Gun instruction

[Jarfykk]

So my wife and I are interested in learning how to use firearms safely and effectively. Mainly for home defense but possibly as a hobby (do lots of outdoors stuff). I've been reading Calguns for a few months and enjoy it as a resource and place to learn.

We are in San Diego and looking for a class or even private instruction. Have tried a few times now getting into the into classes P2K in El Cajon puts on, but they seem to fill up several weeks in advance (and it is hard for us to see if we can make a class until a week or two out). Can anyone recommend any other local instruction? P2K seems well regarded here, so welcome advice on other places.

Mainly handguns at first but also interested in long guns. Plan to purchase two pistols (kind TBD) and accessories/ammo so a sizable layout I'd think.

She's never handled a gun at all before, I did in Boy Scouts some years ago (Rifle and Shotgun merit badges), but nothing since.

Any suggestions?

[hayaku]

check out stan's classes. well worth many times the cost. safe, knowledgeable, no pressure, no ego, no crazy stuff.... he even rents guns if you need for his classes.

http://www.stcrispian.com/Classes.html

[TheExpertish]

Where in San Diego are you?

[Bert Gamble]

Post a request for a Diamond membership at Front Sight in Pahrump Nevada (near Vegas). There are people here who bought memberships during promotions specifically for resale. You can probably get one fairly resonably.

I have been there for 2 handgun classes and one shotgun class. Will be heading there with my daughter in December and again in April with my son for their first times.

I spent $500 for my membership and you should be able to get yours for less.

I honestly believe that it is the best money I have ever spent. A friend who went to the shotgun course with me was skeptical at first so I told him I would give him the membership, just to get him to go to the class. After the first day on the range, he wanted to pay me for it because he was so impressed. I told him to call it a Christmas present, but he owes me a good one in return.

If I had any more, I would sell you a couple at cost ($125), but I gave mine to friends and family.

Even if you only went once, 4 days in training for what amounts to $5 - $10 an hour is a good value.

[Jarfykk]

Thanks for the ideas, will look into them. Welcome any additional thoughts.

For the person who asked we are in central SD, near Kearny Mesa.

[tacticalcity]

If after researching Front Sight it sounds like fun to you, look into buying a First Time Student Course Certificate instead of buying a membership. You might only want to go once, and they usually only cost $150. You can use one for yourself and one for your wife. I bought one on here for a cousin for that amount a couple years ago, and another for a friend of eBay.

There are also lots of local schools where you are. From big name schools to small name schools. Search the Competition, Action-Shooting, and Training Section for a school in your area that matches your needs and budget. I'm all for traveling to Front Sight and always enjoy it. But you have options where you live and depending on your finances they might make more sense at the moment. Travel gets expensive all on its own, but it does make for a condusive learning enviorment. No distractions from home or the office or your normal life. You can go in full on vacation mode and focus 100% on the training for the full four days.

The biggest name school in your local area is US Training Center, run by the same company that owns Blackwater (now Xe). Very expensive, but top notch training. They have several courses that sound so darn cool that I added them to my "bucket list". Last I checked they do not offer discount certificates like Front Sight does. So the advertised cost is the actual cost...which is up there.

No need to be intimidated. Courses are skill level appropriate. You will end up with law enforcement, military, house wives, computer programmers, and people from all walks of life in these courses. People with similar interests to yours. So you will make a few friends. Show up with the right mindset and a good attitude and you will have an amazing time. Boat loads of fun plus you learn a lot. How many "schools" or "courses" have you leaving with an ear to ear grin? Shooting schools are like that.

You just have to make sure you pay attention to the safety rules, and then it will be hassle free and more enjoyable than you can imagine. They only time they ever get snippy is when/if you flaunt the rules....which are there to keep everybody safe...but for some reason there are people out there who just refuse to be safe. They get sent home ASAP.

Don't fret about that however. It's not hard to follow the rules. They explain them very clearly, they are very easy to understand, and they keep a close eye on you and walk you through everything every step of the way. These courses are carefully designed to help you succeed. I only bring it up just to be extra sure you have a good time.

[tacticalcity]

The guy and his mrs. are looking for basic handgun instruction for an hour or two during the weekend, not a membership to a tactical training facility in Nevada.

Q: I'm new to shooting, what gun should I get?

A: Les Baer SRP with 1.5" guarantee!

