Thursday, I got up much earlier than my usual 5:00 am for work. I had a lot to do, and had to get it done quickly, as I had a plane to catch for my second trip to Front Sight this year (an hour southwest of Las Vegas). We had planned this trip a couple months before, and the day to leave had finally arrived. Surprisingly, I was able to get all the important things done a little early at the shop, then left for what I thought would be a quick stop at a customer’s house. I should have known better. I had a problem to fix that took longer than I had anticipated. I sped home and got there right at the time I was to be picked up. We left about five minutes later than planned so we really were on schedule. I was still mentally rushed on the drive to the airport, hoping all eight of us would be on time for the flight. Somehow it all worked out, and everyone got to the airport with time to spare. We checked the guns and ammo in with security and even that worked out smoothly and quickly. We were then on our way to Front Sight for more firearms training.
Originally, 12 of us were
scheduled to go, but as is typical
with any group outing, things
came up. My great friend 
from
California, who took the handgun
course with me in February,
had an unexpected medical
problem right before the class
was to start, and two business
associates from Pennsylvania
had a schedule conflict arise
just a week before the class.
So there were a total of nine of
us who attended. Eight of us
were from Illinois and one from
another gun unfriendly State of
New Jersey.
Five of us took the fourday defensive handgun course, three of us took the tactical shotgun course, and one took the two-day defensive handgun course.
After arriving at our hotel in
Pahrump, we all met for dinner
and everyone got acquainted
with each other. The cast of
characters in this trip were Richard
Pearson, who is well-known
as the Executive Director of the
Illinois State Rifle Association
(ISRA), who was
taking the four-day
handgun course for
the second time,
and was staying
the fifth day to get
his concealed carry
permit for Nevada
and Florida, along
with his wife, who
took the two-day
handgun course.
Steve, a friend, who
installs home and
commercial security
systems and
who also took the
handgun course
with me in February,
decided to take the shotgun
course with me. Bob, who is a
retired teacher and neighbor
and who 
previously took the
handgun course, was eager to
take the shotgun course with
us. Bruce, a long-time friend
and business associate from
“Jersey”, was taking the fourday
handgun course, as was my
co-worker (and cousin) Lee,
and my grandson, Tyler.
Friday, we got up real early to meet for breakfast, which included their famous $1.99 steak and eggs, then off for the 20-minute ride to the training site. When we got there at 7:00 am, there was the largest crowd I have seen there on all my trips. I wondered how we would all get checked in and assigned our guns and range in time for the always prompt start. Well, it happened, and exactly at 8:00 am, the classroom with all 600 plus started in a complete organized manner. After some classroom time explaining Front Sight and their method of teaching, etc. we went to our assigned ranges.
Our shot gun range was at the second farthest location on the 550-acre tract that comprises Front Sight. It is a good eight to nine minute walk or two minute drive from the classroom. With all the guns, ammo and equipment, everyone drove to the range. It was brisk outside every morning—in the upper 30’s, but within a couple of hours it got up to the upper 50’s every day. So the weather worked out OK. It got to tee shirt weather the last afternoon, but with a long sleeve shirt and jacket, it was comfortable each day.
The shotgun course had a lot
of similarities with the handgun
course, and the M16 courses I
had taken previously, 
but it
also had a lot of differences. We
started out patterning the guns
with #7-½ birdshot to see how
the gun would shoot, and how
the birdshot would spread out
at different distances. We shot
some #00 buckshot to see how
it would pattern at different
distances, and also shot some
slugs to see how
they would shoot.
After we finished for the day (due to the precise and detailed timing of the curriculum for all the classes, all the classes get over within minutes of each other), we drove back to the hotel, tired, but happy. Later we met for the “all you can eat” seafood buffet, which we took full advantage of, and we began comparing notes on the different classes. All the Front Sight first timers were really excited about the class. Soon it was time for bed, so we could get up early and do it all over again.
