Author Topic: Should I take an advanced pistol class?  (Read 4981 times)

Offline tominphx

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Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« on: September 15, 2011, 04:43:31 AM »
Mike Pannone is doing an advanced pistol class this october here in Phoenix. I have had several pistol and carbine classes before.

Do you guys think I should spend the money ($400 tuition) on the class, or put it towards something else?

Thanks.
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Online JohnyMac

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2011, 10:06:10 AM »
You need to honestly and objectively grade yourself on where you are prepping.

Some things to ask your self are:

> Have I put enough food away for myself and my family? One year? 6 months
> Do I have enough ammo and or reloading supplies
> Do I have some basic precious metals put away, e.g. $400 = 35-40 one ounce Liberty silver rounds.
> Other questions?????

If you can say honestly you are good with the above- Take the class.
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Dave_M

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2011, 10:26:53 AM »
Mike Pannone? Absolutely.

You need to honestly and objectively grade yourself on where you are prepping.

Some things to ask your self are:

> Have I put enough food away for myself and my family? One year? 6 months
> Do I have enough ammo and or reloading supplies
> Do I have some basic precious metals put away, e.g. $400 = 35-40 one ounce Liberty silver rounds.
> Other questions?????

If you can say honestly you are good with the above- Take the class.

If those are the requirements before training then I guess I realize why relatively few preppers are interested in formal training.

Online JohnyMac

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2011, 10:36:46 AM »
Dave,
those requirements are my personal ones. Everybody has to have their own.

Tominphx asked for my opinion...I gave it. No harm no foul. 

I ask myself everyday as I look at my master list of things to buy or do, I ask myself this question: "If the economy fails tomorrow (bank's default, banks close-No access to my $$$$, food is at 10%+ inflation rate, etc) what is most important that I do or buy today."

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Offline WhiskeyJack

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2011, 10:40:40 AM »
Dave i am personally of different school of thought. I personally feel that knowledge and skills. are as important as physical preps. Your ability to keep what you have and protect you and yours are paramount in prepping. Just my .02 cents bro. do whats right for you.
Good whiskey, makes Jack Rabbit smack da bear.

Offline RONSERESURPLUS

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As I see it?
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2011, 10:42:23 AM »
Hello all, RON L here

As I see it, you all know the Level of your own Preperations, I feel that JonnyMac and others of the school that you need to be at a certain level of preperations you have then worry about what else ya know and are able to do?  I see it as a BASELINE? That said, no one nows your True level, otyhe than yourself, it is your $, so it's Ultimatly your decision and thats how I see it? I'd Gage were I was then make that call??? I see far too many Folks that are Gun and weapons heavy, but food, water and shelter light? Thats madness to me and quite backwards?

RON
« Last Edit: September 15, 2011, 10:47:52 AM by RONSERESURPLUS »

Offline sledge

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2011, 11:04:38 AM »
Mike Pannone? Absolutely.

You need to honestly and objectively grade yourself on where you are prepping.

Some things to ask your self are:

> Have I put enough food away for myself and my family? One year? 6 months
> Do I have enough ammo and or reloading supplies
> Do I have some basic precious metals put away, e.g. $400 = 35-40 one ounce Liberty silver rounds.
> Other questions?????

If you can say honestly you are good with the above- Take the class.

If those are the requirements before training then I guess I realize why relatively few preppers are interested in formal training.


I know there are people who will take issue with what I'm about to say.  I'm trying to answer this question by looking down on it from up above and seeing a bigger picture.  I do not condone wolfism.

If you are unprepared or far behind on your survival preps and have little in supplies stocked up.   Whether or not you should take an advanced class would depend upon how much time you think you have left before tshtf.  You may be able to determine this by keeping a close watch on current events.  Then again it could happen out of nowhere.

