Pistol 1 and 2 at Impact Shooting Center with Jon Hine

Not all of us at AIM go shoot every chance we have, some of us shoot randomly and some are not old enough to even own a pistol. This past week one of those things changed and Jon turned 21 and bought his first pistol to carry. Jon jumped right into the mix and took a class with Shane Cardwell at Impact Shooting Center with the help of Bryan and Pete from AIM. I tossed Jon the usual questions to see how he felt after taking the class.

1. What is your prior firearm experience?
Some recreational shooting once or twice a year for the past 10+ years

2. What firearm/setup were you shooting?
Sig P365-XMACRO

3. What did you hope to learn going into this class?

Basics, technique, and general info

4. What was your biggest takeaway from the class?

My biggest takeaway was the reshaping of my outlook on shooting a pistol. Most of the techniques and instruction that I have assumed or been taught throughout my life were inherently causing problems with my performance. I gained a new goal of completing various standards and becoming better.

5. What area did you improve the most?

I significantly improved my grip, arm position, and red dot usage.

6. Is there anything you thought you would learn but did not?

Not specifically 

7. What did you think of Shane’s teaching style? What about Pete and Bryan?

I felt as if I learned something from all 3 instructors. The teaching style made for a relaxing, yet educational and fun class.

8. Are you interested in taking the AIWB class?

I took pistol 1 & 2 over the weekend so when AIWB comes back next year I will take that for sure.

9. How did you feel shooting Shane’s shoot 2 standards?

I really enjoyed them and will definitely be working towards passing them. 

10. What’s next for you?

The Impact AIWB class next year.

I am fairly new to shooting other than recreationally once a year for the past decade. I made the decision to take my shooting performance seriously and sign up for pistol 1 & 2 at Impact Shooting Center this past weekend. I went into the class with open expectations, but not expecting the level of instruction that I received. I was somewhat ambivalent about signing up
for these classes, but after taking them I could not be more satisfied with my experience.

Day one was definitely the most influential class for me. Almost everything that I had assumed or been taught throughout my life was causing problems with my performance. I quickly began to see just how much grip and positioning affect my shooting performance. The class was very hands-on and allowed for an ample amount of one-on-one instruction. Shane
was very easy to get along with and made all of us feel like a group of friends at the range.

The methods that he uses to “teach” are very advantageous and instrumental. He was careful to point out that the methods he was teaching were “a way, not the way.” Going into a class led by someone like Shane, you expect a level of arrogance and to be looked down on, but this was
the exact opposite. Our class ranged from myself, who was a new shooter, to someone who had taken 75+ classes. We were all treated equally and given the same amount of instruction that was tailored to our individual performance and needs. We were lucky enough to have two great
assistant instructors: Bryan & Pete of AIM Surplus. They were both just as helpful and instructive as Shane. They each offered a unique perspective that summed to my personal benefit.


Day two was a real step up in terms of shooting. For the first time ever, I was able to complete various drills that involved moving and shooting. I specifically enjoyed the stage that the instructors set up where we were able to move and shoot through obstacles and varying
distances. This entire class felt very hands-on and involved a lot of shooting, movement, and personal coaching. At the end of each class, Shane allows everyone to shoot his standards. The level of improvement I saw in my own performance was significant. My speed and accuracy had
already been significantly impacted by what I had learned.

At the end of the two-day class, I was sad that it was over but very satisfied with what I had learned. The first thing that crossed my mind at the end of day two was “when is the next class I can sign up for.” Taking these classes was the best decision that I’ve made for my own growth and safety. I recommend these classes to anyone who wants to improve their own shooting performance. This is the type of class that you can take whether you have never shot a gun, or if you have been shooting for your entire life.

The amount of knowledge and technique I took away from these classes is unmeasurable. This is only the first class of many that I will be
taking with Shane Cardwell at Impact Shooting Center

-Jon Hine

Leave a Reply