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Thread: Why technical shooting classes?

  1. #11
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    Apr 2013
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    Louisiana
    I am certainly much more on the newer spectrum than some other posters, but I will say that I like the "class" environment.

    I think that matches improved me as a shooter more than classes, and also that the classes helped to create the foundational knowledge that I could build on.

    I've always liked school. The shooting of a match is more fun than the shooting of a class, but there is much more shooting that gets to happen in a class. It's nice to get a full weekend, day, or half-day (admiring those people who have the 3-day/week-long classes) doing nothing but shooting and manipulating the gun.

    It's nice to get a new project out of the gunsmith's and to see what it's really like, to burn in the new muscle memory and to have some meaningful round count through the thing, performing to some 3rd parties' objective standards in front of fellow members of the community.

    I do also like the sense of community, and while that's absolutely present in the matches as well, it's a nice feeling to experience a mutual and simultaneous common level skill in gunhandling and marksmanship.

    Sustained focus, camaraderie, round count, and the desire to achieve certain standards is where I find the value proposition of technical shooting classes. Matches are cheaper, and matches have probably done more to improve my skill level, but I view the two as complementary more than as competitors for my time and money.
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  2. #12
    Site Supporter LOKNLOD's Avatar
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    Feb 2011
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    Oklahoma
    Technical classes are more like very focused guided practice sessions at this point. They get a lot of reps in, in a shore amount of time, under the watchful eye of a knowledgeable instructor who can give immediate feedback.

    It's not that I'm even close to "peak" shooting, but as you say, the next steps needed to move me to the next level are a lot of reps, and the realizations that come from that. If I'm not fully investing between (after) the classes, I'm not really maximizing the class value.

    A class is still a good thing, but it feels like I'm getting a plate of fries in hopes of finding the one onion ring piece, instead just a getting a whole order of the onion rings. When ammo was cheap and time was available, that wasn't a terrible exercise, but neither in flowing freely these days...

    At this point I'm more likely to seek out something more specialized, that's more application focused. John Hearne's cognitive pistol was a great example that required good shooting, but was more about applying it in a thinking environment.

    I wouldn't be any where chose to this point without a background of technical classes from heavy hitters like Todd, Ernest, and Gabe, though.
    Last edited by LOKNLOD; 12-14-2022 at 12:31 AM.
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  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by GJM View Post
    I used to take a lot of technical shooting classes. I still think they are very valuable for new shooters.

    Lately, I rarely take a technical shooting class. The reason I don't, is what stands between me, and being a better shooter, can only come through intensive live fire, dry fire, studying things on the internet, and discussions with my wife and friends. I wish classes moved the needle for me, but unfortunately there is no short cut for me, besides putting in the work.

    Is this unique to me, or are others experiencing the same?
    Dammit. Post didn’t save.

  4. #14
    Site Supporter jandbj's Avatar
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    Sep 2012
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    I wonder if something like John McPhee’s coach’s eye video sessions would help with your desired increment of improvement.

  5. #15
    Site Supporter JohnO's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jandbj View Post
    I wonder if something like John McPhee’s coach’s eye video sessions would help with your desired increment of improvement.
    No 1st hand personal experience here with McPhee AKA The Sheriff of Baghdad.

    I've talked to guys who have gone to his training. Very low round count classes. The majority of time spent is critiquing everyone's videos. You will learn from watching others and listening to John critique them on video. Is this significantly different that watching others shoot live and listening to someone coach them?

    You get your video/s to keep. Will seeing what John says you are doing incorrectly on video lead to you modifying your behavior? Will you have someone follow up with videos of you after the class so you can compare your pre-class self with your now modified technique/s?

    My opinion on John's process is that you have to commit to following a specific path afterwards. I don't think just seeing what John says about your performance is enough to improve yourself.

  6. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by GJM View Post
    I used to take a lot of technical shooting classes. I still think they are very valuable for new shooters.

    Lately, I rarely take a technical shooting class. The reason I don't, is what stands between me, and being a better shooter, can only come through intensive live fire, dry fire, studying things on the internet, and discussions with my wife and friends. I wish classes moved the needle for me, but unfortunately there is no short cut for me, besides putting in the work.

    Is this unique to me, or are others experiencing the same?
    Same.

    I got a solid foundation in bullseye pistol and classical rifle shooting when I was a kid. In the Army, I learned ODA-level tactics from folks who used them in southeast Asia. I took a few civilian classes from solid instructors between 1995 and 2016. Now that the police have been defunded, I focus on avoiding situations that might lead to fights.

    These days, strength training and range time are probably more beneficial than technical training. I will take more classes if I find a red-dot sight that I can use with astigmatism, but that's about it.


    Okie John
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  7. #17
    S.L.O.W. ASH556's Avatar
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    @GJM, I'm not on your level and not professing to be, but still probably a pretty decent shooter by most standards; especially given the time and resources I'm able to put towards it. I've taken 4 formal classes ever:
    Vickers Basic Carbine - 2011
    Vickers Advanced Pistol Marksmanship - 2014
    Gabe White - 2017, Dark Pin
    Gabe White - 2021, Light Pin

    While there were certainly valuable things in these classes, especially Gabe's, I've gained FAR more insight into performance improvement and skill building from working with a couple close friends who are also very good shooters along with regular dryfire. Very often it was a small "try this" or "shift that" in a range session from friends who I'd shot with enough to know both what I was capable of and also what it looked like when I was off.

    As @jetfire said, sometimes it's 1 thing. In a class, you're burning hundreds-thousands of rounds plus potential travel and tuition to get that 1 thing from an instructor whereas your "crew" may be able to get it for you in 5 min.
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