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Gunsite Academy
Paulden, AZ
Pistol 250
$1775 for 5 days of classes and over 40hrs of instruction.
Over 3,000 Acer training facility
Review from a student of the Pistol 250CT Class.
I have wanted to take a class at Gunsite since I first learned of it over fifteen years ago. It was not until the first week of November of 2020 that I was able to make it happen. With a strong desire to not be in Oregon during election week this yr, I saw an opportunity to travel to Arizona to participate in a class at the oldest running private firearm training facility in the world, Gunsite Academy. I took their classic Pistol 250 class, however, this one class of the year was sponsored by Crimson Trace and it included on night shoot element with the use of lasers. The laser portion did not take over the class and was just part of it.
I was impressed that the classroom time was not just safety, it included mindset as a defensive shooter as well. The work on the square range as deep as we fired just about 1k rounds in the week. The drills we did were unique to Gunsite and the instructors were outstanding. We spent half a day learning the basics of clearing a house and shooting live fire in the shoot house. This was offset shooting outside in a washed-out draw (dried stream bed) that was about 4' lower than the ground. Again this was a live-fire with shoot and no-shoot targets using natural cover and learning to pie the corners. The night shoot was done with both laser and flashlights learning both the FBI and the Harries Technique. They mixed in some fun side by side steel draw and shoot class competitions in the class. The competitions were not just fun and games but using the draw fire, reload, and fire techniques they were teaching us. Also, the prepared mindset too as once your gun went back in your holster you had to shoot it next round in the condition you put it away. (i.e. RELOAD! and manage your ammo.)
The final test was: Their "El Presidente" drill on the square range was timed (turn and shoot 3 targets, reload, shoot 3 targets) and your skill of movement and accuracy (not speed) for clearing a different shoot house than training and outside draw (again different range) and not shooting the innocents. Range accuracy was measured with their official school drills of shooting at different distances including kneeling at the furthest on timed targets that flip, face you then flip away.
SIde note, taking this class sponsored by Crimson Trace was great. They hooked everyone up in the class with at least one laser (some of us may have received more than one...
thanks CT!) and a ton of other gear from their sister companies. Honestly, I walked away with over $1200 of free gear. This is not a normal thing, it's just one class per year they do this, so if you go.... keep an eye out for this class!
Overall their level of professionalism, deep knowledge, a mix of training techniques, and a flat out amazing facility has made this school a must go back for me. Three other students that I met in the class and I are already planning to meet up in 2021 for a carbine class, it was that good. The cost is not free, but quality training is not. For the amount and quality of training, you get an extremely good value and why I will be back. They also made ammo available at decent prices too for everyone, 30 cents each for 9mm. They also included 50 rounds of frangible for the shoot house.
Getting there and staying there:
From Newberg OR, it was under 1200 miles each way so about 18hrs commute to and from. I chose to drive to haul my gear as I also chose to camp. You can ship or fly in your gun with you if you travel by plane. For camping they offer a nice desert campground on-site with full facilities that were very clean flush toilets and hot showers, tent camping was only $15 night. A deal for sure. Most of my 20 person class stayed in town at hotels, VBROs, and one "bunkhouse". During the day for lunches, they have a catering company that for $12 will deliver your lunch fresh each day, to have it waiting in a fridge for you at lunchtime. Even with a camp nearby and a built-in fridge in my truck, it was an easy decision to buy the lunches, very good and quality. Since driving takes you through some of the best remote parts of Or and NV there is lots of great BLM land to overnight on, on the way down and back, of course for free as an American in our great country.
#1 standout was the quality of the instructors.
Fully automated target systems on the square ranges. The famous Gunsite desert camo targets.
Raven
Paulden, AZ
Pistol 250
$1775 for 5 days of classes and over 40hrs of instruction.
Over 3,000 Acer training facility
Review from a student of the Pistol 250CT Class.
I have wanted to take a class at Gunsite since I first learned of it over fifteen years ago. It was not until the first week of November of 2020 that I was able to make it happen. With a strong desire to not be in Oregon during election week this yr, I saw an opportunity to travel to Arizona to participate in a class at the oldest running private firearm training facility in the world, Gunsite Academy. I took their classic Pistol 250 class, however, this one class of the year was sponsored by Crimson Trace and it included on night shoot element with the use of lasers. The laser portion did not take over the class and was just part of it.
I was impressed that the classroom time was not just safety, it included mindset as a defensive shooter as well. The work on the square range as deep as we fired just about 1k rounds in the week. The drills we did were unique to Gunsite and the instructors were outstanding. We spent half a day learning the basics of clearing a house and shooting live fire in the shoot house. This was offset shooting outside in a washed-out draw (dried stream bed) that was about 4' lower than the ground. Again this was a live-fire with shoot and no-shoot targets using natural cover and learning to pie the corners. The night shoot was done with both laser and flashlights learning both the FBI and the Harries Technique. They mixed in some fun side by side steel draw and shoot class competitions in the class. The competitions were not just fun and games but using the draw fire, reload, and fire techniques they were teaching us. Also, the prepared mindset too as once your gun went back in your holster you had to shoot it next round in the condition you put it away. (i.e. RELOAD! and manage your ammo.)
The final test was: Their "El Presidente" drill on the square range was timed (turn and shoot 3 targets, reload, shoot 3 targets) and your skill of movement and accuracy (not speed) for clearing a different shoot house than training and outside draw (again different range) and not shooting the innocents. Range accuracy was measured with their official school drills of shooting at different distances including kneeling at the furthest on timed targets that flip, face you then flip away.
SIde note, taking this class sponsored by Crimson Trace was great. They hooked everyone up in the class with at least one laser (some of us may have received more than one...
thanks CT!) and a ton of other gear from their sister companies. Honestly, I walked away with over $1200 of free gear. This is not a normal thing, it's just one class per year they do this, so if you go.... keep an eye out for this class!Overall their level of professionalism, deep knowledge, a mix of training techniques, and a flat out amazing facility has made this school a must go back for me. Three other students that I met in the class and I are already planning to meet up in 2021 for a carbine class, it was that good. The cost is not free, but quality training is not. For the amount and quality of training, you get an extremely good value and why I will be back. They also made ammo available at decent prices too for everyone, 30 cents each for 9mm. They also included 50 rounds of frangible for the shoot house.
Getting there and staying there:
From Newberg OR, it was under 1200 miles each way so about 18hrs commute to and from. I chose to drive to haul my gear as I also chose to camp. You can ship or fly in your gun with you if you travel by plane. For camping they offer a nice desert campground on-site with full facilities that were very clean flush toilets and hot showers, tent camping was only $15 night. A deal for sure. Most of my 20 person class stayed in town at hotels, VBROs, and one "bunkhouse". During the day for lunches, they have a catering company that for $12 will deliver your lunch fresh each day, to have it waiting in a fridge for you at lunchtime. Even with a camp nearby and a built-in fridge in my truck, it was an easy decision to buy the lunches, very good and quality. Since driving takes you through some of the best remote parts of Or and NV there is lots of great BLM land to overnight on, on the way down and back, of course for free as an American in our great country.
#1 standout was the quality of the instructors.
Fully automated target systems on the square ranges. The famous Gunsite desert camo targets.
Raven
