Training recommendations

ocjared · November 17, 2004, 04:19 PM

My wife and I are currently looking for firearms training around Orange County, Ca. We have little to no experience handling firearms, so we are looking for a good beginners course. Our primary purpose for purchasing a handgun will be recreational, however we are also interested in the proper handling of a firearm in a self defense situation. We do not currently own any firearms (we thought it would be prudent to attend safety training prior to purchasing) so we would need equipment to be provided for training and some advice on choosing a firearm following successful completion of the training.

If there are any other questions I "should have" or information I should have provided, please let me know... Thanks in advance.

ps - been lurking for a couple of days and compliments to the forum.... I also want to ask that we stay on topic. just because I said that I wanted help choosing a firearm doesn't mean I want to hear "Get a Glock." (maybe I have been lurking a little longer than I thought). The goal is to find training.

Thanks again!

USNavy_233 · November 17, 2004, 05:15 PM

If you go to NRA's website at www.nra.org and click on the contact us link on the right hand side of the screen you will be able to e-mail a request for certified instructors in your area. They will send you via regular mail, a printout of every NRA certified instructor in CA with contact info. NRA instructors are a great resource for basic firearms training ranges from basic pistol courses, to personnel protection to home firearm safety. You can also contact the NRA Education and training department via phone at 703-267-1496. There are many other choices out there also which can provide advanced training courses which will cost you a bit more than a basic NRA course. Some include:
http://www.gunsite.com/home.htm (Located in Arizona)
http://www.thunderranchinc.com/ (Located in Texas and Oregon)
http://www.frontsight.com/index.asp (HQ in CA, located in Nevada)
http://www.weaponstraining.com/ (Located in Mississippi)
http://www.blackwaterusa.com/ (Located in North Carolina)
http://www.awt-co.com/home.htm (Located in Napa, CA)
http://www.allsafedefense.com/index.htm (Located in Orange, CA)
http://www.bayprofs.org/index.html (Located in San Jose, CA)
http://www.ftatv.com/index.html (Located in Yorba Linda, CA)
http://www.intltactical.com/ (Located in Los Angeles, CA)
http://www.tacfire.com/index.html (Located in Ventura, CA)

I tried to limit this to the really well known schools, and then ones that were based in California. I hope this helps you two out. Welcome to the sport and I hope you enjoy it as much as the rest of us.
Walt

tcdrennen · November 17, 2004, 05:40 PM

ocjared-

I am a NRA Certified Instructor in Basic Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Home Firearms Safety and Personal Protection. PM me if you'd like to get together for any of those.

Also, I can highly recommend the following OC trainers (whose facilities and experience are much better than mine

)

Allsafe Defense in Orange
Firearms Training Associates at Raahauge's in Norco

And most of the local indoor ranges offer training:

Orange County Indoor Range in Brea
On Target Range and Store in Laguna Niguel
and The Firing Line in Huntington Beach whose URL I don't have handy.

And congratulations on wanting to start out with the proper mindset and understanding - and welcome to shooting!

Tara Drennen

Denny Hansen · November 17, 2004, 06:32 PM

Welcome to TFL!

One of the best trainers in the world, let alone California, is fairly close to you: Scott Reitz and company of International Tactical Training Seminars (ITTS).

ITTS will be hosting their very first huband-wife team tactics course early next year: Feb. 14

. You might check with them and see what prerequisites are necessary for that.

www.internationaltactical.com

Denny

gordo b. · November 17, 2004, 08:46 PM

Ditto! Scotti is the creme de la creme. And Brett is my Gun Mother; so kind yet shapes you up!

kelsey · November 18, 2004, 11:03 PM

I mentioned in another post I had just gotten back from a course at FrontSight and highly recommend it! They have developed a course which starts with basics and allows you to proceed at your own level. They have a ratio of 1 instructor to every 4 students so there is lots of personal attention. They are located outside of Vegas. The courses are a little expensive, but I have a limited opportunity to get you in at 1/2 price if you desire! I am taking my wife next time and she is a very novice shooter.

Kelsey

smithyman · November 21, 2004, 02:14 AM

If you're looking for good advice, you're in the right place. I imagine taking ANY decent training course will be enough. The onus is on you to realize the responsibility and act accordingly so. However, whether your motivation to own a gun is for defense or recreation, I recommend a revolver.

ibbryn · December 2, 2004, 06:51 PM

The first 8 hours with them will be all classroom. Discussion of when and why to shoot. From then on you will be taught by active duty LAPD cops who teach other cops for a living.
The mid level classes will give you better training than most cops receive.
Take advantage of their relative closeness to you.

vts · July 10, 2006, 03:26 PM

Does any one have any experience with Allsafe Defense in Orange?

Im intrested in Defensive Shotgun classes

tcdrennen · July 12, 2006, 11:20 AM

vts:

Quote:

Does any one have any experience with Allsafe Defense in Orange?

Im intrested in Defensive Shotgun classes

I've known T.J. Johnston for several years, and he's one of the best in the business. I took all my NRA Certified Instructor classes from him, and have helped him teach groups of kids the Basic Rifle course.

