101126 hr1

In this episode of Eye on the Target Radio, Amanda Suffecool and Rob Campbell discuss their trip to Gunsite in Arizona for the school’s alumni shoot and 50th anniversary celebration. Gunsite, with its thousands of acres and 27 different ranges, offers training in a wide variety of firearms skills. The event brought together approximately 350–400 participants, including highly experienced shooters who demonstrated remarkable speed and accuracy. Amanda and Rob describe watching competitors move rapidly between targets while maintaining accuracy, and they reflect on how impressive the skill level was. Although neither expected to finish near the top of the competition, they enjoyed participating and viewed the experience as an opportunity to learn. Their main takeaway reflects Gunsite’s philosophy of continually improving: the goal is to become a little better than you were the day before.
Amanda and Rob explain that the alumni shoot was different from many of the training events they had attended previously. Some stages provided very little preparation time, requiring competitors to respond quickly after receiving instructions. Amanda found that a two-second time limit was not enough for her to draw and get a shot off, and Rob also struggled to complete some stages before the timer ran out. They discuss the variety of firearms used by competitors, particularly the many 1911-style pistols, which seemed appropriate given the anniversary and Colonel Jeff Cooper’s association with the school. They also explain Gunsite’s requirement that everyone complete its 250 basic pistol course before participating in more advanced training or alumni events. Even NRA executive vice president Doug Hamlin was told he would need to complete the introductory course before qualifying as a Gunsite alumnus. Amanda and Rob recall their own experience taking the 250 class, including nighttime shooting and practical exercises involving movement, target identification, and shoot/no-shoot decisions.
A significant part of the program focuses on the anxiety many people experience before attending firearms training. Amanda openly describes how nervous she was before her first Gunsite class. After winning the tuition in a raffle, she traveled to Arizona by herself, rented a car, drove to the school, and checked into her hotel. The following morning, she seriously considered abandoning the trip and returning home before the class even began. However, she pushed through her apprehension and finished the course feeling proud of herself. Rob explains that classes bring together people with a wide range of experience, from relatively new gun owners to people who have been shooting for decades. He says Gunsite instructors work as a team, providing additional assistance to students who need help without embarrassing them or making them feel inadequate. Fellow students also encourage one another, share advice, and celebrate improvements. Amanda and Rob encourage listeners who have been considering additional training to take the step rather than assuming everyone else is more skilled or that they will not fit in.
The hosts also discuss the value of repeating training courses. Amanda explains that she aims to attend at least one, and preferably two, firearms training classes each year, whether locally or somewhere that requires travel. Rob describes meeting a student who retakes Gunsite’s basic 250 course every five years because instructors, course content, and individual learning needs change over time. Repeating a class can reinforce fundamentals and reveal skills that have weakened or habits that need adjustment. Training also creates lasting friendships and connections with people from around the country. Amanda and Rob note that attending with a friend can make the experience less intimidating and allows both people to compare notes afterward, since different students often remember different details from the same instruction.
Another major topic is firearms safety and the practical lessons they learned during the event. Amanda recounts how Gunsite operations manager Ken Campbell led hundreds of participants in repeating Colonel Cooper’s four fundamental firearm safety rules: treat every gun as loaded, never allow the muzzle to cover anything you are unwilling to destroy, keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, and know your target and what lies beyond it. The large crowd reciting the rules together made a strong impression on the hosts. They also discuss the importance of maintaining awareness of the environment during practical exercises. Shooting in a dry ravine, for example, presents challenges beyond those of a prepared shoot house because participants must watch their footing, negotiate rocks and uneven ground, and remain aware of their surroundings while making decisions about targets.
The alumni shoot also gave Amanda and Rob unexpected lessons about equipment reliability. Both discovered that their pistols would not reliably cycle one particular type or batch of ammunition. After several stages, their firearms began failing to eject cases, forcing them to perform repeated clearing drills and manually return the guns to operation. They could not determine whether the problem came from a particular box, ammunition lot, or other variable. The experience reinforced the importance of checking that ammunition functions reliably in a firearm before relying on it during a match or training session. Rob describes repeatedly clearing his pistol during a stage, turning a frustrating equipment problem into an opportunity to practice getting a firearm back into action. The hosts stress that equipment malfunctions can occur and that knowing how to respond calmly and safely is more useful than simply assuming a firearm will always function perfectly.
A second equipment problem occurred when Amanda’s holster came apart while they were seated at dinner. The screws, nuts, bracket, and holster separated, leaving the firearm contained in the holster but no longer secured to Amanda’s belt. Because they were surrounded by other attendees, they sought guidance from the range staff rather than improvising a solution that might compromise safety. They were able to keep the situation controlled and recover the parts. The incident led them to recommend bringing basic tools when traveling to a match or training event, especially when equipment depends on screws and mounting hardware. They emphasize that responsible gun handling is not simply about preventing every problem; it also means knowing how to respond appropriately when something unexpected happens.
In the final major segment, Amanda and Rob explain the practical considerations involved in traveling with firearms to attend training. People driving to another state should research the applicable laws along their route and understand the requirements for transporting and storing their firearms. Air travel requires additional preparation, including checking the airline’s specific policies, declaring the firearm, and using a locked case that cannot be opened without the owner’s key or combination. They describe their experience checking their firearms at the airport and waiting while staff completed the necessary procedures. They also discuss their surprise that TSA inspected their suitcases again at their destination, despite the firearms having been declared and checked earlier. Amanda advises travelers to organize personal belongings inside their luggage because additional inspections may expose items they would ordinarily prefer to keep private.
Their discussion of airport security leads to a humorous story about Amanda’s visit to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. After switching back to her regular purse, she worried that she might have accidentally left a knife inside. Security staff searched the purse and returned it, but later Amanda discovered the knife had been sitting beneath her wallet the entire time. The experience illustrates why people should check their bags carefully before visiting secure facilities, even when they have no intention of carrying prohibited items. Both hosts acknowledge that people can overlook things in their belongings, and they recommend taking the time to verify what is being transported.
The episode closes with Amanda and Rob encouraging listeners to make firearms training an ongoing part of their lives, to attend with friends when possible, and to learn from each other’s different perspectives. They recognize that people absorb information in different ways: Rob tends to notice mechanical details and technical issues, while Amanda is more likely to pick up on interpersonal cues and changes in people’s expressions. Those differences can complement each other and help students gain a more complete understanding of what they have learned. Overall, the episode presents Gunsite’s 50th-anniversary alumni shoot as both an enjoyable reunion and a valuable learning experience, reinforcing the importance of continuous improvement, safe gun handling, reliable equipment, preparation for travel, and the willingness to challenge oneself through additional training.
The show also includes its usual sponsor and public-safety announcements, including messages about responsible firearm storage, Project ChildSafe, Realize Firearms Awareness Coalition, and several firearms-training and educational resources.