On Day 1 I woke up around 6am to start getting ready for the exciting weekend ahead. By this time Dad was already in the car driving up to my house from Brown County. I had packed my range bag and suitcase the evening before, so I had everything ready to go.
We left my house around 7am, heading up I65 to Lebanon. We arrived at the Sheriff’s Department around 7:45am. It was EXTREMELY easy to find. You literally take the ramp off the interstate and turn right into the parking lot. There was already a small group of guys talking in the parking lot. Sheriff Campbell had just arrived as well, and directed us to enter through the front doors and that we would be directed down to the basement classroom.
Inside the classroom there were tables with name placards already on them. There were also several Gunsite items, like a water koozie, pen, calendar, and study booklet. The first thing we had to do was sign the legal release forms. And boy were there LOTS of them! I filled out and signed several documents that all seemed to stay the exact same things. There was even one where we had to hand-write “I release my right to sue, etc.”
Sheriff Ken Campbell stood up and introduced himself as the Sheriff of Boone County, Indiana. He thanked everyone for being there and gave us the basics, like when we would break for lunch and where the restrooms were. He also went around the room and had people introduce themselves. What a group! We had lawyers, engineers, LEOs, electricians, a veterinarian, two brothers, a father and son, and two sets of husbands and wives. People traveled from Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois.
Then he spun around and re-introduced himself as Ken Campbell, Gunsite Instructor. He also introduced his co-instructors, Jay and Dave.
Jay Tuttle was a current Boone County Sheriff’s Deputy, as well as a Gunsite Rangemaster (this is better than being a “coach”). He had also spent many years on a major Department around Indy, but I forget which one. Jay would be giving the lectures on lead exposure and ballistics, as well as conducting the night shoot on Saturday night.
Dave Harris was a current officer with the Richmond, CA Police Department. His background included graduating from the LAPD Academy, as well as being on the LAPD SWAT team. He also was part of the training unit that trained many LAPD officers to use their handguns properly. Dave was also a Gunsite Rangemaster since 1988. His lecture on Mindset was scheduled for Sunday.
To find out more about these instructors, visit Gunsite
Ken kicked off the class by giving some history on Gunsite and the late Col. Jeff Cooper. I won’t reiterate the bulk of it here (pay the tuition and you can hear it too!), but suffice it to say that MANY of the philosophies, techniques, and “buzzwords” we hear today in the shooting world were invented and coined by Jeff Cooper.
After a thorough safety briefing in the classroom, we broke for lunch. Ken did a good job of telling everyone what the good restaurants were, as well as what bars to avoid. I figure if anyone should know it would be him. So Dad and I headed just down the street to a little sit-in diner called “The Milky Way”. The service was down-to-earth and friendly, but the food was only so-so. After lunch we spent some time driving through Lebanon to stake out a place for dinner.
After lunch we went directly to the range behind the Sheriff’s Department. It was a nicely built outdoor outfit, with very tall berms separating two shooting areas. We would all spend the majority of our time on the range to the south. Just before the range was the “range house” and Department’s “Rangemaster’s Office”. The range house had all kinds of range-goodies, like standard and humanoid target stands, a workplace for quick-fixes, rifle racks, and a refrigerator (for Ken’s bag of Snickers).
We started the range session by splitting into two 11-person relays. Relay 1 would be on the line getting instruction and shooting, while Relay 2 would be back at the range house reloading ammo and constantly hydrating. Then Relay 2 would go to the line and Relay 1 would reload and so on. As this was a “hot” range, guns always stayed loaded and in the holster, except when on the line firing.
First we ran through bare basics, like the different methods of reloading. Then we began working through the presentation/drawing of the pistol, breaking down each movement individually. Finally at the end of the day (around 5pm), we were given a lecture on safe dry-firing, and given the homework assignment to dry-fire practice our presentations for 15 minutes in our hotel rooms.
Dad and I headed to the Holiday Inn Express to get checked-in and cleaned up. We then went to dinner at a new BBQ place in town called “Parky’s Smokehouse”. Food was good, but not great.
Day 2 was a big day at the range. We never stepped foot in the classroom. We arrived at 9:30am and began working on more shooting/reloading drills, immediate action drills, Mozambique drills, controlled pairs, and “hammers”.
Lunch consisted of a short trip to “Generations”, where I had a hand-breaded tenderloin sandwich that was excellent.
Then it was back to the range for a whole series of malfunction clearing drills.
Breaking once again, this time for dinner, Dad and I made a quick stop at “Donaldson’s Chocolates”. Sheriff Campbell had recommended the place for buying ‘thank you treats’ for our significant others. Truffles in hand, we headed to “El Jaripeo II” for a dinner of tacos and burritos.
After dinner we met back at the range again for the night shoot. As the sun was setting Jay gave an excellent lecture on the use of night sights and handheld lights, as well as showing several examples of each. He spoke on the differences between incandescent vs. LED lights, and the pros and cons of each.
At dusk, when you could still make out the targets, we were shooting using only our night sights. This was the first time I had really seen the value of night sights. Those without night sights were having trouble lining up their sights, while my Big Dots were very fast on target.
