Proficiency before or after classroom instruction?

[mommagamber]

I guess that is the advantage of having my own range. I get to choose when we shoot!

[jmorris]

Sheesh. Time for me to retake Reading for Comprehension 101.

[kg5ie]

Normally after, but it depends. If it is going to be 105 in the afternoon, we shoot early. If it is threatening rain, sleet, or snow...we adjust accordingly.

The only time I have ever re-scheduled the shooting was due to severe lightening. No one complained.

[MikeyJ]

When I took my class last month, we shot first. The class started at 8 am and the instructor did a brief overview of the class and talked about the course of fire. With no questions, we headed across the parking lot to the range, paid our fee, and shot. The range was open to the public at 9 am, and everyone was done well before then. Back to the classroom and we were done for the day by 1 pm.

[AF-Odin]

with KG5IE It really depends. I personally prefer to do it after because then I have been able to cover the safe handling portion of the curriculum and whereas I know that the students should be familiar, I want that "warm and fuzzy" that we ALL have the same understanding of things. Also, I explain the procedures for the range and the course of fire. I have done it before class in order to do it in the cool morning, I have done it in the middle of the classroom portion and I have done it after. Did a class last Memorial Day weekend where we split it up. Did about 2 hours of academics, scurrried out to the range to shoot before the afternoon thunderstorms came in and came back inside to finish. That got really exciting as the storm rolled in! First we lost power. Thank goodness for battery back-up on the computer for the power point slides. Then the tornado sirens went of and had to take shelter. After the all clear and no discernable damage, returned to teaching with the computer on battery and the students literally taking notes and their test by candlelight. We got it done and they all passed with no problems. Will make for an exciting story about their class.

[Mike S]

: Will make for an exciting story about their class.

Now that's for sure!

[Jusme]

: Will make for an exciting story about their class.

Now that's for sure!

Yeah "my LTC class was really scary, no it wasn't the shooting portion, it was the classroom part that was the scariest"

[C-dub]

My BIL was nervous about the entire thing even though I assured him he'd be fine. His class did the shooting first and he scored 250. He said doing so well and getting that behind him calmed his nerves for the classroom portion. He scored 100 on the test.

[Jago668]

When I took mine we did it after. Girlfriend they did it during. They had 50 something people and only 8 on the range at a time. Problem was they didn't stop teaching for the shooting. So you missed part of the lecture. I was highly unimpressed with the way it was done, but for like $35 or whatever it cost on groupon you can't complain. I'd still rather pay the $100 and have an actual class though.

I can see the advantages to before or after. I personally like after, if someone needs a second run through they aren't holding up the class to do it. Plus they don't have everyone watching them as everyone else would be leaving. If you are nervous about the shooting part I could see getting it out of the way first thing would certainly help your nerves. If you can't pass after two runs then no point sitting around for hours in class, so would save your time.

[troglodyte]

When I took my class last month, we shot first. The class started at 8 am and the instructor did a brief overview of the class and talked about the course of fire. With no questions, we headed across the parking lot to the range, paid our fee, and shot. The range was open to the public at 9 am, and everyone was done well before then. Back to the classroom and we were done for the day by 1 pm.

Wow. 1 hour to qualify, test, breaks, and sign off the CHL-100. Was it a small class?

they didn't stop teaching for the shooting. So you missed part of the lecture.

That doesn't seem right.

[MikeyJ]

When I took my class last month, we shot first. The class started at 8 am and the instructor did a brief overview of the class and talked about the course of fire. With no questions, we headed across the parking lot to the range, paid our fee, and shot. The range was open to the public at 9 am, and everyone was done well before then. Back to the classroom and we were done for the day by 1 pm.

Wow. 1 hour to qualify, test, breaks, and sign off the CHL-100. Was it a small class?

About 30 people. We were split into 3 groups and used all of the lanes at the range, so everyone was shooting at the same time. That part took 20 or 30 minutes. We didn't break for lunch, but they brought in coffee and donuts.

[troglodyte]

I do mine after the class, it's nice to just walk in the house after a long day. We break for lunch and meet at the range. Since the range is out in the country it helps to be able to give them directions while we are in class. If I think we need to adjust for weather I will but it has never happened. Only once in the 8 or so years I've been teaching have I had to qualify on a different day. Two weeks prior to the class we had the Great Blizzard of 2016. The better part of the range was under 6'+ of snow the week before the class. When I cleared it with the tractor I left a muddy, mucky mess. Hoping it would dry out over the week we received another half inch of rain then really warm days which melted the snow on the berm into the range. It didn't really matter. The day of the class it was cloudy, 30 degrees, and a 20 MPH wind. Windchill was brutal. Nobody complained about having to come out the next weekend.

[thetexan]

I do mine in the middle after the safety module when we have a chance to discuss procedures and safety at the range. Then we come back and finish.

I do this to break up the monotony of sitting in class and I like to finish up in class so it's I easier to finish paperwork.

Tex