Intuitive Defensive Shooting

Overview

There are plenty of firearms classes you can take out there. Unfortunately:

Lack of Defensive Context: Basic firearms classes are lacking defensive shooting context: Training classes required to obtain firearms are often solely focused on general knowledge, target shooting, hunting, and shooting sports; not on self defense.
Lack of Inclusivity: Finding open, inclusive training is a challenge: Many of the same communities who feel the most at risk, also feel the least safe and welcome when attending in-person defensive firearms classes.
Crossed Contexts: Many defense classes come from competition shooting or military perspective where tactics do not always translate into the most plausible life or death scenarios faced by average citizens.
Conflicting Information: Thousands of free videos, blogs, and their comment threads offer outdated and often conflicting points of view making it extremely difficult to separate learnings from the noise and get questions answered by trustworthy sources.
Practical Needs: Most new gun owners lack the resources to focus on more traditional approaches that require many thousands of dollars in ammo and years of dedicated practice to obtain results for both speed and accuracy. Most gun owners need a defensive training approach that focuses on building the base competency with as little time, cost, effort, and energy as possible.

Enter the Intuitive Defensive Shooting (IDS) program. This class is designed to build upon general safety, operation, and maintenance knowledge to help students build the basic shooting competencies needed to respond to lethal threats in surprising and chaotic worst-case scenarios. Students will learn how to train for these incidents by leveraging the body's natural reactions in ways that increase the chances of success with the least time, effort, and energy as possible.

Though every class can be different depending on the unique needs of the attending students, the basic full day program typically covers the following areas:

Fundamentals of stance, grip, and trigger control in a self defense context
Drawing from a holster and getting defensive accurate hits with the right balance of speed and precision in a variety of circumstances
How to leverage the bodies natural “fight or flight” reactions to train for realistic defensive use of a firearm
Dealing with multiple threats
Incorporating lateral movement, cognitive processing, and situational assessment into your training
Emergency reloads during an incident
Live fire drills to build new skills and simulations to evaluate student progress
Individualized guidance on how to practice after the class so you can continue your skill development as your budget and time permit

Next class:

Sept 8th 2024

Cost

This class is normally $250 per student but is offered to the Pink Pistol and Liberal Gun Club communities in a "Pay what you want" donation model. If you register using either a Pink Pistol discount code, or your LGC member ID, you will not be charged to register. You are encouraged to bring cash in the amount you choose to donate to the range the day of the class for allowing us to use the range. ($25-50 recommnded donation)

Who should take this class?

Those interested in expanding their skills in defensive use of firearms but find other options too expensive.
Those who concealed carry or who are considering it but have not invested in any training beyond what was required to get their LTC
Experienced concealed carrying gun owners who have taken other defensive trainings looking to learn new methods and approaches to improve their skills, expand their perspectives and enhance their training routines
Those who are interested in concealed carry or preparing for home defense with a pistol. What are the skills you need that might be different than what you learned in the required LTC class? How are they different than bullseye or competition shooting skills?
Firearms instructors looking to learn more about Intuitive Defensive Shooting and Counter Ambush Methodology and how it may differ from their own appraoch.

Gear Requirements

The following is the required gear for this course:

A semi-automatic, modern, striker-fired, full-size or compact handgun that is cleaned, lubricated and in good working order. Examples: Glock 19, 17, 34, 43x, 48, Springfield XD, Smith & Wesson M&P, M&P Shield or Shield Plus, HK VP 9, VP30, FNS-9, FNS-509, Sig Sauer P320, P365, 365X or XL, Macro. Your sights or optics must be zeroed in prior to the class. There will be no time to make adjustments once we begin. (expect to do a lot of shooting at ~5 yards)
Good quality belt suitable for supporting repeated draw from a holster
A OWB holster for your firearm that completely covers the trigger guard with kydex. Bring your actual carry gear as well. See the FAQ.
Magazine carrier that can withstand heavy use (optional, you can use your pants pocket too)
300 rounds (or more) of ammunition (preferably 9mm but .380, .40, .45 ACP are also acceptable)
3 magazines for double stack firearms of 10 rounds, 5 plus magazines for single stack firearms of less than 10 rounds
Eye and ear protection
Plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated
Snacks/Lunch
An open mind and positive attitude
Weather appropriate clothes / sunscreen and bug spray - this training will be outdoors

Time

Students should arrive between 8:30 and 9:00am and be ready to attend the required safety briefing at 9:00 AM sharp. If you are late and miss any of the safety briefing you will not be allowed to participate. We will end roughy at 5pm.

Location

The class will take place on the "Action Range" at Maynard Rod and Gun Club at 45 Old Mill Rd, Maynard, MA 01754. See the image below for exact location of the action range on the property

Parking

When you arrive, you have two options:

Park in the "General Parking" and walk the blue line to the action range.
Drive the orange line and park at the Action Range parking. Please note, parking at the Action Range is limited and requires driving across the line of fire of the trap range. As shooting is not allowed at Maynard Rod and Gun before 9:30am this will be fine on arrival, but for departure you would likely have to drive through the red line area which crosses the trap line of fire. It is possible to verify the range is not in use but no guarantee can be made. Safest bet is to park in General Parking and walk your gear to the Action Range area.

Please give yourself ample time to park, find the Action Range, and be ready to go by 9:00 for the safety briefing

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I have a hammer fired gun like an 92FS. Can I use that instead?

In the class we will cover why these are not preferred but if 92FS is your only option, you can use it in the class so long as you have a kydex OWB holster for it, correct number of mags, and meet the rest of the requirements. For other guns, please contact the instructor and discuss before assuming you can take the class.

Who developed the IDS program?

The Intuitive Defensive Shooting program designed by Rob Pincus and the I.C.E. Training Company and is taught by instructors around the United States and Europe. IDS is the basis of the USCCA defensive training program and has also been successfully integrated into various military and law enforcement training programs and is the most efficient way for anyone interested in defensive firearms skills to develop their abilities. For more information about the concepts used IDS, see personaldefensenetwork.com.

I have plenty of experience drawing and shooting from a holster. Is there anything I would learn from this class then?

If you are new to Intuitive Defensive Shooting or Counter Ambush Methodology, regardless of experience or skill level and assuming you have an open mind, you will learn something from this class and by shooting these drills. If you are familiar with or have taken the Fundamentals of Intuitive Defensive Shooting or USCCA DSF1 or DSF2, please reach out to the organizers to discuss what might be in it for you.

Why do you require an OWB holster? I only carry with IWB

For safety reasons, everyone who attends the class needs to at least start OWB until the instructors and range officers get a good sense for your skill level. Using an OWB is close enough to an IWB draw that what you learn in the class can easily be applied to IWB after the class as you practice. Also note we have many in the community who have multiple holsters of all sorts for different popular firearms. If you don't have OWB for yours and can't afford to get one, hit us up on FB or Discord. There could be a good chance you can borrow one from someone else. Finally, for the same safety reasons, it is extremely common that defensive shooting trainings require OWB, as do nearly all competition shooting events. If you're serious about training, it's a strong recommendation you invest in an OWB even if you do not attend this class.

With that said, at the instructors descretion, we may allow folks to swap to their actual IWB duty/carry gear after we get comfortable with your attention to safety protocols on the range but you will be required to tuck clothes behind it.