I remember taking my first firearms-related class - it was for my Concealed Carry Permit. I went with a girlfriend and was slightly nervous. Once we got into the class it was AWESOME! There was so much to learn and I couldn’t wait to absorb it all!
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Go in prepared to learn, especially the things you think you already know.
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ASK about how to dress (high neck shirt, closed toe shoes, what else?), bring a pen, a notebook, snacks, water, and a friend. Plan to stay late if needed (sometimes classes run over). Don’t stress and have fun!
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Pay close attention; Any questions ask for a further explanation; Bring a little notebook and two pens; if you think you are asking a stupid question ask it anyway.
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Just reserved my first one. I was thinking of asking this same thing.
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I agree with the several posts above mine. I do want to add to try and not be concerned with where everyone else in the class is on their journey. There may be people who are more or less knowledgeable and skilled than you, but that doesn’t matter. You don’t need to be worried about their skill and they don’t need to be worried about yours (excepting the instructors and safety from that statement). Be there with an open mind and enjoy yourself. I have personally found that a good majority of the shooting community are very friendly and pretty easy going so you don’t have to be nervous about “fitting in” to the class.
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Pay attention, be safe and have fun. Have your range bag ready the night before.
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Go in with an open mind and ready to learn. Put what you think you may know and try things the instructor says. If you are the old dog, remember that we can be taught new tricks.
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YES! This is so important. You’re taking the class for you, not for the guy next to you!
Even the most seasoned trainers here at the USCCA say they have learned things from every single class they’ve taken. You can learn from someone with more experience - and from someone with less experience! (That’s part of the reason I love the Community so much! I learn from all of you!)
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No matter what you know, there’s always something you don’t. A wise man once told me to never stop learning. That came from my step grandfather that only had an 8th grade education.
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The class I’ve signed up for has provided a lot of material to prepare you for the class. Some easy required reading (honor system) and some great gear list videos so you get the most out of class instead of having gear issues. He also had a handbook for sale which I picked up. I’ll probably buy the DVD after class so I can continue to improve and prepare for the advanced class. After the advanced class I intend on taking the force on force weekend and see how much pain can teach me. Lol
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Things to bring:
Smile.
Closed toe shoes.
Baseball cap.
Water.
Snack/ Lunch.
Sweatshirt.
Expectations:
Oodles of new knowledge some of which may contradict your understanding of “guns”.
Know-it-alls in class. Pleasantly ignore them unless the instructor points something out specifically to focus on.
80% will be in a classroom.
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I have anxiety when it comes to doing new things, so after my concealed carry class, I wrote a long review to explain to other people who are like me, EXACTLY what to expect. This obviously only pertains to the specific place I went, but I wish more places would tell you exactly what to expect…some of us REALLY appreciate it.
I hope the screenshots upload…I think this is my fist time uploading a picture here😅
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Best advice is don’t ever choose a class solely based on low price. While a high price class is no guarantee of a good quality class, a low price class almost always is a guarantee of a low-quality class.
My first “legitimate” training experience was a concealed carry class and it was horrible. I didn’t know how horrible it was until I took a legitimate class.
Ask questions before you sign up. If it’s a defensive class bring your defensive gear. If it is a competition class, bring your competition gear.
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