Short and Long range shooting class in Minnesota

Tra3 · May 9, 2019

After last summer of range time and then hunting in Namibia I wanted to double down on practicing my shooting skills. I found Pointblank gun training in central MN. https://pointblankguntraining.com/

It only took one text message and my three hunting buddies and my dad all were in for the shooting class. It was to be an 8 hour class with a focus on shooting form and then a progression in distance from 100 up to 750 yards. It was awesome! Each of us visibly improved our shooting skills. The class was was the best hunting investment I have made in a while. I wish I would have taken the class before going to Africa.

How many of you took a shooting class before going on a safari?
Can you recommend other programs?

For those of us that do not have a military background, I learned by just shooting thousands of rounds. I don’t recall shooting classes when I was a kid (other than BB guns in grade school gym class)
We going to schedule a class for our kids with pointblank.
Oh, and my dad outshot us at 750 yards.

gesch · May 10, 2019

Sounds like a great experience! Tel us a bit more about the class. For example: What was the experience of the instructors? What were the facilities like? How much time in the classroom and how much on the range. What were the rifles and ammunition you used? Thanks so much for your help.

gesch · May 10, 2019

Thanks again for the reference. The link you provided gave me all I needed. I should have looked at the point blank site first! Thanks again.

bruce moulds · May 10, 2019

looks like it favours hybrid rifles over hunting rifles.
to put it another way, there might be better courses for hunting.
not much mention about animal habits and how to relate to that.
bruce.

Tra3 · May 10, 2019

The instructors put more time and energy into the course than I expected. We were there from 8:45 am until almost 9 pm!
70-80% range time. Covered 100 yrd range. different positions for distances.
We all used our hunting rifles: .300 wm, 7 mag, .30-06, .270 win and 6.5 Creedmoor.

@bruce moulds The class was about shooting well. (Not about animal behavior). for $375, and in MN, that is a great deal. I bet there are better hunting classes, but the only I have seen are out west a few thousand $$.
Does anyone have other class suggestions?
Taking a shooting class during the off season is a nice way to stay sharp and get better. I spent more on ammo that the class. (We spent more on weekend grocery’s!)

Tra3 · May 10, 2019

@gesch you are close by, so it would be a reasonable cost for you. I have been looking at shooting classes but couldn’t convince my friends to spend $2-4K to fly somewhere.
The guys at Pointblank let us pick a date and do a private class. The instructors we very polite and taught in a problem solving manner to help the shooter figure out what went wrong. I have been hunting and shooting since I was 12 and the class was educational for me. Even more so for the buddies that have less experience.

PARA45 · May 10, 2019

That is an outstanding deal. Did you guys spend the night there, or had to go somewhere else? I noticed that they provide food & sleeping quarters. Nice set up. I can see how this course would benefit and or give you more c0nfidence on your shooting and gear. How many rounds did you guys shoot?

I've never taking a shooting class like this one. I've taking two pistol courses and one shotgun course. But these were geared more towards a defensive type of training.

Thanks for sharing!

buckmarkhunter · May 10, 2019

Sounds like a great idea. I live in se MN wonder if there are any other members that would want to put a class together.

Tra3 · May 10, 2019

@PARA45 my family has a cabin a bit farther north. There are lots of hotels and lake resorts in the area.
They say to bring 100 or so rounds. I only shot 36 rounds all day (and 1 round out of their .50 BMG). I spent a lot of time watching the instruction of the other shooters. My round count was the lowest of our group by far. They shot well over 50 each.
We did a morning at the lakeshore gun club the day prior to check zero (and just to shoot and drink coffee.) http://lakeshoregunclub.com/

@buckmarkhunter I plan to do the next level in their class structure. And to take my son. I’d be interested in another class. For off season, it was great to spend a day with my gun and hunting family.

gesch · May 10, 2019

Thanks for all the info! This sounds like a doable outing.

Hogpatrol · May 10, 2019

Not really related to hunting but there's a weekend 1000 yard BR shooting course here: http://www.pa1000yard.com/
It fills up fairly quick after dates are announced. I've been three times and even though I started reloading in '63, I still learned something
every time. You can bring your own rifles or use your instructor's. There are two shooters placed with each instructor. The price includes Saturday lunch and dinner.

David AK 53 · May 10, 2019

I am going to the Leupold Optics Academy next week. One day in the factory and classroom in Beaverton, OR, and two days on their range at Madras, OR. Appears the focus may be more on long range and precision shooting; but is should all be great training. It is expensive, but you leave with a great optics package, so that attenuates the checkbook pain. I can say that even spending 24 years on active duty in the Army some professional, specialized instruction is still very beneficial. I spent much more time in the Army not shooting than shooting.

Dave

Ray B · May 10, 2019

When I was in the 8th grade my school had various groups formed through 4H. I was in the shooting group and learned quite a bit. However it paled in comparison to the training I got in the USMC, and it was followed by a full year on their "live fire" course. And I got paid to boot!! they don't have deals like that very often.

Short and Long range shooting class in Minnesota

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