We are near half through 2016 and there is so much happening in the Gunsite world it is challenging to know where to begin.
As we continue to prepare for the 40th Anniversary celebration, Panteao Productions was here for seven (7) days filming a special DVD. They interviewed “seasoned staff members” Ed Stock and Jerry McCown and others. We also spent the afternoon at the Sconce with Mrs. Cooper. Her interview was the highlight of the filming day. The DVD should be available in September.
Another pleasure has been the watching of hours and hours of old VHS recordings of various Gunsite classes. Snippets will be used in the 40th Anniversary DVD as well. For those naysayers who say The Modern Technique has not evolved, well . . . They are wrong. Our basis in training has remained consistent: Offering the best training techniques based upon real world events and operations with the Modern Technique evolving.
As Mrs. Cooper recently said about what Jeff Cooper had in mind when he created Gunsite: “. . . a school where good, honorable and patriotic individuals could learn to be self-reliant in small arms techniques and crisis management.”
The display case in “Revelations” (the classroom) is slowly filling with Gunsite memorabilia from knives to staff hats and jackets to belt buckles to old and new class pins and more. GAS Match shirts from very early GAS to current will soon be on display.
Another part of our celebration is the “re-branding” of the various buildings at Gunsite. When first opened, there was a small Office for Col. Cooper’s secretary named “Matthew,” the barn was “Mark,” the “old” store, office and classroom” (Now a storage building) was named “Luke,” the bathrooms were named . . . “John,” and the “new” classroom (Now the Pro Shop) was named Revelations.” The signs are in preparation so the proper buildings can be adorned once again. For those of you in “Revelations,” the bell on the porch came from the classroom. When Col. Cooper was ready to resume lectures, “the bell tolled for thee.”
Look to July or so for the first of the three (3) Panteao “Make Ready with Gunsite” training DVDs. We will be offering 250 Pistol, 223 Carbine and Citizen Response to Active Shooter. We are excited to update our video series with our new partner Panteao. Look to the first of the year for the next in the series.
We are also filming a variety of training tips with The Outdoor Channel for inclusion in the smartphone application. The filming is this week, so we hope to see it available soon.
It is a good thing that June has the longest day of the year as busy as Gunsite is. We have two (2) 250 Pistol courses underway along with a tutorial this week, followed by CCW, 350 Pistol and 270 Rifle next week. Mid June brings in 499 Advanced Special Pistol, a private course for our friends in the Navy, another two (2) day pistol course in Phoenix at C2 Tactical, the Youth 250 Pistol alongside a 250 and a Defensive Three Gun. We continue on with a new host for the Indiana 150 Pistol at the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office in Greencastle. (It seems fitting as the former Sheriff of Putnam County Jim Baugh was an early Gunsite graduate and the range is in his honor.) Also, we have a three (3) day Carbine 123 in the Nashville TN area with Rangemaster Ron Fielder. We close out June with a CCW Shoot and another tutorial. Don’t forget we have 250 Pistol classes coming this Fall in Wichita Kansas with Thunderbird and a 150 Pistol Course in August at The Firearms Academy of Seattle. No matter what part of the Republic you live, we are in your neighborhood!
You can stay abreast of all the happenings at Gunsite by following us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pintrest. If you don’t know what these things are, find a young person and learn!
We hope to see you at Gunsite!
DVC,
Ken
