Coastal Fog Smoked Porter can't beat combat shotgun training day

Nic R had the greatest idea for his bachelor party. Take a couple guys out and be taught be the best in the country on how to tactically use a shotgun. These guys were rated #1 in the world by Homeland Security (or so they say) http://www.americandefenseenterprises.com/index.htm

First, the beer. I wasn't a fan.

My new entrepreneurial book by the creators of the Brooklyn Brewery, a fascinating read

It was brewed in the 'San Francisco' style, which means it used the same style as Anchor Steam. This attributes to the fruity flavor I'm tasting, but overall it's a pretty simple beer and there isn't much here really. Easy drinking I suppose. THE ISLAND rating.

We learned everything from handling a shotgun, reloading, firing moving forward and backward, firing at multiple targets using cover, reloading on the run (the first picture above) and then house clearing, which was a little nerve racking.

The bachelor himself takes on three targets

Reloading

We shot over 120 shells over the course of the day and earned a terrible sunburn. We all agreed that this was a fantastic bachelor idea and party. I'm not a huge gun nut, I'll never own a gun, but I loved doing this. The instructors were serious and intense. The whole day was intense, from beginning to end.

Safety on!

There were other people firing nearby us and even though you we're protected by dirt mounds (in the background above), high rounds whizzed above our heads. We were obviously never in danger but it was certainly unnerving. I didn't even know how to shoot a shotgun at the beginnig of the day. The first two shots we fired as a group, I didn't even shoot because the safety was on and I didn't put one in the chamber. I was a total noob. But by the end of the day reloading on the run and firing at multiple targets was mechanical. I can only imagine what doing this everyday in the army could turn you into.

This was my favorite exercise, firing at 5 targets while moving between cover

I was given an Benelli M2 Semi-Automatic shotgun, which means I didn't have to pump it to fire. This terrified my initially, fearing that I'd accidentally put some buckshot into someone's leg. But as soon as I learned how to use it, God I was loving it. Not having to pump, I ran through some courses like a ninja. Once I returned it to the trainers, I already missed my Benelli. Single tear...

Nick G makes short work

The last sequence below was a lot of fun. Shoot three targets, then 'under fire' move back to cover, port-load a shotgun slug (enter a musket round directly into your chamber), take out the back target, then reload with buckshot for the final two. It was such a blast!

Bachelor Nic R does the last drill

Pros at the end of the day.