Front Sight -Anyone Attended?

[Just1more]

I get emails from them and an acquaintance bought memberships but hasn't yet gone there. We were wondering if anyone has gone for classes to Front Sight and their opinions?
Thanks.

[SigForLife]

I have and it is a phenomenal curriculum taught by some of the best in the industry. I highly recommend Front Sight and I ended up becoming a Diamond member.

[Broncitis]

I was fortunate enough to be one of a large group who were invited by a friend who is a Diamond member to attend a free 4 day defensive handgun course in Oct/Nov. of 2009.

It was the first experience in formalized private firearms training for most of us outside of some police and basic military training a few of us have had.

All of us walked away very impressed with the course structure, expansive facilities and friendly & knowledgeable cadre. It was a record breaking weekend when we attended with over 600 students there, but we never felt rushed or as if we were being herded through a process.

The two police officers in our group said they received higher quality instruction and more range time than they have had in the last 10 years!

I only wish it were closer since it is more the cost of regularly getting out there that is more of an issue than the membership costs. There are often deep discounted membership specials offered and my brother and I recently purchased Diamond memberships though a club member at a very good price.

It was a great experience that I hope we can repeat with our group of friends who came from all around the country the last time.

Since attending FS, I got involved with a local club to shoot regularly with their IDPA practice group once a week. I had very little handgun experience other than casual plinking growing up and the pathetic amount in Navy basic training, but I felt quite comfortable shooting with this group and although not near as good as some of the regulars, I'm certain that I handle my weapon much more confidently, proficiently, and safely than if I had not attended Front Sight.

I plan on taking some coursed offered at my club by national trainers as well, but have not at this point so I do not yet have a direct comparison to others such as InSight, RangeMaster, etc.

[synergy]

I have and it is a phenomenal curriculum taught by some of the best in the industry. I highly recommend Front Sight and I ended up becoming a Diamond member.

Would you be willing to quantify that a little bit more?

When you say it was a "phenomenal cirriculum"...who's cirriculum are you comparing it to?

When you say it is taught by some of the best in the industry...what led you to that conclussion?

[Shawn.L]

I dont know ANYONE who takes firearms training seriously that recomends it.

And to bounce of Jim's response. If I only ever got laid once and I told you it was the best pice of ass I ever had how exactly would I be judging that experiance?

[Orive 8]

A friend of mine from the Seattle area went down to Front Sight with his dad several years ago. He has been to training with several nationally recognized instructors before and after. He told me that they both felt that the trip to Front Sight was worth the time and money. The facility was top notch. The staff, professional. They also went back for one of the machine gun shoots.

I won a free certificate to a class at Front Sight back in the late 90s, I could not attend and gave the class to my wife's friend, who used to work as a Safety Officer for the Ladies Defensive Pistol League that they ran in Puyallup for 9 year.

She went down with her husband and used the certificate for a 2 day class for 2 people. She had also done some previous training before and felt that the class was worthwhile for her, but more of a review. Her husband, whose only training with firearms was in the military (some years prior) felt that the class was outstanding.

Hope this helps.

[dunsho]

Front sight seems to have a nice facility, but for some reason it feels so scammy.
2 day defensive handgun $1000.00. but wait!! if you call within 15 mins, 3 more classes for free!

this was the case a couple years ago when i used to get emails from them.

[Broncitis]

Front sight seems to have a nice facility, but for some reason it feels so scammy.
2 day defensive handgun $1000.00. but wait!! if you call within 15 mins, 3 more classes for free!

this was the case a couple years ago when i used to get emails from them.

I agree. The methods the owner uses to promote it give it a shady time-share feel. We all expected to get a high pressure sales pitch in exchange for our free course. To our surprise, they simply outlined their future plans and offered a discounted membership package to those in attendance with no pressure at all.

If it were not for being nearly all the way across the county, most of our group would have jumped at the offer.

I have since gotten a much better deal that will nearly offset the travel expenses for future courses.

During one of the Q&A's during a classroom sessions with several hundred people there, one guy asked if they had thought about hiring a professional marketing firm to handle promotions and sales. It appears that Dr. Piazza spends most of his time focused on that part nowdays and really likes how he does it and would not change it. It must be working for them I guess. As a buddy in our group said, just cause he seems like a snake oil salesman does not mean he does not produce some good snake oil!

I realize there are some who seem to think Front Sight is crap, but I have not hear that from any who have actually attended Front Sight, nor any specific, systemic shortfalls mentioned, so I take it FWIW to me.

I'm sure there may be better more individualized instruction out there, but I saw LOTS of very satisfied students who were actually out there getting trained which is more than I can say for 99% of the gun owning public!

Several of the guys in my club are old school students of Col. Cooper and were personal friends and long time students of his as well as some of other past and current leading instructors who attend and participate in the National Tactical Invitational event held each year at WSSA. My point being, If you were to see me (a relatively new shooter) shoot next to most of them, you would not see a night and day difference in many cases.

****This is just my speculation***, but one issue may be that they *may* require all their courses to be taken in order. That is to say you can not take an Advanced Handgun course without first taking their Basic. This could lead some experienced shooters to feel it was a waste of time and of no value to them, especially if they go in with the all to common know-it-all, close minded attitude. I can understand why FS may want to do it this way. They understand there are a variety of proven techniques out there, but during their course of instruction, they want everyone doing it the "FS way" for continuity and safety of the group. I can see where they would also want everyone to have taken the same courses to ensure that all the same skills and techniques have been covered.

Yes, it sucks for an experienced practitioner who may have a PhD and has to take their 101 course, but that is their system as far as I know. If you live within driving distance and have a membership, not a real big deal other than taking a couple vacation days. For us on the east coast, it gets costly taking extra trips just to get to be able to take courses of a higher proficiency level. They *MAY* have a way to accept other trainers courses or a way to test out of a class, but I'm not aware if it if there is.

[synergy]

Front sight seems to have a nice facility, but for some reason it feels so scammy.

There are lots of reasons for that:
http://www.8newsnow.com/story/448778...-moves-forward

http://www.8newsnow.com/story/105453...or-front-sight

http://tacticalforums.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000046.html

http://www.tacticalforums.com/cgi-bi...1;t=001822;p=1

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=46290&page=6

When "Litigation" is a heading on someones wikipedia page...that should be a clue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_Piazza

[johnnysquire]

Any chance anybody has been to both Gunsite and Front Sight, and could compare/contrast?