4-Day Defensive Handgun

What were your reasons for taking this specific course?

I had two reasons. The first is that I just enjoy shooting sports. The second, and main reason, is that I am relatively new to shooting a handgun. Until just a few years ago, I had not been shooting since when I was young. My goal, as a responsible gun owner, is to be comfortable, safe, and knowledgeable. I use my handgun for home defense, and I felt that it was very important for me to know what I am doing.

General Comments

I was thoroughly impressed with every aspect of the course from beginning to end. Front Sight runs a very tight ship. Everything ran smoothly, even with the large number of people at the facility. I was most impressed with the quality of the instructors. They all displayed a high level of skill, experience, and interpersonal ability. Even with a large class they were able to keep an eye on everyone and keep everyone safe. I felt like I had access to them, whenever I needed help. The instructors were very helpful to me as a relatively new shooter; they were able to diagnose errors and teach me how to shoot properly very quickly. I walked away from the course knowing exactly what I was doing right and what I needed to work on. (There is a lot I need to work on!) I'm not a very accurate shooter (yet!), and I didn't know what I was doing wrong or how to fix it until I took this course. I really enjoyed being able to talk with the instructors and get to know them. They come from all walks of life; they aren't all just full-time firearms instructors. One was a home school mom, and another was a former pastor. That was very interesting to me. The instructors had an amazing ability to adapt to where you were as a shooter. Everyone there was in a different place in their abilities and in their speed. I saw them being very gentle with those who needed a gentle hand and very intense with others who needed to be pushed. I really appreciate the instructors and how good they are at what they do.

I came to this course with some friends and family members. One of my family members said, "I came to this course, because I was nervous and afraid of my gun." By the end of the course, that person was able to say, "I'm not afraid of my gun any more." That, to me, was a testimony of the quality of our experience.

The most interesting part of the course was the Shoot House. I didn't do very well, but I learned a great deal. As soon as I finished, I said, "Can I do that again?" Unfortunately, we didn't have time to repeat the exercise because of the number of students attending. I wasn't as effective as I would have liked, but it helped me realize that I need to come back to Front Sight, because I obviously have more work to do.

I finished the skills test at the end but didn't graduate. My instructor told me that I did perfectly on the malfunction drills but needed to work on my shooting. I can fix my gun if it's broken, but I need to learn to shoot straight!

I also felt that the lectures were almost worth the price of admission. Even if we didn't shoot (which I'm glad we did), just the lectures on the color codes of mental awareness, the psychology of lethal force and the discussion on criminal liability were really helpful for me. They caused me to think through all of the aspects of what gun ownership means, protecting my family, home defense, etc. I was thankful to hear from people who knew about the topics and have done their research.

What you do differently next time you go to Front Sight?

I do wish we could have gone through the Shoot House and the tactical exercises more. I'm sure it would be very difficult to fit all this into the course, especially with 700-1000 people on the property at once. This is why I need to go back again and why they offer the Advanced Tactics Course. As far as improving the course, I really don't know of anything that I didn't like.

Would you suggest this course to others?

Yes, and I already have! I have a couple of friends who want to go.

How did you get there?

We drove from southern California, which took about 5 hours.

Where did you stay?

We stayed with friends in the RV Park at Saddle West, and everything was very clean there. The accommodations were great. They had full hookups, and it was very quiet. They have laundry facilities, bathrooms, and showers, and everything was spotlessly clean. There was also WiFi in the RV Park area. It was also only about $25 a night.

What other courses do you plan on taking in the future?

I am definitely taking this course again. I would also like to take the Advanced Tactics Course, because one of the instructors told me that it is a good course to make you think through specific situations when you might need to defend yourself or your family. The 2 or 4-Day Tactical Shotgun course is another one that I would like to take. I'm working with Richard to get memberships for everyone in my family. Then, I will be bringing my wife with me for a 2 or 4-Day Defensive Handgun course and my kids for one of the youth safety courses.