NRA Basic Pistol course
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 1:35 pm
Related to TAM's post from a week ago (viewtopic.php?f=83&t=46234):
I'm interested in (eventually--perhaps by this time next year) taking steps to secure Instructor certifications. My CHL course was a real eye-opener: I was easily the youngest (three months out from turning 27) student in the rather large class, and after "surviving" the range qualification (this was not guaranteed, given how many times the instructor had to tell the man next to me to keep his finger off the trigger while trying to clear the five FTEs he experienced in those fifty rounds), I went outside and called my dad to thank him for showing me The Way . . . even though I didn't really shoot between the ages of 14-26, basic firearms safety stayed with me.
Having returned to shooting, I've been taken aback by how many of my (intelligent, well-traveled) friends have zero concept of basic firearms safety or operation. None of them own guns--more than a few of them have started asking questions, wanting to tag along to the range etc. I'm jazzed at the idea of (properly) introducing adults to responsible gun ownership--eventually, shooting for recreation and/or personal defense.
Would it be ideal to take NRA Basic Pistol prior to signing-up for the Instructor-level course? I've never had formal firearms training, but I'm not one to shy away from asking "stupid" questions. Still, I'd rather not spend the day in a handgun class that's hours worth of "No, seriously, don't point that at yourself" if I'd be better served by taking my Plinker Education straight into the Basic Instructor Training/Pistol Instructor Training courses.
I'm interested in (eventually--perhaps by this time next year) taking steps to secure Instructor certifications. My CHL course was a real eye-opener: I was easily the youngest (three months out from turning 27) student in the rather large class, and after "surviving" the range qualification (this was not guaranteed, given how many times the instructor had to tell the man next to me to keep his finger off the trigger while trying to clear the five FTEs he experienced in those fifty rounds), I went outside and called my dad to thank him for showing me The Way . . . even though I didn't really shoot between the ages of 14-26, basic firearms safety stayed with me.
Having returned to shooting, I've been taken aback by how many of my (intelligent, well-traveled) friends have zero concept of basic firearms safety or operation. None of them own guns--more than a few of them have started asking questions, wanting to tag along to the range etc. I'm jazzed at the idea of (properly) introducing adults to responsible gun ownership--eventually, shooting for recreation and/or personal defense.
Would it be ideal to take NRA Basic Pistol prior to signing-up for the Instructor-level course? I've never had formal firearms training, but I'm not one to shy away from asking "stupid" questions. Still, I'd rather not spend the day in a handgun class that's hours worth of "No, seriously, don't point that at yourself" if I'd be better served by taking my Plinker Education straight into the Basic Instructor Training/Pistol Instructor Training courses.
