U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Darryl Bolke of Hardwired Tactical is one of THE names in the shotgun training game. When I saw that Hardwired Tactical was offering a shotgun course within driving distance of my home, I immediately signed up. Despite being confident in my shotgun skills, I’d yet to take a high-profile shotgun course, and it was time to change that. A few months later, I headed to Oklahoma to learn the ways of the boomstick.
Location & Weather
Located in Jones, Oklahoma, the weather was solid for early December in the Midwest. Overcast with scattered sunlight, with very little wind. Temperatures hung out in the 40’s and 50’s making an unzipped jacket and jeans plenty comfortable all day.
Equipment
During class, I used my Mossberg Maverick 88 pump-action shotgun. Featuring a plain bead front sight, cylinder bore 18.5-inch barrel, I probably had the cheapest gun on the range. I’ve updated it with a Magpul SGA stock, Streamlight TL-Racker forend, and a TacStar side-saddle. The gun was supported with a Trunk Monkey Designs Woodhouse sling, the signature model for The Suited Shootist. Additional ammunition was kept in a Blue Force Gear admin pouch, and a Safariland 085 shotshell holder. Nothing glamorous, but a solid representation of what a budget gun is capable of.
Students used a variety of equipment. The most common guns were Remington 870’s and Beretta 1301’s, and a few Mossberg 500’s. Benelli had diverse representation with single examples of an M1 Super 90, M2, and M4 on the firing line. A single Winchester Defender made it to the line to represent as well. Some students had completely stock guns, while others had lights, optics, slings, upgraded irons, and
