Time to tune up those mad shotgunning skillz! I spent a couple of days at FrontSight in Pahrump taking their Shotgun Skill Builder class (basically, Combat Shotgun 201). This class is for people who have been through their intro class, and it is about practicing and improving what you learned (well, were shown, anyway) in that class.
There has been a great deal of drama around FrontSight, as it went bankrupt last year. That has been resolved, and there are new owners (and a new name – Prairie Fire). The old owner, Dr. Ignatius Piazza, has been bought out and has nothing to do with the new operation (to almost universal rejoicing – he was kind of a nut, and I’ll just leave it at that). Prairie Fire will be doing a grand reopening, probably in April, and there will definitely be changes. At this point, all I have to go on is gossip from the remaining staff, but it sounds like there will be a change of focus from self-defense to competition and likely some kind of LEO curriculum. Which would be disappointing, but I’m in wait-and-see mode.
The Shotgun Skill Builder class was not offered very often, but they put up a couple of classes in February and I figured “what the heck, I’ve got time”. What with the bankruptcy and turmoil and all, there were shockingly few people at the facility; I think they had two or maybe three classes while I was there, and there couldn’t have been more than 40 students. My first trip, I think they had between 300 – 400 students. Still, they are in a reorganization/transition phase, so, wait-and-see.
My class had three (3) students, and our instructor was one of the FrontSight rangemasters. He immediately demonstrated his good sense by bringing his Beretta 1301 to class. I, too, have a 1301, and am a big fan. With only three students, he basically tossed the structured curriculum, and we had a lot of one-on-one time.
So, after a quick review of clearing malfunctions, on to shooting. I am happy to say my shotgun threw no malfunctions. Total round count for the two days was probably around 350, mostly birdshot. We shot more slugs than I expected, because all three of us sucked at shooting slugs from range. This was a disappointment to me, as I was banging the gong with almost every shot on my last trip. My “yips” from rifle shooting carried over, but by the end of the class I was doing much better (although not as good as my last trip). I’m still slow getting shots off from range.
My stance got tweaked, which helped with multiple targets. I had a ton of 00 shells left over from the last class, so I shot them periodically because the heavy loads really show whether you are controlling recoil. My multiples improved – full hits (5 or more 00 pellets) across the board on doubles, triples and quadruples. That alone made it a good trip.
The trick with shotguns really comes down to ammo management. Unless you are running some kind of detachable magazine rig, this is a big deal because you have to reload one shell at a time. You may also feel the need to swap in a slug or possibly some other kind of shell. Because shotguns have different mechanical setups, what works on one won’t necessarily work on another. Having an instructor with the same shotgun was a real plus. I picked up a couple of tricks and different techniques for emergency (ejection port) loading when you just flat run dry, and switched up the way I go from shot to slugs (I now load the slug in the magazine, trip the switch to dump it onto the lifter, and rack the bolt to waste the shell in the chamber and load the new slug). If my mag is full up, I still need to pull and hold the bolt back to port load the slug, which is a little slower and less reliable for me.
We did one “off-label” exercise that was very enlightening. Last time, we patterned our shotguns to get a sense for the maximum range that we could put all 8 or 9 00 pellets on target. This time, we kept backing up, to see what happened at range with our 00 loads. I brought some of my 8 pellet Flite Control, and at 50 yards, if I aimed a little high, I was reliably seeing 4 pellets on target. This means there were several that just kept right on a-going (which is not ideal), but with a clean background I think the effective range with buckshot is longer than I thought. Although I can swap in a slug in around two seconds, so I’ve got that going for me. It was instructive to see how quickly the shot loses energy – the hanging steel targets moved noticeably less at long range, and at 50 yards I wound up holding probably 8 – 10 inches high.
One of the other students had a “regular” shotgun, with a longer barrel, and it threw wider patterns with 00 shells. This seemed counter-intuitive to me, but apparently in a longer barrel, the 00 pellets have more chances to bounce around inside the barrel and tend to scatter more once they leave.
I had the chance to meet hayeksplosives before she decamped for Washington. She picked out just the kind of hole-in-the-wall for locals that I love. You’d never stop there unless you knew, but I had a damn fine burger and a couple of good beers. The PNW Glibs need to do a meetup when she gets settled in – she is just as funny (and more profane) in person than on screen.