But what he and she would benefit from most falls somewhere in the middle.

A four day (or longer) course would be best, and offers the maximum return on money and time invested. You actually develope muscle memory and nice rock solid foundation that you can build on. You will leave utterly amazed at the giant leap in ability you made. Sadly it is not an ideal world, and many of us just can't afford to do this as much as we would like.

Thankfully lots of smaller schools offer one day eight hour courses. A one-day all day course is the bare minimum they should take in order to actually learn something. You don't get the full on muscle memory, but you do get a nice foundation that (if you keep up the drills you learned when you train on your own) turns into muscle memory in time. You won't see nearly the massive leap in ability, but you will learn something and your confidence and ability will improve.

You can't build a solid foundation or even get hands on experience with the four safety rules in a way that really sinks in with a two hour course. That's almost as ineffective as plinking on the range with your buddies. What information you get goes in one ear and out the other and you take very little away from it that lasts. The two hour course is less about learning, and more about introducing non-shooters to shooting to see if they would like to get into it as a hobby. It's about learning how to be safe on a range, which is already a very safe enviorment compared to the real world which doesn't have a range master and designated firing lanes. It's not about becoming truly proficient in any practical way.

[scootle]

I'm not in the SD area, but if you are starting from scratch, any NRA-sanctioned FIRST steps pistol course would fit the bill to get started. It was how I decided to get going and it was money well spent. Typically you spend one night in the classroom and one night on the range at a minimum. Very low-key and intended for first time buyers.

Once you've decided you are "into it" there are a number of respected trainers all over the state (and more outside). If you really are interested in Front Sight, they recently ran promos for both 2-day and 4-day (midweek) classes at ridiculously low prices. Barring actually getting on the mailing list for Mr. Piazza, you can always check the for-sale area here on Calguns or eBay to find certs sold at face-value. The recent deals for the 4-day midweek courses were down to a ridiculous $69 at one point... that's about as cheap as it ever gets, period.

I know Scott Reitz down in the LA area is very well respected... Louis Awerbuck often runs classes down in SoCal as well... and I know Massad Ayoob brings his roadshow to various locations in the state on a regular basis. They all have classes geared towards first-timers to the defensive shooting arts and you can rest assured you are in good hands with any of them.

Best of luck... learn at your own pace from quality instructors and you'll be hooked for life, that is guaranteed!

PS if you have not yet invested in any firearms at all, you might want to hold off until you get a NRA FIRST steps course or similar under your belt. Part of that class on the range is to give you a chance to try a variety of weapon systems in different calibers so you can figure out what floats your boat. In all honestly, buying a .22LR pistol of some kind to get going with the basics and familiarity with fundamentals is money very well-spent, imho. Some of the more involved defensive shooting classes may require you to have a personal firearm of choice, but often you can work with the instructor to obtain rentals and/or suggestions prior to attending. Whatever you do, please don't get caught up in the typical machismo that saturates the gun community regarding "big boy calibers" -- especially if you plan to help your wife get into the sport as well. Learn the fundamentals, get comfortable, then worry about what big-boy toys to get later on...

[billybob_jcv]

C'mon guys - if he or his wife shoot 2 magazines with a 9mm and then say "Ack! I hate this!", then a multi-day course will be a waste of his money. I think a 2 or 4 hour intro course is exactly what they first need, *then* they will know if the real-deal, multi-day course makes sense for one or both of them.

[asgalindez]

ASC in Clairmont has training classes and are close to you.

American Shooting Center
5590 Ruffin Road
San Diego, California 92123

Level 1 Handgun
(1 day or 2 evenings)

Recommended for: Anybody with an interest in the safe and effective use of handguns. Perfect for those who are considering firearms ownership or who have never received formal training.
Experience required: None
Prerequisites: None
Equipment required: Handgun (revolver recommended); rentals available with advance notice at no charge
Eye and ear protection (available at no charge)

Ammunition required:
(not included in course fee) 100 rounds - Please call us to find out current cost and availability - 858.279.7233
Topics covered: Basic firearms safety
California firearms law with respect to handguns, firearms ownership, and use of lethal force
Fundamentals of proper marksmanship
Proper selection of firearms, ammunition, and accessories
Live fire on shooting range
Proper mindset for survival

Course Cost: $150 / plus ammo cost

[Jarfykk]

Super, looks like several options, both near or far and basic/advanced. Appreciate all the recommendations. I think we'll look into see if any of the NRA FIRST classes are available around here, and we do plan to be in Vegas after the New Year so might look into something more advanced down the road.

