I'm curious to know how many people here have taken a paid firearms training course? And if you have, what was the most valuable thing you learned?

Question:
Not including military or LE training, have you ever taken a firearms training course?

Choices:
Yes
No

 

Several, including my favorite instructor, Ernest Langdon

I learned I always have more to learn

I will try to type more when my thumb stops bleeding

quote:

Originally posted by 4x5:
I'm curious to know how many people here have taken a paid firearms training course? And if you have, what was the most valuable thing you learned?

Most valuable thing I learned? I'm not as good as I think I am.

What did I learn..?

There is no substitute for practice - it can (if done correctly) make you better AND will identify things that sound good in your head but don't translate in reality.

It will also open your eye to other ways of doing things, techniques, etc.

Everyone should take as much training as possible from reputable instructors.

Good (proper, efficient) gun handling skills and trigger control. Good habits to be programmed over and replace the budding bad habits.

Yes I have taken several.
One of the most important things I learned is if you happen to have the misfortune to be in a gunfight you do not stop until the threat is completely eliminated regardless of any injury you might have incurred.

I have never paid for training.
I am blessed with several friends who are top competition shooters with who I train and (try to) compete with at local matches. Thanks to their generosity I have come a long way in my shooting.

Many and want to take many more!

Most valuable thing I have learned is to be open minded as there are many ways you will be taught how to properly shoot a firearm.

A practical pistol course, including clearing a house (to show why we shouldn’t), and night firing. Thoroughly enjoyable, way back when I was a young man.

Among others, the best were:

NRA precision rifle
Tiger Valley Level 2 precision Rifle
Greenside Trainings Precision Rifle
NRA patrol rifle
Ron Avery's pistol instructor fundementals
Ben Stoegers USPSA course

Ken Hackathorn advanced pistol, Larry Vickers advanced pistol, and others.
Learn, practice, and refine fundamentals.

I learned the instructor was very pro-ccw.

It was a required course to get the California CHL.

We had to list two guns on the permit. Crazy rule.

I've taken a few, most of them several years ago. One of the most important things I learned was that processing information and making the correct hits under stress (well, instructor-induced stress) is do-able.

Required for CPL here, but no other courses.

I voted NO, because the courses required here for a CCW/LTC are more about the legal issues than about effective gun handling.

flashguy

Yes, I try to get out to a new class every year. As far as the big name traveling road shows, Ernest Langdon and Craig Douglas are well worth the investment in time and money. John McPhee as well.

I'm hoping to take Mas Ayoob's class this October if work schedule allows.

Yep, a bunch from multiple instructors. By far the most from Jones with OpSpec. I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to attend classes with some great instructors

Mostly I learned the path is a journey that never ends.

My biggest regret is not taking a shotgun class with Louis Awerbuck. I had a chance to take a class held locally and blew it off at the last second thinking I would catch him the next year. Of course, next year never came.

I was fortunate enough to take one class with Pat Rogers. First night class. I was the only student who was not a LEO. He picked and picked and picked at me until he finally got under my skin and I started to puff up. He looked up at me, smiled, and asked if I was having fun yet. I told him yes and from then on it was like we'd been friends for years.

We traded emails over the course of a few years and I called him once for some advice. He recognized my voice and we had a great talk. I couldn't believe he knew who I was by my voice.

Made a ton of friends. I'm lucky...

I have taken about 6 from OpSpec Training, plus one from Hackathorn. Trigger control is what most of the OPSpec courses have been about. With proper trigger control, everything else becomes much easier.

At the fundamental level:
- Coaching to a baseline standard
- Instruction on technique
- Developing and expanding on techniques
- Developing positive muscle memory

Beyond that
- Scenario shooting: running, moving vehicle, elevated and concealed position.
- The ability to shoot in environments that you normally wouldn't be able to find. Obstacles, night shoots, simultaneous shooting
- Understanding the importance of correct and quality equipment (holsters, lights, slings, magazines, pouches, etc..) while possibly seeing the deficiencies of sub-optimal gear.