APRIL FOOLS OR SPRING AHEAD?
Where did the first quarter of 2025 go? Didn’t we just ring in the New Year and go to SHOT Show? Now we are headed to the NRA Annual Meeting end of April!
Do we act as April Fools and believe that we will rise to occasion when a critical event occurs, or do we Spring Ahead as we default to our level of training. Training is perishable skill and will deteriorate if you do not keep it up. Dry practice will do. Working presentations is grand. Performance measured live fire is even better. Make the time to practice your life saving skills.
Spring is here at the Gunsite Ranch. Snow two weeks in a row, then some rain, then 80’s and today cool and frozen mix possible later this week. Gunsite students don’t mind. When “it” happens and it isn’t inclement weather, it may seem easy. Regardless, we are training.
New construction continues at Gunsite. The permits came through and the footers for the new Mess Deck/Lunch Pavilion are to be poured this week. We hope to have occupancy in May. Shortly thereafter should be the new warehouse, which will allow the old Pro Shop to return to its original roots of classroom. (Actually two (2) classrooms.) Busy times both with the classes and on-going capital improvements.
Buz and I will be attending the NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta April 25-27, 2025. Please watch for us at the Members Meeting and on the floor of the show. We love to meet up with Gunsite Family. And we usually have a few Gunsite pins in our pockets should you have forgotten to wear yours! If you are a voting member of the NRA, it may be too late, but get your ballot in supporting the NRA 2.0 candidates today! It will be too late by end of week.
A 250 Pistol Mounted Optics, a 223 Carbine, a private 150 Pistol, a private Night Vision Pistol Carbine II, and the ever-increasing popularity of Tactical Medicine start out April. Jerry McCown leads the Instructor Development Course alongside the return of the Submachine Gun class with a private 270 Rifle and Private Close Quarters Class bring in week two (2) of April. The month carries on like this with a mix of private classes, family classes, Long Range Precision Rifle (PR7), more 250 Pistol and 350 Pistol, the new Precision Rifle Handloading followed by Extreme Long-Range Rifle, and the popular Tactical Concealed Carry Pistol. But wait, as the informercial says, there’s more! Additional 250 Pistol and 270 Rifle close out April.
We mention private classes. These range from companies doing leadership training to family groups to friends who wish to train together. When you attend a private class, it is truly all about you! Contact Training Director Dave Hartman (Hartman@gunsite.com) to find out prices and availability.
Have you visited the Gunsite Pro Shop on-line recently? There is the requisite logo items along with great gun gear and firearms. Watch the web page (or in the Newsletter) for sales.
May 3 is the Shoot for Hope Charity Match at Gunsite. This is a fundraiser to support helping children who have been abused and trafficked. Information is available here: Heartland Ranch – Hope For Little Hearts and registration is here: Shoot for Hope Charity Event – Gunsite Academy.
The Calams Scholarship Match also returns June 14. These scholarships go to needy and well deserving Yavapai County kids! The Calams Family offer this in remembrance of their late daughter, a school teacher. Information and registration is here: Calams Combat Competition – Gunsite Academy
Make your plans to shoot the matches, keep up your perishable skills and support some very worthy causes.
Finally, Gunsite Offices and Ranges will be closed on Sunday April 20 allowing our staff and instructors to celebrate Easter. (Easter falls late in 2025. If you do not know how the date for Easter is selected, it occurs the first Sunday after the Full Moon after the Spring Equinox.
Enough for this month. Time to get back to work making sure the Gunsite Epiphany is experienced by all here at the Ranch.
When are you coming (back) to Gunsite?
Ken
To read the newsletter in its entirety, please click the following link below:
April Newsletter 2025
