Went to a Defensive Shotgun Class at Paratus Training in Santa Barbara CA.

[W.R.Buchanan]

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I did a Defensive Shotgun Class with Paratus Training yesterday at the Santa Barbara Range. Had a great time and got to re-awaken my Tactical Gun Handling Skills which had been put on hold after the demise of Front Sight. Our instructor was cool, a retired LEO from Isla Vista CA (UCSB)

I took 3 guns with me,, My 20" M500 7+1 and my Browning A5 also 7+1. Both have Vang Comped barrels and the M500 was my first Tac Shotgun from about 2012, and the A5 has been around for about the same time but just got a 20" Vang Comped Barrel a month or so ago. I DG'd my 4th FS Shotgun Class with it in 2020 but it had a 24" Buck Special Barrel on it at that time.

Now with the 20" barrel with Rifle Sights I was seeing consistent 3" 00 Buck patterns at 15 yards, and slightly less than 7" at 25 yds. This was using standard Federal Low Recoil 00 and 000 Buckshot. (9 & 8 Pellets). I also brought the Monkeyberg M500 just in case, but didn't shoot it.

With "Federal Flight Control 00 Buckshot", Me and all the other Vang Comped Barrels in the class (4 out of 5 guns) were getting a 2" dia. Holes at 20 yards !!! This was brutal to say the least, considering that were were shooting at a Simulated House Wall with dry wall on both sides, which this stuff went thru like butter. !!!

We had a good time and got to Performance Test our home defense guns, and I am confident I can deal with any reasonable threat.

Randy

[acaligunner]

I grew up on a Mossberg 500 pump SG - Now I have Arlene 😁 and a few like her ~ good taking a refresher class, I just like around a “ interesting “ neighborhood, so sd stuff happens every so often.

I enjoy the Benelli -
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[hermosabeach]

WR- was this just a 1 day class? Any new drills not taught by Front Sight?

[W.R.Buchanan]

No, it was only about 6 hours but the 00 Flight Control I used was some of the rounds I got from you! The main take away from that class was seeing what different ammo did to A simulated wall. Out of my Vang Comped barrels Flight Control grouped 2" at 20 yards! Which was pretty incredible!

The only new things I learned were shooting from over the shoulder which I don't plan on ever doing again. I got smacked in the chops really hard on the one shot I took like that. I see no advantage over a Low or High Ready, or under the arm for going thru a door.

The trip I'm looking forward to is the Vang Comp Sponsored Thunder Stick Summit at the old Front Sight facility in late September. That is 3 days and 10 classes with 10 different instructors. I'll get my gun handling back on teh first day and then really get to ring out my guns. I'm taking both my 18" and 20" M500's and my A5.

For info on that go to www.vangcomp.com and go into the "Shop pull down, and select Services" you'll see it.

Randy

[hermosabeach]

Just recall, when you go through the door, if someone grabs the barrel, consider stepping back to pull their arms straight and leveling the barrel... press the let go button as needed

[67Cuda]

Did anybody in the class have a Kel-Tec bullpup?

[splithoof]

Did anybody in the class have a Kel-Tec bullpup?

Not to threadjack, but when I took the 260 class over at Gunsite back in 2013, two policemen brought Kel-Tec KSG’s along, and by the end of Day 1 both of those were in the trash can. Major functional issues. Of interest was that at the time, the manufacturer supposedly claimed a service life of only 6K rounds.
The two cops ended up using a pair of the school’s 870’s, no issues with those. Ever see an 870 with zero blue finish remaining due to constant use over the years?…kinda cool to see those running so well considering the use factor.

[acaligunner]

Not to threadjack, but when I took the 260 class over at Gunsite back in 2013, two policemen brought Kel-Tec KSG’s along, and by the end of Day 1 both of those were in the trash can. Major functional issues. Of interest was that at the time, the manufacturer supposedly claimed a service life of only 6K rounds.
The two cops ended up using a pair of the school’s 870’s, no issues with those. Ever see an 870 with zero blue finish remaining due to constant use over the years?…kinda cool to see those running so well considering the use factor.

Doesn’t IMI make one of those 3 tube carrying 5 shells that’s supposed to be ok or gtg ?

I myself have never seen one - I just know my Benelli M4 & 1014.

[splithoof]

Doesn’t IMI make one of those 3 tube carrying 5 shells that’s supposed to be ok or gtg ?

I myself have never seen one - I just know my Benelli M4 & 1014.

If IMI made one, based on my other IMI products (UZI collection, DE pistols, and a few other oddities) I’d trust it before any Kel-Tec anything.
Your M4 is certainly up to the task. Someone needs to clean the SFV if the occasion presents. You should be GTG.

[acaligunner]

If IMI made one, based on my other IMI products (UZI collection, DE pistols, and a few other oddities) I’d trust it before any Kel-Tec anything.
Your M4 is certainly up to the task. Someone needs to clean the SFV if the occasion presents. You should be GTG.

Thank you 🙂

I appreciate the newer type sg’s hitting the market, but I’ll wait a bit before putting the benellis away.
I also saw a YouTube video on the DP-12 shotgun ( shot by Larry vickers ) that looked interesting..

