Post course update.
Class was at the Site in northern IL, and was presented by Spartan Tactical Training Group.
Great class, great facility with meals and lodging available. Beautiful Indian summer weather.
Brief, pattern, sight in slugs, then into manipulation, drills,transitions, testing, etc.
Takeaways. A shot gun will find and exploit every weak link in its construction. Recoil made my heat shield slip forward causing the forend to short stroke and not feed a shell. This was not readily apparent and I was slamming the forend as hard as I could to get it to feed and even then it would fail. Eventually I saw my newly fucked up cerakote where the heatsheild should have been. Lesson learned. If you have ever seen an LE or security Mossberg in a 3rd world country you now know what I expect mine to look like in the future. We did run long enough strings to heat things up, but outside of that the heat shield just looks cool. Looks cool at least until your shit is fucking up because of it.
Another guys red dot died, not sure what brand.
Esstac shell card (velcro shell holders) FTW. Make sure to clean and prep your reciever for the sticky back loop piece. Also bring extra loop side for your gun for when you go to change a card and the whole thing rips off, it will never stick again.
Shell cards of different color for different loads could help.
Dump pouch for loose shells- YES.
Dump pouch for 5 loaded shell cards behind your back- NO, male/male velcro is gay and your shit will stick together when you don't want it too. I say "Fuck" a lot and try to seperate them by flinging them, resulting in both of them being on the ground. A mag holder works great for them otherwise.
When servicing your shotgun near tall grass, make sure you hold the mag cap like your life depended on it. A Wolff extra power spring will reinforce this concept. I learn everything the hard way.
Bennelli M4 is over rated. There were 5 in class, 3 Berreta 1301s, a Vang Comp 870, and my Vang Comp'd 590.
Bennelli is ammo sensitive. 2 of the 5 were Taran Tactical models, the one that ran well had the TT springs removed and the factory spring reinstalled. 1301's ran well, still cumbersome to single load and shoot. If you are 3 gunning and practicing, sure run an auto. I'm sticking with the Mossy.
No matter which you run, you need to train to proficiency, The pump was just easier IMO. Autos miss really fast. Misses are slow as fuck when you are combat loading to make up for it.
Don't out run your sight picture...pump or auto.
I was set on a speed feed stock. Now not so much. Juice ain't worth the squeeze and my sling options were more limited.
Instructor switched me from a bottom mounted magpul MS1 to a Sling Systems sling. It allowed me more movement in order to support the gun and tac load(mag load). Unfortunately Sling Systems is defunct. Fortunately the instructor sold me his last one NIB for $40.
Great weekend.
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