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Frequently Asked Questions
About location, equipment, etc.
Q. Where are your courses held?
A. All shooting classes are conducted at the Blue Trail Range in Wallingford CT. Located off Exit 15 of I91 it is a approximately 45 minutes south of Hartford's Bradley Airport, 15 minutes north of New Haven and only two hours from New York City. The range is close to hotels, restaurants and shopping and has a small gun store and coffee shop. A map with directions to the range and recommendations on local hotels are in the information package sent to all new students. Classes, except for LFI1, normally run 9:00AM to 5:00PM.
A. Only a minimal amount of equipment is required for most courses, remember we're talking training for personal self-defense, not paramilitary or swat operations. Students receive a list of equipment required for each course, but seasonal clothing, eye and ear protection, a reliable rifle/handgun, spare magazines/speed loaders, a good quality holster and a notebook make up most of the list. With the exception of the eye and ear protection, anything you would not have with you when going about your normal daily business should probably not be required for most training.
There is a tendency by first time students to purchase new equipment for the class - holsters, mag carriers, etc. We advise against this unless absolutely necessary. If at all possible borrow what you need or make do with what you have. What you learn in class about equipment selection and weapon modifications can often save you hundreds of dollars. If you must buy new equipment make sure it all works together, it is all too common for someone to show up for class with a new holster so tight they can't draw or reholster without using both hands.
Q. What kind of ammunition do I need?
A. Blue Trail is an outdoor range that has no restrictions on ammunition. We recommend using the least expensive ammunition that is both full powered (but not +P or higher) and functions reliably in your firearm. Accuracy is normally only a concern in precision rifle courses. We have no objections to hand loads, if they are of high quality. The last thing you want to do while trying to master new techniques is fight with malfunctioning ammunition.
Q. Classes are listed as Seminars or Courses, what is the difference?
A. 'Courses" are conducted over a period of three or more days. At the end of a course an evaluation drill is conducted and to graduate a student must meet a minimum level of competence, usually 80%.
A "Seminar" is a highly condensed class of one or two days containing most or all of the material normally covered in a "course". Because of the short duration of the class, there is no evaluation drill. Conducting a test would further reduce the limited training time. In addition, it would be unfair to expect students to "perform" the techniques learned at anything above a minimal skill level in so short a period of time, so a test would be meaningless.
Q. I'm an experienced shooter and a graduate of the 345 Handgun Class at "XYZ". I want to take the Tactical Handgun Seminar or Advanced Handgun Course with Chuck Taylor. Why do I have to take a basic course first?
A. Our Three Day Defensive Handgun Course is not a basic course as normally defined. Requiring the Three Day as a prerequisite to attending other ASAA handgun classes is not meant as a reflection on your abilities or previous training. ASAA offers defensive handgun courses on four levels. The concepts and techniques that are the foundation of ASAA's approach to the subject, which is somewhat different from that of other schools, are only taught at the first level - our Three Day Defensive Handgun Course.
Because of the way ASAA courses are structured and paced, accepting students in advanced level classes who are not Three Day graduates is unfair to both them and the rest of the class. In addition, both the higher level handgun courses and our tactical handgun seminars, which are different than those conducted by ASAA elsewhere, include techniques that can be very dangerous if improperly executed. This is another reason we have specific prerequisites for these classes. Defense Associates began independently conducting ASAA courses in 1993 has never had a firearm related personal injury - we want to keep the record intact.
Q. How to I become a Handgun Combat Master ?
A. To qualify as a Handgun Combat Master you must start by scoring a minimum of 360 points out of a possible 400 on the evaluation drill listed below. The drill must be conducted by a current ASAA instructor, firearms and holster must be concealable "street" equipment (no optical sights, compensators, speed rigs, etc) and all ammunition must be full power with the .38 special the lowest power cartridge allowed. Shots are scored 5 points each for center hits, peripheral hits are 2 points for major calibers, 1 point for minor. The target to be used is the original buff/green Taylor Combat Target, shown on the "Courses by Taylor" page, with it's 5 point head zone of 4" x 3". All drills start with holstered gun, hands at sides. Times are by stop watch.
Standard Exercises - single target - 2 shots
per drill, each drill performed once.
1 meter - 1.0 second (Speed
Rock)
10 meters - 1.8 seconds
1 meter - 1.0 second (Step
Back)
15 meters - 2.2 seconds
3 meters - 1.0
second
25 meters - 2.7 seconds
7 meters - 1.3
seconds
50 meters - 6.0 seconds
Presentation Evaluation - single target - 1
shot per drill, drill performed five times.
