Gun enthusiasts, particularly those in California, will appreciate Aegis Academy. I know I do. They are an outfit with first class instructors that have decades of military experience. More importantly, they are located in California, thus, eliminating the need to seek instruction out of state, which has been the only option for many Californians until now. Pat, Chris, Josh, and Jimmy led a course I attended this past week. I went out of curiosity to see what their interpretation of a basic firearms course entailed. As an avid gun owner, I was not expecting to learn much from a basic course, but the opposite was true. Pat and his team of seasoned professionals were engaging, honest, respectful, and truly taught me some new skills. For a beginner, you will learn various shooting techniques on a variety of handguns, carbines, and shotguns, and insight into how to make the correct firearm purchase for yourself. I even learned a few tips, and wholeheartedly agree with their notion that firearms are to be respected, but not feared. If you are looking to get involved with an outfit run by knowledgeable people, who truly have the skill to teach you about the appropriate use of guns, then Aegis Academy is something you should look into. read more

Yesterday I took the firearm familiarization course at Aegis Academy. Up to that point, I had no previous experience with weapons or even handled one for that matter. The course began with an instructional slideshow promoting gun safety and educating us on certain firearms. From this point on, I felt very confident in the Aegis Academy instructors and eager to learn technique on the range. Safety is one of the biggest issues that Pat and the Aegis team cover very well. Before shooting any of the firearms, we were taught about each and every one as well as the safety precautions that needed to be taken. As someone who has never held or fired a gun, I felt extremely comfortable in this course as Pat and Jimmy were there to not only guide us but educate us in order to improve our skills with a variety of firearms. Don't hesitate to ask questions when taking this course because the team of experienced teachers will have an answer for you, guaranteed! I was very pleased with this course and the knowledge I now have when dealing with a variety of weapons. This course exceeded my expectations and will have me returning very soon. read more

Despite a couple decades of experience with handguns, I found this course to be very instructional and developed a greater sense of confidence in my shooting abilities/consistency and safe handling procedures. The instructors presented a variety of weapons that allowed me to make an informed decision for my next handgun purchase as well as a global perspective on availability. I highly recommend this course for anyone who has even a basic interest in owning a handgun to even the most experienced shooters - the instructors give educated pointers based on real-world experiences & situations. The location was perfect for this training and was quite unique. It allowed for a higher degree of training when compared to indoor ranges and made for both an educational and very enjoyable experience. I will return for the intermediate course and look forward to the pointers from the relaxed but very professional instructors. DH read more

I've completed six courses with Aegis, four of them with my wife -- handgun and shotgun courses. We had both received some instruction before -- some good and less good -- including a day long course from another excellent program in northern Colorado with instructors from similar backgrounds. Aegis is unsurpassed. Patrick has put together a great curriculum and an imminently qualified staff. Our instructors have included Patrick, Chris, Eric T. and Josh. While we were impressed with each of their training, knowledge and skill we were even more pleased by their dedication to making the instructional experience safe and rewarding. And by rewarding I mean making everybody in the class more proficient and having a helping them to have a good time at it. Can't ask for more than that. read more

A few weeks ago I completed the three day Basic Handgun Training course at Aegis Academy that exceeded my expectations. Training included both classroom and on Range instructions. The Instructors were skilled Marine and Navy Veterans with many years of personal hand gun training and real world experiences. They were very personable and able to give me clear positive feedback for improving my gun handling life saving tactics. I was greatly impressed by the attention to detail and especially the emphasis placed on trigger control throughout the course. I am working the "Drill of the Day" training exercises that are available on-line for Aegis Academy graduates and am looking forward to attending the Intermediate Course. read more

Aegis Academy's Introduction to Edged Weapons class, taught by Steve Tarani, was amazing! I went into the class having zero background with edged weapons and felt comfortable enough after a day of training with Steve to now carry a folding knife with me for self defense and also that I would know what to do if confronted by an assailant armed with a knife. Aegis will host 5 more edged weapons courses in 2013 and I have signed up for all of them! It is a real honor to train with an instructor of Steve's caliber and all the Aegis instructors in the class make the training straight forward, easy to learn and put into practice in the real world. As a woman, I feel much safer having taken this training from Aegis Academy! read more

I took the intermediate pistol class with the guys at Aegis about a month ago. As with the basic course I was completely blown away! Before taking the class I considered myself a competent shooter with about seven or eight years of regular practice behind a pistol. After the class and a month's worth of drills the improvement is like night and day! It's one thing for an instructor with a 20 year operational pedigree to be able to shoot, it's another when they can break it down and teach. Something Chris, Pat, and Jimmy all do exceptionally well. I will absolutely be returning, and more than once, for additional training and classes. As always I cannot recommend these guys highly enough! Thanks again guys! -Mike read more