If you’re thinking “I want to be more like R C” (and who doesn’t, really?), the Beretta 1301 is the choice for a self-defense shotgun. Mine is built out like the Langdon Tactical version (pictured), which shows up periodically on GunBroker if you want to skip to the end on upgrades (and damaging your bank account). If you are going to put an optic on it, get the Aridus Industries mount. I’ve got a Trijicon RMR sight, which co-witnesses with the front post for accuracy at range (assuming you don’t have mental problems like some people). I’d still like to try one of the Tavor TS12 bullpups (15 rounds on board, and you can load one of the three 5 shot tubes with slugs), but I have never been able to get my hands on one to see if I like it enough to drop the coin on it. Someday . . . .
Oh yeah, cocktail time. The Boulevardier (which is a Negroni, only with bourbon instead of gin):
3 oz. bourbon (I use home barrel-aged Jack Daniels)
1 ½ oz vermouth (I use Carpano Antica)
1 oz Campari
Add to your shaker with ice, shake the proper amount (10 – 15 seconds), and serve. Either lemon or orange peel will serve for the garnish, if you’re fancy like that. I like mine served over ice, but straight up works also and is the classic presentation. This is also a drink that some barkeeps stir with ice, rather than shake. Whatever jiggles your handle, I say.
This is a cocktail with some strongly flavored ingredients, so getting the balance/proportions right is key. The 2:1 ration of bourbon to vermouth is pretty standard and works well. The Campari is a strong bitter flavor, and too much can easily overwhelm the drink, while too little is just . . . disappointing. As ever, tweak the proportions to your taste – Mrs. Dean, to my surprise prefers a touch more Campari than I do. The goal is a drink where the bitter of the Campari, the richness of the vermouth, and the bourbon all balance each other out. It is a great cold weather cocktail. And is suitable for making as a freezer cocktail – just triple the ingredients and add about 1 – 1 ½ oz water (it picks up a little water from the ice when you shake it).
Considering the other major industry in that town, I see what you did there…
Unintentional, but I’ll take it.
Nice boomstick.
+1
And the almost private class sounds awesome!
Obligatory.
The old owner, Dr. Ignatius Piazza, has been bought out and has nothing to do with the new operation (to almost universal rejoicing – he was kind of a nut, and I’ll just leave it at that).
I remember when he gave out free training to anyone that bought a GOA life membership. I got a GOA life membership, and received my free training certificate. My opportunity to go out there fell through. I wonder if they would still honor that certificate?
No, they won’t. All the perks from the various memberships pre-bankruptcy got zeroed out, except for some one-year price breaks for pre-existing members.
/kicks pebble
I’d still like to try one of the Tavor TS12 bullpups (15 rounds on board, and you can load one of the three 5 shot tubes with slugs), but I have never been able to get my hands on one to see if I like it enough to drop the coin on it.
I saw a bunch at the last Oaks Gun Show I was at. I don’t remember how much they were running.
I saw Glibs talking about how they have had their vehicles suffer damage due to being hit by other drivers, and I could only shake my head. If you people would only try to First, to learn to First, you would never have to worry about such things. Firsters are never the ones getting hit by other vehicles. We are the ones driving out ahead of everyone else, comfortably in in our own space or the ones doing the hitting. Firsters drive tanks.
Learn to First. It’s the solution to all of your problems. All of them.
Some of you, of course, are wholly incapable of ever Firsting. I don’t know what to tell those Glibs.
So you’re the ones dodging and weaving through traffic and causing accidents behind you?
I don’t want to pass slow ass bitches on the right, but they shouldn’t be in my left hand lane in their fucking fat ass SUVs.
Also, if I’m merging onto the freeway, and no one is in the left lane, move the hell to the left lane so I can get off the ramp. Assholes.
Yes. Move over or make a gap.
Since no one else said it:
STEVE SMITH MAKE GAP!
Firsters never look back at the seconders they’ve passed, so I wouldn’t know what happens behind me. It is inconsequential.
I want a window sticker that says, “My co-pilot is a SHOTGUN!”
