My son and I took a course with Gil Vargas Firearms Training Associates, and I honestly can't say…read moreenough good things about the experience. Although I have owned firearms for home defense, I never really felt that I had mastery, competence, or confidence with them. Going to the range with friends was one thing, but I was usually just following their lead. Training with Gil completely changed that. My son is 24 and I'm 55, and taking the course together turned into a great father-son experience that I think we'll both remember for a long time. More importantly, we both walked away feeling more confident, competent, and safety-conscious. Gil has a teaching style that I think he was simply born for. Some people naturally know how to put others at ease, and Gil is one of those people. He was patient, thorough, approachable, and never made us feel uncomfortable asking questions. He took something that had always felt a little intimidating to me and made me want to learn more. He covered the material thoroughly while keeping everything understandable and practical. By the end of the course, I felt a sense of accomplishment that I had never gotten from simply going to the range. If you're new to firearms, intimidated by them, or just want to become safer and more confident, I would highly recommend Gil Vargas and GVFTA. We will absolutely be continuing our training with him.

Gil and his team provided an outstanding firearms training experience from start to finish. The…read moreinstruction was patient, professional, and tailored to meet my needs and skill level. There was never any pressure or intimidation--just clear, thoughtful guidance designed to build confidence and competence. Safety was always the first priority, and every aspect of the training was explained in a practical and easy-to-understand way. I especially appreciated the real-world guidance and useful advice that went beyond simply learning the fundamentals. The instructors took the time to answer questions, explain the "why" behind what they were teaching, and make sure each concept was understood before moving forward. Whether you are a complete beginner or have prior experience, I would highly recommend this training.

It's over a year later and I am now a regular. Taking the classes has been a significant part of my…read morepost-fire healing journey. Being outdoors in the mountains, with a great group of people, learning such an interesting and unique skill always turns my frown upside down. After every single class I feel grateful. I've made friends, we laugh all day long, I absolutely adore the instructors and my shooting pals. The classes have brought some joy back into my life. Love you, gun fam! Huge thanks to Dutch and his amazing team for their knowledge, patience, and all around fun energy! Highly recommend! 1000/10!

Dutch is the owner and trainer of Live Fire Learning. He has an extensive background as a…read morecompetitive shooter, an armorer in movies and TV, and is a frequent guest on news programs talking about gun safety. The classes are small because individual attention is important to him. Dutch teaches in a calm, kind, and patient manner helping both people who have never handled a gun and those returning for refreshers and more training. This is not a macho gun nut class. Safety and knowledge are the best tools when handling firearms and Dutch goes the extra mile. The class begins with a classroom session where gun handling safety and laws are covered. He demystifies guns by careful explanation of how they work, their mechanics and the different types of ammo and some simple laser gun instruction on how to aim. Then its on to the range, right outside the classroom. His assistants operate in the same manner as Dutch; non-judgmental and patient. Range operations are conducted in a very safe manner. The best part about Pistol Foundations is that he provides about 8 different guns that each person has a chance to shoot. For those who have not bought a firearm yet, this is very helpful.This is my second class with Dutch and the classes are highly recommended.

Looking for firearms instruction in Los Angeles? Look no further Larry is an absolute expert and a…read moregreat teacher. We met up with him at Angeles shooting range and he gave my family a very generous 2 hour private lesson. All levels of gun experience were represented so he went through basics, got us all speaking the same language regarding gun safety and then taught us to shoot our guns his way. Wow! It was like magic. In one lesson we were hitting the center consistently. It was really impressive the way he broke it down to the simplest mechanics and was able to get such great results with each of us regardless of our experience level. Aside from being a consummate professional regarding guns and training he also was a helluva nice guy. Plus he had a perfect voice for firearms instruction. I know it's weird but on a gun range it's loud and people are wearing earplugs. A clear authoritative voice that cuts through the clamor to keep me focused is an asset I appreciated. I will definitely be taking some of his group classes in the future and recommend On The Level Firearms Instruction enthusiastically to you :)

