I stumbled on an Ed Calderon class in Ainsworth, by pure luck. It got me thinking about other classes. Since Iowa is not a densely populated state, we don’t get a lot of the big names here. I was thinking we could start a thread for classes happening in or near Iowa.

In and YES
Maybe some second hand NV fundamentals would be peachy too

I used to live in a bigger place and opportunity for training was better. Post anything you find.

Take a look at The Site it is just across the Miss. in Ill

In the Cedar Rapids area, I think Cedar Valley Outfitters has the most training opportunities.  They used to have stuff listed on their website, now I think it's all just on Facebook.

This^^^ I've taken several glasses at The Site and have been very impressed

Is $650 normal for a 2 day class?

It is now for up there.  They had up the prices on classes to help cover some of their growing costs of covering the range and the lodge.  When you take a class there, they feed you lunch.  THey'll also offer breakfast & dinner if you spend the weekend in the lodge with them.

I would imagine that $650+ is normal most places. I’m sure insurance costs an arm and a leg. Plus instructors are taking a risk, and want to be paid for that.

I'll begin with the following: I suck, but it is not because of my training.

Iowa has a lot of great training opportunities. A lot of it is because of a local PCSO gentleman who advocates for open enrollment classes and actively works to make them happen. I hope he doesn't retire anytime soon because he is an advocate for all of us who are pro-liberty, pro-society, pro-community, and pro-leo.

Within the last two years I have trained shotgun with Steve Fisher; handgun with Chuck Pressburg, Scott Jedlinski, Tim Herron, and John Johnson. Mindset-wise, I've sat through lectures from Dave Grossman who was brought in for the public by Pleasant Hill PD. I've also trained with locals for stopping bleed, edged weapons, and lowlight shooting. In April I'll train with Fisher again for carbine and handgun. This fall I'm training handgun with Jedlinski again at Crossroads. Other than Tim Herron in Osceola and Grossman in Pleasant Hill, the other opportunities have all been at Brownell's range in Searsboro. Everything I mention here has happened within the last two years.

I am only mentioning the courses I've had the budget to attend. The range in prices has been between $75 (local) to $700 on mullti-day courses. Several others have been hosted that featured instructors like John Correia (never met him, but he is known) have also been put on by places like Crossroads. In western Iowa, LGHK brings in quality instructors like Chuck Haggard that I've heard great things about but haven't had the opportunity to experience firsthand.

When I started on my training journey I thought I needed to travel across the country, and did. Later, I found out that I could train locally for cheaper, especially since there were no travel costs. Furthermore, my local training has far exceeded that experienced during my two week-long trips across country to Front Sight.

I'm just a local nobody who likes to shoot. Our local community of like-minded individuals has provided me opportunities to train that I originally did not think was possible.

If you would like some pointers, reach out to me and I'll try to point you in the right direction. If you don't support law enforcement, please don't make the effort. Neither the trainers mentioned above or I will have any time for you.

You will want to use the email option, as anymore I only check in here every month or two.

You are probably right sir.

No probably about it.

Also is Rick still doing some local training stuff or is he too insta-famous/big-time now? (just kidding, Rick).

Was looking forward to taking some more of his classes. Always enjoyed.

The organic medium entry class taught by Ed Calderon has been canceled.
If anyone knows of other classes coming up, please post them here.

I will be getting a refund for the cancellation and I want to put it towards other training before it goes for something else.