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Thread: Beginning to teach, semi-formally.

  1. #21
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    I too like to start new shooters with the 22, I am a certified NRA pistol instructor for what that is worth. I have heard better well known instructors bash the NRA instructors and from what I hear from them they really have every right. This does hit me hard as I feel I can give new shooters or people with little experience good basic handgun skills. With that said I also try to get through to them that if they like what I teach them and they enjoy shooting because I did my Job right they will need more training from someone that is a better instructor than me. What I am saying here is to know your limitations and don't try to teach what you don't really know first hand.
    as Far a waivers go they really don't mean a thing, we had a riding stables years ago and had a lawyer draft our waiver, it covered every base, in the same breath he said it would mean nothing if we ever ended up in court, the waiver was to make them think because they signed it they couldn't take us to court.
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  2. #22
    Site Supporter JohnO's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ASH556 View Post
    2. Class cost - I'm planning on charging $50, but since these folks don't have their own guns, it's pretty much just to cover ammo and targets. Also, to add just enough "buy in" from the students. Sometimes if something's free, folks don't value it as much.
    Question for the Certified NRA instructors. Isn't there a cost associated with issuing a student a certificate of completion for a class? I thought I remember hearing it was $25 the instructor had to pay to the NRA and that was over 8 years ago.
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  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Watson View Post


    ETA: "Class size - Usually no more than 2 (usually a husband and wife couple)."
    NOOOO. Coed classes are bad enough, but having him show off all he learned from movies and her looking to him instead of you is not good.
    I missed this the first time around but you are spot on re coed classes and couples.

    Husband and wife dynamics can be a problem. The husband wants to show off for the wife resulting in them outrunning their headlights and ignoring instruction. If the husband is semi confident he’s likely to try to chime in on the instruction and make himself your uninvited AI. Depending on the wife she may be intimidated by the husband’s presence or if she does better than him she may feel bad for the husband and sandbag performance.

    @Glenn E. Meyer

    We have a few married Agent couples at work. Some of them are fine coming to the range together but there’s at least one which is unofficially banned from coming to the range together for the reasons above.
    Last edited by HCM; 02-19-2022 at 10:45 AM.
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  4. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by BN View Post
    A little more on support for a 22lr.

    My every day carry all the time is a S&W 43c 8 shot J-Frame revolver in a pocket holster. It's always with me, even if I have a belt gun. Frequently, I'll step out on the back porch, pull the gun out of my pocket, fire the 8 rounds I have been carrying in it, reload with the speed loader in my other pocket, fire them, then load 8 more rounds from the speed strip I carry and fire them. All at steel targets from 15 yards out to 50 yards. I carry CCI Velocitors which cost 18 cents each. I just practiced and vetted 24 rounds of my carry equipment and only spent $4.32 in ammo. To vet the same amount of ammo with self defense 9mm HST would cost $28.80.

    I realize that 9mm would be better than a 22. I'm an old man and the weight of better guns doesn't agree with me. I'm not the only one on P-F that carries a 22.

    Get a Glock 44. I have a S&W M&P Compact 22 that is pretty comfortable to shoot. It even fits in some Glock holsters.

    I've had novice shooters that can shoot 22 OK but one or two rounds of 9mm through a Glock 17 and they say they don't want to shoot any more.
    As a glock enthusiast, I have found anecdotally that a number of my students have complained about a snappy recoil out of my glocks 19 and 17. Most seem to prefer shooting steel pistols like Sigs and Berettas in 9mm when starting out with centerfire cartridge semi autos.
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  5. #25
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    I'll add my two cents...

    I'm 100% supportive of knowledgeable folks helping other people develop as shooters. But why charge for it, unless you're planning to make it a serious business concern? $50 a head doesn't seem worth the hassle of being an "instructor".

    My personal view is that competent, safe shooters have an obligation to help new shooters or those without formal training. The casual shooting community desperately needs more folks who; 1) understand good gun handling, and 2) can actually shoot. If I can help facilitate that, I will, even if it costs me time and ammo. It just makes the broader 2A community better overall.

    I think a .22 is a great place to start for new shooters, or those who are recoil sensitive.

