I thoroughly enjoyed this course for a number of different reasons and believe that it is the perfect course for any individual who is seeking to understand not only shotgun fundamentals but also a good bit more in just one day. This was the first course I took my brand-new Benelli M4 to in order to set a foundation as to how I will run it moving forward.

By the end of the workday, I had a working knowledge of how to run my shotgun efficiently, that is not to say that I was efficient by the end of the day. As I stated earlier, “training courses are nothing more than exposure to tactics,” (Elijah Shaw) Realistically we know that proficiency only comes through repetition. However many “shooters” repeatedly go to courses and believe that they have acquired enough proficiency to rely on in a high-stress situation. In today’s world certificates indicate participation rather than proficiency. Always consider the rock and hard place that modern firearms instructors find themselves in as they face the reality that people don’t spend money with instructors that don’t make them feel good generally.

This course was very effective in not only outlining but also showing me properly how to implement shotgun fundamentals. Victor and his staff have years of experience in the military (Marine Corps Scout Snipers) and Law enforcement worlds as instructors. Therefore it was immediately apparent that we were learning from real professionals rather than theoretical gurus. The class size was just right. Victor himself and his staff were able to give each and every one of us one-on-one attention guidance and assessments at various times throughout the day.

This is the type of course that I honestly would like to take repeatedly partially because the shotgun is actually a complicated weapon system hence the nickname, “the thinking man’s weapon.” Because of the veteran nature of the staff with regards to instructing, everyone in the class was able to achieve a baseline level of proficiency. They didn’t hit us with too much information to retain and that gave us a chance to get enough repetitions in to feel confident with what we were learning and by the end of the day we were able to pick up the pace and even get into more advanced techniques. I believe that everyone walked away feeling like they got a little bit more than they paid for, with a new respect for the weapon and an understanding of arguably the most versatile and devastating weapon category in the game.

Whether you’re a veteran shotguner or someone who just wants to take that new Bonelli M4 out and run it hard like I did, I would definitely endorse this course as a great way to build your efficacy, confidence and proficiency with your shotgun platform.

I definitely hope to take more courses from Sierra Element in the near future; hopefully shotgun is only the beginning!