I just finished up Gunsite's handgun Advanced Tactical Problems (ATP) class this week, at the Gunsite facility in Paulden, Arizona. There is enough that I want to say about the class, that I may break it up into different posts.
My wife and I first attended Gunsite in 1991, when we took API 270, their rifle class, in preparation for our honeymoon hunting trip to Botswana. Jeff Cooper was the instructor. Since then, we have taken many classes at Gunsite, and been friends with many Gunsite people. It has been about five years since I last took a class there. The Gunsite facility is world class, consisting of approximately 2,500 acres, scattered across the piñon-juniper terrain of northern Arizona. They have many indoor shoot houses, outdoor simulators, square ranges, rifle ranges to 2,000 yards, and almost everything imaginable to train on.
Gunsite's pistol offerings are, in order, 250, 350, 499 and ATP. ATP is three days, and their most advanced pistol offering. TD1 is a square range refresher in the morning, and both indoor and outdoor simulators in the afternoon. TD2 is about an hour of square range, followed by the rest of the day in simulators. TD2 includes a night shoot, conducted in the indoor and outdoor simulators. TD3 has force on force for part of the day, some square range work, and then various competitions on steel. We shot about 1,000 rounds of ball and about 250 rounds of frangible over the three days.
Our instructors were Cory Trapp and Ron Fielder. I have known Cory for nearly twenty years, and consider him a friend and resource. This is the first time I met Ron, but we share a mutual friend in Randy Cain. Ron is very knowledgeable and calm. Cory and Ron complemented each other very well. Due to some cancellations, there were six of us in class, which was awesome in terms of the flow through the simulators. Everyone attending could shoot, and backgrounds included military, LE, district attorney's office, and me. I think, given the choice, the Gunsite staff would rather have had my wife attend, as they like her. They made that clear by periodically calling me by her name during the week.
Wide range of pistols from the 1911, M&P, Glock, XDM and me mostly with a Beretta Brig Tac. I had exactly one stoppage during the course, and it was with a frangible round in a simulator. I think all the students had some stoppages with frangible ammo, and it is consider par for the course with frangible. The only persistent stoppages I saw other than with frangible were with the 1911 shooter. Both his pistols, one was a TRP and I believe the other was a Colt, had issues. Particularly concerning was his Colt carry 1911, as it is on his CA CCW, and it is apparently very hard to change to another gun.
I really enjoyed the course, seeing old friends, spending time at Gunsite, and look forward to returning soon. I am going to start with my suggestions for how Gunsite can improve this class, all of which I shared with my friend, Ken Campbell, the COO at Gunsite.
1) I would like to see an update of the technical shooting curriculum. It is fundamentally what was taught in my 250 class in 90's. I think it is possible to update the technical shooting curriculum while staying true to Gunsite's philosophy as a fighting school.
2) I would like to see more instructor demo's. Leatham, Bragg, Rogers, Langdon, Green - they all demo a lot and that is very helpful.
3) I think there was too much emphasis on 3 and 5 yard shooting for an Advanced class.
4) Gunsite is philosophically an open carry place, and has been for decades. Instructors and students open carry. However, OWB in a Blade Tech isn't real world, and especially when combined with fast 3-5 yard shooting, is not realistic. While students can shoot concealed, it isn't likely to happen if students on the line next to them shoot open, as the concealed guys will likely lag on drills. I think all or part of the course should be shot concealed by instructors and students.
5) The Gunsite standard paper target has an appropriate upper A section in the head box, but an eight inch circle in the main part of the target. However, the instructors wanted you to shoot the upper half of the eight inch circle. I would like to see a target that is more along the dimensions John Hearne advocates.
I plan to post additional sections focusing on the simulators and force on force exercises in the course, all of which I enjoyed a lot! I have had several discussions with Mr_White on the force on force, and hope that stimulates some discussion about force on force generally.