Tiger Valley Review

[cobra21]

Just wanna’ provide a brief review of some training I received this weekend. For background I am a 50+ year old who’s been shooting handguns for about 18 months. I do have my CHL, but have never had any formal training. I shoot at the local indoor range once a month or more if possible.
That said, this weekend I attended the Tiger Valley Level I Handgun Course in Waco.

The PRO’s Instruction - TJ and Bruce are top-notch hands-on instructors. They make it simple. They make it clear. They expect you to be successful. Yes, I did hit a 100yd steel target with my Sig P239 (both standing unsupported and prone.) Some of you might not think that a big deal, but the farthest target I had hit previous to the course was 15yds!
Course - Very hands-on. I suspected more classroom/discussion. Forget about it. Get off your butt, get your gun, get it loaded, and get to the firing line. 1000+ rounds fired.
Facility - Very large and expansive. Multiple outdoor bays with different “shooting scenario” setups. Static steel targets, misaligned multiple static steel targets,moving paper targets, clothed mannequin targets, etc.

The CON’s Communication - I hadn’t heard any confirmation re: the class for two or three weeks after I sent my check and had to call a week before to confirm that I was registered. This is pretty guy-type stuff. Might consider leaving the wife and kiddies at home. It did not offend me, but these guys use no holds barred language (though I suspect it would be tempered slightly if there were ladies in our group.)
Locale - it’s out in the middle of nowhere (about 15 milesf rom Waco.) Better bring water and pack a lunch for your break.

So, would I recommend it? Darn right I would…I went to the range today, because I was curious as to whether it made any immediate and appreciable difference in my accuracy. It did! I took the same gun I used for the course and shot 50 rounds of all 9/10's at 21ft. Now again, you might not think that impressive, but I’d normally throw a handful of 7’s and 8’s. Not this time. Trigger control was much better and sight picture was much steadier.

A special thanks to cleric on this forum for answering a few questions prior to my course and steering me in the right direction.

 

[jeepinbanditrider]

Cool to see. I wish more firearms owners had the drive to take professional training

 

[Glockster69]

Nice job cobra21

 

[Dawico]

Good review. I have thought about heading up there to use the 1000yd range.

 

[dalto]

Cobra,

It was great meeting you last weekend. Let me add my review of the class as well.

First of all, let me give you my background as well. I have been shooting for a little over a year now. I have participated in 3-4 handgun classes at KRtraining. I have done some carbine training with Larry Vickers.

We arrived at the range sometime between 7:30 and 8:00. There were six people taking the class and two instructors, TJ and Bruce. We started indoors with some basic instruction on stance and grip. It was standard stuff, isocoles stance and 60/40 grip but it was well explained including a good description of the reasons for their recommendations.

From there we went out to the range and started with drills. We did drills for the remainder of the day. The The first drill was all about slow fire accuracy and focused on teaching trigger control. This was the only drill we did with paper targets. After this, we transitioned to steel for the remainder of the day. We would start out with just practicing the drills and then we would do them timed. The focus was on getting good accurate hits while steadily improving our times. Throughout the drills we were constantly coached on what we needed to do to improve. There was a strong focus on scanning and acquiring a second sight picture. Lots and lots of drills on the first day. Taking one or two shots from a variety of ready position, engaging multiple targets, strong hand, weak hand, one handed transition and drawing from holster. We ended the day with some competition on a dueling tree. We shot over 600 rounds in the first day.

The second day we started out at the range. We did refreshers on most of the things we did the first day to get us started. Almost all of them were timed. We then did some practice shooting on the move. Next we went to the bay next door and shot moving targets. When we returned we found the range had been reconfigured for a 180 drill. We shot drills where there were three targets on 90 degrees of each other and we drilled shooting them in various orders. Next we shot a string of steel targets at various distances on a timer to demonstrate that you could shoot the close ones quickly but you had to slow done and take careful shots at the targets out to 25 yards. After that we shot targets at 100 yards both standing and prone. Finally, we did some scenarios where there a combination of shoot and no-shoot targets. By the time the second day had ended we had shot over 1000 rounds between both days.

The range it self is really impressive. There are 8 short range bays, a long range bay and a massive 1000 yd range with a large variety of targets at different ranges. The 1000 yd range also has a 75ft high platform to shoot off of.

Overall I really enjoyed this course. The focus was on fighting handgun techniques and the constant repetition and coaching really improved my shooting. I would highly recommend going there for a class if you have the opportunity.

 

[cleric]

Just wanna’ provide a brief review of some training I received this weekend. For background I am a 50+ year old who’s been shooting handguns for about 18 months. I do have my CHL, but have never had any formal training. I shoot at the local indoor range once a month or more if possible.
That said, this weekend I attended the Tiger Valley Level I Handgun Course in Waco.

The PRO’s Instruction - TJ and Bruce are top-notch hands-on instructors. They make it simple. They make it clear. They expect you to be successful. Yes, I did hit a 100yd steel target with my Sig P239 (both standing unsupported and prone.) Some of you might not think that a big deal, but the farthest target I had hit previous to the course was 15yds!
Course - Very hands-on. I suspected more classroom/discussion. Forget about it. Get off your butt, get your gun, get it loaded, and get to the firing line. 1000+ rounds fired.
Facility - Very large and expansive. Multiple outdoor bays with different “shooting scenario” setups. Static steel targets, misaligned multiple static steel targets,moving paper targets, clothed mannequin targets, etc.

The CON’s Communication - I hadn’t heard any confirmation re: the class for two or three weeks after I sent my check and had to call a week before to confirm that I was registered. This is pretty guy-type stuff. Might consider leaving the wife and kiddies at home. It did not offend me, but these guys use no holds barred language (though I suspect it would be tempered slightly if there were ladies in our group.)
Locale - it’s out in the middle of nowhere (about 15 milesf rom Waco.) Better bring water and pack a lunch for your break.

So, would I recommend it? Darn right I would…I went to the range today, because I was curious as to whether it made any immediate and appreciable difference in my accuracy. It did! I took the same gun I used for the course and shot 50 rounds of all 9/10's at 21ft. Now again, you might not think that impressive, but I’d normally throw a handful of 7’s and 8’s. Not this time. Trigger control was much better and sight picture was much steadier.

A special thanks to cleric on this forum for answering a few questions prior to my course and steering me in the right direction.

Your welcome good sir...

Really glad you enjoyed it. I wasnt privy to the communication downfall as I called two days before and said there is a chance I could show up with cash. He said sure, so it was all on me.

I just wish there was a range with an action bay around here.

 

[ghostscout]

 

[ghostscout]

 

[cobra21]

dalto, thanks for chiming in. Enjoyed meeting you there as well. I'm gonna' give it a little time, but I'm definitely gonna' consider the Level II.

Also, I don't know if we should tell them that after the class they took us up to the 70' steel tower where they do contract DDM training (Defense Department Marksman) and yes I had to ask what it meant. They let us shoot their personal carbines where I hit a 300yd steel target on the one and only shot I took. I had never fired an AR prior to that one shot...they asked me if I wanted to shoot more, but of course I let them know that the story I would be telling when I got back home would only go downhill from there if I took another shot!