Class Review

Recently, The Rifleman took the class,  Rifleman I  at Valor Ridge, with Reid Henrichs. This is a review of that class. For the record, The Rifleman took this class on his own dime.

Facilities.
The range at Valor Ridge is quite unique. And this is a good thing. The primary shooting area, a 100-yard range, is staged on a bed of gravel. At both ends, there is a 10-yard long slab of concrete - which is fairly close to the targets. Around and through other parts of the property there are opportunities to engage targets anywhere from 100 yards to 600 yards away. Generally speaking the classroom and the range area were on par with other classes in this price range.

Curriculum.
No, I am not going to tell you everything that happened at the Ridge. For that, you would need to take the class yourself. It is no secret, however, that Reid and the staff put the focus on Marksmanship. There is not a drill that is done in this class where in instructor is telling you to hurry up. However, in every drill, the instructors emphasize making a quality hit on your target.

History.
Reid Henrichs was once a history teacher. This comes through in the class in a very positive way. Several of the lecture portions are geared around the history of the rifle, specifically as it pertains to the history of the United States. In Reid's estimation, the firearm was so integral to the founding of the United States, that the two cannot be separated. The Rifleman concurs.

The guns.
All but one participant were using AR15 pattern rifles. The one exception was using an AK pattern rifle. The Rifleman observed no malfunctions out of any of the rifles present. One optic came loose, but that was quickly remedied. Of note, The Rifleman had purchased the ticket to the class prior to  the controversial video; and took the class after said video. No rifles were checked; but, then, none had major malfunctions, either. More on this topic in a different blog post.

The participants
Before lunch on the first day, every participant had made a shot on a 300-yard man-sized Target. Part of the class description is that it does turn out Riflemen. Without a doubt, this is the case. 62% of the participants were from out-of-state; most with a drive that exceeded 8 hours. 38% of the participants were from Tennessee, and the rifleman's 3:45 drive was the longest for the Tennessee residents there. All were men in this class; however, many women have participated in this class in the past. Student to teacher ratio was less than 5:1.

The little things
"Toxic masculinity" was in full display the entire class. This is a lovely thing.
Reid either has an exceptional memory, or he works diligently to remember everyone's name. He never forgot a single participant's name.
Every training school has its own culture. The culture at Valor Ridge is distinctly American, and rooted in history.
The class description says to bring 950 rounds. The Rifleman brought 1400 rounds, just in case. We shot about 750 rounds.

Wrap up.
Without a doubt, more things happened in this class then could ever be summarized in a single blog post. Hopefully, this post will give someone food for thought if they are considering attending.

Ultimately, The Rifleman would recommend this class for anyone who is interested in taking it.