live in SF Bay area)

What are the rules and etiquette of shooting at local ranges? Indoor OK? Pick up hulls? what?

How about moving-target training?
(Does clay/skeet/trap make any sense with a short-barreled gun intended for non-bird usage?)

Any advice appreciated.
Fud

[imported_EricO]

Old Fud,

First off, I would suggest purchasing a minimum of three training, inert shells. These will help training administrative loading/unloading, and tactical loading of your shotgun. You can practice doing "slug select" drills as well. Obviously, safety is foremost.

I would suggest taking a shotgun class - Walt Marshall of awt.com comes to mind. If you already have some training and are up to it, head out to Chabot Gun Club in Castro Valley and partake in their 3-gun shotgun matches.

Most of the local ranges limit what you can do shotgun-wise. TargetMasters (indoor) in Milpitas allows (or at least they used to) birdshot loads but no slugs. Chabot (outdoor) allows slugs at the rifle ranges and I believe has a patterning target as well. I've done a little practice at Targetmasters in the past and it's limited to merely starting from a low ready position, shooting, loading, practicing slug select drills (with another shot shell of course) and such. Unless you have rural land somewhere where you can practice legally, or have access to one of the local ranges at off-times (which is possible), it's a bit difficult to get in some types of practice.

EricO

[imported_Matt-man]

I'll second the recommendation for AWT's shotgun class.

Reed's Indoor Range allows slugs & buckshot for shotguns.

[Dont Tread on Me]

+1 on Walt's AWT. Suarez' Tactical Shotgun book is a good read but not substitute for trainning with an instructor.

Reed's has only just (in the last week or so) banned slugs. They explained to me that their back stop cannot take them.

I shoot slugs now at Chabot or Los Altos. Both great ranges.

[Old Fud]

Thanks.
I'll start at TargetMaster and pick up the dummy shells there.

Finally found Walt. Turns out his website isn't AWT.com --- it's awt-co.com.
Interesting fellow, and interesting outfit.

I appreciate the help.
Fud.

[imported_EricO]

Old Fud, my goof on the web address.
Awerbuck's shotgun book is a decent text, although Jim Crew's material, via the training CD, is excellent. I recommend the Gunsite shotgun training video also, good stuff.

EricO