Austin NRA Basic Pistol

[Kalrog]

I have a coworker who just recently was converted from being very anti-gun into owning and having fun with a .45ACP. I have offered and will take him to the range whenever he wants to go, but he is also looking for something a bit more formal. Someone suggested the CHL course for him, but based on what he is looking for I think he would be much better off with the NRA basic pistol course where the emphasis is more on guns and shooting than on law. Does anyone know of a good instructor in the Austin area? He is south Austin, but I have a membership to the Austin Rifle Club and wouldn't mind taking advantage of that as well.

[NcongruNt]

http://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Cl ... istol.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

KR training does classes east of Austin, and offers the NRA Basic Pistol courses.

Edit: just noticed that it's not he official NRA class, but similar. Here's the quote from the site:

Disclaimer required by NRA: The KR Training Basic Pistol 1 course is taught by NRA certified Pistol instructors. However, this course is not an NRA-approved course. That is because we have modified the NRA First Steps Pistol lesson plans to include insruction in the two-handed standing shooting position and opportunities to shoot multiple firearm types as part of instruction in handgun selection. A true NRA First Steps Pistol class restricts students to a single firearm and only teaches the benchrest shooting position. We modified our course to cover these additional topics because those topics are the ones most novice shooters are most interested in.

[Kalrog]

http://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Cl ... istol.html

KR training does classes east of Austin, and offers the NRA Basic Pistol courses.

Edit: just noticed that it's not he official NRA class, but similar. Here's the quote from the site:

Thanks for the info - I will pass it along. I wasn't trying to imply that the only good classes are the NRA approved ones, just that I thought it would be a good way to get the point across about what type of a class I was looking for. And it seems like this is a good match.

[NcongruNt]

http://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Cl ... istol.html

KR training does classes east of Austin, and offers the NRA Basic Pistol courses.

Edit: just noticed that it's not he official NRA class, but similar. Here's the quote from the site:

Thanks for the info - I will pass it along. I wasn't trying to imply that the only good classes are the NRA approved ones, just that I thought it would be a good way to get the point across about what type of a class I was looking for. And it seems like this is a good match.

You're welcome. I booked my CHL class through these guys (taught by Tom Schaefer), and was quite satisfied with the way the class was presented. I've heard plenty of good comments about KR Training, so I though I'd pass it along. From the descriptions, it seems like the additions they've made to the NRA course are good ones. Instead of simple benchrest shooting, they add more practical shooting positions. I agree that it appears to be a good match for your friend from your description.

[apostate]

KR Training is a good choice in the Austin area. I did my NRA instructor certification with Karl (many moons ago) and have taken other classes taught or hosted by him (and Penny) over the years.

[ghostrider]

I'd highly recommend KR training as well. There's also an intro course at Cabelas in Buda (15min south of Austin):

http://www.cabelas.com/retail-2/retailS ... da_h.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sat., Jan. 24, Shoot and Conceal Handguns Safely

How to Shoot and Conceal Handguns Safely
A beginner's informative class on how to safely shoot and conceal handguns. Taught by an NRA Certified Shooting Instructor, he will show you the basics for handguns and pass out material for your information. Also receive information on obtaining your Texas Concealed Handgun License.
10:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.
Location: Conference Room - Located Upstairs behind the Camping Department.

[RiverRat]

KR training gets two thumbs up from me. Excellent instructors/instruction. Good folks.

[fenster]

I'll add another 'thumbs up' for KR Training. I took their defensive pistol class. very well done. I hope to get in 1 or 2 KR classes this year. their classes tend to fill quickly, so if your friend wants to go with KR, I would advise them to sign up without delay.

[karlrehn]

Thanks to all for the kind words about our training.
I am running two Basic Pistol 1 classes this Saturday. One session from 9-12 and another session from 2-5. 4 slots left in the morning session, One slot left in the afternoon session.

Basic Pistol 2 (not BP1) is a better choice for someone that already has a gun and wants training in how to get better with that specific firearm. Our next Basic 2 is Feb 7, 9-1.
Basic 1 is for total gun novices and the goal is to teach them enough that they can make an informed gun selection/purchase and go shooting with others.
Typically graduates of Basic 1 don't yet know enough to be "self-sufficient" on the range. Graduates of Basic 2 should not only be able to go practice on their own but should be able to shoot 90% or better on the CHL shooting test.
Many of the drills in BP2 are specifically oriented toward mastering skills needed in the CHL test - particularly reducing the time from the "go" signal (with gun at a ready position) to the first shot.
The way our program is structured, every skill we teach in beginner classes is a component of a more advanced skill that is taught in a later class. For example: the technique of bringing the gun from ready to target taught in BP2 is the same movement/skill that is taught as part of the concealment draw we teach in our Defensive Pistol Skills class. This eliminates the need for students to un-learn or relearn skills when learning advanced skills.
I'm unaware of any other program in the area that takes this approach (mainly since nobody else teaches skills beyond CHL).


Karl
rehn@krtraining.com
http://www.krtraining.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[karlrehn]

re: NRA basic pistol courses.
Just one more thought on this. I just finished up teaching 16 more NRA Pistol instructors this weekend.
The NRA is a great organization but the NRA basic pistol book and curriculum is about 20 years out of date (grip and stance) and due to bureaucratic inertia NRA has not yet updated the official basic pistol materials to match the content of the newer Personal Protection In the Home and Personal Protection Outside the Home courses, which feature material only 10 years or so out of date relative to what is being taught at the major private sector firearms schools.

Most of the NRA certified pistol instructors are not teaching the official NRA courses because the only choices we have are to teach the 3 hour First Steps, which limits shooters to benchrest and one gun model, and the 10 hour Basic Pistol, which requires instructors to spend 2 hours of the 10 teaching one handed slow fire bullseye skills (that have no practical value for defensive shooting) and 2 hours in classroom lecture extolling the virtues of the NRA bullseye competition program (but not IPSC, or IDPA or etc since those matches are not NRA sanctioned). Grassroots instructors have been lobbying the NRA for years (more than a decade) to revise these courses but lobbying for our gun rights typically gets priority for both personnel and funding up at NRA HQ, leaving local NRA instructors to make do with our own customized lesson plans.

regards,
Karl