Based on recommendation from my uncle (CHP, but sadly far away for instruction) we planned to invest in 9mm semi-automatics after taking a course and trying on several for fit/feel. Seemingly lots of options and opinions on this board which was intimidating at first to read through, but really impressed upon me the importance of good training and practice vs. 'which gun is best?' type queries....hence my posting here.

Thanks again and more than welcome any additional thoughts.

[Jarfykk]

Are you familiar with this business? Came across them on google but reviews seemed mixed, looking to see if anyone recommends them.

ASC in Clairmont has training classes and are close to you.

American Shooting Center
5590 Ruffin Road
San Diego, California 92123

Level 1 Handgun
(1 day or 2 evenings)

Recommended for: Anybody with an interest in the safe and effective use of handguns. Perfect for those who are considering firearms ownership or who have never received formal training.
Experience required: None
Prerequisites: None
Equipment required: Handgun (revolver recommended); rentals available with advance notice at no charge
Eye and ear protection (available at no charge)

Ammunition required:
(not included in course fee) 100 rounds - Please call us to find out current cost and availability - 858.279.7233
Topics covered: Basic firearms safety
California firearms law with respect to handguns, firearms ownership, and use of lethal force
Fundamentals of proper marksmanship
Proper selection of firearms, ammunition, and accessories
Live fire on shooting range
Proper mindset for survival

Course Cost: $150 / plus ammo cost

[tacticalcity]

Are you familiar with this business? Came across them on google but reviews seemed mixed, looking to see if anyone recommends them.

Sounds good on paper to me. But it also sounds like you have to have your own gun and gear. If you do great. The only curious thing is that he recommends a revolver. Never seen that before. All the courses I've attended were dominated by the semi-auto. In fact, never seen a revolver in a course. Being a semi-auto guy I would probably keep looking, but that's just me.


billybob_jcv has a valid point. If your wife has never fired a gun, and has any reservations then I would call the local shooting range and see if...

1. They rent guns.
2. They have an NRA certified instructor offering courses at their range.

If the course is around the $50-$100 mark (not including guns and ammo) and lasts from 2-4 hours then you are getting your money's worth. Most 1 day courses run $160, but if they are a small school they usually don't rent guns. So use that as your cutoff point cost wise and don't forget to factor the availablity and cost of guns/gear/ammo.

At least then you can judge the wife's interest, confirm you own, and will know a little bit about guns before making your first purchase.

If you both really enjoy it, and you decide to buy a gun or guns, then I highly recommend taking a longer course with at least a full day and preferrably several days on the range. You need that trigger/range time to build a solid base and comfort level. However a 2-4 hour course will definately help you decide if you're into it or not.

[heycorey]

Jarfykk ... if you haven't yet purchased a gun, I'd suggest that you (and your wife) take the shooting lessons first. Moreover, a 2-4 hours basic handgun safety course is really only designed to teach you how to not shoot yourself (or someone you didn't intend to shoot). While it's a good place to start, it's no measure of what it means to learn how to "shoot".

Once you're comfortable with handling a handgun (basic handgun safety), find a range that rents guns and try some various guns out. When you're comfortable handling a few different kinds of guns, THEN go find a 1-2 day beginners course that covers things like how to draw from a holster, malfunction drills, aimed fire versus close range drills. You won't become an expert at shooting by doing that, but you will experience a better overview of what actual shooting (and tactics) entail.

Then decide what kind of gun(s) to buy.

[Cheep]

Look up Escondido Fish and Game, in the CLASSES section of the web site they have a " BASIC HANDGUN SAFETY CLASS "

A three-hour afternoon instructional, safety and shooting class for members and non-members who have purchased or plan to purchase a handgun is offered on second Sundays of the month from spring through fall at the Escondido Fish & Game Association shooting range in Valley Center. The class will run from 2:00pm – 5:00pm. Classes are available during the winter months on availability of the range. Weekday sessions are available for anyone who cannot fit a weekend into their schedule. The HSC (Handgun Safety Certificate) and test required by the State Department of Justice to purchase a handgun is also available for purchase at these classes.

No pressure and a way to test the waters...