On the fourth Tuesday of each month, we hold a 3-hour seminar, clinic or workshop at Down Range Supply. Topics will be different each month and often are exclusive to LTAC Tuesday West.

The Warrior’s Path was the name of a system of trails used by Native Americans, including the Iriquois, Shawnee and Cherokee.  I-81, PA 11/15, and the Appalachian Trail are all modern leftovers of this ancient path that young men of various tribes took to test themselves in combat and survival.

Many of you are prepping for the LTAC Pennsylvania Light Fighter Challenge. To help you get an idea of where you are in your training, we are putting together a virtual ruck.

This is a 10-mile ruck, with a 35-pound backpack (not including water weight). This is the weight requirement for the Light Fighter Challenge, and the approximate distance you will travel, including the timed ruck and the loop you will walk to get to the stations.

Even if you are not able to make it to the Light Fighter Challenge, we hope you’ll join us for this ruck!

Participation is simple. Register for free by adding this event to your cart and going through the checkout. Sometime from July 10 to July 26, complete your ruck. You will need to take a picture of your backpack, with its weight. You can use a fish scale or a luggage scale for this. Use a GPS tracker to record your date, mileage, time and elevation gain.

After you have completed your ruck, email your pictures and GPS files to info@lodestonetac.com. Once we receive the submissions, we will rank the participants by the fastest time and by the most elevation gained. Rucks completed outside of the July 10-26 window will not be accepted. All submissions must be received by midnight on July 29.

We look forward to seeing how everyone is doing!

The Rifle Low Light - Day One class is an introduction to using your Rifle in the dark.  This class is not just about shooting under low light conditions.  It is also about getting students experience with moving in the dark without the use of aids and then moving with Night Vision Devices. The students will shoot various drills, gaining experience and helping them along the path of mastery.  This will be accomplished using both flashlights and night vision devices. This class will include different operations, such as magazine changes and fixing malfunctions without the aid of light.  It will use a combination of paper, cardboard and steel targets for the different drills.   

Day One: We will start with a presentation about principles and techniques of shooting and operating in limited light.  The class will then shoot drills with white light.  We will move on to fixing malfunctions without the aid of light.  This will then be followed by getting acquainted with NVDs. After zeroing lasers, students will then do a series of drills under NODs.  First just a familiarization by shooting steel targets, then various types of targets with more dynamic drills. The class will finish with a “jungle” walk. 

The day will consist of about 1 hour of classroom instruction, followed by live-fire instruction.

When Day One and Day Two are scheduled on consecutive days, slots for both classes can be purchased together at a discounted rate.

In the Spirit of the Pennsylvania Light Fighter Challenge, this unique competition takes place at night and will require the use of flashlights and night vision.We just don’t do hard things anymore.This is an opportunity to push yourself and grow. The challenge starts at Dusk.You will walk along an approximately 3-mile trail, in some rugged terrain with elevation changes, using your night vision.

At the completion of the hike, you will go through an approximately mile-long course with different challenges.Stages will include Shooting with white light, Shooting with NODs and lasers, escape and evasion, CQB and more. There will be prizes for the top 10 competitors.This is the chance to challenge yourself at night.

Participants should arrive to check in at 6 pm.

The Lodestone Training and Consulting Concealed Carry Series is designed to empower you to safely carry and defend yourself.   This series of classes will teach how to carry in the day-to-day world.  We will teach you principles or truths, then you will use what techniques work best for your life and circumstances.   These classes are paced to the student’s level of experience, so that no matter what skill level the student arrives with, the entire class succeeds.

Day One starts with an in-depth conversation about safety and how to carry.  We review the 8 principles of shooting, followed by a detailed explanation of the draw.  The class then moves to the firing line.  Starting with single shots, drills will work in a progressive manner until students are shooting from retention.  This day will give students a solid foundation to build on.  This class offers the perfect opportunity to become familiar with the ins and outs of concealed carry, and prepares them to carry a firearm in the defense of themselves and their family. 