I actually took Rifle Instruction from the Owner/Operator/Instructor LARRY back in the begining…read moreJune for a hunting trip I took at the end of June. He does his instruction out of Angeles Shooting Range which is amazing. Larry taught me how to use a new hunting rifle and scope that I have never used that I impulsed bought in the excitement of my first hunting trip. Although I have experience in sidearms and shotguns I have never fired or operated a nice hunting rifle and scope. As I was on a timeline I asked Larry if I could get some private instruction. He offers it and boy was I glad. He not only taught me how to use my hunting rifle but also how to properly zero in my scope and also checked its mounting. the rifle I bought was a .308 caliber so he brought his .22LR rifle so he could properly instruct me on how to operate my new firearm. I will never forget what he said, "If I learn to shoot properly and with the basics using the .22LR I can apply this to the larger caliber rifles and it will work!" Oh Boy was he right. He took the time and patience to teach me how to breathe, properly pull the trigger, check meld EVERYTHING! Even some things like websites regarding ammunition velocity etc that were way over my head for a beginner. Needless to say I was very happy with his instruction and I went on my hunting trip. I employed everything Larry taught me and I was able to hunt my first Deer. I will never forget the experience as it was perfect and it was made perfect because of Larry's instruction. I took one shot and it was a perfect kill shot. The shot was so good the Hunting guide was so impressed that a city slicker did so well at such a distance. I thought he was kidding but when other more experienced hunters came back and they had missed their shots with their fancy guns I knew my guide was not kidding! And I also knew that what Larry had taught me in two hours of private instruction will stay with me for the rest of my life. If fact much of what he taught me I pass on to my friends which Larry told me is what makes this instruction invaluable. I even went out and purchased my own Remington .22LR takedown to practice as much as I can the things he taught me I cannot wait to take his other classes and have more private instruction from him. My instruction and hunting trip was back in June and I am just writing this now because I find it very important to let him know and everyone that wants to know how good this guy and his firm is. now that I have written it I can sleep better at night!! THANK YOU LARRY!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! Larry is the Man and On the Level Firearms Training is LEGIT!!!

I highly recommend Mike and Katie at The CCW School. My experience with them has been about much…read moremore than simply going through the process of obtaining my CCW. From day one, Mike and Katie have were professional, knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely supportive. They take the time to make sure you understand what you're learning and emphasize safety, responsibility, confidence, and being prepared. What really stands out to me is the community they've created. They make you feel welcomed and supported, and you can tell they truly care about the people they train. Throughout this journey, I've grown in my confidence, knowledge, and overall mindset, and I'm grateful to both of them for being a part of that. Thank you, Mike and Katie, for your time and by guidance. I'm proud to be part of The CCW School community and would absolutely recommend them to anyone looking for quality CCW training. Definitely 5 stars!

I recently had the pleasure of taking the CCW Intro class with Mike, and I have to admit--going…read moreinto it, it's easy to feel intimidated. But once the class began, the way Mike and Katie structure the course makes everything incredibly approachable and easy to retain. By the end, you walk out feeling far more informed and genuinely confident. During the live portion, they're great at spotting habits we don't even realize we have, and they correct them in a way that feels supportive rather than stressful. Their teaching style really puts you at ease. I'm so glad I found them. I'll definitely be keeping up with my permit renewals through their classes. Absolutely worth the time and money.

I didn't know much about the company, I found them in a list from LAPD. I was BLOWN away by Josh…read more he was friendly, knowledgeable and truly cares. He even went above and beyond and did drills with us and even gave us his cell if we have any questions or needs in the future. he even made it a point to say we can call him in the future free of charge for questions and advice. truly the best and I was very very happy

I did a private lesson and also the 16 hour ccw course with Resounding Arms. Josh teaches not just…read moreabout firearms, shooting, and ccw regulations, but everything that goes with owning, using and just generally being around firearms- all the risks and circumstances you might not have thought of, as well as the responsibilities and principles that should guide you. In our class he was constantly peppered with questions, which he welcomed and answered thoroughly and thoughtfully. I also want to note that as a petite woman who was by myself I was able to feel comfortable and welcomed which I honestly wasn't sure would be possible in what is traditionally a conservative male space. I am so grateful to have found Resounding Arms and will be doing more training in the future! And, of course, I have to mention that the Range LA is wonderful!

Fernando is an excellent instructor. and knows a lot about firearms. I would recommend Chiron…read moreMarksmanship to anyone looking to familiarize themselves with guns and improve their marksmanship.

I learned a lot about self-defense from Andrew. He explains concepts very well, and he is an expert…read morein teaching situational awareness. The class was paced well, and I highly recommend him to women who want to brush up on or learn self defense techniques.

Andrew is a terrific instructor of firearms training! He points out minor adjustments you can make…read moreto improve your aim and make you feel more at ease. Small changes in positioning and breathing make a world of difference and I'm glad I took a course with him to set myself up for better training moving forward.

