What training have you had ?

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Just wondering what kind of firearms training everyone has had? What youthought of it?

benificial.....practical.....fun......boring......waste of time.

By training, I guess I mean paid for lessons.

Basic mandated firearms training to obtain CCW CHL or likewise....

Advanced handgun training.....

Tactical Rifle training.......

Tactical use everything you have with you training......

Cowboy Action training........

Skeet/Trap training........

Military........

Shot a million gophers when I was a kid training......

Father took you out to shoot training......

Read a book, taught yourself training.........

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I took the class to get my CHP here in NC, all though that taught very little about weapons and tactics, and mostly about the law. I also received the standard military training that any Marine gets, but that honestly leaves a lot to be desired, as well. The standard once-a-year shoots that we'd do seemed to instill the idea that guns could explode and kill half the country at any given moment and should never even be touched unless someone higher ranking orders you to do so lol. I know a lot of people in the military that are still "nervous around guns." Heck, a friend of mine is a Navy MP..she carries an M9 and is around other MPs carrying all day, yet me having my pistol on me makes her nervous.

I'm curious about what kind of training people get, as well. I'm also curious about how much it costs...it seems like a lot of that stuff is ridiculously over-priced...

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Dre, You must not have been paying attention in boot camp. The USMC has some very good marksmanship training.

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20 Years Air Force Security Police: M-16, SW .38 Revolver, M9, M-203 Grenade Launcher, M-79 Grenade Launcher, M-60 Machine Gun.

Skeet shooting

Steel Plate Competition

Deer, Elk, Antelope Hunting

Rabbit, Grouse, Pheasant, Dove, Partridge

Black Powder

I think that's about it... getting older and can't rememeber it all.

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Took a class in trap/skeet shooting. Taught me the skills needed in case I'm ever mugged by a flock of clay birds.

Other than that, I've had handgun/rifle safety instruction from my father, from when I was about 5 or 6 years old, and I basically taught myself how to shoot accurately... perhaps one day I should take a course, but I've been put off by the thought that I'll be paying money for the first half of the course to consist of "don't point guns at yourself and pull the trigger when it's loaded."

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VAopencarry wrote:

Dre, You must not have been paying attention in boot camp. The USMC has some very good marksmanship training.

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You're right, they take kids that have never touched a gun before and get them hittin center of mass on a 500 yd target with iron sights. I'll give them that. I, personally, had already been taught proper marksmanship early on, so a lot of what they were teaching seemed trivial.

The part about making people think guns are deathly exploding weapons of chaos has nothing to do with their marksmanship program, though. The problem is that they're incredibly anal about how you hold a weapon (even a disassembled one), where you're allowed to have it, and when. This is great for ensuring the safety of a huge group of people, but I swear it makes people more afraid of guns. I remember the first time I got in a conversation at work about carrying. The first question was "do you have a loaded magazine with you??" To which I answered yes, one in the handgun and usually a second one as well. "!!Wait you mean you're in CONDITION 3?!?!" Uh, actually no, I'm in condition one... "OMG that's stupid you can't do that!! Weapons have to be in condition 4 at all times unless you're at a range or in combat!!".....

Now these were guys that were awesome marksman and relatively intelligent people. It's the same way with the MP I mentioned. Every day she comes into work and at some point she's allowed to draw her weapon from the armory, and she can only load it when she's allowed to. Then it has to stay in its holster at all times and she's only allowed to go certain places with it. Then at the end of the day she has to unload it at a certain location and return it to the armory. She's so used to this that when she see's me with a gun it looks wrong.

Heck, our CWO3 had 3 distinguished shooter badges, and had competed on Marine Corps teams multiple times. He would always give advice to the Marines headed to the range that week, and they would listen like he was 2 steps down from God. I decided to listen in one day, and ask him a couple questions about combat type handgun training, since I was planning on going to my first shoot that weekend. He gave me a funny look and said "umm I don't do that move around and shoot crap. I just stand on the line and shoot at a target..."

I have more examples but this has already turned into a lengthy post lol.

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Self taught.

Have read a bit online and watched a few videos but pretty much self taught.

Can empty my Kahr P9 into 3" circle at 50’ though.

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My wife and I recently took a training course at a local place called Insights. Best $500 I ever spent. I was a decent shot and had good gun handling skills before I went in, but standing still and shooting a perfectly functioning gun at a totally still paper target, taking as much time as you need is one thing. Moving and yelling, while quickly drawing from concealment (we all have to wear a coat sometime ), clearing malfunctions, and placing multiple shots on target is a whole different story.

In addition to learning proper draw technique and stance, we also had a lot of instruction on safe handling, body posture and hand location, legal use of deadly force, etc. There were a few things I wish were addressed differently or taught in a different order, but overall the class was excellent and very informative.