It's a fact, hungry people are not going to go away silently.  They are going to do whatever they have to in order to survive.  I'm saying they are going to become wolves because they have no other options.  If you think due to time constraints that you are going to wind up on the short end of the stick.  An advanced class is probably an excellent option. 

You don't have to look very far back in history to see what the life of a wolf looked like.  Pirates were in essence wolves.  They lived very violently, had much shorter life spans than the general public, an on more than one occasion turned on each other.  If you think you are going to be forced to turn into a wolf, you'd probably be best off getting the best training you could.

The flip side of this, is that with advanced training, you might be able to join a group that is relatively well supplied and equipped.  Groups will be looking for many different kinds of skill sets in order to strengthen the group.  Many may be willing to accept you into the group even though you are weak on contributing additional supplies if you can demonstrate advanced knowledge and teaching ability in increasing the groups self defense abilities.

I know I'll probably catch some flack on this, but baby, facts are facts.  If you ask a straight question, you get a straight answer. 



In the pursuit of liberty, many will fall. In the pursuit of fascism, many will be against the wall..........   Courtesy of Xydaco

Offline Veritas

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2011, 11:21:06 AM »
Just take the class.   [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co   You'll be glad that you did.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but my Kalashnikov will hurt you.

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militaryman84

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2011, 11:59:59 AM »
Both sides are probably valid but I myself don't think training is ever a bad thing. Even after all these years I still am learning new things about gun fighting.

Offline Currahee

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2011, 07:12:45 PM »
I have no idea how far along your other preps are.  If you don't have anything else then no I wouldn't spend the money on a class. (Especially since you have been to others.) 

Other considerations would be important as well.  Is it a tactics class or obscure skills class?  I've seen money seriously wasted on training classes - "damn you just came back from a week at gunsite and you shoot that bad?"  I'm not convinced that high end shooting classes are the best way to achieve competency, at least not for money invested.  I've got my first "big" class coming up next month (got it as a birthday present) but it is a tactics class not a skills class.  I stand by to have my opinion changed. 

As far as the skills vs physical preps argument there are other skills than gunfighting.  How is your first aid?  When was the last time you spent a weekend primitive camping, are you HAM certified etc.

It comes down to what areas you are week in.  Is gun fighting your weakness?  If so, go.
Every citizen should be a soldier.  This was the case for the Greeks and Romans ans must be that of every free state. - T Jefferson

Dave_M

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #10 on: September 15, 2011, 11:35:14 PM »
What other schools have you attended?

It's Mike Fucking Pannone. You will learn some good shit. Plus, it's a pistol class and presumably if you were to get into a gunfight on the street tomorrow it'd be with a handgun.


Offline tominphx

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2011, 04:38:47 AM »
I guess I should add more info about myself, and my situation.

I have received instruction with LMS defense, and 2 local companies, both on pistol and carbine. I do train regularly on my own, and sometimes with others. My skills with a pistol are certainly above average, but I don't want to settle for "good enough", although I can certainly achieve a lot on my own. It is most likely going to be a weapons manipulation and not a tactics class, although there is a night fighting class one month later, which I am also considering.

My other preps are not as good as they should be, but I am very limited by my living situation, as I live in a very small apartment, and am not sure if I should even bother buying a house in my area, as it is a terrible place to be if the grid ever goes down.

My other skills, such as medical I am confident in my ability to do things like deal with the immediate care of traumatic injuries like a GSW, or other bleeding, as well as tension pneumothorax, keeping the airway clear etc. But nothing for long term care of serious injuries, or anything like that.

I do live alone, and any family I have will be out of my reach in on the other side of the continent. I probably have enough food for about a month or so, water is my main concern though, and I have little room for either.

I have "enough" ammo, I think, and reloading is also difficult for me due to space limitations. I should add I live in a small apartment because it is well within my means, and I'd rather live in meager furnishings and save, or spend on what I REALLY need, and not have any debt.