Stan is a great instructor, and I would whole heartedly recommend him to anyone who wants to learn…read morehow to use firearms in a more dynamic manner, whether for sport (e.g. ISPC / IDPA) or for defense. I took 4 days of private training (1-on-1) with Stan, and it was easily the most enjoyable course (of any type) that I've taken in recent years! Before this course, I had done a fair bit of target shooting both with pistols and rifles, but was getting bored of the repetitive nature of that static type of shooting. Since I was passing through LA and had a couple of days of downtime on my hands, I looked around for a tactical shooting course to learn how to use firearms in a more dynamic manner. I explored a fair few different options, but found many either too "commercial" (with large classes, and low instructor to student ratios), or too elite (i.e. too expensive, and also inflexible). Stan has been a pleasure to work with, both in terms of setting up and arranging the training, and also throughout the 4 days of training itself. Stan is able to clearly distill down the core fundamentals of tactical shooting, and communicated them in an easy to understand manner. Throughout the practical aspects of the course, Stan gave clear demonstrations of each of the drills, and then ran the drills with me until he was satisfied that I had fully absorbed the lesson before moving onto the next drill. Where I struggled with certain drills, he was also able to give me me timely and effective tips and tricks that resolved the challenges. Within 4 days (about 5-6 hours training per day), Stan helped me move from someone who could only really do slow fire target style shooting to being comfortable with manipulating both pistols and rifles in rapid (for me) fashion. On top of the excellent instruction, Stan is also a very friendly and patient instructor. I'll certainly be back - I can't wait!

Preface to my review, I am a liberal and I voted for Obama. Not just that, I actually donated quite…read morea bit to Obama and Feinstein (also Stephen Colbert but that was more for sh*ts and giggles). So when a lot of my more conservative friends found out I owned a gun, they become confused? Why do you need a gun? The answer I always give is that gun's serve a very specific tool, and only fools would go into this world not using every tool and leverage that was offered upon them. It would in my mind equate to going to a steak house and attempting to eat steak without a knife. That was a horrible analogy. I apologize. Regardless, a few years back someone broke through my front door into my home while I was in bed, in my boxers. Took the cops 15 minutes to arrive, and that day I realized I was without the correct tools. So I bought a gun. A gun is useless unless you practice with it so you know how to use it safely and accurately. Going to the gun range, I learned how to use my tools safely and accurately, or so I thought. I decided I need to take some real training, and that is when I found Stan, and The Academy of Saint Crispian. Stan is a certified NRA instructor, ex-cop, and ex-Marine. He is well qualified to teach, and his prices are good. At $75 dollars a class (discounts if you take more) it actually is quite affordable. The classes I have taken: - Pistol 101 - Rifle 101/202 - Shotgun 101/202 - Surefire Night Course I'm not going to give you a blow by blow on what he teaches, you can dig online and find plenty of postings on what occurs during these courses. What I will write are some observations and tips. Tips: 1. The 202 series are honestly over kill if you just want familiarity with your weapons and home defense. The 202 series covers a lot of more advanced techniques that really benefit if you have a partner, and a lot of the concepts are more on how to use the skills you learned in 101, rather than gaining the skills. While amazingly fun, if you don't plan on assaulting a force and laying down covering fire correctly, these classes may not be for you. 2. On the other hand if you really want to experience how to properly engage a target with a fire team (movement without fire is BAD) and want to have a BLAST then take 202. 3. 101 is suppose to be for beginners, but if you aren't 100% comfortable with your gun and gear then you may find the pace much too fast. My girlfriend was honestly floored by the pace of the classes. This was Pistol 101. 4. On the other hand, what I have begun to notice is not all of Stan's classes are always full. In fact if you call him sometimes you might be able to attend a class with just 1 or 2 people. That is basically one on one training. Killer deal. If you really want to improve this is the way to go (Sorry Stan if you read this). 5. If you don't have the correct gun or gear, that is fine. Stan has tons of guns and boy are they nice. He rents the equipment cheap. 6. Not all guns are the same. One of the most important thing I've learned taking Stan's classes are how important your gear really is. While you may PIMP your gun out, after firing 500 rounds through it will really show you what works, and what doesn't. How stupid (and dead) will you feel if you actually need to use your firearm and it doesn't work... 7. Want to learn target shooting? Want to be able to hit a bulls eye at 100 meters with your rifle! Wrong class! Try Appleseed. You won't be target shooting at any of these classes. While hitting your target is important, emphasis is more being effective on shot placement than accuracy. 8. Don't have a red dot? Shotgun isn't super fancy? Doesn't matter. Getting training from Stan will make you 100% better than all your friends that only go shoot at the range or on BLM land. After taking the course you will have literally done hundreds of mag changes, cleared untold amount of jams, and learn the in's and out's of your weapon to the point where you do feel comfortable and fluid. 9. Wear the right gear. Some gear is appropriate, not everything is necessary. I would say for the 101 series go light as possible. Whatever you feel comfortable going from standing to kneeling, and moving. You don't need a crazy vest to hold a billion magazines, and just realize that all that gear you wear will start to get heavier and heavier and heavier as the day goes by. 10. The night class is probably the one that really opened my eyes the most (funny cuz it was at night and I couldn't see crap). The skills I learned that night regarding light and how God forsaken scary when things go bump at the night really reinforced in my mind a lot of things.. I could keep writing these, but I know I probably lost 99% of the readers awhile back... so with that being said here is my take away: Before I took 101 I wasn't 100% sure about training, but after 101 my eyes have been opened, and I've gone back to take more.