Should you get training? What about DVDs, Books, YouTube?

I got my license to carry a gun in 2008.  I have carried off and on since then.  In the state of Georgia there is no requirement to get any training at all to get a Georgia Weapon Carry License.  You go to courthouse, fill out some paperwork, get printed, get your picture taken, pay your money then wait for your license to come in the mail a few weeks later.  Other states require a class, but those usually consist of going over law and the very very basics of shooting safely.

It took me almost exactly 4 years before I got real training with an instructor.  Why did it take so long?  Well, quality training is relatively expensive.  You can buy another gun for the cost of a class, especially once you factor in ammo cost and gas if you have to drive.  Billy Bob down at the local indoor range might teach classes for cheap, but what is he teaching?  The fact is, if you carry a gun for self defense, knowing how to use that gun can literally be the difference between life and death.

Sure in those 4 years I read lots of articles, browsed a few forums, and watched tons of YouTube videos.  I bought quality gear.  I even shot a good bit.  Hell, I've been shooting guns since my age was in the single digits!  I had looked at a few training courses, knew I wanted to do it, and thought "Yeah, I'll get around to doing that one day."  After I finally got around to taking a course(review here) there was two phrases that came to mind that I had heard floating around the forums:

1. You don't know what you don't know.
   Man, some of this stuff was completely different that what I would have came up with on my own.  It all made a lot of sense though.  Getting off the X, shooting while moving(what direction? why?), draw or move first?, what do you do if there is more than 1 bad guy?, what do I do after I shoot?
2. The "Me" after training would kill the "Me" before training if we were to get in a gun fight.
   If this is not the case, you have wasted your money.

 That's all well and good, but why not just buy a few DVDs?  Can't you learn just as much that way?  Eh, I would say that depends on a few things.  You probably will learn some good stuff from watching DVDs.  The big thing is, are you going to practice it?  REALLY practice it?  In an actual training course you are going to do the drills, over and over again.  The second thing is, how do you know you are doing the techniques as well as you think you are?  A lot of these techniques have small nuances that can make a big difference.  Having a good instructor watching you shoot and critiquing you can mean the difference between kinda knowing what you are doing and mastering a technique.  I think DVDs can be valuable tools.  They are good refreshers. I think they are good for seeing some of the differences in what different schools teach.  I also think that you can get a lot more out of a DVD if you really have your basics down pat from taking a course.

Another benefit of attending training courses that isn't often thought of is getting to hang out with other people that have the same views as you regarding guns and taking care of yourself.  When you are carrying concealed you may pass by any number of other people also carrying, but if you are both doing your job concealing you will never know it.  Every time I have went to training there has been a camaraderie there.  You get to talk about the things you usually aren't supposed to talk about, and you get to meet some pretty cool people there.  Going out for food and BSing after training is common.  We are lucky in that there is a good little mom and pop diner just down the road from our usual training location so we usually all grab lunch together too.  This is also a good time to ask the instructor questions you may have that don't pertain to exactly the class you are attending.   I know every time I go, I pester Randy about all sorts of things.

Cliff notes version:
Pros:

1. Learn to shoot better, probably WAY better
2. Learn skills and techniques to better defend yourself if you ever have to use your gun.
3. Become more confident, which actually shows and makes you less of a target(Criminals love easy targets)
4. Meet good people
5. Test out your gear.  Does it really work as good as you think it does?
6. Learn what and how to practice.  Instead of just going to the range and blowing targets away, you learn effective ways to practice.
7. It's fun!

Cons:

 There really aren't any.  Unless you go to Instructor Bubba and accidentally get shot.  Don't be that guy, go to a reputable trainer.  Note: I'm not saying training has to cost $1000.  As a matter of fact it shouldn't cost that much, especially basic classes.  You can get quality training for just a couple hundred bucks.  Just make sure you read plenty of reviews before you go.

Update: I've had a lot of feedback saying that cost is a con.  Yeah, it can be I guess, and is probably one of the main reasons I didn't go sooner.  I really think however, that if you get some quality training when it is over you aren't going to be like, "man I just wasted my money on this, I should have just kept watching youtube!"

Thanks for reading.  Check me out on Facebook!

~TattooedGunner

Interview with Randy Harris: Suarez International Staff Instructor

 I believe that if you are going to carry a gun for self defense, or even use a gun for home defense, you should get some professional training.  I am a country boy, I grew up around guns my whole life.  However, I have found the saying, "You don't know what you don't know" to be true.  After taking some training I realized I didn't know half the stuff I thought I did about shooting.  It took me about 4 years after I got my carry permit before I actually got training.  I kept putting it off, making excuses, it was too expensive or I just didn't have time.

