AAR: Sentinel Concepts Practical Shotgun with Steve Fisher, Mar 29, 2019, Mcloud, OK

AAR Sentinel Concepts Practical Shotgun
Meadhall Range, Mcloud, OK
March 29, 2019

Equipment:

- Beretta 1301T shotgun, ran through the Aridus Industries catalog
- Federal FC 9-pellet 00 buck
- Federal #8 Shot
- Dark LITE IFAK
- SOFTT-W TQ in 1110 holder

Prior Experience:
24-years LE, 20 with a large Metropolitan agency. Four years USMC Infantry. Multiple classes with Patrick Rogers/EAG Tactical, Patrick Mcnamara TAPS Pistol and Rifle, Patrick Mcnamara TAPS Instructor, Frank Proctor Performance Pistol and Rifle, FLETC Firearms Instructor Training Program, FLETC Advanced Pistol Training Program, NRA LE Division Handgun/Shotgun Instructor, Tom Givens Instructor Development, Tom Givens Advanced Instructor, Rogers Shooting School, William Petty VCQB Instructor, Glock Operator Course, Alexander Global Strategies Executive Protection Course, FLETC Basic Tactical Medical Instructor Training Program, FLETC Active Shooter Threat Instructor Training Program, ITTS (Keary Miller) Law Enforcement Tactical Trauma Course, several hundred hours of department firearms training, several regional firearms courses.

Range:

Meadhall Range, Mcloud, OK (approximately 20 mins East of OKC). Outdoor range with 10 lanes, goes back to 300+ yards, however we used from the 50 in. Range has steels (including multiple crit-hit hostage targets, and plate racks), turning targets and moving targets, indoor (clean) restrooms (for both males and females), and a shade structure. Current owner is in the process of upgrading the facility, with a large classroom/training building, moving (and turning) steels, and floods and strobes on the range coming soon. All targetry and lighting is controlled via app on a tablet or cellphone.

Full disclosure: The range owner is one of my oldest friends, so I may be biased, but the facility is very nice, and will offer some capabilities that are far from common in most civilian ranges.

Class Demographics:

Mix of military, LE, and regular-guys. Ten students in total.

Course Overview:

This was a basic class, covering the fundamentals of running, and feeding, a shotgun. It was easy to tell Steve had been doing this for a very long time – the class flowed well, there was no unplanned downtime, and the essentials were covered in a thorough, clear manner. I had trained with Steve once before, when he taught EAG Tactical’s curriculum. It was a pleasure getting to see his personal take on things.
The class focused HEAVILY on keeping the beast fed. After a safety brief, very thorough med brief, and discussion about equipment/setup, we dove right into patterning, and explaining why patterning was important/what you might want to look for in your chosen ammo. After this, Steve jumped immediately into a series of drills focusing on reloading the shotgun. Other than patterning, everything was shot on steel.
I’ve never been a big fan of the shotgun – I respect it, but I will almost always gravitate towards a rifle. This class did not change that, but it did give me a new-found appreciation of what a shotgun is capable of.

Final Thoughts:

Steve is definitely not the instructor to seek out if you need to have your feelings coddled. He is extremely blunt, and has no problem jumping dead in your ass if you are screwing up. I personally enjoy this trait in an instructor. I am not paying to be patted on the head and told everything is awesome – I’m paying to improve my skillset, and Steve delivered this in spades. That said, he has a great sense of humor, and the class was a lot of fun. The shotgun has always been the platform that got the least love from me – I train a lot with handguns and rifles, but other than academy training, and in-service training, my shotgun instruction has stopped at FLETC Firearms Instructor. Getting my first semiauto shotgun pushed me into seeking the training I realistically needed much sooner.

I would highly recommend this class for anyone who owns a shotgun, and would unequivocally recommend Steve as an instructor. I am certain this will not be the last time I seek him out.