Putting away precious metals, well the money for it isn't a concern, it's where to store it. I can't have a safe, because it would either be too big and heavy to have, or have to be bolted down, which I can not do in a rental apartment.


It is starting to seem like I should have made an entire other topic explaining my somewhat difficult situation. I'm not complaining though, I do have far more than a lot of other people I see everyday.
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Online JohnyMac

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2011, 11:06:45 AM »
Just some suggestions:

> Typically you can rent a drive up storage space for under $100- a month. In the storage space you can:
    * Process and store food and water
    * You only need about 6' of work space for reloading
    * Put 1/3 of your PM's
> You don't need a safe for PM's- Trust me. As an example: 5 gold, American eagles (About $1,900 ea.) can be put in a jar with
    your spare change. 10, Liberty Silver Rounds (About $45 ea) can be taped to a piece of card board and placed in a 3 ring
    binder. The possibilities are endless. You just have to maintain OPSEC that you own PM's. A big expensive safe is a dead give
    away.

Good luck, have fun and god bless.       
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Offline EJR914

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #13 on: September 16, 2011, 11:28:01 AM »
That really subjective.  If you think you're good on other physical preps, and your pistol shooting is lacking, then by all means take the class. 

If you're very weak on physical preps, and you feels you're pretty good at pistol shooting, then buy physical preps.

If you're mediocre on both, then I would probably get my physical preps up first, then take a similar class later.  Really its all on you at that point.  Either would be good. 


Offline Currahee

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #14 on: September 16, 2011, 06:45:59 PM »
Given your situation I would concentrate on finding a place to go when TSHTF and stuff to help you survive when you get there.  I am not sure how you personally would go about getting that done but I have three BOL with food preps at each.  There are all friend/family that have land. (I live in the burbs and if WalMart shut down for a month there isn't enough ammunition in the world to keep me safe by myself.)

I would suggest you hunt a similar arrangement and maybe think about a small camper as a BO home (what I am thinking on now.)
Every citizen should be a soldier.  This was the case for the Greeks and Romans ans must be that of every free state. - T Jefferson

Offline Veritas

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #15 on: September 16, 2011, 09:22:30 PM »
(I live in the burbs and if WalMart shut down for a month there isn't enough ammunition in the world to keep me safe by myself.)

Ain't that the truth....   
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but my Kalashnikov will hurt you.

"Don't wish ill for your enemy, plan it."

Offline sledge

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #16 on: September 16, 2011, 09:49:49 PM »
(I live in the burbs and if WalMart shut down for a month there isn't enough ammunition in the world to keep me safe by myself.)

Ain't that the truth....

It's absolutely the truth.  It'll be insane.  Back in 2004 when we had the four hurricanes even the sweet little old ladies turned vicious.



In the pursuit of liberty, many will fall. In the pursuit of fascism, many will be against the wall..........   Courtesy of Xydaco

Offline Veritas

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #17 on: September 16, 2011, 10:18:44 PM »
That's what I'm saying.  Around here when we get even the threat of bad weather, you can't find milk, eggs, or bread in the stores.

I don't shop at wal-mart out of principle.  Every time I drive by, no matter what time of day, the parking lot is packed.  That will be the deadliest place to be in the first 24 hours after the balloon goes up.  Hell, I've heard some pretty nasty stories about that place on the 1st of the month, if you catch my drift.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but my Kalashnikov will hurt you.

"Don't wish ill for your enemy, plan it."

Dave_M

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #18 on: September 16, 2011, 10:47:35 PM »
I still say, it's Mike Fucking Pannone.

I know I'm a broken record but that should play a part. 

Offline TreadOnMeNot

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Re: Should I take an advanced pistol class?
« Reply #19 on: September 18, 2011, 11:34:49 PM »
For small space reloading I recommend you definitely check out a Lee Breech-Lock Hand Press. I'm limited with no space because I live in a small apartment too but a hand press should be fine and everything will be stored in a small sterilite container.  [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co