Rangemaster Combative Pistol Course Riley CC

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  • jsharmon7

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    119   0   0
    Nov 24, 2008
    7,827
    113
    Freedonia
    I have been to a LOT of classes. If you are looking for a defensive minded handgun class where you work on performance and application, you could do no better.
    Can you give your opinion as to what makes a certain defensive pistol class better than another? It seems like most defensive pistol classes tend to work on the same techniques or ideas, so I’m just curious as to what makes one stand out over another. I know you have a lot of training experience, so you seem like the perfect guy to ask. I’ve probably got the budget (class/travel/ammo) for a few classes per year, so I want the best bang for the buck.
     

    ECS686

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 9, 2017
    1,728
    113
    Brazil
    Can you give your opinion as to what makes a certain defensive pistol class better than another? It seems like most defensive pistol classes tend to work on the same techniques or ideas, so I’m just curious as to what makes one stand out over another. I know you have a lot of training experience, so you seem like the perfect guy to ask. I’ve probably got the budget (class/travel/ammo) for a few classes per year, so I want the best bang for the buck.
    Cedertop will have excellent input. And not to overstep but since I am hosting I’ll put in my 2 cents.

    Maybe I am biased as I am a Rangemaster Instructor but what makes those classes heads and tails

    1. the standards one has to rise to. It’s not a rubber stamp class.

    2. the knowledge that is put into the curriculum about real stats on real crime. No theory or conjecture just real facts and information. From folks that have been there.

    Not just some college grad that likes guns and never being around any real crime teaching church or personal security

    3. Range Master puts out a monthly newsletter with valid drills that will improve your proficiency. They teach you the whole lifestyle aspect that carrying a firearm becomes that most other classes don’t.

    I have been to other classes by Spaulding, Hearne Bolke and Eastridge that are also well worth the money and leaps ahead of most others and any agency/Military training one has minus that real Tier 1 vet

    There are some other prominent instructors John Holschen, Brian Hill Greg Ellifritz, Chuck Haggard but a large percentage of them are also Rangemaster Instructors so it’s sort of a desired quality to look for when choosing. Like if all the industry greats have that which is above and beyond a NRA or Agency Certification it should say something.

    So there is a connection to with all the vetted instructors I know of and Rangemaster or Gunsite.
     
    Last edited:

    cedartop

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Apr 25, 2010
    6,707
    113
    North of Notre Dame.
    I will do my best. I should start with disclaimers. I have been to a number of Tom's classes as well as the Tactical Conference a few times and am a Rangemaster certified Advanced Handgun Instructor (not a staff instructor). I have also been an AI for some of his classes in Indiana. Also when I say none better, there may be some that are as good but I haven't seen any that would be superior for the average person looking to improve both their knowledge and skills. These are great classes for those who don't have a ton of previous training and probably aren't going to do a class a month for 5 or 6 years.

    So first I will say that ECS686 gives many valid points, so I will go with other reasons. First off you are getting a superbly run curriculum. I have been to a lot of classes where over 2 days you got about 3 hours of instruction and the rest of the time was breaks and war stories. That isn't going to happen in Rangemaster classes. There is a ton of material to cover in the classroom and you will stay very busy on the range. Speaking of material, that is the heart of the matter. It is balanced between performance and application. Tom may be old school, but he is also willing to change with the times. When I took my first class with him in about 2012 I used a red dot and carried AIWB. That wasn't happening much at that time, but he had no problem with it. The classroom portion covers real world examples of why he teaches what he teaches, and it works. All you have to do is look at the track record of his students involved in deadly force encounters.

    Another good thing is that even though Tom has been in LE for a long time and has been a competitor he only takes from those fields what is applicable to regular guy/gal defense purposes. Again I have been to classes with SOF guys who no doubt are good teachers but what they are teaching isn't real relevant to me as I lead my daily life. Everything in the Rangemaster classes is there for a reason, and that reason is to help you avoid and then if necessary prevail in a deadly force criminal assault on your person.

    My apologies, I have to cut this short to make it to a meeting at the gun club. Please, if you have any specific questions, post them up.
     
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