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Thread: Current Quality Firearms Instructors - Give me your list!

  1. #31
    In addition to some of the people already mentioned above (Werner, Murphy, Langdon, Douglas), I took a one day class last year with Tatiana Whitlock, and I thought she did a great job. It was an interesting class not very much like other pistol classes I've done, with some unusual things like her "take a chair" lesson and her "yoga with guns" bit, as well as an introductory drill that was kind of mentally painful but very worthwhile.

    I'd also say that the OP asked about quality trainers, and while that leads to a natural tendency to mention the best nationally-known folks, I would also say that there are likely to be good people teaching at a more local or regional level. I took a class last year with Defensive Concepts NC, and while the instructor swore more than any man I've ever met, the class was a great value, and the instruction was very good. I just took an Ernest Langdon class that was hosted by a guy who runs a local training company called Fortitude Consulting. He's one of Jedlinski's endorsed red dot instructors. I stood next to him on the line for three days and asked him a couple of questions. While I have not trained with him and hence cannot actually say that his training classes are great (or otherwise), I personally wouldn't hesitate to sign up for one of his classes, based on my experience of him, and my knowledge of his training background and experience. There are other such companies I could mention.

    I spent a few years wanting to take a pistol training class but not doing it because of expense, travel, etc, because I was focused on finding a national trainer. Once I went with a local guy, I found a one-day, affordable class in my own town, and that got me going. So I'm a fan of local trainers, just as long as you intelligently vet them ahead of time.
    O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason.

  2. #32
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    Dave Spaulding has an nice article on training trends: https://www.handgunsmag.com/editoria...-trends/137773

    I recommended him having taken his car oriented class - in AAR.

  3. #33
    Murder Machine, Harmless Fuzzball TCinVA's Avatar
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    I'll just hop in here and point out that Ashton and I teach more than just shotgun.

    We're pretty fair hands at teaching pistol, too.

    In fact, 360's Performance Pistol is probably the closest thing to accomplishing what AFHF used to do on the market right now...especially the coaching intensive focus of the class. And Ashton is perhaps even a little better at coaching than Todd was.

    I don't say that lightly.
    3/15/2016

  4. #34
    Site Supporter Kanye Wyoming's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TCinVA View Post
    I'll just hop in here and point out that Ashton and I teach more than just shotgun.

    We're pretty fair hands at teaching pistol, too.

    In fact, 360's Performance Pistol is probably the closest thing to accomplishing what AFHF used to do on the market right now...especially the coaching intensive focus of the class. And Ashton is perhaps even a little better at coaching than Todd was.

    I don't say that lightly.
    TCinVA (which I came to learn is not his real name) was one of the AIs at the Rangemaster Instructor class I took last August. He is outstanding. He picked up some very subtle things that needed correction and which I’ve been working on since, largely with success but when I falter I go back to the list I made of the six things he pointed out that I was often f*cking up. If he were an Uber driver he’d get a 5 star rating and a very large tip.

  5. #35
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    All of my few training experiences have been very positive, and I can recommend all of these trainers without reservation:

    Tom Givens (assisted by John Hearne)
    Dave Spaulding
    Mas Ayoob
    Randy Harris

  6. #36
    Site Supporter rob_s's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Archer1440 View Post
    Randy Cain
    It’s really a shame Randy doesn’t get more attention. I’ve trained with several folks that were big names back when I was training a lot, and Randy’s ability to TEACH is exponentially greater than any I’ve ever had. Gun Skool, government skool, higher education, professional training… period. Then you take more than one class from him and you REALLY start to piece things together. Something you learn in the Practical Rifle class causes you to reflect on, and improve, your pistol shooting. Something you learn in your third Handgun 101 (many, many, very good shooters re-take this class) causes you to reflect on and improve your carbine shooting. and so on.

    I’m hoping to get my wife into his Ladies Handgun course later this year. Also a top shelf experience if you have women in your life that are in need of instruction.

    I have searched for years for the “post+modern technique” instructor with Randy’s ability to teach, and haven’t found one yet. And in fact have had other folks recommendations for same cause me to call into question their own ability to asses same… or even learn.
    Does the above offend? If you have paid to be here, you can click here to put it in context.

  7. #37
    I’ll second (third?) Erick Gelhaus.

    I’ve also had great classes at Gunsite, Thunder Ranch , with Ernest Langdon, and a Steve Fisher.

    I’ve kinda avoided celebutrainers and entertrainment as much as possible. Just my opinion.

  8. #38
    Site Supporter Casey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rob_s View Post
    It’s really a shame Randy doesn’t get more attention. I’ve trained with several folks that were big names back when I was training a lot, and Randy’s ability to TEACH is exponentially greater than any I’ve ever had. Gun Skool, government skool, higher education, professional training… period. Then you take more than one class from him and you REALLY start to piece things together. Something you learn in the Practical Rifle class causes you to reflect on, and improve, your pistol shooting. Something you learn in your third Handgun 101 (many, many, very good shooters re-take this class) causes you to reflect on and improve your carbine shooting. and so on.

    I’m hoping to get my wife into his Ladies Handgun course later this year. Also a top shelf experience if you have women in your life that are in need of instruction.

    I have searched for years for the “post+modern technique” instructor with Randy’s ability to teach, and haven’t found one yet. And in fact have had other folks recommendations for same cause me to call into question their own ability to asses same… or even learn.
    I'll second this. Randy is the guy I would send someone to if they were headed down the righteous path of self-defense training. I've trained with several of the other big name instructors, but I keep going back to Lakeland at least once a year for all the reasons described above. Randy is old-school, but what he teaches works, and I've been pleased to see many of his techniques lining up well with what some more "evolved" instructors are putting out.

    Jon Dufresne is another one I wish more people knew about. I've taken two of his classes within the past year and I really dig his style. He's simply a happy guy with a wealth of knowledge and he's very effective at conveying information in a manner that clicks well with me.

  9. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by RJ View Post
    There is one class I would not take again, or at least I would weigh the pros and cons. It was Frank Proctor's Performance Pistol Class in Cresson TX in 2017. While there is no doubt Frank is a high performance shooter, and has a lot of interesting things to say, I felt he was "teaching at the class", rather than "teaching". There was no round accountability. Targets were only replaced each day. I could have missed every shot and no one would notice.
    I agree. I enjoyed Frank as a person, but I was pretty disappointed in the class. I felt the same way about Pat McNamara's class. I did feel pretty good about my classes with Jason Falla. You can see a pretty common theme on these three guys. At the time (a decade ago) I thought the best people to learn from were ex-.mil guys.

    A decade later I can now afford to travel outside Alaska to get training and I am paying close attention to this thread for suggestions. I need a class that focuses on good pistol fundamentals and civilian applications of concealed carry.

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