Ahh yes -the SFV. A very different place than what it was in the 70’s early 80’s. Then it started changing with drug dealers offering me cocaine ( Langdon Ave ) and then the gang violence that happened in the middle 80’s to late 90’s. Now the SFV is just a mix of everything thrown into this valley.

I’m on point whenever I’m out and about - so I’m doing the best that I can. Thank you brother and hope all is well. 🙏

[splithoof]

Ahh yes -the SFV. A very different place than what it was in the 70’s early 80’s. Then it started changing with drug dealers offering me cocaine ( Langdon Ave ) and then the gang violence that happened in the middle 80’s to late 90’s. Now the SFV is just a mix of everything thrown into this valley.

I’m on point whenever I’m out and about - so I’m doing the best that I can. Thank you brother and hope all is well. 🙏

I grew up in Woodland Hills 1960’s-80’s, and have seen much change. Still own family generational properties south of Ventura Blvd in better areas as nice rentals. I was lucky enough to escape.

There is a Walmart at Fallbrook & Victory blvds, that we refer to as “The Border”, as you can figure why. It is a crap hole, ruined by liberal democrat policies and undesirables who have moved in. Back when there was a Sears there, they had different departments, and when you went in, you were usually greeted by an actual salesman who knew what he sold, wore a sport coat ant tie, was born in America, and spoke english first. Same for other major stores in the area. Canoga Park wasn’t as bad as it now is, and you could actually stroll along Sherman Way without being constantly bothered by dirty, disheveled homeless vagrants asking for a handout.
Sad to see the decline, but it is what it is, a democrat liberal sewer.

[Capybara]

I grew up in Woodland Hills 1960’s-80’s, and have seen much change. Still own family generational properties south of Ventura Blvd in better areas as nice rentals. I was lucky enough to escape.

There is a Walmart at Fallbrook & Victory blvds, that we refer to as “The Border”, as you can figure why. It is a crap hole, ruined by liberal democrat policies and undesirables who have moved in. Back when there was a Sears there, they had different departments, and when you went in, you were usually greeted by an actual salesman who knew what he sold, wore a sport coat ant tie, was born in America, and spoke english first. Same for other major stores in the area. Canoga Park wasn’t as bad as it now is, and you could actually stroll along Sherman Way without being constantly bothered by dirty, disheveled homeless vagrants asking for a handout.
Sad to see the decline, but it is what it is, a democrat liberal sewer.

My business partner just moved to Freedom filled New Hampshire last year, we had our company in Canoga Park off of DeSoto the past six years, only because he had the building. It is a scorched earth hellscape, which is so sad as that neighborhood when I was kid in North Hollywood was very nice. Now it's just drug addicts, bums, and Latino families who buy a house on a property, tear out the front yard, side yard and back yard so they can concrete everything to park 15-20 cars on their property, that's considered a status symbol there to have no yard and just acres of junk cars parked everywhere. Two doors down from us was a Meth Lab that we called in numerous times when they were cooking, a very unmistakable smell. Did Canoga PD or Sheriff ever bust them? Nah, too busy writing Chicken shyte tickets to the gainfully employed, generating graft for the city. Canoga Park is a nightmarish shytehole, I thank God I no longer have to go there.

[splithoof]

Did Canoga PD or Sheriff ever bust them? Nah, too busy writing Chicken shyte tickets to the gainfully employed, generating graft for the city. Canoga Park is a nightmarish shytehole, I thank God I no longer have to go there.

That would be the jurisdiction of LAPD, whom I think generally do a good job with their thin resources. When I was a 8 year old, there was an incident when a small group of us were walking home the mile from our elementary school (yes we actually did that back then, and the schools were good) wherein a fugitive attempted to grab one of us and pull him into their old station wagon. We were able to run down the sidewalk to a friend’s house whose mother (yes, mothers usually were at home back then) called the police, and those policeMEN swarmed the area very quickly and bagged the two perps. And that was in a “nice” area of Woodland Hills, well south of Ventura. I’ve always had respect for LAPD, but know that their traffic cops are working anywhere. That Canoga Park has gone so far down is sad, but I suspect that eventually real estate prices and redevelopment will force out those of lesser means.

[acaligunner]

I use to see the love of my life ( variel & Sherman way ) and had some encounters with cp alabama - knocked out a couple of those goofs, all because I was an outsider.

I remember the valley as a nice place, use to ride my bike everywhere / drive around the place no issues - then the cholo / vato thing came up in the 80’s and the killings started happening.

Today the valley is just a mess, and LAPD is strapped down with so much red tape they just are not that interested anymore to solve crime.

If I go for a walk around the block I have to mentally prepare myself to met a gangbanger or criminal with violence, that’s not good and being on point because your area is not the best is not good either.

Just waiting on the kids to graduate and I’m out.

[W.R.Buchanan]

What does any of this have to do with me going to a Home Defense Shotgun Class in Santa Barbara CA ?

The whole Idea of the Class was to teach you how to run a shotgun in your home, and how to avoid having to run a shotgun in your home!

Randy