Questions about NRA classes

[VikingWarlord]

So I'm looking to get some more formal training and I'm looking at the NRA Basic Pistol class, even got the girlfriend to agree to take it with me.

First, all the NRA courses are pretty standardized, right?

For instance, I see TFT and Indy Gun Safety both offer that course. Both have different requirements and prices (Indy Gun Safety is less expensive and includes everything). Now, I see that both organizations have stellar reputations and the training would be of high quality no matter which I'd choose.

As I look for training providers, I'm starting to wonder, are there practical differences between the same course being taught by different providers or, more importantly, differences that one should be specifically looking for?

 

[Coach]

Private instruction is also available and might fit your needs even better than a standard class. Private instruction allows the training to be exactly what you want. If this is something that interests you let me know. Also a little background on where you are in the development of your shooting skills would be helpful.

 

[the1kidd03]

NRA classes are "standardized" as far as the NRA expects their certified instructors to teach the same BASICS, but often each instructor gives his own tips, methods, and pointers in there as well. In all honesty, if you already know the safety rules, how to clean your gun, which direction the rounds face inside the magazine, etc. you will most likely get much more quality training in technique/accuracy for your $$ by paying for private instruction and save some $$ from the cost of a formal class.

 

[VikingWarlord]

Private instruction is also available and might fit your needs even better than a standard class. Private instruction allows the training to be exactly what you want. If this is something that interests you let me know. Also a little background on where you are in the development of your shooting skills would be helpful.

Private instruction will very likely be something I do in the future and your group is definitely on my radar.

I'm really more interested in this for my girlfriend, who has never shot and hasn't really gotten comfortable with firearms yet but wants to learn the basics. She's not yet decided to pursue it as a sport or hobby but wants to get some experience and information to at least be competent and comfortable. Since she's an academic, a formalized classroom setting is pretty much her comfort zone.

Thanks for the feedback though. While I get that people can charge pretty much whatever they want, it helps to know whether the experience scales along with it. Obviously, every instructor will have personal biases toward and be more proficient in certain areas but having a standardized outline to work from helps.

 

[the1kidd03]

NRA basic is exactly that. You get the pre-determined curriculum that the NRA sets out, but some throw in their own material where they see fit or intentionally leave others out. That's not what the NRA expects necessarily, but people do it. For the most part you're going to get the same classroom environment and basics education no matter where you go to take the NRA course(s). I encourage you to be a "smart shopper" though in regards to NRA classes.

Private instruction will very likely be something I do in the future and your group is definitely on my radar.

I'm really more interested in this for my girlfriend, who has never shot and hasn't really gotten comfortable with firearms yet but wants to learn the basics. She's not yet decided to pursue it as a sport or hobby but wants to get some experience and information to at least be competent and comfortable. Since she's an academic, a formalized classroom setting is pretty much her comfort zone.

Thanks for the feedback though. While I get that people can charge pretty much whatever they want, it helps to know whether the experience scales along with it. Obviously, every instructor will have personal biases toward and be more proficient in certain areas but having a standardized outline to work from helps.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

NRA Courses are also available as private training. Those who have never taken a formal course are quite often very weak in their safety and marksmanship fundamentals and the scary part is THEY DON'T KNOW IT! (Men seem to think they were born with a special "shooting" chromosome, lol!) We see this day after day. Get the fundamentals down, then branch out and continue your education. You are embarking on a life-long learning experience. The best thing you can do for yourself is build upon a solid foundation of safety and marksmanship basics. Nobody on the planet (including our military) has trained more people in the SAFE use and storage of firearms than the NRA.

We offer non-NRA private instruction as well. While private training may be "exactly what you want", it may NOT be what you NEED. Start with the basics. You'll have fun and be glad you did it.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

I'm really more interested in this for my girlfriend, who has never shot and hasn't really gotten comfortable with firearms yet but wants to learn the basics...

A few years ago my mom was in the same boat and in her early 60's .

I went through the basic pistol class with her through IGS .

Now, her daily carry is a G 17 and she owns a 12G and an AR .

IGS definitely helped her feel more comfortable with firearms .

I don't know anything about TFT but they also have a good reputation .

 

[VikingWarlord]

NRA Courses are also available as private training. Those who have never taken a formal course are quite often very weak in their safety and marksmanship fundamentals and the scary part is THEY DON'T KNOW IT! (Men seem to think they were born with a special "shooting" chromosome, lol!) We see this day after day. Get the fundamentals down, then branch out and continue your education. You are embarking on a life-long learning experience. The best thing you can do for yourself is build upon a solid foundation of safety and marksmanship basics. Nobody on the planet (including our military) has trained more people in the SAFE use and storage of firearms than the NRA.

