HOw do you guys deal with the huge increases in ammo prices?
I'm signed up for a defensive handgun class at a highly recommended school that requires 1200 rounds, (at least) for the week end. I have a Sig p220 and adding the recenly jacked up cost of 45ACP ammo (They require Factory ammo so reloading is out.) to travel and lodging it's making it VERY cost prohibitive for this guy of modest means, to schedule any more classes that I truely want to take.:mad:

I am retired so I cast my own handgun bullets and reload. I no longer attend defensive handgun classes that require travel, lodging, and meals. This is the sad state of affairs of our present day economy. Get the most enjoyment you can out of your class and be thankful that you can still afford it. Best wishes.

other than what i learned at the con cealed carry class most of it seems to me a matter of just thinking a thing thru.. ilearned what was legal and what wasnt..example ,,in my state
if i find a man in my bedroom in the dark . its against the law for me to fire on him unless i can see some hardware..,i told the instructor that that made about as much sense as
a lot of the new stuff that was becoming law now.. he just dropped his head and said ..it pays to have common sense..
for my application the shot gun is the home protector ,,and my sig p25 9mil with 147 hydroshok is for the shopping centers and such..i come from and use to run with the same people that are the muggers now..
i just had a little better parents..
take a good look around you and move you car if theres any hint of danger..if its too late for that get your family behind you ,,unsnap u pistol and dont even hide the fact that you suspect
the predators intentions..most time you would avoid his attack doing this..if hes still showing interest hold you pistol against you leg and send you family back to the car or into the store..
his weapon will probably be down next to his pants leg..most important ,,expect the unexpected..the last comment is if you arnt willing to gain the necessary skills to be accurrate and reasonably quick..carry a big stick or something..jmo

When the wife and I took our classes a few years ago, we found a bunch of them available at the local range and some NRA sponsored classes even cheaper at some of the local sportsman clubs. The one that we ended up taking was less than 15 minutes from the house and for the two of us, I brought 1000 rounds of .38spl that my dad had handloaded and we had 50 rounds left after the class, which we used there because it was essentially free range time.... The class was $35 each and I expect it was about $150 - $175 in ammo.

The even bigger benefit was that the instructor lived in worked in the same state that we did and knew the state specific laws very well.

If we had to pay that much and go through that hassle for the CC class, we probably wouldn't have taken it.

Lots of folks are looking at other alternatives to expensive training. Videos on defensive tactics, self instruction and casting and handloading are keeping lots of us shooting that simply can't afford the costs your talking about. I've killed my local gravel pit hundreds of times.

Another thing is folks have made this popular past time into a business and a business needs to generate a profit to be successful.

I don't mind paying for quality instructors. Just like anything else physical, actual hands on experience in specialized training areas presented by people that know how to teach attitude and proper technique can be invaluable compared to reading and/or watching a video. Most NRA classes are very basic and don't have the information and training I'm looking for either.
The cost of the factory ammo is what is blowing me away right now. To save money for ammo buying a smaller caiber like a 9mm might help but the cost of the pistol will more than offset that savings.
Can buying bulk ammo, something I've not done, save a lot? If so ...where?

Thanks!~!

i learned accurracy with a 22mini.. after 5000 or more rds i was fairly confident out to
20 yds or so.. then when i went to bigger caliber guns the skill id learned trasfered well.
you get so you can hit the front pocket of your target most every time with the small 22 and
a 38 snubby feels like you shooting a rifle..well''' thats a stretch,, but you get what i mean..;)

(They require Factory ammo so reloading is out.)

How are they going to know if it is factory or reloaded if you stuff a bunch of handloads in factory packaging? Just pick up the empty boxes left at your local range if they are in good shape and load your ammo to factory specs ;).

Don't have a range anywhere but my 1100 acre farm. I'm not accustomed to lying or cheating. I shot expert in the army 40 years ago and I shoot coyotes at 500+ yards (300WSM). Accuracy isn't a problem. Moving, especially in a building, using cover and firing from many defensive positions, with a handgun and possibly a flashlight and doing it properly.....??clueless....

My suggestion wasn't geared towards "cheating" by trying to achieve better accuracy loads. Rather, it was to save money. Hence my suggestion to load to factory specs and with factory bullets, etc. Some might call it lying or cheating to sneak a snack into the movie theater since it is against the rules ... I don't. I call it saving money.

My guess is that the requirement to use factory loads is mostly geared towards safety and/or limiting liability on their part due to overzealous hot loads. If so, then factory spec handloads would violate the letter, but not the intent of the rule. Now if it's a competition, that's a different matter altogether.

I know what you mean. The group I trained with (and hopefully will again in May) allow reloads. Of course the cost of jacketed reloads (I am a Glock 45 guy) is scary to a tight wad like me. For cheap factory it's mighty hard to beat 9mm ammo. If you are going to take future classes it might be feseable to train with a 9... but it will take a lot of training to offset the cost of the gun. With jacketed reloads I save about $35 per thousand vs 9mm so there is no compelling reason to change to a smaller cartridge.

Personally I am put off by the requirement of using factory ammo. That requirement assumes you/I are not smart enough to make good ammo. It also assumes factory ammo is always perfect. Neither is true and both assumptions are kinda insulting. I am not sure the people with that attitude deserve your money.

Other than that... save up. Look for sales. Sell the golf clubs. A good school has a lot to offer. Good luck.

Bill, where do you train?

Bill, where do you train?

Good morning Mr. JB. Hope you are doing well.

Last fall I trained with Suarez International in central VA. If my leg heals enough (long story..many surgeries), they have a class in May just outside Reading PA and I'd like to take that for the weekend. You can check out their website for details. PM if you'd like more info.

Don't have a range anywhere but my 1100 acre farm. . .
Private range on 1100 acres? pepprdog, the good Lord doth smile down on you:D! Truly thou art blessed.