When the sun finally sank completely, we brought out the white lights. We worked with them using 3 popular methods. Each method had its good and bad points, but it was nice to try each one. I personally found the Rogers/Surefire/cigar technique the most comfortable, so I now need a flashlight equipped with the proper ring on the body.
Class broke around 9:30pm and Dad and I were physically and mentally exhausted. Back at the hotel we caught a few minutes of the presidential debate, and then hit the sack.
Day 3 started at 8:30am in the classroom. Jay gave a lecture on ballistics, and then Dave gave a lecture on Mindset. Both were very informative and should be heeded by everyone.
Like the other two days, there was a high temperature of 78 degrees, and not a drop of rain in the sky. A few light clouds would roll by now and then, and a nice breeze kept everyone from overheating.
We warmed up by putting everything together that we had learned the previous two days. The instructors were pushing us harder, as today was graduation day. Mistakes were quickly caught and made VERY public. Those who were getting sloppy quickly sharpened their technique. We also added shooting from kneeling positions into our session, and learned the many and best ways to get into and out-of kneeling.
For lunch we went with the simple Arby’s.
After lunch the atmosphere was more relaxed. Everyone was tired, but begging to make it a 4- or 5-day class. We finished up the range work by shooting some competitive scenarios. Relay 1 hit the north range for shooting steel Pepper-poppers, while Relay 2 hit the south range for running “El Presidente”. Then we switched ranges and ran them again.
Reluctantly everyone gathered around one final time for graduation. Sheriff Campbell passed out Gunsite certificates, as well as the class photo. We spent about 20 minutes thanking the instructors and reiterating the high points of what we had learned over the weekend.
Dusty and tired, with grass-stained knees, everyone got in their cars and headed home. Dad and I had a great time, and agreed that we need to either A) visit the Gunsite Ranch in Arizona sometime, or B) host a Gunsite event at his range in Brown County someday. More on that later. . . .
Sorry for such a long AAR. I hope it gives people a sense of our weekend. For those people wondering why I didn’t get into the various techniques that were taught, or spend lots of time on the classroom content, its because that information is for those willing to put in the time and money to seek out qualified training. I would highly recommend the Gunsite training for anyone wanting to take that “next step” in their training. Although you might not agree 100% with everything taught, you can’t argue with the fact that the instructors believe in what they teach, and they are passionate about keeping you and your loved ones safe.
A very special thanks goes to Sheriff Ken Campbell, Jay Tuttle, Dave Harris, and the entire Boone County Sheriff’s Department for hosting such a great class. Ken is a moral and ethical man who is wiling to further the cause of the 2nd Amendment, not just for LEOs, but for all people.
We left my house around 7am, heading up I65 to Lebanon. We arrived at the Sheriff’s Department around 7:45am. It was EXTREMELY easy to find. You literally take the ramp off the interstate and turn right into the parking lot. There was already a small group of guys talking in the parking lot. Sheriff Campbell had just arrived as well, and directed us to enter through the front doors and that we would be directed down to the basement classroom.
Inside the classroom there were tables with name placards already on them. There were also several Gunsite items, like a water koozie, pen, calendar, and study booklet. The first thing we had to do was sign the legal release forms. And boy were there LOTS of them! I filled out and signed several documents that all seemed to stay the exact same things. There was even one where we had to hand-write “I release my right to sue, etc.”
Sheriff Ken Campbell stood up and introduced himself as the Sheriff of Boone County, Indiana. He thanked everyone for being there and gave us the basics, like when we would break for lunch and where the restrooms were. He also went around the room and had people introduce themselves. What a group! We had lawyers, engineers, LEOs, electricians, a veterinarian, two brothers, a father and son, and two sets of husbands and wives. People traveled from Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois.
Then he spun around and re-introduced himself as Ken Campbell, Gunsite Instructor. He also introduced his co-instructors, Jay and Dave.
Jay Tuttle was a current Boone County Sheriff’s Deputy, as well as a Gunsite Rangemaster (this is better than being a “coach”). He had also spent many years on a major Department around Indy, but I forget which one. Jay would be giving the lectures on lead exposure and ballistics, as well as conducting the night shoot on Saturday night.
Dave Harris was a current officer with the Richmond, CA Police Department. His background included graduating from the LAPD Academy, as well as being on the LAPD SWAT team. He also was part of the training unit that trained many LAPD officers to use their handguns properly. Dave was also a Gunsite Rangemaster since 1988. His lecture on Mindset was scheduled for Sunday.
To find out more about these instructors, visit Gunsite
Ken kicked off the class by giving some history on Gunsite and the late Col. Jeff Cooper. I won’t reiterate the bulk of it here (pay the tuition and you can hear it too!), but suffice it to say that MANY of the philosophies, techniques, and “buzzwords” we hear today in the shooting world were invented and coined by Jeff Cooper.
After a thorough safety briefing in the classroom, we broke for lunch. Ken did a good job of telling everyone what the good restaurants were, as well as what bars to avoid. I figure if anyone should know it would be him. So Dad and I headed just down the street to a little sit-in diner called “The Milky Way”. The service was down-to-earth and friendly, but the food was only so-so. After lunch we spent some time driving through Lebanon to stake out a place for dinner.
