Hard Target Solutions

You boys ever been to Mexico?

What a great way to wrap up the week here in Florida before we hit the road again.

One of the best parts of this job is that our clients occasionally bring out some incredible pieces of history. This time, it was a beautifully refurbished 1944 C**t M1911A1—a true World War II-era U.S. service pistol.

There are plenty of great 1911s out there, but there’s just something about a C**t. The history, the feel, the trigger…they simply have a character that’s hard to explain until you’ve shot one.

And yes…that group was shot at 25 yards.

Now it’s time to pack the truck and head to the next stop. See you on the road

A little behind-the-scenes from this past week.

It was a nice change of pace trading the instructor role for the other side of the camera—spending a few days on the range working on commercials, photo shoots, and other projects. Just as important, it was great catching up with good friends, good people, and enjoying some time together.

We are back in Florida for just a few days to knock out a few more classes before we hit the road again. Texas is next, followed by more states as the summer schedule stays full.

Looking forward to seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and continuing to build safer, stronger communities wherever the road takes us.

See you on the road.
See you on the range.

Happy Independence Day from Hard Target Solutions. Stay safe. 🇺🇸

PSA: The newest resident physicians started July 1…

Which means by July 4, your ER doctor might have exactly three days on the job. 😅

Do everyone a favor:
• Don’t hold fireworks in your hand.
• Don’t drink and drive.
• Don’t try that stunt your buddy swears is “safe.”
• Wear the life jacket.
• Pack a trauma kit.

We’d much rather teach you in one of our classes than meet you in an emergency department.

Another outstanding weekend on the range training an executive protection team in our Counter Threat Vehicle course.

Protecting a principal isn’t just about driving from Point A to Point B. It requires understanding vehicle dynamics, using the vehicle as a tool, recognizing threats before they develop, and, when necessary, fighting in, around, and through the vehicle to protect yourself and those in your care.

Whether you carry a firearm professionally or for personal protection, operating effectively in and around vehicles is a skill that shouldn’t be overlooked. Most violent encounters occur in and around vehicles, yet very few people have ever trained in that environment.

A huge thank you to this outstanding group of executive protection professionals for their professionalism, work ethic, and willingness to push themselves throughout the course.

Now it’s back on the road. Over the next month we’ll be traveling through 10 states, continuing to train military, law enforcement, security professionals, and responsibly armed citizens across the country.

We’ll see everyone back in Florida soon.

Some of our clients commuted to work this morning, dropped their kids off at school, and started their Monday with a little more confidence than they had a few days ago. Confidence in their ability to recognize threats, defend themselves, protect their loved ones, and fight their way out of a violent encounter involving a vehicle.

Our Counter Carjacking & Vehicle Defense Course isn’t taught standing flat-footed on a square range. Students learn to work from inside and around vehicles, shoot from unconventional positions, and apply multiple tactics to real-world problems. We explore what works, what doesn’t, and how to build a skill set that fits the individual.

The goal isn’t to win a competition. The goal is to survive the encounter and make it home to the people counting on you.

We are second to none when it comes to realistic, practical, and experience-driven training.

See you back on the range soon.

Got books?

In nearly 30 years of military, law enforcement, medical, and international training, I cannot remember attending a single professional course where I didn’t leave with something to take home. A course book. A workbook. A textbook. A field guide. Something that allowed me to review, study, and continue learning long after the class was over.

So here’s a question:

If you’re paying good money for training, and that company is running large classes - why haven’t they taken the time to develop a course book for you?

Why aren’t they providing you with a resource you can reference six months from now?

Why aren’t they investing in your continued success after the class ends?

At Hard Target Solutions, every course we teach has been written, developed, and published with a corresponding course book. Whether it’s trauma medicine, handgun, long-range precision, counter carjacking, active threat response, or one of our specialized programs, our students leave with more than just a certificate and a handshake.

They leave with a resource.

These books are getting printed, bound, and prepared for the next several days of training, and one of our favorite comments from students never gets old:

“Wait...we actually get a course book?”

Absolutely.

Because learning doesn’t stop when the class ends.

The certificate may go on the wall, but the course book is what gets pulled off the shelf when you need the information most.

That’s one of the many reasons we continue to set ourselves apart.

Train hard. Stay humble. Keep learning.

Most fi****ms courses focus on marksmanship. We go a step further.

One of the classes we offer is Terminal Ballistics—or in plain English, what actually stops a violent threat. We break down the physiological effects of gunshot wounds, shot placement, wound mechanisms, human performance under stress, and why some threats stop immediately while others continue to fight.

Many instructors avoid this topic because they’re worried about how it sounds in court. The reality is simple: if you’re teaching fi****ms, you should understand the effects of the tool you’re teaching people to use. Ignoring the subject doesn’t make it disappear.

At Hard Target Solutions, we don’t shy away from difficult conversations. We believe educated, responsible gun owners should understand not only how to shoot, but what happens after the trigger is pressed.

Knowledge matters. Reality matters.

Another great day on the range running our Intermediate Carbine Course.

Designed to build upon the fundamentals taught in our Fundamental Carbine Program, this course introduces students to the practical application of the rifle in a dynamic environment. Training focuses on weapons handling under stress, malfunction recognition and clearance, reload procedures, rifle-to-handgun transitions, handgun-to-rifle transitions, movement, use of cover and concealment, target discrimination, and team communication principles.

As students become more confident with the platform, we begin introducing tactical concepts and problem-solving exercises that require them to think, move, communicate, and engage effectively. The goal is not simply marksmanship, but developing a capable and responsible armed citizen who understands how to employ the rifle efficiently and safely.

Great weather, great students, and another successful day on the range.

We’re looking forward to the rest of this week’s range sessions and classroom instruction.

Hard Target Solutions

Back in the classroom this week running our Advanced Trauma Course.

While our Foundational Trauma Program focuses on the MARCH algorithm and the immediate management of life-threatening injuries, our Advanced Trauma Course takes students several steps further. Participants learn advanced hemorrhage control techniques, improvised tourniquet construction using fundamental tourniquet principles, improvised splinting, burn assessment and management, environmental emergencies, patient movement considerations, prolonged field care concepts, and advanced airway management including airway assessment, adjunct selection, and advanced airway placement considerations when managing critically ill or injured patients.

The course also expands beyond traumatic injuries and introduces students to common medical emergencies, shock recognition and management, patient assessment, and additional trauma decision-making algorithms designed to help bridge the gap between basic first aid and advanced emergency care.

Our goal is not simply to teach skills, but to teach the critical thinking behind them. Equipment fails. Supplies run out. Conditions change. Students learn how to adapt, improvise, and overcome using sound medical principles that can be applied in the real world.

Knowledge weighs nothing, and preparation saves lives.

Hard Target Solutions