That being said, when I did finally get around to taking some training I had researched all the different schools within a 2-3 hour drive.  During that research I found Warrior Talk, Suarez International's web forum.  After reading for a few months I really liked what I found and finally got around to signing up for my first class: Defensive Pistol Skills through Suarez International.  Randy Harris is the closest Suarez instructor to me, and had a date coming up.  Randy ended up being a great instructor, and a good guy to talk to.  I bet I asked him 1000 questions whenever we had a break, or lunch.  I reviewed that class here.

I asked Randy to do an interview for Tattooed Gunner and he was kind enough to give me his time:

First off Randy, thanks for doing this interview for Tattooed Gunner.

Thank you for the invitation.

Randy, tell us what you do?

In my day job I work for a shooting sports wholesaler. Most weekends I'm either teaching Concealed Carry, Self Defense, or Weapons and Tactics classes or shooting matches. I'm a Tennessee state certified Handgun Carry Instructor, NRA certified Pistol Instructor, and Staff Instructor for Suarez International.

Can you tell us how you got started as an instructor with Suarez International?

Back in 2003 when Warriortalk went online I was one of the first 125 members. It was a different place than most other "gun forums" on the web because SERIOUS students of the art could go there and discuss and develop things without constantly having to deal with the silliness on some other sites. In 2005 Gabe Suarez decided he wanted to hire some instructors and put out the call for resumes. He knew me from the forum and told me to send a resume and to come to the 4 day Ultimate Combat Skills class he was running in Nov of 2005. So I went to Atlanta to the class and when it was over I asked him what he thought....he asked "When can you start"? So I guess I must have done something to make him feel like I'd be a good instructor and representative for his company.

Have you been around guns your whole life? If not, what got you into them?

Yes and No. I was always playing with toy guns as a kid and watching westerns and cop shows. Gunsmoke was on every night in syndication and was my favorite show. But my parents were not into guns really. My dad had served in the military and by all accounts was an excellent shooter, but that was just not something he did as a hobby or anything. It was pretty much bb guns for me. So I really did not get into shooting real guns until I was about 20. But I was the kid reading all the gun magazines at the grocery store while my mom was shopping. I already knew quite a bit about it , just did not have the opportunity until I was a little older.


I know you have shot a lot competitively, tell us a little about that. What all types of matches did you shoot?

 I'm a Master class IDPA shooter. I've done Cowboy Action Shooting, 3 Gun, Subgun, and GSSF (Glock Sport Shooting Foundation). I've probably won more than my fair share of matches. Now though, due to my teaching schedule, I don't get to shoot nearly as many matches as I used to.


In your cowboy action shooting, you go by Cruel Hand Luke, is there a story behind that?

In SASS (Single Action you Shooting Society) everyone shoots under an alias. I probably agonized over an alias for a month before joining SASS. I wanted something cool. I finally came up with Cruel Hand Luke. I wanted something cool but also maybe a bit sinister. A "cow hand " or a "ranch hand" was a cowboy. So Cruel Hand Luke is actually a bit of a play on words and it fit my Cowboy shooting persona.


What would you say is your favorite thing about training, whether instructing or as part of taking classes yourself?

I enjoy taking classes and the camaraderie of hanging out with like minded people. But probably the biggest thrill is, as an instructor, taking someone who is not very confident with their abilities and making them more competent and confident with their ability to defend themselves and their families. That also translates into other areas of their lives. They become more confident and I believe that enhances their overall quality of life. We are not just teaching people to shoot. We are teaching people to think and to take control of their lives.

What is your favorite gun that you own or have owned?

Wow...where to start??? Maybe the M-60 I used to have? That is a tough question.....a couple of favorites would be the 1911 my great grandfather used in a gunfight in 1920, my RMR equipped Glock 17 with custom grip work that I carry, and my Colt 653 (that is a factory M16A1 carbine). Those are few of my favorites. 




(TG note: I have shot the Glock 17 mentioned.  It is a sweet pistol.)

Any insight on what your EDC is?

These days I generally roll with a G17 with custom grip work done by my friend Jeff Bishop at Grimm Brothers Armory carried in either a Blade Tech or Dale Fricke IWB holster, a single spare mag in Blade Tech mag pouch, Ka Bar TDI LE knife on my belt and Spyderco Delica in my back pocket, Surefire E2D flashlight, and Cav Arms Tourniquet.

I use the Spyderco to open boxes, cut rope , and other mundane tasks. The TDI is a fixed blade accessible with either hand to get me out of a clinch or grounded problem if I can't get out of it with empty hands. The TQ is there because there is no guarantee that we or a loved one will not be injured in a confrontation (or a car wreck for that matter). Being able to stop massive hemorrhage is a good thing.


What do you enjoy besides shooting?

You mean there is something to do BESIDES shooting? Just kidding. I like to read , mostly historical stuff, and I like to travel with my wife. We love a good trip to the beach either here or abroad. We really like the Caribbean.


