Course: Tom Givens-Rangemaster Combative Pistol 1
Date: June 25-26, 2016
Location: Ricochet Gunworks, Napoleon ND
Tuition: $499.00
On the Web:
http://rangemaster.com/training/combative-pistol/
http://www.ricochetgunworks.com/
http://www.ricochetgunworks.com/Give...16%20flyer.pdf
Administrative
Information about this class was published on the vendor and host website, along with internet discussion forums. Enrollment was handled through Eventbrite with automated confirmation and reminders thereafter. Both Tom and host Paul Hamers were fast and helpful during pre-course contacts for assorted administrivia. ND POST approved the course for CEUs for LE attendees.
Students
14 students from North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin attended. 12 were male, 2 female, and backgrounds varied. Only a few were LE, a few private trainers (CCW, etc), two married couples, and the balance regular folks. All were typically midwest-friendly.
Facilities
Napoleon is a typical rural ag town, and you have to want to get there. It’s the kind of place that everyone will know you’re not a local, but wave anyway. Amenities provide the necessities, and there is no sightseeing unless you’re a fan of prairie grasses. I stayed at the Mozy Inn, which at first glance has kind of a “hide here until the heat dies down” vibe. However, the confirmation number for my motel reservation was the proprietor’s name and my room number, the staff was great, and the room was very nice with fridge, microwave, and Wi-Fi. I would stay there again.
The classroom portion of training took place in an air conditioned restaurant housed in the local livestock sale barn. The range was on an adjoining property, with grass, trees for shade, and a covered picnic area. All facilities were closed for the class and more than adequate for class content.
Host
Host Paul Hamers owns Ricochet Gun Works, and is making a big effort to bring more training to his area. Getting people to recognize a need for training, and then actually pay for it is tough enough. Doing it in rural ND is tougher still. Paul made extra, visible effort to make sure the class got what they needed and was well taken care of. On Saturday night he also hosted a cookout with his family and put out quite a spread. Thus far, he has successfully hosted a Ben Stoeger class in May, this one in June, and ECQC is scheduled in July. Well done, Paul.
Gear
The packing list provided for the class was correct to class activities with no needed extras or omissions. I used my EDC gen4 Glock 17, w/ Ameriglo I-Dot Pro sights (http://ameriglo.com/), and otherwise unmodified. Magazines were all Magpul pmag 17s. Carry gear was kydex from EGA Custom (https://www.egacustom.com/), and 9mm 115 FMJ from Black Hills Ammunition (http://www.black-hills.com/). I started the class with a clean gun lubed with ALG “Go-Juice” (http://algdefense.com/accessories/lubricants.html). Tom recommended a cleaning after TD1, but I’ve never found this combination to need anything for classes such as these. There were no malfunctions.
Other students were not quite so lucky. A Springfield EMP had several issues on TD1, and its owner swapped it out for a G(17?) on TD2. Another G17 had a front sight come loose on TD1 having been installed with no Loctite. It was reinstalled properly and had no further issue. During brass pick-up, someone's factory loaded round was found with a backwards primer. A highly customized G19 ran without issue despite a combination of suspect variables.
Course Activities
Class began on TD1 not only on time, but a little early when the last student arrived. The first block of the class was a thorough powerpoint based lecture on safety procedures, Tom’s philosophy on the combative handgun, and fundamentals of marksmanship. Tom added considerable supporting experience and data as he walked through his experiences and expectations. It’s all that additional information that is the real value and benefit in attending such classes in person, so they’re omitted here. However, Tom’s key points on safety can be narrowed to two instructions: maintain trigger finger discipline, and safe muzzle direction. Likewise, his fundamentals of marksmanship are similarly simple. Maintain the sight alignment you need and press the trigger properly. Like several other instructors of note, Tom assigns the highest value fundamental to trigger control as it is 95% of good shooting. He is an advocate of a high-thumbs grip, overhand slide manipulations, and the low ready position. His explanation and justifications focused on the universality of those techniques, his experience in their use, and the context of the combative pistol for the armed citizen.
After an hour or so of classroom the group moved to the range. Students were assigned to the two relays they remained in through the class. There was no additional safety brief or emergency plan, but additional safety corrections were made as observed. Compared to a number of other instructors, his corrections were firmer than I’ve often seen and his three-strike concept much more definitive. In relays students were walked through Tom’s trigger control dry fire drills, four-step draw procedure, low ready position, and three types of reloads. Live fire exercises followed which were clear and progressive. They grew from simple, single round presentations to multiple round cadences, target area transitions and “changing gears”, and understanding the comparative demands of shooting quickly, carefully, and precisely. With the exception of the first few dry repetitions, all shooting throughout the remainder of the course was done from concealment.