I would also settle for “My co-pilot is a SHOGUN”
Because that would be pretty badass as well.
OT, but this one’s a doozy:
https://twitter.com/rsaysmn/status/1638865553690591233
What idiot are you going to get to buy those things, George?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consol_(bond)
He’s calling for perpetual bonds after Credit Suisse’s perpetual bondholders just got wiped out??
Perpetual bonds sound like slavery. And there’s plenty of people who would jump at the chance to enslave.
They would also be ineligible for “hold-to-maturity” accounts, where banks put a lot of the bonds they buy. So the market will be limited.
As you say, banks aren’t going to hold them – even if the banking rules were changed it still gets treated more like equity than real bonds. Any bank that even signals it would be interested in them would also be signaling how weak their assets really are. Maybe that’s the purpose behind the proposal.
Tom Luongo talking for and hour and a half about that kind of stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/live/mPxe_x8eqJU?feature=share
He could send along his fortune to help – but better to wreak havoc on the US political system, right?
I’ve been eyeballing one of these: https://www.keltecweapons.com/firearm/shotguns/ks7/
No idea what I would use it for though. *shrug*
Maybe use it for a club because I’d be willing to bet it jams like crazy.
Less than perfect reliability from Keltec?
Inconceivable!
They’ve supposedly made real progress on reliability.
Ive been looking at that too, as well as their other offerings. I listen to talk radio at work all night, and Dana Loesch’s (hubba x2) show leads up to Coast-to-Coast AM.
She’s always shilling for Kel-Tec
Keltec, kings of the crazy guns
I know very little about their products, and largely forgot they existed until I started hearing her talk about them at least once an hour.
The prices seem attractive.
snow on the steering wheel and seat? Who left the top down on their winter convertable?
Thanks RC!
If I can be permitted to go OT – this Dear Prudence is spectacular on multiple levels.
Help! My Love of Horses Just Caused a Major Family Meltdown.
Lol.
“Lose some weight, fatty. When a 1400 pound horse can’t carry you, it’s a sign.”
“She wouldn’t tell me her weight, but she was significantly bigger than a close friend of mine about her height who weighs around 300.”
I’m going to need pics. And possibly a bunk.
See if she can get in a pick up by herself. If she can’t she is not allowed to even feed the horses. If she struggles to get in the truck let her ride in the back (of the truck). If she can get in the truck by herself let her clean the barn.
As far as the relatives go get a burro for them to kiss.
The writer has a Catherine the Great fetish?
And Prudence’s advice is to lie to the landwhale.
Which only postpones the problem, at best. I would have gone with “Hey, your know those “You must be this tall to ride this ride” signs at amusement parks? Well, it’s kind of the same deal here. Horses have a weight limit, and you are well over it. Sorry.”
But it’s the sister’s new girlfriend!
I thought RC had a Benelli?
I have the 1301 Comp Pro and like it a lot. Disappointing that my new range only allows shotguns for skeet and trap.
Nope. The 1301. The more convenient range for me is also limited to skeet and trap. There’s another one significantly further away that sounds like they have the steel targets I need for combat* shotgun practice.
*Sorry, but my tolerance for euphemisms is declining, and “tactical” (or worse, “practical”) just grinds my gears.
My range has an area for 2 and 3 gun competition. If you want to use it… Just enter a competition! Otherwise it’s locked down the rest of the week.
That’s annoying. How does one get better at 3-gun except by practicing?
Skeet/trap shooting makes for more successful hunting but comes at a cost, which is fun though.
I think I’m the local Benelli fan, although the 1301 is nice too.
RC – did the curriculum at Praire Fire (interesting name, BTW) cover push-pull recoil control, or short-stocking/other space management techniques?
There was a reference to push-pull (which I have never been able to get to work, and I think I’m fine without it). The term short-stocking didn’t come up, but I think we did some drills that used it (stock under the arm while we fiddled with reloads).
They will have a new curriculum shortly that is more competition oriented, so they may hit them then. This was still the old, combat shotgun stuff from FrontSight.
“My love of horses”
Phrasing?
Too much vermouth too sweet
Also i stir not shake negronis and simillar
He needs one of those smoke guns make smoked cocktails.
Then use less. I’m not your supervisor.
