Sig Sauer Academy

[ww_kayak]

I recently traveled to Epping N.H. to attend the Sig Sauer Academy's Handgun 101 and 102 training sessions. Three of us went: two of us had never fired a handgun (I was one of the two). Basically I chose Sig for two reasons: My time schedule, and the fact that you can use their equipment, since I don't have pistol permit yet.

Day 1 (handgun orientation) was about 4 hours of safety/education and about 4 hours of shooting. The one aspect of the the classroom training I really appreciated was that they gave us about 20 minutes to just "learn" how to manipulate the gun. Take it apart, put it together, rack it, operate the slide release, decocker, mag release, and dry fire (safely). Lather, rinse, repeat. This doesn't sound like a big deal to most I'm sure, but if you never handled a handgun, you don't even know which finger to use, let alone become proficient, and safe.

Day 2 (Basic Practical Handgun Skills) was a couple hours of safety and holster training with the rest of the day at the range (about 200 rounds). From what I've seen on TV, and YouTube, they follow a pretty typical formula of performing basic mechanics, very close to the target, over and over... And it works great.

Having never fired a handgun... I thought it was awesome. The one "experienced" shooter with us still enjoyed the classes, even though he was really taking these as prerequisites to the advanced CCW classes. It was roughly 400 bucks for the weekend, plus hotel, plus the seafood dinners in Maine each night, plus gas, ...

My only real complaint was they threw us in a room and said "clean the guns": with very little instruction.

I did manage to take some video and make quick compilation:

[minderasr]

Sounds like a great course. Your video looks like it could be a commercial for Sig Sauer.

[Rich]

Sounds like it was worth the money spent. I want to get out to their facility to take the Armorer's course.

[tlstull01]

i was always told, you can never have to much training.

[ww_kayak]

Well, I went back for more... There were four of us this time. Basically, I went back for the "103" class, but I took the 102 again just to get warmed up :). I'm glad I did because it was a different instructor this time. He wasn't better, or worse, just a little different focus. The first instructor was more gun / trigger control oriented. This guy was more self defense: "move quicker and just hit the center mass. 103 is what they recommend as the prerequisite to any other advanced classes. It covered a little bit of alot other shooting disciplines. Accuracy, moving and shooting, speed, IDPA, steel, cover and concealment, kneeling, prone, etc. They probably could reduce 101,102,103 to 2 classes, but hey, more shooting is fine with me.

If you are traveling it makes sense to take multiple classes while your there, but know I see the benefit of splitting it up, and having different instructors as well.

[Rich]

I really want to get out to Sig to take one of their classes.

[Freek]

I loved teaching pistol in the military. The only problem I ran into was that there was always that 5% that just couldn't grasp the concept no matter what we did. It's all about knowing the fundamentals and practice, practice, practice.

[Think_Again]

Great Video... I can't believe that I didn't see this eariler... lol.. must be a post I missed.

Thanks for sharing.

[Murr17]

Why can't I find the video that you guys are talking about?

[minderasr]

Why can't I find the video that you guys are talking about?

It's a youtube video embedded in the first post. Are you running noscript or an adblocker? Either of these might block the video unless you allow it.