gunsite academy - day classes

Gunsite is a real experience, it will change the way you perceive your world.I have attended two courses, one in Arizona and a remote course in Tennessee. Both provided the highest quality instruction from the top 1% of defensive firearm instructors in the world. No other training facility comes close. Be sure to go with a friend or a family member that can share the experience, because it will be hard to explain when you get home!Two reasons for not giving it 5 stars: (I wish I could give it 4.8 stars) 1st. The classes I attended were large and I ended up sitting a few times waiting to shoot. 2nd. the remote course in Tennessee was excellent, but did not provide the true GunSite experience you get in Arizona. So, go to the Arizona GunSite compound. There is a little bed and breakfast place near by – Little Thumb Butte Bed and Breakfast, I wrote a review you can find here on Trip Advisor.

As Chris the lead trainer said, "This is not a shooting school. This is a fighting school." Believe it! I have been a shooter since about age 5 (some 65+ years ago). I thought I had a fair grasp of the basics, having shot Bullseye, and carried for the last 20 or so years. Hah! The 250 Basic Pistol Class was a real eye-opener. It is truly LIFE CHANGING. If you desire to be a responsible CHL holder and carry daily, this course is absolutely a must.Safe weapon handling is stressed. Shooting drills will eat up about a thousand rounds, so obviously you shoot a lot. Problems to be solved include a shooting walk clearing an arroyo, and clearing the shoot house of bad guys. You will learn much that you never knew you didn't know about defensive shooting. Plus, it is fun, too.The trainers are all great guys. They have to be to work there. Intern trainers spend their first 6 months there without pay. Only the motivated interns survive the sacrifice required of them. The trainers are extremely motivated, and are without peer. For me, the WOW Factor was about 25 on a 10-point scale. I was very impressed.

OK, it's a given among folks familiar with firearms training that Gunsite is one of the best facilities going - heck, they train SEALs and Rangers - but what may be less known is what a great group of people go there. I've taken 4 classes there, and have never failed to meet some of the most interesting and gracious people I've ever known. There were 4 M.D.'s in my 556 class - a psychiatrist, anesthesiologist, and two orthopods. Or the retired 3 star AF General in my shotgun class. Plus, the instructors are top notch and will go the extra mile to help you. While I was attending my last class, there was a pistol class going on where a mother had brought her teen age son to the class with her - what a great experience for both of them.

Although Arizona does not require a CCW in order to carry a weapon I thought the CCW course would help equip me to comfortably and safely carry. Although the course was very informative, it certainly did not make me feel safe about carrying a gun on my person and confidently handling the gun while holstered. My husband had heard great things about the Gunsite courses and suggested we take a handgun course. I am extremely glad that we did. The experience has changed my life. The course is very well put together, highly educational and the hands-on training is like none other.

In August of 2014, I attended a writers' workshop/training shoot. I was greatly impressed by the quality of the facilities and expertise, patience and good humor of the instructors. The range instruction is both challenging and exhilarating...definitely the most rewarding experience I've had in 50-some odd years of shooting. I'd recommend Gunsite for both beginners and experienced shooters alike. And I've already made arrangements to return for a full Pistol course.

Until I attended Gunsite, I thought of my 2nd Amendment Constitutional rights as an abstraction. I now know much more what it is to be an American citizen. I'm now far more motivated to express ALL my rights. I STRONGLY recommend that every American attend Gunsite to learn how to discharge one's right to bear arms safely, responsibly, effectively and within the bounds of morality. When you leave Gunsite, you will be more than you were.

Gunsite is not an eco-tourist, yoga retreat or an all-inclusive beach-side resort. It is a serious place to learn about the serious techniques and safety precautions for firearms of all kinds! They have hundreds of acres of various ranges, classrooms and training simulators. I doubt there is a better equipped facility anywhere short of the SEALS or Army Rangers. Their instructors and rangemasters have years and years of experience (though they can't tell you about much of it). After a week at Gunsite. you will return home with a complete understanding of your weapon, how to safely handle it, and God forbid if you must use it, you will be prepared to do it responsibly. (Your hand/shoulder will be rather sore too).Another fantastic thing is their location in Arizona provides those of us in snowy parts of the country a nice vacation from winter weather!