Don’t be surprised if you see a convoy of military helicopters land in Lead Hill. Troy Burleson’s business, Hard Target has attracted world-wide attention from companies and countries who want their security officers trained by the best as well as a safe, remote location for “special teams” to train.
Burleson’s dream of creating “camps” to train teams or individuals in the art of self defense which include “lethal weapons as a last resort” is coming true.
The 33 acres of land and deep dirt berms built on the property provide a safe place to target practice and receive training.
“It’s been my mission to bring sound firearm skills to regular Americans while teaching safety, responsibility and realism,” Burleson said. “We at Hard Target believe in the second amendment as an American right to be protected and exercised. We also believe that this right has great responsibilities attached.”
Burleson and his team teach “responsible carry.” Hard Target Shooting Academy teaches students firearm fundamentals as well as advanced shooting self-defense techniques. Students can also take advantage of the indoor state-of-the-art MILO Shooting Simulator.
The high tech simulator provides a “shoot or don’t shoot” training experiences which taps the stress and emotional side of training.
The Hard Target facility has expanded over the years with RV hookups and rooms of bunk beds which allow for groups up to 24 for one to four days/nights of accommodation either in the venue of shooting or martial arts camps. Private or small group training is also available by the hour.
The MILO Shooting Simulator has thousands of scenarios to teach and train students how to protect themselves and the best way to avoid ever having to use a gun. But if life is threatened, the laser guns and screen action prepare a person for what “could” happen — and then playback shows what could have been done differently.
One female student said she went through the simulation of a man breaking a patio door and gaining access to her home. When spotted, the perpetrator began shooting at the woman. Burleson said, “In a home invasion, if your gun isn’t 5-8 seconds away or less, your weapon is probably useless.”
In the simulator, the female returned fire and the perp fell into the kitchen floor. Then Burleson walks the female around the corner so she has a full view of the kitchen floor on the screen. The perpetrator is laying on the floor, but his hand is still on the trigger of the gun. Burleson asks her, “What should you do now?”
The female is taught to keep the gun trained on the suspect and safely back out of the house to call the police. But that’s not what the student did the first time. It took running the scenario several times before the best options became a habit and she survived the attack.
The female said was amazed at the emotional toll using the gun had taken on her. After seeing the event replayed, she was able to see where her shots hit the man. In the scenario of walking into the kitchen, she even took some additional shots to “make sure.” Two of the shots she remembered. The one to the perpetrator’s head, she didn’t remember. Burleson explained this is called “stress induced amnesia. It takes two sleeps for a person to correctly remember all the details of an event like this.”
Another scenario teaches a man how to back away from a knife fight instead of pulling a gun. “This has made grown men cry, when they realize it’s OK to back away from a fight,” Burleson said. “Of course, they know how to use their weapon but it’s always as a last resort and only if your life is being threatened. Knives are deadly weapons, too. But first respond by yelling ‘knife’ so others can hear. Raise your hands in the air and back away.”
For a schedule of classes available visit the website at bahardtarget.com or the Facebook page BA Hard Target Shooting Academy. Texting is also available by using 417-239-4451.
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