After lunch we went directly to the range behind the Sheriff’s Department. It was a nicely built outdoor outfit, with very tall berms separating two shooting areas. We would all spend the majority of our time on the range to the south. Just before the range was the “range house” and Department’s “Rangemaster’s Office”. The range house had all kinds of range-goodies, like standard and humanoid target stands, a workplace for quick-fixes, rifle racks, and a refrigerator (for Ken’s bag of Snickers).
We started the range session by splitting into two 11-person relays. Relay 1 would be on the line getting instruction and shooting, while Relay 2 would be back at the range house reloading ammo and constantly hydrating. Then Relay 2 would go to the line and Relay 1 would reload and so on. As this was a “hot” range, guns always stayed loaded and in the holster, except when on the line firing.
First we ran through bare basics, like the different methods of reloading. Then we began working through the presentation/drawing of the pistol, breaking down each movement individually. Finally at the end of the day (around 5pm), we were given a lecture on safe dry-firing, and given the homework assignment to dry-fire practice our presentations for 15 minutes in our hotel rooms.
Dad and I headed to the Holiday Inn Express to get checked-in and cleaned up. We then went to dinner at a new BBQ place in town called “Parky’s Smokehouse”. Food was good, but not great.
Day 2 was a big day at the range. We never stepped foot in the classroom. We arrived at 9:30am and began working on more shooting/reloading drills, immediate action drills, Mozambique drills, controlled pairs, and “hammers”.
Lunch consisted of a short trip to “Generations”, where I had a hand-breaded tenderloin sandwich that was excellent.
Then it was back to the range for a whole series of malfunction clearing drills.
Breaking once again, this time for dinner, Dad and I made a quick stop at “Donaldson’s Chocolates”. Sheriff Campbell had recommended the place for buying ‘thank you treats’ for our significant others. Truffles in hand, we headed to “El Jaripeo II” for a dinner of tacos and burritos.
After dinner we met back at the range again for the night shoot. As the sun was setting Jay gave an excellent lecture on the use of night sights and handheld lights, as well as showing several examples of each. He spoke on the differences between incandescent vs. LED lights, and the pros and cons of each.
At dusk, when you could still make out the targets, we were shooting using only our night sights. This was the first time I had really seen the value of night sights. Those without night sights were having trouble lining up their sights, while my Big Dots were very fast on target.
When the sun finally sank completely, we brought out the white lights. We worked with them using 3 popular methods. Each method had its good and bad points, but it was nice to try each one. I personally found the Rogers/Surefire/cigar technique the most comfortable, so I now need a flashlight equipped with the proper ring on the body.
Class broke around 9:30pm and Dad and I were physically and mentally exhausted. Back at the hotel we caught a few minutes of the presidential debate, and then hit the sack.
Day 3 started at 8:30am in the classroom. Jay gave a lecture on ballistics, and then Dave gave a lecture on Mindset. Both were very informative and should be heeded by everyone.
Like the other two days, there was a high temperature of 78 degrees, and not a drop of rain in the sky. A few light clouds would roll by now and then, and a nice breeze kept everyone from overheating.
We warmed up by putting everything together that we had learned the previous two days. The instructors were pushing us harder, as today was graduation day. Mistakes were quickly caught and made VERY public. Those who were getting sloppy quickly sharpened their technique. We also added shooting from kneeling positions into our session, and learned the many and best ways to get into and out-of kneeling.
For lunch we went with the simple Arby’s.
After lunch the atmosphere was more relaxed. Everyone was tired, but begging to make it a 4- or 5-day class. We finished up the range work by shooting some competitive scenarios. Relay 1 hit the north range for shooting steel Pepper-poppers, while Relay 2 hit the south range for running “El Presidente”. Then we switched ranges and ran them again.
Reluctantly everyone gathered around one final time for graduation. Sheriff Campbell passed out Gunsite certificates, as well as the class photo. We spent about 20 minutes thanking the instructors and reiterating the high points of what we had learned over the weekend.
Dusty and tired, with grass-stained knees, everyone got in their cars and headed home. Dad and I had a great time, and agreed that we need to either A) visit the Gunsite Ranch in Arizona sometime, or B) host a Gunsite event at his range in Brown County someday. More on that later. . . .
Sorry for such a long AAR. I hope it gives people a sense of our weekend. For those people wondering why I didn’t get into the various techniques that were taught, or spend lots of time on the classroom content, its because that information is for those willing to put in the time and money to seek out qualified training. I would highly recommend the Gunsite training for anyone wanting to take that “next step” in their training. Although you might not agree 100% with everything taught, you can’t argue with the fact that the instructors believe in what they teach, and they are passionate about keeping you and your loved ones safe.
A very special thanks goes to Sheriff Ken Campbell, Jay Tuttle, Dave Harris, and the entire Boone County Sheriff’s Department for hosting such a great class. Ken is a moral and ethical man who is wiling to further the cause of the 2nd Amendment, not just for LEOs, but for all people.
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Yep and yep!!!!! 