I plan to take a similar class for rifles, then follow up with the "intensive" handgun class (the wife too). Even if you think you know it all, I would suggest taking something like this. There were two ex-military in my class of 8, and they were two of the worst at gun handling and accuracy under pressure. Even if you somehow don't learn anything new, you get plenty of range time and get to shoot from the draw, which most ranges don't allow.

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Basic CPR

Advanced CPR

EMT basic first responder

Gunshot basics

Ditch medicine

Defibrillator training

.22 long rifle, 12 guage shotgun and compound bow - Boyscouts

CCW qualification in Oregon and Nevada

Basic Firarms safety - Nevada

Fighting Pistol

Defensive Handgun



that's about it... well, I have like computer related, fast food, general contractor, and some other crap too... done a lot in my 28 years

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I've never taken any firearms courses. I plan on getting my CCW soon though, and I guess that will count. But I was taught about firearms and safety by my grandfather from the time I could walk. He had a Daisy Red Rider BB gun bought for me before I could get home from the hospital after being born. I'm sure classes are great to take, but Ithink thatreal life, hands-on teaching from a smart and safe 2nd amendment loving American is almost as good, maybe better.

Edit: correcting a statement!

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I don't know about that. There are a lot of people out there who love the Second Amendment, but have holes where they ought not to.

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Cue-Ball wrote:

I don't know about that. There are a lot of people out there who love the Second Amendment, but have holes where they ought not to.

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Very true!

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DreQo wrote:

I remember the first time I got in a conversation at work about carrying. The first question was "do you have a loaded magazine with you??" To which I answered yes, one in the handgun and usually a second one as well. "!!Wait you mean you're in CONDITION 3?!?!" Uh, actually no, I'm in condition one... "OMG that's stupid you can't do that!! Weapons have to be in condition 4 at all times unless you're at a range or in combat!!".....

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LOL - condition 4? You have some interesting co-workers. I could just picture it - armed criminal points a gun & says "give me your money or I'll shoot" to which you say, sure, please wait a moment while I place some rounds in my magazine, load my magazine into my gun, rack the slide, and turn off the safety so that I can shoot you first"

So helpful to carry a weapon in condition 4. :banghead:

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Like I said, it was pounded into their heads that weapons will be in C-4 at ALL TIMES unless otherwise authorized. Hell if I showed them a bullet they'd freak out and tell me I had to turn that into the armory immediately.

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Good input.

I also had military, basic point and shoot,try to hit a target basictraining. Navy

Some elevated basic training by Marines on different firearms types. Pistol. m60. m16. 50 cal. Fun, but again just how it functions and how to hit something. (they were on our ship and bored)

I grew up with firearms and hunting so I know how to handle a gun and the safety aspects. Shotguns, pistols, rifles.

The CCW course was covered for the state. Very basic stuff. Mostly Law.

But It really hit me how much I was unprepared forwhen it comes tocarrying for defensewhen I took an advanced handgun course. Drawing shooting withweek hand. One handed slide manipulation and reload. Quicktarget aquisition and fire from concealed carry positions. Close qtrs firing. Low light firing. Advancing attackdefensive firing. I thought no big deal, until I actaully tried some of this stuff.Very benificial for me. Just cannot get this from plinking or paper punching, normal range stuff.

Have you ever tried to get your gun out from your holsteredcarry location with your week hand? and fire at and hit the target? Give it a try. You never know when your normal method is not functional.

I guess my real questionis, are you comfortable with your current level of training to help you through those situations that might come up that would require the use of that hardware strapped to you.

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Well I have not had a lot of formal training...

Boy scouts 12 Gauge trap, skeet,got the badge went on to compete, won a few trophys.

Boy Scouts .22 got the badge, placed 1st Ft. AP Hill jambo comp. Training with Marine Snipers in stalking(at Ft. AP Hill.), hiding, marksmanship. Went on to teach .22 at boyscouts summer camp.

Have hunted small game, turkeyand deer since I was 12.

Father retired( USMC)Taught me basic pistol marksmanship.

Lots of MAS Ayoob reads, Lost of Old West gun fighting reads.

The rest is just round after round of training mimicking IDPA and Point shooting.

I can get my 1911 to group 6 inches at 25 yards center mass.

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hogleg wrote:

Have you ever tried to get your gun out from your holsteredcarry location with your week hand? and fire at and hit the target? Give it a try. You never know when your normal method is not functional.

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I'm much a fan of cross-draw, so the next time I go to the range, I'll try weak hand unholstering. I've shot (if you could call it that) with my weak hand before, but have no accuracy to speak of... then again, with .44 magnum rounds, I'm more concerned about the backstop than perfect shot placement.