We offer non-NRA private instruction as well. While private training may be "exactly what you want", it may NOT be what you NEED. Start with the basics. You'll have fun and be glad you did it.

Maybe I'm ahead in that I'm well aware that my skills are far from optimal.

Training is going to happen one way or another. Thanks for the reply.

 

[VikingWarlord]

I just took the plunge and registered myself and the lady for the IGS course on Sept 1. Looking forward to it!

 

[IndyGunSafety]

EDIT: YOU MUST HAVE DONE THAT WHILE I WAS TYPING THIS POST!

I am a classic example of my previous post. Fired my first handgun at 5. Hunter safety at 12. Hunting by myself in the north woods of Wisconsin at 12. We took our shotguns to school and kept them in our lockers so we could hunt out back after school. Shot .22 rifles in Rifle Club in the gym. Archery as well.. Dad had an FFL so lots of gun handling and shooting as a kid. Qualified expert on the 1911 in basic training the summer between my junior and senior year. (I was a Tanker) Started competing at 17.

Then about 10 years ago I was on a temporary assignment for work, based in Cleveland, OH. Ohio was just getting their CCW program rolling and I wanted a license. I was told I had to take NRA Basic Pistol. REALLY?! You gotta be $%&# me! But I wanted the license so I begrudgingly went.

My instructors were like those two old guys in the balcony on the Muppet show! Remember them? Always insulting each other and nothing was sacred. However, during the entire course I sat there saying to myself: "Wow.... I didn't know that!" I realized for all of my skill, military experience, and my father's wisdom, I did not know the fundamentals of marksmanship and did not truly understand the safety rules and their correct application. I realized how many people there had to be just like myself, who thought they knew something about shooting. I immediately took the instructor and RSO course and started teaching because I knew this info had to get out there.

Start with the basics in an NRA course. You'll be glad you did. You and your girlfriend will have a great time and have a solid knowledge, skill, and attitude foundation to build upon.

 

[the1kidd03]

EDIT: YOU MUST HAVE DONE THAT WHILE I WAS TYPING THIS POST!

I am a classic example of my previous post. Fired my first handgun at 5. Hunter safety at 12. Hunting by myself in the north woods of Wisconsin at 12. We took our shotguns to school and kept them in our lockers so we could hunt out back after school. Shot .22 rifles in Rifle Club in the gym. Archery as well.. Dad had an FFL so lots of gun handling and shooting as a kid. Qualified expert on the 1911 in basic training the summer between my junior and senior year. (I was a Tanker) Started competing at 17.

LOL, sounds a lot like me. Started at 5 and been doing it ever since. Competing and hunting at 10, competitive rifle team during high school, qualified expert in USMC, been carrying since 18, etc.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

A few years ago my mom was in the same boat and in her early 60's .

I went through the basic pistol class with her through IGS .

Now, her daily carry is a G 17 and she owns a 12G and an AR .

That's AWESOME!

 

[VikingWarlord]

EDIT: YOU MUST HAVE DONE THAT WHILE I WAS TYPING THIS POST!

Probably.

Turns out I was wrong about the time of another obligation that same day so we'll be able to do it then. I'm very much looking forward to it.

 

[Coach]

Private instruction will very likely be something I do in the future and your group is definitely on my radar.

I'm really more interested in this for my girlfriend, who has never shot and hasn't really gotten comfortable with firearms yet but wants to learn the basics. She's not yet decided to pursue it as a sport or hobby but wants to get some experience and information to at least be competent and comfortable. Since she's an academic, a formalized classroom setting is pretty much her comfort zone.

Thanks for the feedback though. While I get that people can charge pretty much whatever they want, it helps to know whether the experience scales along with it. Obviously, every instructor will have personal biases toward and be more proficient in certain areas but having a standardized outline to work from helps.

The rates for private instruction, at least in my case, are based on the hours spent teaching, the location of the instruction. Not on the content itself. Keep me in mind. I also have an Intermediate Pistol 101 class scheduled for September 8th but it is not academic is hands on and done on the range.

 

[Roscoe38]

#1 The gun is always loaded.
#2 Keep your booger hook off the bang stick until ready to shoot.
#3 Never point the muzzle at anything you don't want to destroy.
#4 Be aware of you background, nothing behind the target you don't want to destroy.
#5 The manual that came with the gun has a lot of information pertaining to the safe usage of said gun. Read it!!!
Why does anyone need to pay anybody money for any more information than what is stated above?