If you're in The OC

he's one of the top instructors; another would be Bill Murphy's Firearms Training Associates http://www.ftatv.com. Allsafe uses ranges at Burro Canyon above Azusa and classroom at AllSafe in Orange; FTA has classrooms and ranges at Mike Raahauge's in Norco.

vts · July 13, 2006, 12:55 PM

Allsafe Defense it is
I'll sign up when i get time....january or febuary

November 17, 2004, 04:19 PM	#1
ocjared Junior Member Join Date: November 17, 2004 Posts: 12	Training recommendations My wife and I are currently looking for firearms training around Orange County, Ca. We have little to no experience handling firearms, so we are looking for a good beginners course. Our primary purpose for purchasing a handgun will be recreational, however we are also interested in the proper handling of a firearm in a self defense situation. We do not currently own any firearms (we thought it would be prudent to attend safety training prior to purchasing) so we would need equipment to be provided for training and some advice on choosing a firearm following successful completion of the training. If there are any other questions I "should have" or information I should have provided, please let me know... Thanks in advance. ps - been lurking for a couple of days and compliments to the forum.... I also want to ask that we stay on topic. just because I said that I wanted help choosing a firearm doesn't mean I want to hear "Get a Glock." (maybe I have been lurking a little longer than I thought). The goal is to find training. Thanks again!

November 17, 2004, 05:15 PM	#2
USNavy_233 Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2004 Location: Keystone Heights, Florida Posts: 115	If you go to NRA's website at www.nra.org and click on the contact us link on the right hand side of the screen you will be able to e-mail a request for certified instructors in your area. They will send you via regular mail, a printout of every NRA certified instructor in CA with contact info. NRA instructors are a great resource for basic firearms training ranges from basic pistol courses, to personnel protection to home firearm safety. You can also contact the NRA Education and training department via phone at 703-267-1496. There are many other choices out there also which can provide advanced training courses which will cost you a bit more than a basic NRA course. Some include: http://www.gunsite.com/home.htm (Located in Arizona) http://www.thunderranchinc.com/ (Located in Texas and Oregon) http://www.frontsight.com/index.asp (HQ in CA, located in Nevada) http://www.weaponstraining.com/ (Located in Mississippi) http://www.blackwaterusa.com/ (Located in North Carolina) http://www.awt-co.com/home.htm (Located in Napa, CA) http://www.allsafedefense.com/index.htm (Located in Orange, CA) http://www.bayprofs.org/index.html (Located in San Jose, CA) http://www.ftatv.com/index.html (Located in Yorba Linda, CA) http://www.intltactical.com/ (Located in Los Angeles, CA) http://www.tacfire.com/index.html (Located in Ventura, CA) I tried to limit this to the really well known schools, and then ones that were based in California. I hope this helps you two out. Welcome to the sport and I hope you enjoy it as much as the rest of us. Walt __________________ He is greatest, who is trained in the severest school. -General Thucydides, 424 BC

November 17, 2004, 05:40 PM	#3
tcdrennen Member Join Date: December 17, 2002 Location: Tustin, Orange County, PDR of Kalifornistan Posts: 50	ocjared- I am a NRA Certified Instructor in Basic Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Home Firearms Safety and Personal Protection. PM me if you'd like to get together for any of those. Also, I can highly recommend the following OC trainers (whose facilities and experience are much better than mine ) Allsafe Defense in Orange Firearms Training Associates at Raahauge's in Norco And most of the local indoor ranges offer training: Orange County Indoor Range in Brea On Target Range and Store in Laguna Niguel and The Firing Line in Huntington Beach whose URL I don't have handy. And congratulations on wanting to start out with the proper mindset and understanding - and welcome to shooting! Tara Drennen __________________ An Armed society is a polite society. An Unarmed society is a police state. A Disarmed society is a tyranny.

November 17, 2004, 06:32 PM	#4
Denny Hansen Staff Emeritus Join Date: June 29, 2001 Location: Prescott Valley, AZ Posts: 2,422	Welcome to TFL! One of the best trainers in the world, let alone California, is fairly close to you: Scott Reitz and company of International Tactical Training Seminars (ITTS). ITTS will be hosting their very first huband-wife team tactics course early next year: Feb. 14 . You might check with them and see what prerequisites are necessary for that. www.internationaltactical.com Denny __________________ S.W.A.T. Magazine Weapons, Training and Tactics for the Real World Join us at TFL or at AR15.com or on Facebook

December 2, 2004, 06:51 PM	#8
ibbryn Junior Member Join Date: June 1, 2004 Posts: 9	Go with ITTS / Scott & Brett The first 8 hours with them will be all classroom. Discussion of when and why to shoot. From then on you will be taught by active duty LAPD cops who teach other cops for a living. The mid level classes will give you better training than most cops receive. Take advantage of their relative closeness to you.

November 17, 2004, 08:46 PM	#5
gordo b. Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2002 Location: Peoples republik of Calif. Posts: 961	Ditto! Scotti is the creme de la creme. And Brett is my Gun Mother; so kind yet shapes you up!

November 18, 2004, 11:03 PM	#6
kelsey Senior Member Join Date: October 5, 2004 Posts: 101	I mentioned in another post I had just gotten back from a course at FrontSight and highly recommend it! They have developed a course which starts with basics and allows you to proceed at your own level. They have a ratio of 1 instructor to every 4 students so there is lots of personal attention. They are located outside of Vegas. The courses are a little expensive, but I have a limited opportunity to get you in at 1/2 price if you desire! I am taking my wife next time and she is a very novice shooter. Kelsey

November 21, 2004, 02:14 AM	#7
smithyman Member Join Date: October 14, 2004 Posts: 19	If you're looking for good advice, you're in the right place. I imagine taking ANY decent training course will be enough. The onus is on you to realize the responsibility and act accordingly so. However, whether your motivation to own a gun is for defense or recreation, I recommend a revolver.

July 10, 2006, 03:26 PM	#9
vts Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2006 Location: Norway Posts: 242	Does any one have any experience with Allsafe Defense in Orange? Im intrested in Defensive Shotgun classes

July 13, 2006, 12:55 PM	#11
vts Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2006 Location: Norway Posts: 242	Allsafe Defense it is I'll sign up when i get time....january or febuary