I am trying to share my superior taste with you people
Okay, Brochettaward Jr.
Thems fighting words
Pie is getting proficient in American Jurisprudence!
Wait til he files his lawsuit for being butthurt.
Alright, if no one else is going to rise to the cocktail bait. By the standard traditions and rules, the Boulevardier would be stirred, as it’s all spirits. Shaking it can be done, but will add dilution to the drink. I generally stick close to the 1:1:1 ratio myself, and would garnish with the orange twist (even though I generally pass on inedible garnishes at home). I also generally add a dash of bitters as well, but I like my drinks on the bitter side.
I also see you sidestepped the rye/bourbon question.
Thanks for picking up the cocktail bar, I’ve been slacking.
As ever, Neph brings the knowledge. You get what I mix for myself.
“Whatever jiggles your handle, I say.”
“As ever, tweak the proportions to your taste”
I was not disparaging, I always recommend adjustments to taste. If you’re going to make the drink, make something you enjoy.
Besides, almost all of the recipes have changed over time as ingredients and tastes change.
/raises glass
I, too, stick with the classic 1:1:1 and I use rye. And I stir.
But I may try your version, R C, should I end up with some bourbon instead of rye.
1:1:1.5, stir, ice, bourbon, orange and lemon twist over, Since I found some I’ve been using Cynar in place of Campari, but I’m probably switch back to Campari the Cynar runs out.
Went over to PSA at lunchtime and held one of these.
https://palmettostatearmory.com/smith-wesson-m-p-5-7-pistol-5-22rd-13347.html
Very tempting since it feels fairly similar to my S&W 22A – my favorite pistol by far to shoot. On the downside, there was only 1 types of 5.7 ammo in stock and it’s $1.50 a round. Even with the 22-rooind mag, it is a very slim gun and could be concealed.
Back in the good old days going plinking with the boys meant buying a Bucket O’ Bullets at Walmart for just a tenner or so. Pennies per shot. We had a blast, plinking cans, taking absurdly long shots with my buddy’s bolt action .22 rifle, you know, fun stuff.
At a buck and a half a round, I would have to be much more judicious with my practice time. I seriously doubt we would have been taking too many 70 yard shots with iron sights to see who would be the first to hit a beer bottle off of a tree stump at a buck and a half a shot.
One reason I decided this was not the hobby for me, no matter how much I would like it to be.
Reloading is your friend, though getting set up properly isn’t cheap. Have to reload a lot to amortize your equipment. I never considered the cost of the equipment, that was an investment.
I have given most of my stuff away to include primers/powder and the common size bullets and all the mechanical stuff. I’ll never shoot up my inventory now.
.22lr is around 10 cents a round now. Still the most fun to shoot rifle or pistol.
I got a case in Dec. at .06/rd for Federal.
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/federal-automatch-22-long-rifle-ammo-40-grain-lead-round-nose-am22-p-1967.aspx
Slightly cheaper right now, was $200 when I ordered then.
Nice. Automatch runs great in my .22LR ARs…
Culture wars 1:
You know that “grooming” stuff that the right wing totally made up and doesn’t exist?
LibsOfTiktok has an excellent response. She posts a mother who details her experience with a teacher who lured her child to come to “Art Club”, which turned out to be an LGBTQIA club where a guest speaker lectured on gender identity and how you are trans if you have any questions about your gender. The teacher asked that they keep it a secret.
That isn’t the excellent response part.
The excellent response part is that this post is a testimonial for her new book for kids… A book that explains that it is never OK for an adult to ask you to keep something secret from your parents.
Whose book? The teacher, the mother, or the guest speaker?
*snortlaugh*
Good for her. Nice to see that she’s taking advantage of being doxxed.
it is never OK for an adult to ask you to keep something secret from your parents
Yep. That’s what we always told our kids, along with a promise that we would never get mad at them for telling us no matter what it was about. That’s right up there with “adults never need help from children.”
But OMWC really does need help finding that lost puppy!
He loses his new puppy everyday? Several times?
Culture wars 2:
Has anyone else noticed that the Republicans have been winning every culture war issue at the local level. In fact, “has won” is a better term for it.
