Opinion on NRA Basic Pistol/Rifle/Shotgun Courses?

[bingley]

Have you taken the NRA Basic Pistol/Rifle/Shotgun Courses? Would you recommend them for a first-time gun owner? Are they a good deal? Do they tend to emphasize the safety/classroom component, shorting students on the range time? Or do they strike a good balance? Please share your opinion!

Thanks!


Da Bing

 

[stilllearning09]

Have you taken the NRA Basic Pistol/Rifle/Shotgun Courses? Would you recommend them for a first-time gun owner? Are they a good deal? Do they tend to emphasize the safety/classroom component, shorting students on the range time? Or do they strike a good balance? Please share your opinion!

When I started shooting, I took the basic pistol class. I also took the personal defense class. I recommend them to any first time owner. Are they good deal - yes! Do they emphasize safety - yes! They should emphasize it. We were in the classroom in the morning, had lunch, and spent the afternoon at the range shooting a variety of revolvers and semi autos. Afterward, we learned how to field strip and clean both revolvers and semi autos.
For me, it was the best way to start. Prior to the class, I went to the range a couple of times with family and friends, but felt nervous around guns. The class is taught by a qualified instructor who understands what you need to know to safely and confidently handle a firearm.
There are a lot of good instructors on INGO. Good luck to you.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

The NRA Basic Pistol Course is an excelent foundation of safety and marksmanship. Our students get 6 hours of classroom and 2 hours on the range as required by the NRA. The classroom portion includes an hour and a half of gun handling, including loading, unloading, clearing, and dry firing using snap caps. We also employ the SIRT training pistol so that the student can apply all of the marksmanship & safety fundumentals as if at a range, but the gun shoots a LASER beam that indicates where they hit on the target. Then we go to the range for 2 hours. So 44% of the course is spent hands on with REAL firearms. Twenty-five % of the course is spent firing live ammunition. To me, this is a perfect balance given the amount of material that must be covered.

We see many people that have never fired a gun before. We also get people who are "experienced" with firearms who clearly don't apply the safety rules correctly, and do not know the fundamentals of marksmanship. Both gain valuable knowledge and experience during the course. If you have never had formal training it's a great place to start, or to supplement and refresh your knowledge.

Remember, the NRA program was written by some of the best shooters on the planet, and has been taught and refined for decades.

 

[dead2rights]

I've never taken one either but plan too this year. Personally I would hope for as much safety/classroom time as possible since I'm paying for the knowledge. I can go to a range anytime.

 

[AJBB87]

YES!!!!

I took the Basic, and Personal Protection courses in March.

They are worth it. My confidence level has increased as well as my marksmanship!

It is worth every penny, and every minute!

 

[bingley]

Most of the replies thus far address the pistol course (thanks for the input!). Anyone with experiences with the rifle or the shotgun course?

Da Bing

 

[bingley]

Let me complicate the thread a bit. Take a look at this thread from another forum about NRA instructor courses:

Wondering about NRA pistol/ rifle instructor qualifications

There are two people critical of the NRA courses, and they both suggest that the balance of the courses are towards safety at the expense of marksmanship. Has this been your experience?

Safety is important, but I am hoping to development marksmanship as well.


Da Bing

 

[04FXSTS]

After reading the Pennsylvania threads I think the complaners wanted "Gunsite lite" instead of a basic course. The "basic pistol" course IMHO teaches safety and basic gun handling skils with enough live fire to get one familiar with what to expect.
It is hard to become a great marksman in a couple hours or days, it takes a lot of practice. I think most people new to shooting will be more likely to go to the range to practice when they feel comfortable and confident they are handling firearms safely. Jim.

 

[Barbecue]

Any information on when and where these classes are offered? I'd be interested in attending if close by.

 

[bingley]

NRA maintains a database of courses offered throughout the country:

NRAInstructors.org - Portal for NRA certified Instructors, NRA Education and Training


Da Bing

 

[Barbecue]

NRA maintains a database of courses offered throughout the country:

NRAInstructors.org - Portal for NRA certified Instructors, NRA Education and Training


Da Bing

Thanks, there is a pistol class being offered locally this month.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

Any information on when and where these classes are offered? I'd be interested in attending if close by.

We have Pistol courses may 14th, & 28th and June courses listed on our advertiser forum here on INGO. See Indy Gun Safety Home for details. Courses are in Fishers, just northeast of Indy.

 

[Barbecue]

We have Pistol courses may 14th, & 28th and June courses listed on our advertiser forum here on INGO. See Indy Gun Safety Home for details. Courses are in Fishers, just northeast of Indy.

Thank you. I really appreciate the help.

 

[USMC_0311]

I took 2 courses in 2009 with my wife from INGO member Jay. Highly recommened!

Here is a link to my AAR. https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...tection_classes_oct_3_and_4_a.html#post607162

 

[jpo117]

Just to add another voice to the discussion, my wife and I took the NRA Basic Pistol and Personal Protection in the Home classes about a year and a half ago. Neither of us had ever shot a gun before, and my wife was strongly opposed to having a gun in the home at all. Those classes got us on the way to being safe and responsible gun owners, and even better, now the wife almost has as many guns as I do! We worked with both NIFT in Fort Wayne and Jay in Marion and both were great instructors.

Of course, that's coming from the perspective of a total newbie. If you have more experience with firearms than we did then the Basic class may or may not be the right fit for you. I suspect that it would be a good experience, though.

 

[NIFT]

Just to add another voice to the discussion, my wife and I took the NRA Basic Pistol and Personal Protection in the Home classes about a year and a half ago. Neither of us had ever shot a gun before, and my wife was strongly opposed to having a gun in the home at all. Those classes got us on the way to being safe and responsible gun owners, and even better, now the wife almost has as many guns as I do! We worked with both NIFT in Fort Wayne and Jay in Marion and both were great instructors.

Of course, that's coming from the perspective of a total newbie. If you have more experience with firearms than we did then the Basic class may or may not be the right fit for you. I suspect that it would be a good experience, though.

Thanks, so much. Satisfied students are why I teach the classes!

Bob Aldridge
www.iftnra.com