KR Training June 2026 Newsletter

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SUMMER OVERVIEW

Lots of great classes coming up this summer in June and July! Plenty of slots open. Many of the classes mix indoor and outdoor activities so students aren’t baking in the summer heat all day. We are still making some final scheduling decisions about August and fall plans. More classes will be announced in the July newsletter.

RED DOT STUDY DATA COLLECTION – YOUR INPUT NEEDED

In September Penny and I will be presenting the results of our old “red dot vs irons vs lasers” study, where we measured performance of 120+ shooters at 5 and 10 yards using four different sighting systems. We are collecting additional data this summer on shooter performance at 10 and 20 yards, and allowing people to self-report their data. The instructions are here.

https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/f4vmqrd77zi2onb/Red_Dot_Self_Reporting_Instructions_2026-06-09.pdf/file

We are accepting user-submitted data from now until August 15, 2026. All you need is a pistol with an optic and usable backup irons, four B-8 target centers, 20 rounds of ammo and a timer or stopwatch (you can use a phone timer) to give you 10 and 20 second par times.

UPCOMING CLASSES

We have scheduled a lot of classes (and summer fun matches) for the next few months. Weekday private lessons are available on request. Two hours, $150, any topic, any gun, any skill level.

JUNE – JULY

Courses marked with *** count toward our Defensive Pistol Skills Program coin.

SUMMER FUN MATCHES

Every summer we run Wednesday night fun matches at the A-Zone. Unlike the big matches run on a weekends, these matches run fast. We start at 6 pm, shooters can show up as late as 7 pm, and we are done by 9. To make it run fast, I set up all the stages myself during the day, and we limit attendance to 25 shooters (preregistration is required). Shooters new to competition shooting, including juniors, are always welcome. Stages can be shot with pistols and pistol caliber carbines. Our matches are unaffiliated with any national organization and typically use “hit factor” scoring similar to USPSA. Stages typically include an all steel “Steel Challenge” style stage, a plate rack stages, some kind of standards/stand and shoot paper course, and a shoothouse stage. Typical round count is 90-100 if you don’t miss. After everyone has shot the stages, they stay open until dark for practice/fun runs. More information about the fun matches can be found here.

STAFF & ALUMNI NEWS

Doug Greig was a trainer at the national “A Girl and a Gun” 2026 conference. He taught 3 courses multiple times over the 3 days. Handgun Essentials, Manipulations and Accuracy, Top 5 Defensive Drills, and Red Cross First Aid w/ CPR/AED certifications.

I was a guest on the “Making Shooters Better” podcast, talking with Laser Ammo’s Terry Vaughan about the gap between carry permit standards and realistic defensive shooting standards.

I was also on the “That Weems Guy” podcast discussing the new irons/red dot study we will be doing this summer, along with other handgun shooting standards.

RIFLE CLASSES

We have three rifle classes on the calendar for June: Doug Greig is teaching half day sessions of basic rifle and intermediate rifle on June 14 (Sunday), and returning Saturday June 20 to offer the Palisades Training .22 rimfire rifle self defense course. Course designer Steve Moses talked about the course on this episode of the That Weems Guy podcast.

GREG ELLIFRITZ CLASSES

Greg is returning to the A-Zone in July to teach a one day “Knife Skills for Carry Permit Holders” class on Saturday, July 11. No prior knife training is required. This will be indoors in the AC all day. On Sunday Greg will offer a one day “Grid Down Medical” class teaching skills beyond the standard Stop the Bleed curriculum, including suturing.

JORGE PASTORE FOUNDATION

The Jorge Pastore Foundation is a local non-profit with the mission of enhancing the lives and careers of first responders through training opportunities, wellness programs and community engagement. It was started to honor the memory of Austin PD SWAT officer Jorge Pastore who was killed in the line of duty in 2023. JPF founder Kim Pastore has visited KR Training several times, as a match competitor and range guest. They are currently running a fund-raising online raffle for a “Sons of Liberty” rifle. Please support this great organization by purchasing a raffle ticket or just making a donation.

https://go.rallyup.com/sonsrifle/Campaign/Details

DISCOUNT CODES

I have collected up all the discount codes we have set up with vendors we recommend. Alumni of KR Training classes will find them in the monthly e-news email. You’ll have to open the email and scroll to the bottom to find them. It’s a reward for actually opening and reading the email!

REFRESHER DEALS

Re-take any class you’ve taken before for half price! Contact me to get the alumni discount code. Firearms skills deteriorate without practice. Most ranges don’t allow drawing from a holster, shooting quickly, moving or shooting from cover. If you don’t practice the skills you learned in class, they won’t be there when you need them.

BLOG O RAMA

All the articles you missed if you don’t follow the KR Training Facebook page and Instagram feed.

MUSIC VIDEOS OF THE MONTH

This video is from an April show with the Black Cat Choir, where we have some fun with the Rolling Stones’ “Miss You”, and our lead singer does his Mick Jagger impression.

The AI revolution in music is here. One of my old band mates has been using AI to “reimagine” songs we wrote and recorded in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. The AI engine takes in the original recording and produces pro-grade “cover versions” of the original song. Here’s the AI generated cover version of our song “Together For Life”, which is a sarcastic 80’s metal power ballad about a failed marriage, in the style of Ozzy and Guns and Roses’ “November Rain”.

In addition to my regular solo shows (Tuesdays at Luigi’s in College Station), I will be at the Kenney Store (near Brenham) with the Black Cat Choir Saturday night, June 13 (7-10p), and Midnight Express (playing 60’s-80’s classic horn band songs from Steely Dan to Chicago to Huey Lewis and Earth, Wind and Fire) will be at the Palace Theater in downtown Bryan June 26.

FOLLOW US ONLINE!

Keep up with the interesting articles, links, and stories we share in real time. Follow KR Training on Facebook, Instagram or X. Subscribe to this newsletter or follow this blog (right) for more frequent posts and information. Send me an email to schedule your private weekday training session.

We look forward to training you!
Karl, Penny and the KR Training team