So, of course, now they are overreaching all over the place. The Florida legislature seems drunk on power, introducing bills to replace bills they passed into law just a few months ago.
Hubris shall be thy downfall,Republican Party.
That which is not prohibited must be mandatory. Leaving people alone is not allowed.
Two branches of the same progressive technocratic tree.
It’s a human thing, not just to win but to press right on past victory.
We’d are they winning? Did the Nea change policy when I wasn’t looking? Are we no longer painting the country with rainbows the month of June? Are schools no longer celebrating trans week in September?
Show your work.
Went over to PSA at lunchtime and held one of these.
I’m mildly surprised that’s not the official sidearm of the U S military.
It is a NATO round.
Used at Ft Hood.
Also… “Guy who owns the range is one of a nut” is the tropiest of tropes.
What idiot are you going to get to buy those things, George?
What’s the point of a perpetual bond when we’ll all be dead in a few years from global warming?
Of all the people in the world that shouldn’t care about the heat death of the universe, or climate change, is an ancient piece of human shit barely still breathing.
Net neutrality already took me out. And that virus thing.
.22lr is around 10 cents a round now. Still the most fun to shoot rifle or pistol.
Indeed. I have four .22lr semi autopistols. I need to find a place to go shoot them, if it ever stops snowing.
Tundra, in addition to looking like a Cabela’s advertisement was correct about GSD being spendy. $200 to confirm what I suspected was a UTI.
Vet said most likely contracted when the wormer gave her explosive shits. Or when I wasnt supervising and she got into The Dozer’s food which developed into crap-on-tap.
I honestly don’t know how all y’all dog people put up with all this business. Cats are so low-maintenance. Litter box every other day, shots once a year. Boom, done.
Our cats make up for the low physical maintenance with high emotional maintenance. “Pet me! Pick me up! Love meeeee!!!” 😕🐱
Yes. I had to close the office door as the cats would come in for belly rubs, then proceed to terrorize stacks of documents and other office supplies with their playful antics.
Cats can cost $$ as well… we had one that developed diabetes. it needed twice daily insulin shots, then the episodes of vomiting at the end. Another had a fight with a raccoon, and also required special feed or he got crystals in his urinary tract. One had a blood clot that disabled his rear legs. We loved them all, but you always keep them about 1-2 weeks longer than you should.. you think they seem better.. we always want one more week.
The current boxers, and most of the dogs Ive had are very low maintenance. Hopefully GSD will be too and this is a one-off event cause Jugsy didn’t teach her to wipe front to back.
It annoys me that vets are big on selling Clavimox™ which is really just a fancy name for amoxicilin/clavulanic acid. What they get for it in the clinic is around 3X what I can it for at my Kroger pharmacy. But getting them to write the script, and the time wasted going to and waiting at the pharmacy…I just hand them a credit card.
Simple. The ROI is tremendous.
I don’t get out of bed to walk my cat…
…you dog people are walking your dogs, right?
3-4 times a day.
Beast.
I have a big, fenced, yard.
This is the best take.
Interesting article, as ever, R C.
Is there another follow-up class to this one? Any good self-defense training options if this place pivots?
No follow-up classes that I know of. We’ll see what the new curriculum offers.
As it happens, a very well-regarded firearms training facility, Gunsite, is closer for us than Pahrump. It’s kinda spendy though. Mrs. Dean is heading up for their carbine class in a month or two. We’ll see what she thinks before we schedule anything else there.
https://www.gunsite.com/
Thanks for these write ups. I am definitely planning some future trips.
Range Life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gaXEtuSp74
If you watch carefully, the shells are still going in one at a time.
I assume she’s just tiny and not actually 12
That was neither John Wick nor Hotel Manager.
“Prairie Fire” was the name of a Tabasco and Everclear shot.
Tabasco and Tequila down in Central Illinois in the late 1980s.
In Colorado, way back when, a prairie fire (aka flaming asshole) was Tabasco and Cuervo Gold.
Want.
Damn, I miss my old JC Higgins (sponsored by Sears in the long, longago when department stores sold guns) Beautiful, well made, cheap gun.
I should take out cheap and replace with inexpensive. That thing took hella shit from me, and never a misfire or any other cock-up.