Recommendations for training for a beginner

[Jerkstore]

I'm pretty new to guns and I'm looking for a course of classes or training sessions that will take me from beginner to advanced in firearms knowledge and experience on all kinds of guns. It seems like, unless someone grows up around guns or has military or law enforcement experience, it is difficult if not impossible to get up to the same level of skill. Going to the range and shooting simply doesn't do it. It seems like most training that I have found online offers isolated subjects matter and infrequent classes, and to gain thorough knowledge using these courses will take years. My goal is to become confident and proficient in home defense, carjacking defense, personal defense, etc. I live in Maryland, so anything in this area would be best, but I'd be willing to travel someplace if necessary. I want something similar to boot camp for guns, but for a 49-year old guy. I am invisioning a one or two week intenstive course, but something more spread out would be fine too if it doesn't take too long. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Old Dog]

I'd be willing to travel someplace if necessary. I want something similar to boot camp for guns, but for a 49-year old guy. I am invisioning a one or two week intenstive course, but something more spread out would be fine too if it doesn't take too long.

If you have both the time and the funds, there are a number of very reputable training courses in almost every region of the country. From Maryland, you have some schools in Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia. Or you could go north to the SIG Academy in NH.
Here's some training academies in WV:
https://www.paramounttactical.com/courses/handgun/defensivehandgun1/
https://firstteamdefense.com/
There's a ton of training facilities in WV. Almost all of them seem to offer exactly what you're looking for.

A week-long class is a great way to become confident and learn safe gun-handling skills, improve accuracy. Some two-day weekend courses you could do in series.

Look for instructor-to-student ratio. Some "gun schools" run bigger classes, which means less one-on-one attention.

Nationally known you've got arguably some of the premier training centers, Gunsite (Paulden AZ) and Thunder Ranch (southern OR), Tom Givens' (he's a member here) Rangemaster (Memphis).

A lot of the regional, local and lesser-known facilities get big-name instructors (John Farnam, Mas Ayoob, Craig Douglas, Steve Fisher) to come in and do classes. Up here at Firearms Academy of Seattle (actually down in Onalaska), those guys are doing classes this summer.

My personal advice would be don't try to save money by going though the cheapest courses. Do your research. The best training will be more expensive; accept this.

 

[Buzznrose]

I’ll second Gunsite. Been several times. I guess you can call it Gun Boot Camp. I thought of it as an outstanding shooting vacation! Gun Camp!!!

the pace may be a bit slower than others, where you go through about 1000 rounds over 5 days, versus 800 over 2 days, but I like the pace and beginners or newer shooters are their specialty!

Outstanding facilities and you won’t find a nicer bunch of folks…

 

[The Night Rider]

Start with the NRA basic handgun safety course.

After that I would definitely follow the previous suggestions in this discussion

 

[Jerry M]

Bang steel in southern Virginia, gets recommended by people who have been there. I have not.

 

[shafter]

Don't focus so much on tactics at this point. Focus on learning to safely handle a firearm with speed and accuracy. Tactics are way overhyped in my opinion. Master the fundamentals.

There are quite a few good trainers out there these days. I attended a Warrior Poet Pistol and Rifle class once and there was a brand new shooter in the class who by the end of the week was shooting very well. If there is an upcoming class in your area sign up.

 

[2zulu1]

In my experience, there's trigger time and training, training involves tactics.

Gunsite is expanding...

https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/gunsite-expanding/

 

[FL-NC]

Kyle Lamb of Viking Tactics and John McPhee are 2 of the best instructors I have ever known. I believe Kyle is out of Tennessee now, and John travels but is based out of NC.

 

[Kleanbore]

There are three key skillsets to be addressed: gun handling, defensive tactics, and legal understanding. The first requires hands-on instruction; the last is best addressed though a course, which may be on-line. The second can be helped via articles or discussion on how to avoid attacks and ambush, but a good course can be very helpful.

I.C. E. PDN is worth looking into, after basic gun handling has been addressed