7 meters - 1.0 second
Responses Left, Right & Rear - single
target - 1 shot per drill, each drill performed five times
Response Left - 7 meters
- 1.0
second
Response Rear - 7 meters - 1.2 seconds
Response Right - 7 meters - 1.0
seconds
Multiple Targets - targets at 5 meters and
spaced 1 meter apart
Two targets - 1.2
second
Four targets - 1.8 seconds
Three targets - 1.5 seconds
After completing the above
shooting test you still must perform each of the following malfunction (self
loaders only) and weapon handling drills 5
times each. For each drill improperly performed or performed over the time
limit, 5 points are deducted from your shooting score. 360 remains the minimum
scored required to pass.
Speed Reloads - self loaders 1.5
seconds
Type 1 malfunction - 1.0 second
Speed Reloads - revolvers 4.0
seconds
Type 2 malfunction - 1.0 second
Tactical Reload - all weapons 4.0
seconds
Type 3 malfunction - 4.0 seconds
Q. How to I become a Three/Four Weapon Combat Master ?
The qualification drill for Four Weapon Master is listed below. Three Weapon Master is the same drill without the submachine gun section. Target and scoring is the same as the Handgun Master, passing score is 90% for each section. All shotgun drills are performed with buckshot and minimum rifle caliber allowed is .30 caliber US carbine. Starting position for all long gun drills is High Ready or Rhodesian ready.
Stage One - Pistol
Standard Exercises - single target - 2 shots
per drill, each drill performed once.
1 meter - 1.0 second (Speed
Rock)
10 meters - 1.8 seconds
1 meter - 1.0 second (Step
Back)
15 meters - 2.3 seconds
3 meters - 1.0
second
25 meters - 2.8 seconds
5 meters - 1.2
seconds
50 meters - 6.0 seconds
7 meters - 1.3 seconds
Multiple Targets - targets at 5 meters and 1 meter apart,
one shot per target, each drill performed once.
2 targets - 1.2
second
4 targets
- 1.8 seconds
3 targets - 1.5 seconds
Small Targets at Close Range -
head shots - 1 shot per drill
7 meters
- 1.5 seconds - perform four
times
10 meters
- 2.0 seconds - perform
three times
Stage Two - Submachine Gun
Shoulder fired - two shots per
drill
50
meters - 3.0 seconds
25
meters - 1.8 seconds
40
meters - 2.7 seconds
15
meters - 1.5 seconds
30
meters - 2.5 seconds
10
meters - 1.0 seconds
Underarm Assault only - single target - 2 shots
per drill, each drill performed once.
7 meters - 1.0 second
3
meters - 0.5 seconds
10
meters - 0.8 seconds
Head shots - 1 shot per drill, perform each drill four times.
7 meters
- 1.5 seconds
10 meters - 2.0 seconds
Reloading Drill - single target at 10 meters, perform drill twice. Fire two rounds, change magazine, reengage with two more rounds. Time limit 5.5 seconds
Stage Three - Shotgun
Underarm Assault only - single target - 1 shot
per drill, drill performed five times
7 meters - 1.0 second
Shoulder fired only - single target - 1 shot per drill, each drill performed 10
times
10 meters - 1.2
seconds
25 meters - 1.8 seconds
15 meters - 1.5 seconds
Multiple Targets - targets at 7 meters, 2 meters apart center to center, performed
drills once.
2 targets - 1 shot on each
- 1.5 seconds
3 targets - 1 shot on each
- 2.0 seconds
Stage Four - Rifle
Head Shots - 1 shot per drill - perform drill five times
25 meters - 2.0 seconds
Body Shots - 1 shot per drill - perform each drill five times
50 meters - 1.5
seconds
150 meters - 5.0 seconds
100 meters - 4.0 seconds
Multiple Targets - targets at 50 meters, 1 meter apart center to center, performed
drills once.
2 targets - 1 shot on each
- 3.0 seconds
3 targets - 1 shot on each
- 3.5 seconds
4 targets - 1 shot on each
- 4.0 seconds
Underarm Assault only - single target - 1 shot
per drill, drill performed six times
7 meters - 1.0 second
Snap Shots - single target - 1 shot
per drill, drill performed five times
15 meters - 1.0 second
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