Good Shotgun Training in Florida

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So my father, a retired Capt. in the Army, has finally decided to get he and his immediate family (wife and my youngest brother of 17) tooled up and trained for when bad things might happen in the home. Great news! However, he is dead set on going the pump action shotgun route. Somewhat disappointing, but could be worse.

I've talked him into going with a Mossberg 500 in 20ga. of a shorter barrel variety (18.5" - 20"), so he'll probably be acquiring that/those soon. The only thing now, is to get them some training. They currently live in Florida and, obviously, they're looking for a shotgun class. What are some good recommendations down in that area?

[John Hearne]

So my father, a retired Capt. in the Army, has finally decided to get he and his immediate family (wife and my youngest brother of 17) tooled up and trained for when bad things might happen in the home. Great news! However, he is dead set on going the pump action shotgun route. Somewhat disappointing, but could be worse.

I've talked him into going with a Mossberg 500 in 20ga. of a shorter barrel variety (18.5" - 20"), so he'll probably be acquiring that/those soon. The only thing now, is to get them some training. They currently live in Florida and, obviously, they're looking for a shotgun class. What are some good recommendations down in that area?

Tom Givens or Randy Cain.

[jlw]

So my father, a retired Capt. in the Army, has finally decided to get he and his immediate family (wife and my youngest brother of 17) tooled up and trained for when bad things might happen in the home. Great news! However, he is dead set on going the pump action shotgun route. Somewhat disappointing, but could be worse.

I've talked him into going with a Mossberg 500 in 20ga. of a shorter barrel variety (18.5" - 20"), so he'll probably be acquiring that/those soon. The only thing now, is to get them some training. They currently live in Florida and, obviously, they're looking for a shotgun class. What are some good recommendations down in that area?

Tom Givens or Randy Cain.

Mr. Cain is on my list.

I've done the Rangemaster shotgun course twice (once as a student and once as an assistant), and I was part of the recent inaugural Rangemaster Defensive Shotgun Instructor Course. I'm an unabashed Rangemaster fan.

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Ammo selection with a 12ga is going to be much, much superior to the selection of 20ga. The reduced recoil 12ga loads are as tame as a 20ga, and they deliver a superior payload in pattern and density than what you'll get from a 20ga.

I'll save you some research time: Flite Control. It is available from Federal, Hornady, and Speer.

[GJM]

I have taken shotgun classes with Awerbuck, Jeans, Clint Smith, Rogers Scool, Gunsite and Cain. Randy Cain is at the top of my list.

[Dave Williams]

I have taken shotgun classes with Awerbuck, Jeans, Clint Smith, Rogers Scool, Gunsite and Cain. Randy Cain is at the top of my list.

Wow, that's saying something.

[jlw]

I have taken shotgun classes with Awerbuck, Jeans, Clint Smith, Rogers Scool, Gunsite and Cain. Randy Cain is at the top of my list.

I've been told his classes are as close as you can get to Awerbuck's.

Erik Lund does some solid shotgun training as well.

[GJM]

I've been told his classes are as close as you can get to Awerbuck's.

Erik Lund does some solid shotgun training as well.

Very close with a big difference. Louis had a South African accent and Randy has a middle Tennessee accent.

I did a memorable shotgun class at Gunsite, when Louis was RM and Randy and Steve Slawson assisted. In that class were Hans Vang, Irv Stone, Wayne Novak, Gary Paul Johnson, Wiley Clapp, Irv Lehman and other luminaries.

[jlw]

Very close with a big difference. Louis had a South African accent and Randy has a middle Tennessee accent.

I did a memorable shotgun class at Gunsite, when Louis was RM and Randy and Steve Slawson assisted. In that class were Hans Vang, Irv Stone, Wayne Novak, Gary Paul Johnson, Wiley Clapp, Irv Lehman and other luminaries.

I suspect that middle TN is closer kin to middle GA than is South Afrikan.

I want to get out to Gunsite for the shotgun course there, but FL is lot closer to GA than is AZ.

[GJM]

Here is a secret to shotgun classes. When you have a five day class, they cram two days of material into five days. A Randy Cain two (or is it three) class covers the material thoroughly. Here is another secret, if you need to refer to your pattern cheat sheet on spread, select a slug instead.

[jlw]

Here is a secret to shotgun classes. When you have a five day class, they cram two days of material into five days. A Randy Cain two (or is it three) class covers the material thoroughly. Here is another secret, if you need to refer to your pattern cheat sheet on spread, select a slug instead.

I've got about 130 hours or so of formal shotgun training and no telling how much informal range work as well as a fair amount of my own instructional time. I'm trying to work in as many classes as I can though to pick up the golden nuggets before all of the lessons of the shotgun are forgotten.