Took their firearm familiarization class this past weekend with my father. Very helpful and informative staff that never talked down to the group or made anyone feel uncomfortable. Very friendly and attentive while on the range and offered advice to help with future experiences. Shot a total of 8 firearms (4 pistols, 2 carbines, and 2 shotguns). Would have liked to shoot more with each but as they state it is just to give you a taste of each type of firearm. Looking forward to the Pistol 1 class and now that I have fired a Carbine looking forward to a Carbine 1 class as well! All in all a great group that love what they do. Also very welcoming/ accommodating to the women and older members that were in our group. read more

I took the 3 day Basic Course about a month ago. I am a retired Marine that had minimal involvement with firearms since retiring (20 years ago) but still considered myself to be a competent shooter. After completing the class I consider myself a 100% better shooter than I ever was. The combination of classroom and range time plus highly qualified instructors make this money well spent. The instruction doesn't stop with the end of the class however. They offer graduate practice sessions and a full program of Drills of the Day which are drills you can do at home to continue to improve your shooting. Would highly recommend to beginners and shooters that want to get better or just knock the rust off. read more

Jo and I completed the Basic Familiarization course and had a great experience. The instructors are varied in there experiences and together provide a wide perspective and knowledge of firearms, safety and the appropriate use of these tools. Jo, who has never used firearms, was skillfully instructed and came away with a positive appreciation and decreased apprehension of the various firearms that were presented in the course! As for myself, even though I have been around firearms for quite some time, there were many thing that I learned in this basic course! Looking forward to participating in a future course. Outstanding job, Pat and your crew of instructors, too! read more

I bought the basic handgun course for my wife as a Christmas gift. To my surprise she called and scheduled a time to attend almost immediately. When she returned from the class she had a smile from ear to ear, I was so happy to see her talking about how much she enjoyed all aspects of the class that I signed up right away for the next available course. We are planning to take all the courses that they offer and to make shooting a part of our weekend routine. If you have been around guns your entire life and want to improve your skills or if you have never picked up a gun and want to feel comfortable with a firearm, Pat and his team will deliver. read more

I was fortunate enough to take a basic instruction course with these fine gentlemen a few weeks back. I have lots of experience with rifles, but essentially none with handguns. These guys were awesome. Down to earth, friendly and most importantly, experienced. Almost all of the instructors have over 20 years in the special forces community. There was some classroom instruction, followed by some time at the range, all of which was outstanding. I would highly recommend this course to any shooter. If you have never picked up a gun, or if you have been shooting all of your life, these guys will make you better... true story. read more

I'm not saying that our instructor hit a target in the "head" at 200 yards with a carbine he never fired before... but I'm not prepared to say he didn't. This place is the real deal. I went from apprehensive to comfortable in a few short hours. I highly recommend the Firearms Familiarization course for everyone, whether or not you are planning to have a firearm in your home. I'm pretty sure the petite, 72 year old woman in my class (that had never held a gun in her life) would say the same. I will be going back for Pistol One, and Shot Gun One. read more

Recently took the curved blade seminar at Aegis Academy. With years of Martial Arts training behind me, a 3rd degree BB in Kendo, and Krav Maga Training for the last 5 years, I thought this course was invaluable. After the course was over, I would have paid double for what I learned. Steve T was an amazing instructor and the others like Pat, Chris, and Jimmy were very helpful and friendly. This was a no-nonsense event and I highly recommend it for anyone trained or un-trained who wants to learn more about protecting themselves and their families. read more

Took a class at the Pala fire station,very informative.Instructor was Pat Henry,former Marine,With 20+ years of experience,after safety training went to shooting range met by a very knowledgable,friendly group of instructors.Safety being job1,shot a vast array of weapons.Having been around guns my whole life I thought knew a lot,they proved to me you can't be to safe,plus several tips on shooting.Highly recommend this class for the novice or experienced shooter. read more

Pat's practical approach and skill as an instructor are unrivaled. As someone who had little training or experience with firearms, I was impressed by the thoroughness and amount of necessary details the Aegis Team provided in the introductory course. I highly recommend this course for anyone who has even the slightest interest in learning to safely and effectively steward firearms. All in all an incredible experience. read more

I have hunted with a rifle and shotgun years ago, but was unfamiliar with handguns for sport and personal safety. I found Aegis through a friend, and went through the familiarization course this past weekend. Very professional crew, with lots of opportunity to answer all of my questions and get hands on experience with their selection of guns. I can't recommend them highly enough. Wonderful experience read more

The Aegis Academy, Basic Shotgun Course is fantastic.I went from never having fired a shotgun to being an extremely safe, highly competent shotgun user. All the instructors have decades of real-world military experience and it shows as they impart "what really works" to you throughout each day. I could not be any happier with Aegis Academy! Oh, and they're a pretty fun group of guys, as well. read more

I took the firearms familiarization course and I was so impressed that I went back to take the basic shotgun course. These guys are incredibly knowledgeable and competent. They always emphasize safety and that translates into a feeling of being comfortable around the weapons that we used. Can't say enough good things about Aegis Academy and their instructors. read more