Each year, the Shooter Symposium brings together subject matter experts from the firearms world for a weekend of next-level training. It was hosted at The Ranch TX Private Shooting Club in Texas last year, and we took the opportunity to join some world-class training in variety of skillsets. The intent of the Shooter Symposium is to provide advanced instruction over four days that cover everything from shooting to individual fighting skills. For attendees who make it down to Eagle Lake, the diversity of courses lets them drill down on specific skills in the personal security and independence space, providing a unique experience due to the heavy concentration of experts from diverse fields. From night-vision basics to emergency medical procedures, to shooting on the move and close quarters concepts, there’s a lot to choose from. In addition to the training, the first day of the event is competition day, and attendees get a chance to see close-up how the pros do things. Vendors provide the awards and allow shooters the chance to check out and purchase gear they might want to add to their loadout.

It was tough to choose from so many options, but we were able to take part in four courses over the weekend: Grappling in the Weapon-Space Environment with Craig Douglas, Intro to Night Vision with Chuck Pressburg, Practical Pistol Marksmans with Jared Reston, and Shooting from Vehicles with Aaron Cowan. Take a look under the hood below at what went on, and for a full list of what’s available, head to the Shooter Symposium website.