Selecting Metro Defense from the many available choices for my Minnesota CCW class turned out to be…read morea good decision. I had a number of questions before deciding to enroll, and when I emailed them, the owner/instructors were very responsive and made sure I understood the information they provided, as they would throughout the entire course.
The classroom portion of the course was taught in a conference room setting in a nice office building, and instruction was a combination of Powerpoint, video, lecture/discussion and instructional props. The pace of the course was fast because there was a lot of material to cover, but it was never so fast that you couldn't ask questions, get clarification if you needed it, or where an average person would feel overwhelmed. The instructors actively engaged the students by quizzing them on the material and inviting comments.
Despite its fast pace, the course is comprehensive and covers everything from selection of guns, ammunition, holsters and other accessories to gun handling, gun safety, the legal aspects of concealed carry, and the psychology of highly stressful self-defense situations. A lot of the material is very sobering, and you come away from the course with a strong appreciation for what a serious thing it is to carry a gun, and god forbid, have to use it in a self-defense situation. It is not a "Rambo" atmosphere at all, in fact if anything, you're taught to do everything possible to avoid putting yourself into situations where you would even need a gun, never mind actually have to use one.
I appreciated that the instructors, Michael and Jason, were regular, down-to-earth guys, and not bad-asses, posers, or wanna-be cop types. Both were very knowledgeable, personable, had a good sense of humor, and did their best to make a course about a serious subject a positive and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. There was nothing intimidating about them or the course, and even a person who has never owned, fired, or even held a gun before (and we had quite a number of students in that category) will feel very comfortable taking their class. The students were a mix of people from all walks of life: young and old, male and female, and from military veterans and others who had a lot of experience with firearms, to people who had never even held a gun.
The practical portion of the course is held at a shooting range that's about 15 minutes away from where the classroom portion of the course is taught. Both practice (laser) and actual firearms are used in the course. You can bring your own gun, ammunition, and safety accessories, or rent or buy everything from them for a modest fee. Safety is paramount, and all training and live fire exercises are conducted under the direct supervision of an instructor (1 student/1 instructor).
The class was a great experience for me, and I highly recommend Metro Defense to anyone who is looking to get their CCW permit.