The day consists of 1-2 hours of classroom instruction, followed by live fire instruction.  There is a 30-60 minute lunch break, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

MPOETC CLEE ID: CLE02137 — 8 Hours

This one day Workshop will begin with a review of the basic principles of room clearing, both as part of a small team and as a lone responder. We will cover hallways, the threshold, entering a room, and clearing.  We will discuss when and why you should use speed, and when you should be slow and methodical. This class uses man-marking rounds. We will have all the protective equipment needed for the class. We will also have drop-in bolts for use in your AR-type Patrol Rifle to use. That way you can use YOUR gun through the course of fire, getting the most out of the training.

Topics will be covered in a classroom environment but with most of the time spent in the simulation lab.  

There is a 30-60 minute lunch break, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

This one-day course builds on the principles and concepts of the Rifle Marksmanship Foundation Series and the Pistol Marksmanship Foundation Series.  In a fight, the decision transition to your secondary weapon should be smooth and instantaneous. We will spend the whole day working on the fine points of making this a reality.  By the end of the day you will know when and where to move from your primary to your secondary weapon as you accomplish your own individual shooter solution.  

The day will start with a classroom discussion on the principles of using two weapon systems together. We will move to the range and do some fundamental drills for both systems.  We then introduce transition, covering the fine points.  We spend as much time explaining the why as we do the how.  We finish up with a series of drills that will push the student to the point of failure as they learn how to navigate their own personal shooter solution.  Just because your rifle goes dry does not mean the right answer is to automatically draw your pistol.  Just like the majority of our classes, we want you to be playing Chess while others are playing Checkers. 

There is a 30-60 minute lunch break each day, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

Lodestone Skills classes are designed as a 3-hour supplement to our normal Marksmanship and Combat Marksmanship classes, to provide an additional opportunity for training.  We have kept the round count limited to 150 rounds.  This is to ensure the opportunity to train while we are going through this ammo crunch.  The Skills classes will take the skills and concepts that you’ve already learned and reinforce them with additional repetition.  They also introduce additional skills and concepts that might not fit into a regular class but are valuable to your continued training.

Each class will be slightly different.  Instructors will change drills from class to class based on the ability of the students and their desire for learning. 

Rifle Skills Class Level One reviews some of the material of the Rifle Marksmanship Foundation Series but spends most of the time on drills.  It is targeted at students who are familiar with Rifles but may have had limited structured training before. It will help them build a solid foundation.  This class offers the perfect opportunity for the student to refine their manipulation and utilization of a Rifle and prepares them to use a Rifle in the defense of themselves and their family.

The day consists of 3 hours of live-fire instruction. 

Lodestone Skills classes are designed as a 3-hour supplement to our normal Marksmanship and Combat Marksmanship classes, to provide an additional opportunity for training.  We have kept the round count limited to 150 rounds.  This is to ensure the opportunity to train while we are going through this ammo crunch.  The Skills classes will take the skills and concepts that you’ve already learned and reinforce them with additional repetition.  They also introduce additional skills and concepts that might not fit into a regular class but are valuable to your continued training.

Each class will be slightly different.  Instructors will change drills from class to class based on the ability of the students and their desire for learning. 

Rifle Skills Class Level Two This will be a full 3 hours of training with dynamic drills. It is highly recommended that you have taken the LTAC  Rifle Combat Marksmanship series.  Expect almost every drill to include movement with many incorporating barricades.  The shooting will be varied from extreme close range to 100 meters using a combination of paper, cardboard and steel targets.  Some drills and shots being taken at contact distance.  This class is about fighting, not playing video games.  It will be physically demanding with many drills starting from the ground and having the students fight to their feet.  

The day consists of 3 hours of live fire instruction. 

Lodestone Shotgun Skills classes are designed as a 3-hour supplement to our normal Shotgun Mastery Series classes, to provide an additional opportunity for training.  We have kept the round count limited.  This is to ensure the opportunity to train while we are going through this ammo crunch.  The Skills classes will take the skills and concepts that you’ve already learned and reinforce them with additional repetition.  They also introduce additional skills and concepts that might not fit into a regular class but are valuable to your continued training.