If you could give only ONE tip to improve somebody's shooting, what would it be?

Take a class from ME. Just kidding....

Seriously, my one piece of advise is get professional training as early on as you can. That way you do not waste time learning bad habits and then have to unlearn them. I pretty much taught myself to shoot pistols, but it was a process of trial and error in shooting matches that could have been quicker if I'd had professional training earlier on. It took me years to come to the same conclusions about grip and trigger control that I could have learned from a good instructor. That is part of why I teach now. I can teach people how to do it right from the beginning and save them the frustration of figuring it out on their own.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Just like to thank you for the interview and hope to see you in class soon! If anyone is interested in what classes I have coming up you can check here.....http://www.suarezinternationalstore....px?find=harris


Thanks again Randy!

Thank YOU. 


If you are looking for some training I highly recommend Suarez International, and Randy Harris in the Chattanooga, TN(and other) areas.

Thanks for taking the time to read this interview.  If you like what you read, check me out on facebook at www.facebook.com/TattooedGunner

Pictures courtesy of warriortalk.com and www.grimmbrothersarmory.com

Gun class review: Suarez International Defensive Pistol Skills with Randy Harris

I took this class in August, 2012 and wrote the review right after.  I figured I would add it here as well.  I added a few things for this post from the original review.

I took Suarez International's Defensive Pistol Skills class with Randy Harris in Chattanooga, TN.  This is a two day class. I have been around guns my whole life, I'm a country boy, but this was my first real training.  I have a concealed carry permit, and carry a pistol on a regular basis.  If you are going to do this, you need to take a training class to be more effective and be ready in case you ever actually need to use your gun.

First thing, this class was listed as a Chattanooga class, which is Eastern Time, but the class was actually held in Alabama, which is Central Time. I showed up the first day about an hour and a half early because I was thinking eastern time. The class was clearly listed in CST on the website. So that is my bad, better early than late.

Ok, so the actual class: First thing after signing waivers and going over safety rules we spent a while discussing mindset, and Randy's PESTS EAT FAST.  This is a long, but excellent article on everything from situational awareness to after a gunfight. Then we went over the 4 stupids.  Don't do Stupid things, with Stupid People, at Stupid Places, at Stupid times.  Basically, don't go to a gas station in the hood at 2 am. Then we all showed clear chambers and mags and did some dry work, Randy showing us the techniques we would need for the weekend and we spent until lunch working dry practice.

After lunch we went to the range and started working on putting our dry practice to work with live fire. We started with slow, take all the time you need to get it done right shots on a 3" circle from ~4-5 yards away. Then Randy showed us that with a proper grip and draw stroke you don't have to get a perfect sight picture to get good shots if your are up close. After some more drills(including variations of a "dot" drill and "ball and dummy") we got to take turns shooting at a COM size steel target from ~5 yards back to about ~25 yards. Randy explained that starting with the 3" circle gets you used to hitting more accurate, consistent shots than starting out shooting a full size COM target. Aim small, miss small.

After we were done the first day we all pitched in and got pizza and I took the opportunity to pester Randy with all sorts of questions about guns/defensive related topics. It's not everyday that you get to hang out with a SI Instructor with the amount of knowledge Randy has about this stuff, and I took full advantage of that.

The second day started with a sit down discussion including review from the first day and Randy read several excerpts from various articles, studies, and newspaper stories, and shared some of his own experiences. Then we went to the range and did a few of the drills from the first day to get warmed up then we went to the realistic looking "70s mustache guy" target. This is where we started speeding our shots up, shooting with or without actual sight alignment depending on how close or far we where from the target. We also included a simple single step left or right get off the X as part of our draw, and started doing after shot assessment as part of every shot string. After doing the "scan for other people that need shot" several times Randy noticed everybody not really paying attention, just turning our heads but not really looking. After one drill he asked, "what did I just have in my hand when y'all turned your head to scan?" After getting blank stares he drew his knife again and told us we all just died. Everybody actually scanned after that. At the end of the day after a few more drills(including a multiple adversary drill) we got to try out the steel target again, back to about 40 yards this time. Everybody showed a marked improvement over the previous day. Then Randy got out his TSD modified Glock 17 with Trijicon RMR red dot sight and everybody got to try it out.


Overall I was really happy with the class. I had a blast and came out shooting much better than I went in. I used my EDC 2nd gen Glock 17 in a Dale Fricke Archangel holster worn at 12:00 for the class. I did not shoot myself in the femoral artery or blow my junk off. Suarez teaches a "reluctant reholster" and emphasized that there is never really a time where you would need to reholster fast, so you can take plenty of time for that part.

Thanks for checking out my review!  Check me out on facebook at www.facebook.com/TattooedGunner