After lunch, training resumed in the classroom with deliberate work on the mindset piece. Tom used the examples of the Kyle Dinkheller murder and Lance Thomas gunfights. Several in the class weren’t familiar with either. Back on the range, students were led through instruction and exercises on strong and support side shooting, with transitions between them. Reload work followed using the speed and emergency reload. Tom doesn’t teach or advocate the conventional “tactical reload” / reload-with-retention seen in LE circles and some other venues. Students finished the day with a course of fire (COF) at distances of 3-15 yards. The accuracy standard imposed on this course of fire and throughout the day was the light gray center of the VSRT target. The VSRT target is online here: http://www.letargets.com/content/vsr...rea-target.asp
Back in the classroom, the day concluded with a presentation and discussion on the 1986 FBI Miami firefight, with its lessons well-linked to class context.
TD2 started early once again. The class immediately moved to the range and fired the same COF from yesterday cold. After the COF Tom covered dry and live fire malfunction clearance drills. Tom’s methods for clearing failures to fire and failures to eject were the same common methods learned in a multitude of other places. He does not teach a clearance of the double feed in this course, noting that it is less common, especially if the other clearances are done correctly. Manufacture of ammunition, inspection, failure potential, and related information were also discussed. Afterward, another COF was done at distances of 3-10 yards or so on the VSRT target.
After the COF, class continued with decision making and target discrimination using the DT2A target (http://www.letargets.com/content/dt-...ersion-2-a.asp). This is the same target used for the popular “Casino Drill”, and variations of that drill were used to reinforce instruction thus far with added mental demands. Lunch break followed.
After lunch, Tom provided another lecture on gunfight statistics and more mindset. This included his Rangemaster student involved shooting data, and that of some other LE agencies. This was entirely new perspective for some students. After this block, range activities resumed with an additional COF at 3-15 yards on the VSRT, and then the same COF fired to the photo-correct IALEFI-QR(D) (http://www.letargets.com/content/ial...-version-d.asp). Some had never shot photographic targets before, and noted that they had a different effect on them. After this last COF, Tom discussed movement and side-stepping, and ran through several dry drills using the technique. Tom advocated a side-step at close range, but not at distance due to diminished benefit and the need for stability for greater accuracy.
The range was clear about 4pm, cleaned up shortly thereafter, with parting thoughts and distribution of certificates closing out the class.
Rounds fired: TD1- 253, TD2- 433, Total- 686
Comments
This was my first class with Tom. I took it based on the recommendations of trusted others, published work and broadcast appearances, and his general reputation. A great deal of class lecture and discussion content can be found in those print and e-resources, but the elaboration and Q&A in personal is valuable. It took some calendar massaging to make the class happen for me, and I’m glad I went.
At a number of points I found a great deal of similarity to the thoughts and concepts of John Farnam, who I have also trained with. Tom adds a level of additional data and specificity that appealed to me and bolsters the work of both.
Tom is a good teacher, not just an instructor. His knowledge of adult learning was evident in class design and he shared his instructional methods as class progressed.
Tom’s conduct was friendly and interactive with genuine interest in students. What coarse language he used was purposeful and contextual, but not abusive to students nor excessive. This is appreciated more than many realize. This is a class I would feel comfortable taking family members and mature teens to.
Students were provided with a workbook which outlined major pieces of class content, along with pages for notes. This is another novelty in open-enrollment courses, which typically require students to capture course content on breaks and after class, and rely upon their memory and understanding of the material in transcription. In addition to the provided workbook, Tom also made his “Fighting Smarter” book available for an additional cost.
Students in the class were real, regular folks who got along and helped each other out. There were no buffoons or malcontents.
Everything about the class stayed true to its design context and description: “This course is designed expressly for the armed citizen who carries a concealed handgun, or the plain clothes or off duty police officer. You will need a good handgun, holster, belt, and magazine pouch, at least three magazines, a ball cap and concealment garment…” While there is a significant amount of carryover into related applications, there were no tangents or unproductive diversions.
All but the first few exercises were done from concealment, which can be another novelty in available training.
Physical demands in the class were limited to standing for extended periods, repetitive motions in drills and handling tasks, and environmental variables. There were no sprints, alternative positions, or ninja rolls. This class could be appropriate for a variety of fitness levels.
I used my regular EDC gear in its usual right-handed configuration. At the end of TD1, it occurred to me that this class would have been a great opportunity for a structured, support-side tune up. Also, a revolver refresher. I would consider taking this class again left-handed if nearby.
I recommend adding a disclosed emergency plan. Of those classes I attend, those that don’t include one are now the exception. Not only are they of value in a range incident, I believe they also indirectly contribute to student mindset and planning later. A student returning home may think about a preparation for home, car, or their own range session. A brief discussion of these preparations may also be a worthwhile addition to the student workbook. This location already experienced a recent, local need for such planning when a student in Ben Stoeger's May class suffered a GSW. Some of those students have already made positive changes for themselves.
If there are any other differences with Tom or class content, they are only variations in a specific technique and not substantive for the context and purpose of this class.
Having attended this class, I will look for an opportunity to attend the instructor course.
Thanks to Tom, Paul, and my fellow students for a great training experience.
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Originally Posted by azone