Each class will be slightly different.  Instructors will change drills from class to class based on the ability of the students and their desire for learning. 

Shotgun Skills: Level One reviews some of the material of the Shotgun Mastery Series - Day One but spends most of the time on drills.  It is targeted at students who are familiar with Shotguns but may have had limited structured training before. It will help them build a solid foundation.  This class offers the perfect opportunity for the student to refine their manipulation and utilization of a Shotgun and prepares them to use a Shotgun in the defense of themselves and their family.

The day consists of 3 hours of live-fire instruction. 

The Warrior’s Path was the name of a system of trails used by Native Americans, including the Iriquois, Shawnee and Cherokee.  I-81, PA 11/15, and the Appalachian Trail are all modern leftovers of this ancient path that young men of various tribes took to test themselves in combat and survival.

Many of you are prepping for the LTAC Pennsylvania Light Fighter Challenge. To help you get an idea of where you are in your training, we are putting together a virtual ruck.

This is a 10-mile ruck, with a 35-pound backpack (not including water weight). This is the weight requirement for the Light Fighter Challenge, and the approximate distance you will travel, including the timed ruck and the loop you will walk to get to the stations.

Even if you are not able to make it to the Light Fighter Challenge, we hope you’ll join us for this ruck!

Participation is simple. Register for free by adding this event to your cart and going through the checkout. Sometime from July 10 to July 26, complete your ruck. You will need to take a picture of your backpack, with its weight. You can use a fish scale or a luggage scale for this. Use a GPS tracker to record your date, mileage, time and elevation gain.

After you have completed your ruck, email your pictures and GPS files to info@lodestonetac.com. Once we receive the submissions, we will rank the participants by the fastest time and by the most elevation gained. Rucks completed outside of the July 10-26 window will not be accepted. All submissions must be received by midnight on July 29.

We look forward to seeing how everyone is doing!

On the fourth Tuesday of each month, we hold a 3-hour seminar, clinic or workshop at Down Range Supply. Topics will be different each month and often are exclusive to LTAC Tuesday West.

The Pistol-Caliber Carbine Mastery Series lays the groundwork for what we teach at Lodestone Training and Consulting.  The courses provide an introduction to the 8 fundamentals of marksmanship and provide the student with a series of foundational drills to reinforce these fundamentals and ensure the student’s success.  These classes are paced to the student’s level of experience, so that no matter what skill level the student arrives with, the entire class succeeds. 

The PCC Mastery Series of classes concentrates on the use of the pistol-caliber carbine.  The Day One course is designed to be run as a single, standalone class, with more advanced topics to be covered in the Day Two offering.  

Day One is the beginning of your pathway to mastery of the pistol-caliber carbine.  It is targeted at students who are new to pistol-caliber carbines, and are looking for a solid foundation to build on.  It is also recommended for students who have rifle-caliber carbine experience, but are less experienced with pistol-caliber carbines.  

This class offers the perfect opportunity for the student to become familiar with the safe manipulation and utilization of a pistol-caliber carbine, as well as comparing and contrasting it to its rifle-caliber cousin.  

The day consists of 2-3 hours of classroom instruction, followed by live-fire instruction. 

There is a 30-60 minute lunch break each day, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

Lodestone Skills classes are designed as a 3-hour supplement to our normal Marksmanship and Combat Marksmanship classes, to provide an additional opportunity for training.  We have kept the round count limited to 200 rounds.  This is to ensure the opportunity to train while we are going through this ammo crunch. 

This course allows the shooter to go through some of the CTEs used by Lodestone. These Evaluations set a standard for the individual shooter to work towards and help track their progress. Too many try to cut corners when using a Shot Timer. They get sloppy in their desire to beat the clock or not be the last one. With help from the Shot Timer, it’s not a pass or fail, but a check on where you are at as a shooter. We’d rather you do it right, than fast and wrong. Speed will come from doing it right.

Each class will be slightly different.  Instructors will change drills from class to class based on the ability of the students and their desire for learning. 

The CTEs tested in this class will be for Pistol. Each one will be explained and demonstrated. You will be given the freedom to work as long as desired for each one. Students will be given a Lodestone TAC CTE score sheet at class.

