This May Don Wilson will be conducting a two-day defensive shotgun course at the Pitcarin-Monroeville Sportsman's club. The course announcement is set forth below.

Don has been around firearms training circles for a long time, and is a good example, in my opinion, of an instructor who holds in skill and experience what he lacks in name and fame. If what you are looking for is some solid, straightforward instruction on how to make the most of your shotgun, and don't want to spend $500 for the course and $300 in travel costs, this course is a good choice.

Note the name and link to the course administrator. This year we have different individuals who have accepted responsibility to act as the contact person for various courses. If you have questions about a course, call the contact person directly and they will help you out. Rob Campbell is administering the Shotgun course.

PeteG
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Level I Shotgun Course
Instructor: Don WilsonMay 14 - 15, 2011 (Sat – Sun)
Daily start time is 9:00am
Course Administrator
Rob Campbell
724.553.8832


Location: Pitcairn-Monroeville Sportsmen's Club, 505 Mosside Blvd., N. Versailles, PA

This course includes 16 hours of instruction. It is designed to maximize the individual’s understanding of the defensive use of the shotgun, at home and in the field.

Subjects covered will be safety, purpose of the shotgun in relation to other weapons, advantages and disadvantages, myths and misconceptions, ammunition types and selection, stocks and accessories, care and feeding, administrative loading and unloading, as well as combat loading and combat load selection. Also addressed will be methods of carry, both on sling and in hand, indoors and out, proper mounting and control of recoil, weapon retention, and conditions of weapon readiness.

Students will then “pattern” their guns on paper at various ranges with birdshot and buckshot, and zero the guns with slugs at 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards, with emphasis on a “working zero” at 50 yards.

Practical drills at various ranges will be conducted to enable the students to understand the patterning characteristics of their gun and ammunition, learn the zones of application, and train them to be able to maintain continuity of fire, managing their ammunition as they go. By the afternoon of the second day, the students should be familiar enough with the manipulation of their weapons and ammunition that we will be able to set up some fun competition drills to further enhance their combat gunhandling, understanding of patterning and ammunition selection under stress.

Suitable shotguns should be a reliable, proven brand and of simple configuration, with A FIXED STOCK. Preferably with about 13” L.O.P. (or less!) 12 ga or 20 ga. (Mr. Wilson does not recommend the Remington Top Folding factory stock.)

Barrels of 18 to 20 inches are best, SMOOTHBORE, (the rifled shotgun barrels are not suitable for shot loads) and with no added choke devices.
Bead sights on the barrel will do. Rifle sights are better, and waaaay better are a large aperture or “ghost ring” rear and square post front. (same as battle sights on a carbine).

Cost: $250. Includes instruction, range fees, targets and range supplies. Students to provide their own ammunition, personal gear and meals.

Course format: Lectures (approximately 2 hrs.), and live-fire exercises (approximately 14 hrs.). Each student will need 300 rounds of bird shot, 50 to 75 rounds of Buckshot, and 50 slugs. Using a variety of different brands is recommended for this course.

Instructor: Rangemaster will be Don Wilson. Don actually had two careers, more or less simultaneously. He served on active duty in the USAF from 1968-1972 as a Security Policeman in Taiwan, Vietnam, and Oklahoma. He was involved in the security and defense of Air Force installations in combat zones as well as in stateside locations. This included the protection and defense of Air Force resources and personnel, to include nuclear weapons, their components and delivery systems. In 1973 he became a full time civilian police officer, graduated from Pa. State Police Academy, and over the course of my 26 year career, worked as a patrol officer, supervisor, and firearms and tactics instructor. He retired from full time police work in 1999.
In 1978 , while a full time police officer, he rejoined the Air Force as a reservist, with the 911th Airlift Wing in Pittsburgh, first as his prior specialty, a Security Policeman, then cross-training in 1984 to Aeromedical Evacuation, a flying position. He trained as a medic, and as an aircrew member, including all the various survival schools, as well as altitude physiology training, including initial and refresher training in the altitude chamber. Over the years, he was deployed to Desert Storm, and later, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom multiple times, where he flew wounded out of combat zones. He retired in 2008 with 36 years active and reserve, and over 1600 flight hours, including 67 combat missions.

Relevant training: USAF Security Police training, both active and reserve, included basic issue firearms, as well as heavier crew served support weapons, such as mortars and heavy machine guns. He was privileged to serve on Security Alert Teams (SWAT) on several bases, and actually trained in Germany with what was then West German Grenzshutz (Federal Border Police-BGS) security teams. PSP Academy, both basic police academy, and continuous training throughout his career. FBI firearms instructor school. NRA police firearms instructor school. “Offshoots” Auto Pistol Instructor. University of Illinois, Police Training Institute, Master Firearms Instructor program. Gunsite Instructor / coach: “Provost at Arms” 1993, then served as coach for 250, 350, 260 handgun and shotgun classes. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B) USAF and Peer Counselor, Critical Incident Stress Management (UPMC 2003).

Prerequisites: None. It is, however, expected that students will have a basic familiarity with firearms. Last day to enroll is 30 days prior to the course date.

Equipment Requirements:
There is certain equipment which is REQUIRED in every course. One may not proceed in the course without the following:

Ear protection and Eye protection. Eye protection must be clear for the night shoot.
Cap or hat with baseball-style bill.
Firearm, clean.
Shotshell belts work well as ammunition carriers.
Knee and elbow pads. The inexpensive kind worn by skateboarders, or pads worn by carpenters and carpet layers are fine.
A sling. We run a "hot" range and shotguns must be slung unless they are racked, grounded or in the shooter's hand on line. Any type sling which allows the rifle to be carried muzzle up or muzzle down is fine. No slings which hold the muzzle in a horizontal position while being carried (M60 style) are permitted.
A ground cloth, shooting mat or other cover (such as an old blanket), to cover the ground upon which you will be periodically sitting or lying.

There is other equipment that is not required, but which we know from experience will enhance your experience of the course. We therefore recommend you bring the following:

Soft drinks or water to drink while down on the range. There is no water on the range itself, and the Club house is too far to run back and forth. No alcohol of any kind is to be consumed within eight hours of the start of any course session or at any time during the course.
Gloves (either shooting gloves or light work gloves).

Wear substantial shoes and "work clothes" or fatigues. You will be on the ground and get dusty or muddy.

For Details, Information and Directions: contact the course administrator or go to www.fireinstitute.org and click on the shotgun link.


"Having a gun and thinking you are armed is like buying a piano and thinking you are a musician"------ Col. Jeff Cooper (U.S.M.C. Ret.)

This course is sponsored by the Firearms Instruction Research & Education (FIRE) Institute, a Penna. nonprofit corporation. Training is provided as a public service. All students must be 18 years or older. Proof of no criminal history is required. © 2011 (F.I.R.E. Institute)