TRAINING:
I’m completely new to shooting, how should I start?
If completely new, the best way to start is by taking the Introduction to Handgun course. Our Intro course contains all of the NRA Basic Pistol material plus additional exposure to different types of handguns. Our class also includes sessions with AirSoft replicas to ingrain safety habits before working with actual firearms, and our range time includes a chance to shoot not only .22 caliber handguns, but higher-caliber pistols also.
If after this you buy your own handgun and wish to continue, practice for awhile, then take our Handgun Techniques/Shooting Skills course. It will help you develop your fundamentals correctly, so that you won’t ingrain poor habits that you will later have to break.
After that—well, what are you interested in? Concealed carry? Competition? We’ve got classes for all of it!
I’ve been shooting awhile at the local range, what should I take?
That depends. Did you just pick up a gun and teach yourself? Or do you actually understand the different types of firearm actions, handgun calibers and nomenclature, and can solidly demonstrate solid adherence to the firearms safety rules? If not, then you might think about taking the Introduction to Handguns course.
If you can—then the Handgun Techniques/Shooting Skills class is for you. It will give you a good solid analysis of your shooting, correct errors, and give you a set of drills you can later use to work on getting better in your own practice.
I’ve taken other classes, and want to get better at….
Good! We’d still suggest the Shooting Skills course, because we really think everyone can benefit from it. That being said, we have different training tracks for people interested in other things. Maybe competition? Concealed carry? In addition to other courses, we also offer private lessons and group seminars on a variety of specific topics, so contact us and we can discuss exactly what your goals are.
Overall—continue to learn. Maybe that means just practicing on your own, but sometimes taking a class in something new will help you understand more about what you already do—and adding another skill set is always a good thing.
EQUIPMENT:
Each class is a little different, so you should carefully read what is required in the course description. In addition the confirmation email sent to you will list out required equipment. In general, however, for each class (other than the Intro to Handgun course) you will need a safe, effective holster (generally one that is molded sprifically for your gun, and that doesn’t require two hands to re-holster), a handgun, ammunition, and eye and ear protection. Bring a notebook and a pen. If your class includes range time (and almost all do) make sure you dress for the weather, wear layers if it gets hot, bring sunscreen and bug spray, and don’t forget water and the occasional snack. Our range area is primitive, so if you feel you are going to need it—then bring it! A folding chair will probably be a good thing also.
Why do you make us buy these practice barrels/barrel blockers?
In certain classes, we will be practicing techniques that are potentially dangerous to ourselves, and certainly dangerous to our partners. The use of a practice barrel or barrel blocker makes it CERTAIN that it is not possible for the gun to fire. We are militant about safety (as you will learn when you hear the safety briefing) and since some of our classes require you to point your firearm at someone else, we again wish to make CERTAIN that there is no chance that there will be an accident.
Besides—you use a barrel blocker when performing most of your dryfire practice, don’t you?
I don’t have a gun, do you have loaner guns for rent?
We do not. If you are taking the Introduction to Handgun Shooting course, you will not need a firearm of your own, we will supply firearms used in the class. However, for all other courses, it is necessary for you to have a certain level of experience and proficiency with a firearm. If you don’t own your own, or don’t have one that you can bring, chance are you aren’t ready for any of our classes other than the Introduction course.
PAYMENT:
How do we pay for your classes?
Registration and payment for our events (whether a course, private lesson, or shooting seminar event) is handled through Practiscore. Practiscore is used by a tremendous number of people for competition matches, shooting events, and courses, and is as safe and reliable as anything you’ll ever find. You will need to register for a free account with Practiscore to sign up for our classes.
When we run your credit card, it will show up on your statement as a charge from Precision Response.
You can either pay by cash or credit card, and credit card payment can be done directly during registration on Practiscore. If you absolutely must pay with cash, you will need to bring it to our location directly. If you plan on paying by cash, please contact us prior to trying to register.
What happens if I can’t make it to a class that I’ve registered for?
Sometimes that happens, and that is unfortunate. We will have gotten materials and held you a spot, so significant preparation will have occurred on our part. Our current policy is a slightly-more-lenient version of the industry standard:
There will be no refund/100% cancellation charge if the registrant cancels within 1 week of the course; a 50% cancellation fee will occur if the registrant cancels within 3 weeks of the course. Prior to three weeks, we will either refund your money or credit you for a different class less a $20 processing fee.
What if I get kicked out of a class for safety reasons?
If during a class, a student acts in a way that is potentially dangerous to other students, or directly detrimental to learning process of the class, then that student will be removed from the class. If the student is removed from the class for cause, their class fee will be pro-rated by the hour, and the remainder will be returned minus a $20 fee for wasted preparation.
Don’t do this. Be safe. And careful.
What if the diagnostic test at the beginning of class tells the instructor I’m not ready for this level of course?
If, during any course, it is determined by the instructor that the student is not adequately prepared for the demands of the course, the student will be asked to stop and transfer to an appropriate level course. Their pro-rated course fee remainder will either be applied to a new course (as a credit) or if the student does not wish to take a different course, will be refunded minus a $20 fee to cover our preparation costs.
WHY DO YOU…
…tell everyone to take the fundamentals course?
Because your fundamentals are not what they could be. And without solid, consistent fundamentals, you will not perform as well as you could, whether that “performance” is in a competition, or in a self-defense situation. There isn’t a shooter out there who shouldn’t periodically go back to the fundamentals and take a good solid objective look at what they are doing. The Fundamentals course will analyze your current practice, and give you feedback on how to make yourself better. As we said on the Philosophy page: The best shooters in the world continually go back to the basics again and again—and if they need to do it, the rest of us certainly do also.
…think you are qualified to teach any of this?
We don’t. We have no idea what we are doing.
Okay, ignore that. First, you should probably read what our primary instructor said on the Instructor’s page. Second—the people we have taught to shoot safely handle handguns, accurately fire handguns, and intelligently use defensive tactics to keep themselves safe. And the shooters we’ve taught have gotten better. Really–that’s all we’ve got to say. Feel free to take a class and find out for yourself.
Precision Response Training 