The day consists of 3 hours of live-fire instruction. 

The Lodestone Training and Consulting Concealed Carry Series is designed to empower you to safely carry and defend yourself.   This series of classes will teach how to carry in the day-to-day world.  We will teach you principles or truths, then you will use what techniques work best for your life and circumstances.   These classes are paced to the student’s level of experience, so that no matter what skill level the student arrives with, the entire class succeeds.

Day One starts with an in-depth conversation about safety and how to carry.  We review the 8 principles of shooting, followed by a detailed explanation of the draw.  The class then moves to the firing line.  Starting with single shots, drills will work in a progressive manner until students are shooting from retention.  This day will give students a solid foundation to build on.  This class offers the perfect opportunity to become familiar with the ins and outs of concealed carry, and prepares them to carry a firearm in the defense of themselves and their family. 

The day consists of 1-2 hours of classroom instruction, followed by live fire instruction.  There is a 30-60 minute lunch break, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

Lodestone Skills classes are designed as a 3-hour supplement to our normal Marksmanship and Combat Marksmanship classes, to provide an additional opportunity for training.  We have kept the round count limited to 150 rounds.  This is to ensure the opportunity to train while we are going through this ammo crunch.  The Skills classes will take the skills and concepts that you’ve already learned and reinforce them with additional repetition.  They also introduce additional skills and concepts that might not fit into a regular class but are valuable to your continued training.

Each class will be slightly different.  Instructors will change drills from class to class based on the ability of the students and their desire for learning. 

Pistol Skills Class Level One reviews some of the material of the Pistol Marksmanship Foundation Series but spends most of the time on drills.  It is targeted at students who are familiar with Handguns but may have had limited structured training before. It will help them build a solid foundation.  This class offers the perfect opportunity for the student to refine their manipulation and utilization of a Pistol and prepares them to use a handgun in the defense of themselves and their family.

 The day consists of 3 hours of live-fire instruction. 

The Lodestone Training and Consulting Concealed Carry series is designed to empower you to safely carry and defend yourself.   This series of classes will teach how to carry in the day-to-day world.  We will teach you principles or truths, then you will use what techniques work best for your life and circumstances.   These classes are paced to the student’s level of experience, so that no matter what skill level the student arrives with, the entire class succeeds. 

Day Two starts with a review of topics covered in Day One.    The class then moves to the firing line.  We start the range time with a cold, stressful drill.  After reviewing the student performance, we do a warmup section of drills.  We incorporate movement and then controlling innocents while managing a threat.  Shooting from seated and other confined spaces will also be presented.  We will use different methods of adding stress to the students to maximize learning and growth.  This class offers the perfect opportunity to become familiar with the ins and outs of concealed carry, and prepares them to carry a firearm in the defense of themselves.

The day consists of 1-2 hours of classroom instruction, followed by live fire instruction.  There is a 30-60 minute lunch break, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

Lodestone Skills classes are designed as a 3-hour supplement to our normal Marksmanship and Combat Marksmanship classes, to provide an additional opportunity for training.  We have kept the round count limited to 150 rounds.  This is to ensure the opportunity to train while we are going through this ammo crunch.  The Skills classes will take the skills and concepts that you’ve already learned and reinforce them with additional repetition.  They also introduce additional skills and concepts that might not fit into a regular class but are valuable to your continued training.

Each class will be slightly different.  Instructors will change drills from class to class based on the ability of the students and their desire for learning. 

Pistol Skills Class Level Two will be a full 3 hours of training with dynamic drills. It is highly recommended that you have taken the LTAC  Pistol Combat Marksmanship Series.  Expect almost every drill to include movement with many incorporating barricades.  The shooting will be varied from extreme close range to 75 meters using a combination of paper, cardboard and steel targets, with some drills and shots being taken at contact distance.  This class is about fighting, not playing video games.  It will be physically demanding with many drills starting from the ground and having the students fight to their feet.  

The day consists of 3 hours of live-fire instruction. 

