The next Instructor Zero?

[SLG]

I watched all three linked videos. The first one is stupid, and is the kind of stuff that amateurs do. Someone else will copy it and get hurt. I think he is trying to think smartly about training, and then executing poorly.

The other two videos were much more interesting. Too fast to really say too much about them, but he seems to have solid technique and except for his reholstering, he seems to be safe.

There is no question that he is fast, and seems to be consistent. Seems like a decent guy too.

Personally, I think that he is working on a hardware solution to software problems (so to speak), but I have no idea how much time and effort he spends on that stuff, so I can't say anything too intelligent. It is just a short clip, not a dissertation on all aspects of self defense.

I think that civilians are perfectly qualified to teach self defense, if they have a relatively long history of high level training and ability. It's not SWAT stuff and it is pretty relevant to everyone's personal life. Some guys are able to think very well about this stuff, and when you combine that with really good training/research/practice, things will probably work out fine. Experience is always better to have, but sometimes the wrong lessons are taken from individual experiences. If he was writing for Operator magazine, I could see the disconnect.

As far as the speed and skill shown, like I said, he seems to have good technique and is a fast guy. The targets are at like 3-5 feet though, so let's not pretend this level of skill is unheard of. I don't think I could shoot three times in 1 sec at that distance, but i know I can do 2. I almost never do that though, because I really don't favor drawing my gun at that distance.

The best statistics that I am aware of, talk about officer line of duty deaths. I have never seen any that address civilian fights.

If he's being safe (which he is 2 out of 3 videos here) and he's not a jerk, I say more power to him.

[Wondering Beard]

How on earth can you make that judgement based off of two videos of him shooting drills?

Because I'm only responding to the videos. The question was asked what is he doing wrong in the videos shown, my response is that it presents a gun only solution to the problem. I have no idea what else he does or does not teach and I certainly wouldn't presume to say he only presents gun solutions in all his teachings, but in the two videos that's the problem I see.

[jiminycricket]

Meh if someone wants sorely to be internet famous, they should expect to be dog-piled. I met the guy, and I was not impressed by his character. He came in to our local indoor range about a year ago, and it so happened I was working with a coworker who knew Fawbush from his airsoft days. Apparently Fawbush was hot stuff in the airsoft arena, posting videos and whatnot. On this day, he had a new shooter with him that he was instructing. When they walked though the door, I saw he had a long case. Being we were a pistol and shotgun only range, I had to unfortunately break the news to him. Most people would obviously get disappointed but none got pissy like him. He demanded to be "compensated" claiming that we didn't have any such restriction listed on our website. I proceeded to show him the website and the range rules. That shut him up.

He checked in, got assigned a lane. I assigned him a lane from a bay that had no other shooters since he had a newbie with him. At our range we have a policy of only handling your firearms when at your assigned bench. Well, I approached him because he was demonstrating his weapons in the standing area outside the bay's. Granted he was being aware of muzzle directions keeping them pointed toward the wall, however beyond the wall was our parking lot. I informed him of our policy, and he whined saying it was too loud in the range to talk. If he hadn't had a new shooter with him, I would have told him tough titty. However, I told him he could use one of our classrooms. I escorted him and procured for him our blue guns and sight alignment class prop. He finally acted like he enjoyed our facilities, even calling me sweetheart. I've never been called sweetheart before.

I kept an eye on things at times through the open class door, and he seemed competent and safe in his instruction. That was when my coworker told me about his internet presence. The new shooter and a chance for a good review, led me into the classroom to tell Fawbush that even though rifles are not permitted for the general public, we do use his specific bay for swat training with AR's. Since we were somewhat low on patronage that day, I gave him permission. This made him happy, and he called me sweetheart some more.

He gave his lesson, they shot, and they both came to the front desk so he could show her our rental guns and options for a defensive piece. Speaking of pieces, Fawbush had some heavily modded glocks and AR's; they were impressive to look at. Like any of us, he had his prejudices toward certain products. For example he harped on double action pistols saying no one uses them for competition yada yada.

He recognized my coworker from their airsoft days and they chatted a bit. When Fawbush and his student were getting ready to leave, I told them I'm glad they had a good time and to tell their friends about our range. He asked if the range had Instagram, and I said no. "You need to; that's where it's at," he replied. He then told me how his student is Instagram famous for her yoga. Honestly, him talking about Instagram fame made me gag a little.

Overall, he was competent in instructing for the most part. I'm not sure what the specific goal of their outing was, but if it were an introduction to firearms for personal defensive use, I think he went a little too heavy.

She had a great time, and Fawbush never taught down to her.

Would I recommend him? Not really, but now I'm personally biased.
If someone told me they signed up for instruction from him? I'd tell them great. He's obviously got skills.

But yeah he came across as a diva and my coworker told me he's always been like that.

[BehindBlueI's]

More info on Instragram famous for yoga lady, pls.

[jiminycricket]

Haha she was quite lovely.

[MVS]

Ken Hackathorn says something similar about deadly force encounters and then spends two days training at that distance (or, did when I took his class).

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about in my post above. Ken says it and everyone takes it as gospel, some preacher with a flashy metube video says it and it's all wrong.

I think I would be a little disappointed if I took a Hackathorn class and we never shot past 3 yards.

[JCS]

He's huge on Instagram. The glocks you speak of were most likely his salient arms pistols who sponsor him. He's making money off social media and who can blame him. It won't last forever. Never met the guy and probably never will. I like how he preaches the gospel in his videos. Doesn't make him a qualified shooter but I enjoy listening to him.


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[Hot Sauce]

He recognized my coworker from their airsoft days and they chatted a bit. When Fawbush and his student were getting ready to leave, I told them I'm glad they had a good time and to tell their friends about our range. He asked if the range had Instagram, and I said no. "You need to; that's where it's at," he replied. He then told me how his student is Instagram famous for her yoga. Honestly, him talking about Instagram fame made me gag a little.

I understand you made a judgement about the guy based on his attitude. Fair enough. But what he says about Instagram is not wrong. It is an influential platform, and it can certainly help a business, and quite a few in the firearms industry successfully use it. Not really sure what is gag-worthy about that. It is a good way to attract new shooters, especially younger ones. Especially ones who wear yoga pants.

I haven't really made up my mind either way on the guy, I don't know him, obviously. But if he teaches safe gun-handling in and some decent defensive drills, then why the hell not. Those interested in taking training further will find quality instructors eventually, via PF or otherwise. But we all know that 90% of gun owners won't even make it to the stage to train with an internet celebrity like him, and will do the bare minimum to qualify for CCW permit just like most cops will shoot during the periodic qualifications.

Is he a stolen valor asshole? Is his name Tex Grebner? Is he teaching inquartata and muzzling himself while wearing a rollerblading helmet? Okay, okay, I jest.

Let's judge this stuff in a simpler way. Is someone who trains with him going to be better off learning this stuff, or worse off? Are they gonna develop some really terrible training scars (besides speed reholstering, which I have seen really squared away people in Mike Pannone's class do, as well, unfortunately)?

[Ed L]

Ken Hackathorn says something similar about deadly force encounters and then spends two days training at that distance (or, did when I took his class).

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about in my post above. Ken says it and everyone takes it as gospel, some preacher with a flashy metube video says it and it's all wrong.

In Ken's advanced Pistol class, most time is spent shooting inside of 10 yards, the distance which he states most defensive shootings take place inside of.

[HCM]

More info on Instragram famous for yoga lady, pls.

No, seriously, might be the best thing to come out of this thread.