500th review? That has to go to the amazing people of Elite Handgun Academy that have made me zombie prepared and also helped me to get my Texas CHL (concealed handgun license). I grabbed this class on a Groupon for a great rate and when I found out it was 10 hours of class I was dreading it, but it was actually so much fun. Unlike most CHL classes that I've heard about the instructor (Mark Payne) actually broke up the important facts and information that you really need to know with interesting stories, videos and clips to help demonstrate what he was talking about and help us all understand the importance of the information he was covering more quickly. Since I went to one of the all women's classes he came prepared with a large number of handguns that everyone could come up to the front and pick up to see how they feel. This was important because most of us had not purchased a gun yet (wanting to know how to use it first) and he took time to talk to each of us about what we might look for in a gun. He also brought fake bullets and allowed us all to practice loading a clip throughout the class so that by the end of the day when we went to take the firing range test we felt confident in loading the clip on our own. I can't say enough how FAST the day flew by, it's what we were all saying on every break and the information was so interesting and Mark was so funny (while still getting across how important it is) that it was very enjoyable. The firing range test was a little nerve-wracking but Mark and his family (who run the company together) are very good at helping you become comfortable and confident, even when firing for the first time! I know I would not have done as well without his help, and I definitely wouldn't have my CHL! If you're looking for a class, GO HERE, you won't regret it! read more

Elite Handgun Academy - Firearm Training Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Very well organized, professional and relaxing. Mark made the classroom portion educational and kept our attention. He presented a lot of information that was simple to understand. Nick ran the firing session with a friendly but firm note. A great class which I highly recommend. read more

Outstanding and effective teaching from Mark and Nick make their classes very enjoyable and useful. Me and my wife both attended the intro to shooting and LTC classes and have been impressed by how great they all are. Cindy does a great job at customer service and in taking care of any paperwork question you have. Definitely recommending this company to everybody that wants to start learning firearms. It's also really great to support a local small family business. Keep up the good work! read more

The experience with them was very positive. Mark and Nick are very knowledgeable and make the class enjoyable. The Intro to Shooting class will make you very comfortable in handling your gun. The shooting experience is great. The Intro class includes getting to shoot 6 of your choice of their guns. Cindy is a jewel! She has the answer for any question you might have. Try them out. You will be happy you did. read more

I agree with Michael below - don't let the Groupon expire!!!! They will not work with you as other companies on Groupon will and they don't make it easy for you to use the money you've already paid. I purchased a Groupon and have been unable to use it since they want to charge me basically a fee to reinstate it. Which the Groupon term states that you should still be able to use the money you paid towards goods or services at that company even if expired. Per their example "if you paid $10 for $20 worth of tacos, that Groupon voucher is still valid for $10 worth of tacos at the business after expiration."......... Elite Handgun Academy does NOT follow this and will not allow you use your expire money on other goods or services there, I would not recommend this place simply because of their lack of customer service. read more

Instruction well done! Keeps you interested and has fun but is serious when needs to be! There classroom is first class and far better than any others. There knowledge in areas you need for the class is top notch as well. Great class and good people! Highly recommend if in the area! read more

Dont let your groupon expire unless you want to pay an additional $35 per person. I bought a groupon for a CHL class that was for two people and it expired. Per Groupon terms of service, I have a $99 dollar value with Elite handgun that I can use to purchase goods or services offered by Elite Hangun. They are running a promotion on their website which is the exact same as the groupon I purchased and expired. ($99 dollars for two people to take the course). They are telling me that I can not use my $99 dollars to purchase their promotion on their own website. But instead, I have to pay a $35 dollar fee per person, total $70, to "reinstate" the groupon. They are not abiding by the groupon terms of service and are trying to rip people off by not allowing them to use the $99 dollar cash value without paying an additional $70. read more

We purchased the groupon for gun safety class and handgun shooting class. The instructors are very knowledgable and pay attention to safety very seriously. You can trust them and pick out the guns you like. They are professional. Oh the class is for starters. read more

My wife and I took Intro to Shooting and LTC classes here. Mark and Nick are excellent instructors. Cindy is also awesome. We had to reschedule/postpone our class couple of times and they were happy to assist. After completion of courses, I purchased a gun from them since they provided the best price and quickest turnaround since the model I wanted had to be ordered. It wasn't available in stock in any local store nearby. read more