The Sixth Annual Pennsylvania Light Fighter Challenge is an opportunity for you to learn a little about yourself as you navigate a 10-plus mile course. We just don’t do hard things much anymore. In the spirit of all the Light Fighters that have gone on before us, we created this challenge. It is an opportunity to push yourself and grow. This year we will be switching things up a bit compared to the last few years.  The challenge starts at 7am with an approximately 8-mile march at your pace. Upon its completion, you will then have multiple stages to choose from to test yourself.   In the past stages have included shooting, land navigation, medical, axe-throwing, starting a fire for time and others. Based on your overall time and performance at the stages, you will earn an American Light Fighter Tab, or the coveted Pennsylvania Light Fighter Tab. 

It is being held at Long Shot Ammo & Arms. 

PLFC participants will have the option to arrive Friday afternoon/evening and camp onsite to be ready Saturday morning or arrive at 6:30 am Saturday morning. Long Shot also has RV hookups for those who would like this option. 

This year, above and beyond the Challenge itself, this is also a chance to enjoy the fellowship of the Lodestone family.

If you are camping, bring everything with you that you will need for primitive camping.

The Dynamics of a Gunfight Series by Lodestone Training and Consulting bridges the gap between flat range classes and scenario-based Force on Force classes.  This series of classes breaks down a gunfight to its primitive form.  By using Airsoft guns in this setting, students will experience multiple repetitions against live opponents in each drill. Sometimes there is a fine line between fantasy camp and real training.  The Dynamics of a Gunfight Series was created and is taught by instructors who have won multiple gunfights and are sharing their real-world experiences with the students.  Basically, everything they wish they had known before the first bullet went past their head. 

Day One is spent solely on pistol in an open environment.   This class will explore the 360* world, helping the student to break free from static range habits.  Movement will be your friend.  Students will be encouraged to move, to get off the X.  Pain will encourage them even more.  As the day progresses, there will be plenty of mistakes made. Students will be able to experience those mistakes and then immediately rest and try again, learning from each iteration.  This class will also explore one-on-two and one-on-three drills.   

Students do not need to bring firearms, or extra kit.  All Airsoft guns and supporting equipment for them will be provided.  LTAC will also supply safety face masks.  You are free to bring your own if desired.  We do encourage that you bring gloves. 

There is a 30-60 minute lunch break, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

The Dynamics of a Gunfight Series by Lodestone Training and Consulting bridges the gap between flat range classes and scenario-based Force on Force classes.  This series of classes breaks down a gunfight to its primitive form.  By using Airsoft guns in this setting, students will experience multiple repetitions against live opponents in each drill. Sometimes there is a fine line between fantasy camp and real training.  The Dynamics of a Gunfight Series was created and is taught by instructors who have won multiple gunfights and are sharing their real-world experiences with the students.  Basically, everything they wish they had known before the first bullet went past their head. 

Day Two uses both rifle and pistol. We will be inside buildings for a more real-world, and claustrophobic, atmosphere. Reps will be in both closed room and multi-room environments. The scenarios throughout the day will build on each other. They will give the student something new with each rep for them to experience. Situational awareness will be the order of the day. It’s not about playing a game of tag; it’s about learning how to deal with the stress of a lethal encounter and fight to survive. As the day progresses, there will be plenty of mistakes made. Students will be able to experience those mistakes and then immediately rest, think, and try again.

Students do not need to bring firearms, or extra kit.  All Airsoft guns and supporting equipment for them will be provided.  LTAC will also supply safety face masks.  You are free to bring your own if desired.  We do encourage that you bring gloves. 

There is a 30-60 minute lunch break, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

The Rifle Marksmanship Foundation Series lays the groundwork for what we teach at Lodestone Training and Consulting.  The courses provide an introduction to the 8 fundamentals of marksmanship and provide the student with a series of foundation drills to reinforce these fundamentals and ensure the student’s success.  These classes are paced to the student’s level of experience, so that no matter what skill level the student arrives with, the entire class succeeds. 