 

[perry]

#1 The gun is always loaded.
#2 Keep your booger hook off the bang stick until ready to shoot.
#3 Never point the muzzle at anything you don't want to destroy.
#4 Be aware of you background, nothing behind the target you don't want to destroy.
#5 The manual that came with the gun has a lot of information pertaining to the safe usage of said gun. Read it!!!
Why does anyone need to pay anybody money for any more information than what is stated above?

Sight picture and sight alignment? Things to consider when selecting a handgun? Proper care and maintenance and storage? Maybe an opportunity to handle and ask questions about different guns? There's a lot to learn, and you can get a lot through reading, but a day with a trainer is very valuable. Look at the guys above that we're experienced and still found value in the classes.

I had only touched a handgun once when I took my basic class last fall and was sorta confused and scared about guns in general. I felt ALOT more comfortable after just that one day of training. It was invaluable to me.

 

[Coach]

#1 The gun is always loaded.
#2 Keep your booger hook off the bang stick until ready to shoot.
#3 Never point the muzzle at anything you don't want to destroy.
#4 Be aware of you background, nothing behind the target you don't want to destroy.
#5 The manual that came with the gun has a lot of information pertaining to the safe usage of said gun. Read it!!!
Why does anyone need to pay anybody money for any more information than what is stated above?

The above is a prevailing attitude out there, and on some topics I completely agree. In the classes I teach and the private instruction I do. The service that I am selling, and the knowledge and skills I t is the the ability to shoot safely, to shoot faster and more accurately and each how to improve in competition. I also teach how to practice and to improve the skill set. These things are difficult for many people to do. Many of these skills cannot be developed in the classroom. I have taught people to clean and care for firearms in these setting as well, but I don't do it for everyone. It is possible to teach yourslef these things through trial and error and enough rounds down range, but with the right instructor the learning curve should be drastically shortened and in the long run get you to a place faster and for less money.

I have had a student in a recent private instruction comment that one of the valuable things he picked was the ability catch his own mistakes and then be able to make corrections.

Another reason is that sometimes people are so new to shooting or guns that the jargon and language in the manuals does not make sense to them. Some people have a learning style that clicks better with live instruction.

I also think there are some classes and materials that most people don't need. I cannot imagine a session of private instrution that is not going to meet the needs as well as the wants of a student. A class that is set in stone and does not have much flexibility should be easily trumped by private instruction done correctly. I always ask questions of the prosepctive client and from those questions suggest a course of action and a plan. If they agree we move forward. I think it is safe to say that every single client that I have had over the years in private instruction left with what they needed, and what they wanted and usually more than that.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

#1 The gun is always loaded.
#2 Keep your booger hook off the bang stick until ready to shoot.
#3 Never point the muzzle at anything you don't want to destroy.
#4 Be aware of you background, nothing behind the target you don't want to destroy.
#5 The manual that came with the gun has a lot of information pertaining to the safe usage of said gun. Read it!!!
Why does anyone need to pay anybody money for any more information than what is stated above?

Several reasons: They have the rules memorized by rote memorization only.... the lowest level of learning. Students who pay for instruction from a professional educator get to the understanding, application, and finally correlation (The highest level of learning) levels during the course.

There's a big difference between being able to rattle off rules by memory and actually understanding how to apply them and correlate them with multiple shooting tasks. The cute little "booger hook" statement is a classic example of indifference to the grave results of not following and applying the rules. Ask ANY customer of ours if paying to learn and practice these things was worth the money.

 

[dirtdawg]

NRA Basic Pistol is a good course. Obviously it is "basic", but it covers the fundamentals. Instructors have a standardized lesson plan, but I can assure you not all courses are the same. If I were an Indiana resident (Ohio), I would opt for taking an NRA Basic Pistol Course from an instructor that is certified for Utah CHL training. That way you could get reciprocity with more states.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

NRA Basic Pistol is a good course. Obviously it is "basic", but it covers the fundamentals. Instructors have a standardized lesson plan, but I can assure you not all courses are the same. If I were an Indiana resident (Ohio), I would opt for taking an NRA Basic Pistol Course from an instructor that is certified for Utah CHL training. That way you could get reciprocity with more states.

The NRA Basic Pistol course is completely separate from the UTAH CFP course. The UTAH CFP course focuses on Utah law and requirements for carry THERE. We teach the Utah program. They should not be taught together. However, the NRA Basic Pistol Course does meet the requirements of the State of Florida for their License.