Some time ago before Groupon got all politically correct, I purchased a CHL class for my hb (who's now a firearms instructor). He really enjoyed the class and strongly recommended that I take my CHL course here as well. I said sure, but wasn't looking forward to straight 10 hrs of class. I can hardly do 9 hrs at work without nodding off occasionally. My cousin & sister enrolled in the same class as me so we'd all be in it together (to keep each other awake). After you enroll, you are emailed some instructions on what to expect before and during class & range time. You are asked to complete the CHL application and digital fingerprinting asap since turnaround time may take longer than usual. I took care of all that before the class since I've heard the turnaround time might be considerably longer than 6-8 weeks due to the influx of CHL applications lately. The instructor, Mark Payne, was very engaging and well-spoken. His presentation was spot-on covering the important stuff you needed to know for the test (I had reviewed the Concealed handguns laws prior to taking the class) and he made it interesting. Needless to say, I stayed awake and passed the written test. He had plenty of stories/examples to help you remember information. The range part of the exam was at Texas Handgun Academy-a small indoor shooting range. It's a bit cramped for my liking. There are 8 lanes. In the excitement of hearing the guns firing, you need to remember stay calm and focus on the instructions. You will feel pressured to complete the firing quickly, but Mark tells you to take your time.... Seriously, TAKE YOUR TIME.. it's Your test. Don't worry about your neighbors. It's annoying that the paper targets flap around freely after you shoot it, but just be patient or just time it, then shoot. I highly recommend going here for your CHL. You won't regret it...unless there's some storyteller in your class that has to share their every experience LOL. read more

My wife and I just took the intro to shooting class. Mark and Nick are very knowledgeable about the different guns and very safety oriented and we learned a lot about safety. Nick was very patient and helpful. On the website when you sign up it says that you can use there guns or bring your own, so we brought our own. I have a S&W 9mm and my wife a Taurus Judge revolver. They spent about 5 minutes on revolvers and that was it and the rest of the time he kept making remarks about how he didn't like the gun. It might not be his gun of choice and that's ok, but that is his opinion. He didn't have to keep harping on it the whole night and really making her feel uncomfortable. The knowledge of information about gun and gun range safety was very good. We did learn a lot about safety and security with guns. I would recommend this class but call ahead if you plan on using your own guns. read more

Mark and everyone did an awesome job today. From the time I schedule my class through the end of the shooting time tonight. He made the class interesting, timely, and very educational. Absolute top notch deal. I will send everybody I know here for their training. My stop to go for further instruction without doubt. read more

I have taken two classes with this company, both purchased through Groupon. The intro gun safety and shooting class (so I could figure out which gun I was comfortable with) and the CHL class. I also purchased my handgun through them. Couldn't find what I wanted for a decent price anywhere, decided to give them a call and they found just want I wanted and at a good price. Cindy was patient, helpful and very professional throughout this purchase process. Regarding the two classes, In both sessions I learned so much and liked that Mark used videos etc to keep our attention rather than a boring nonstop lecture. Class act organization and I highly recommend this company. read more

Took intro course and it was a first class experience. Instruction was comprehensive and engaging. Class size was small, equipment well maintained with lots of options. Family run business, very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommended read more

My husband and I just took their course last weekend and we were prepared to have to keep each other awake. But Mark, the instructor, kept the training so interesting that the day was over before we knew it. He is hilarious, but yet used his humor appropriately. He provided real life examples of situations where people have gotten in trouble not knowing the gun laws in Texas, which was great - better than just reading one slide after another. We will definitely come back here when it's time to renew. read more

It was my first experience in a shooting range or holding a gun. The classroom portion was interesting and very helpful for learning proper safety techniques. Staff was very sweet and friendly and overall that made the experience a lot less terrifying. Like others mentioned, Mark has a good sense of humor that keeps you from falling asleep during the classroom portion. Nick does not hesitate to help if he sees you struggling. And Cindy is fun to talk to if you're waiting for the shooting portion of class. read more

My husband and I both took our CHL class with them and it was a great experience. You think 10 hours is going to last forever but with a good instructor it goes by very fast. In 4-5 years when I have to renew, I will be going back to them to take the appropriate class. read more

my wife and i took the the intro to handgun course.. it was well taught and we definitely feel more comfortable around handguns.. you also get to shoot 6 different guns at the range... anywhere from a .22 cal to a .45 cal.. read more

I took the intro to shooting class and it was fantastic. Mark and Nick are amazing instructors, patient, and very helpful. Cindy also was amazing when we got to the range. I left feeling so much more comfortable with my firearm and will be completing my LTC in the near future. HIGHLY recommend these folks if you are looking for a great experience! read more