This class starts with foundation drills at a distance of 25m and less. These drills are designed for you to begin your mastery of running your rifle. We then start to back off and shoot different drills at 50, 75 and 100 meters. We will shoot using various positions at each distance. This class will help you learn to get the most out of your rifle using a combination of steel and paper targets. You will better understand what your weapon is capable of. This class is designed to bring you to the failure point, and help you work through it to confidence. This class offers the perfect opportunity for the student to refine their manipulation and utilization of a rifle and prepares them to use a rifle in the defense of themselves and their family. The speed of the class will be adjusted to the experience level of the participants.

Please come with your weapon already zeroed.

The day consists of 1-2 hours of classroom instruction, followed by live-fire instruction.  There is a 30-60 minute lunch break, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

MPOETC CLEE ID: CLE02137 — 8 Hours

This one day Workshop will begin with a review of the basic principles of room clearing, both as part of a small team and as a lone responder. We will cover hallways, the threshold, entering a room, and clearing.  We will discuss when and why you should use speed, and when you should be slow and methodical. This class uses man-marking rounds. We will have all the protective equipment needed for the class. We will also have drop-in bolts for use in your AR-type Patrol Rifle to use. That way you can use YOUR gun through the course of fire, getting the most out of the training.

Topics will be covered in a classroom environment but with most of the time spent in the simulation lab.  

There is a 30-60 minute lunch break, with lunch being provided by LTAC.

MPOETC CLEE ID: CLE02270 — 8 Hours

The Combat Marksmanship curriculum is the foundation of what we teach at the Lodestone Training and Consulting.  The course provides an introduction to the 8 fundamentals of combat marksmanship, and provides the student with a series of foundation drills to reinforce these fundamentals and ensure the students success.  These classes are paced to the student’s level of experience, so that no matter what skill level the student arrives with, the entire class succeeds. 

The Shotgun series of classes concentrates on the use of the Shotgun.  The Day One course is targeted at students who are new to Shotguns and are looking for a solid foundation to build on.  This class offers the perfect opportunity for the student to become familiar with the safe manipulation and utilization of a Shotgun and prepares them to use a Shotgun in the defense of themselves and their family. 

The day consists of 1-2 hours of classroom instruction, followed by live-fire instruction.  There is a 30-60 minute lunch break included, lunch to be provided by LTAC.

MPOETC CLEE ID: CLE02284 — 8 Hours

The Introduction to Combat Marksmanship curriculum is the foundation of what we teach at the Lodestone Training and Consulting.  The course provides an introduction to the 8 fundamentals of combat marksmanship and provides the student with a series of foundation drills to reinforce these fundamentals and ensure the students success.  These classes are paced to the student’s level of experience, so that no matter what skill level the student arrives with, the entire class succeeds. 

The Shotgun Day Two class picks up where Day One left off.  The Day Two course starts by reinforcing what was learned in Day One, and then moves on to movement and barricades – both vital areas of knowledge in a gunfight.  The day consists of dynamic drills incorporating the lessons learned, and will be physically demanding, with movement in all planes, and the use of cover – some drills will start from the ground, as well. 

The day consists of 1-2 hours of classroom instruction, followed by live fire instruction.  There is a 30-60 minute lunch break included, lunch to be provided by LTAC.

The world is changing daily. On a normal day, heading to the park can result in aiding someone who was hit by a vehicle. Your workday could be upended with an injury that no one expected. In the past few years, we are seeing an increase in violence across the world in riots, shootings, stabbings, and more. There is always a level of uncertainty no one can predict. The question is, will you be prepared for that moment? This course will help you be prepared for those moments of tragedy.

This class is the first step towards a whole medic mindset and approach. Utilizing the SMARCH algorithm, individuals will learn about approaching scenes and security, and how to apply life-saving interventions. Managing major bleeds, airway, respiratory injuries and secondary bleeds in order to preserve life are the core fundamentals covered in this class. We will incorporate patient care, stabilization, transport and hand-off principles. We will discuss medical kits and supplies to have on hand and how to plus up as needed. Lastly, we will discuss mass casualty scenarios and introduce low-light skills.

This course is fantastic for teachers, church members, law enforcement officers, and business owners alike.