    ETA: My comments are not intended to disparage instructors who charge money. I realize many members of P-F are highly accomplished professional firearm instructors, and I respect that.
    Last edited by Mark D; 02-19-2022 at 03:45 PM.
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  6. #26
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    I had the NRA certs years ago but never pursued it. However, I did take folks out who asked. I would start them with 22 LR revolver with 1 round in it that I loaded a few times. Then two rounds for a bit for double taps. Then a full gun. Then switched to a semi - Glock 19 usually, again with one round, then two, etc. Lectures on the usual techniques, safety, etc.

    About couples - two sets were fine - no weird dynamics. One set - male had to flip the revolver cylinder closed like on TX but didn't freak at a correction as I believe in explaining. I hate screaming teachers.

    One couple were bakers and rewarded me with a box of French pastry! Good trade.
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  7. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by cracker View Post
    I too like to start new shooters with the 22, I am a certified NRA pistol instructor for what that is worth. I have heard better well known instructors bash the NRA instructors and from what I hear from them they really have every right.
    I don't know the same people you do, and haven't heard the exact same complaints... my interactions with NRA instruction (I got certified to teach Basic Rifle years ago and never ended up teaching it) left my with a positive impression of my classmates, and a fairly dim view of the NRA program. Most of the people I've come across with NRA instructor certs were competent instructors. JM2C.
    Grab your gun and bring in the cat.
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  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shoresy View Post
    I don't know the same people you do, and haven't heard the exact same complaints... my interactions with NRA instruction (I got certified to teach Basic Rifle years ago and never ended up teaching it) left my with a positive impression of my classmates, and a fairly dim view of the NRA program. Most of the people I've come across with NRA instructor certs were competent instructors. JM2C.
    There are many NRA instructors who are knowledgeable, the issue is they usually did not gain that knowledge from the NRA.

    Unfortunately the basic NRA instructor course seems like it is geared for the lowest common denominator.

    A review of an NRA Basic pistol instructor class here:



    I will say that the Annaraise law-enforcement instructor training programs are a whole different animal, on par with or better than many state LE firearms instructor programs I’ve seen
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  9. #29
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    So much to tackle here really. I have been down this road as I carry a few certifications, am ex Army, ex LEO and taught professionally. I am no longer an instructor, just a coach. Where to start. Short form, I agree with HCM.

    Does it matter if you are ex mil or leo? Not as far as being a good teacher goes, there are plenty of those who don't know teaching or guns. IME though, those people are taken more seriously and seen as having superior knowledge, whether they do or not.

    NRA Instructor, sorta the same thing. There are good ones and bad ones just like anything. Here in MI to get your CPL you have to go to a class and this is mainly taught by NRA Instructors. I have a lot of experience in this area and largely, well, they suck. However the average beginner doesn't know this. It can be important to have this credential because of recognition and because you then have the 800 pound Gorilla in your corner. (In theory)

    Insurance, if you are being paid, you need insurance and First Aid, BLS, etc..

    Guns, I agree with what some of the others have said, you want a .22 or so in your stable. You also want a full size handgun. You will get all different shapes and sizes. It can be a big help to have someone who can't quite get it with grandpa's .38 to try something easier to shoot while you are teaching the essentials. If you are planning to teach drawing, have extra holsters. I promise you people will show up with no holsters or unsafe holsters. As much as I like dot guns and acknowledge they are taking over, you need something with iron sights.

    It goes without saying but I will say it anyway, stress safety! You will se all kinds of crazy things out of people who you didn't think would behave that way.

    There is a big need for actual good instructors who are also good diagnosticians. People who teach beginners get a short straw in the respect department and it really shouldn't be this way. There are way too many people teaching out of their lane and not enough giving good solid instruction at the level that is vital but that most students will never get past.

    Know why you are teaching what you are and how to explain the reason. There will be no end of students whose uncle was a Navy SEAL and taught them how to do something.

    Like so many things, a lot of this depends on scale. I am now of the belief that any serious instructor should have mentored under another instructor who has a lot of time on the range and people through the doors. In reality I know this won't always happen, but I think it is the best way.
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  10. #30
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    Know why you are teaching what you are and how to explain the reason. There will be no end of students whose uncle was a Navy SEAL and taught them how to do something.
    In TX, it was "Daddy" or PeePaw taught them how to shoot at the 'ranch'. Saw this guy put all his rounds at the bottom of B-27 at 3 yards.

    Note TX has some excellent teachers like Karl Rehn. I found him in a UT Austin adult continuing ed catalog along with yoga, how to make cheese and funny dances! That started me as a training junky.
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