David Fortier, freelance gunwriter who shows up in Shotgun News a good bit, is, I suspect, a like-minded individual. I’ve been reading his stuff for years as it appeared in SN, G&A and a few of the other gun rags. Usually its reviews of surplus military guns or the latest hi-tech goody but over the years I’ve noticed a good bit of ‘tactical’ stuff and in some rare cases, reviews of non-shooting gear (what you could, I suppose, call ‘survival gear’) that lead me to think that Mr Fortier might be more than a simple gun scribe.
The January 20 Shotgun News has his review of a tactical medic course from an outfit called Tactical Response. The “High Risk Contractors Medical Package” is run-n-gun mixed with combat medicine. According to the article its about $1250 but if you eliminate the run-n-gun and go just for the medical stuff its $400. Hmmm. Its in Tennesee which is, as I recall, Oleg Volk country so I suppose were the girlfriend and I to attend we might be able to wrangle a stay at the Volkstead. I would love to take such a course. Given the amount of firearms handling that goes on around here (and that’s just when we’re trying NOT to shoot someone) it might be a good idea to learn the ins and outs of managing ballistically inflicted injuries. And, should 911 and the usual infrastructure be unavailable, the course would be a very handy thing to have under your belt.
This reminds me that since we have LJ friends living in Billings at the moment, who we might be able to impose upon them to let us stay there overnight a time or two, this summer would be a good time to see what Pat Goodale is offering. I’d like to retake the handgun course with my P35 and I’d like to do the rifle course with the AK (or the FAL if Im feeling especially destructive). My CZ550 acquitted itself admirably in the girlfriends hands last year and it would be fun to take the course myself and see how it shakes out. Especially now that I know what load the gun likes and now that I’ve built up a tremendous amount of confidence in the rifles ability to perform. My own ability, on the other hand….
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Reminder: Last day for MH deal is next Wed.
I was really hoping Pat would do an Advanced Handgun this summer, but it’s not on his current schedule for Montana. I’ve thought about retaking DH II, but the time and cost to go to Montana for a one-day class is a bit daunting.
“Its in Tennesee which is, as I recall, Oleg Volk country so I suppose were the girlfriend and I to attend we might be able to wrangle a stay at the Volkstead. I would love to take such a course.”
You two are always welcome here.
I’m reading that same article. I must have missed the part that says you can do the medical training by itself. Now I’m interested. I couldn’t really justify the full frieght for the full course. I suppose I could try to write it off on the taxes, but I’d still have to pay up front.
Btw, Isn’t it David Fortier? Or is that just his byline and his real name is Kevin?
I’ve been meaning to ask you about your CZ 550. Which version do you have and how do you have it set up? I need a scoped “tactical/precision” rifle and I really like the Mauser design. I got to handle/fondle/drool on some 550’s at SHOT this year and I’m seriously tempted by either the 550 American or the 550 Varmit in Kevlar.
I also just had someone offer me a custom Mauser in .30-’06 built on a post-war FN commercial action in a synthetic stock for $300. That’s tempting as I’ve been looking for a FN commercial 98 action for awhile and if I don’t like how the rifle is now I could always have buddy, a local smith, tear it down and rebarrel it in .308 and rebuild it for me.
Oh, btw, I posted a brief mention of SHOT in my LJ in a friends only post. I’ll probably put some other stuff up there about SHOT soon as well. Friend me if you want to read it. I’m just putting a lot of the gun stuff behind friends cuts these days for some reasons I’d rather not get into right now.
Actually, I see that since I looked last, he’s added an Advanced Handgun Diagnostic Clinic in August. I wonder what that consists of…
I was thinking about going to the March 30th Immediate Action Medical one. Can’t afford the more extensive one right now. I usually try to get in one medical course a year, just to keep it all fresh and to use for CEU credits at work. So far no one at work has asked me why all the CEU certificates I turn in have the words “Tactical” or “Hostile Environment” on them.
The Medical Corps http://www.medicalcorps.org/ offers a good course, too, btw. It’s survivalist-run and oriented, and it’s run by Chuck Fenwick, the guy who advised the government on Anthrax during the Anthrax scare. Unlike some of the others, this one usually has high-quality, SHTF-prep, hard-to-get medical equipment like glass syringes for sale (no pressure; just a table in the back of the room).
When you go to the site, click on the schedule of classes and look for the Immediate Action Medical class. That will take you to a 2-day, $400, medicine-only class.
I have the CZ550 Varmint with the H-S Precision stock on it. Thus far I have been quite happy with it. Only thing I dont like is lack of aftermarket support…specifically no one seems to make a picatinny rail for it. However, the set trigger and other wonderful qualities are major pluses and, as I’ve posted earlier, with my nothing fancy Leupold 3-9x hunting scope I can put 5 rounds of .308 into a group you can cover with a quarter at 100 yards.
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Edited to correct Fortiers name. My bad.
Classes
Since you are on the subject of classes, I am curious to know what the Zero recommends for hand to hand combat training, for those times when you do not have a gun or knife handy (unlikely as that is) and things have headed south in a hurry.
Thanks,
Crom
Re: Classes
You know, I havent actually investigated this very much. I would think that any ‘system’ or ‘method’ would work if you study it diligently enough and practice, practice, practice. Im talking completely out of my ass here but I would imagine some sort of close-quarters stuff would be best since thats the most likely situation one would encounter. Someone closes on you in such a manner that rifle and perhaps pistol are useless and youre toe-to-toe.
Im not a huge fan of emptyhanded fighting though. Lotsa delicate bones in the hand and being a tool using primate I’d much rather have a club, knife, or hard object in hand to use. Sometimes, however, you gotta go with what you got…
The courses in Great falls are merely placeholders–Pat needed something to put in his calendar in order to reserve the dates. If there is enough interest, he’s very willing to change the course to meet customer demand.
Right now we’re scheduled for a DHI and DHII in May (maybe this would be closer than Billings?) and a 2 day Tactical Rifle course in July.
Fortier used to write for American Survival Guide.