I've been following these guys on FB and IG for a while. I have also heard good testimonials from others who have taken courses with OpTempo so of course my curious self went through their website to see if there were any classes that worked with my schedule. I took an Intermediate Pistol Course earlier this month with Matt and Ben leading the class -- both were phenomenal instructors. Each instructor had their own philosophy and methodology with handling and tactics. I appreciate that they also brought their "real world" experiences into our group discussions. Since the instructors have LE and Military backgrounds, better perspectives and examples are shared with the class which is an added bonus for those who are learning new concepts or strategies. The course I took was at Field Sports Park on the border of South San Jose and Morgan Hill. We had a private section of the park which worked nicely for our intimate class size of 10. The class started at 9am and ran a little bit past 3pm. We completed drills as a class and did some additional work in smaller group sizes of 1:5. I enjoyed the session so much that I signed up for 1:1 instruction for a new weapon I just purchased. Signing up is easy. Just browse through the course offerings on the website, select and pay for the course you want to take (check for prerequisites), and Adriana (I believe she's the Operations Manager) will respond to you promptly with all the details you need. By the way, Adriana has been an absolute pleasure to work with -- she's responsive and really great with answering questions. Overall, there's a pretty awesome team running this business. I would highly recommend for beginner shooters, skilled shooters, expert shooters, and every skill level in between! read more

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recently attended OpTempo's Pistol Foundations 3 course and was thoroughly impressed. The course built effectively on previous skills, with practical drills that were both challenging and relevant. Our instructor, Ben, was outstanding. His expertise, patience, and ability to adjust training for individual skill levels made the experience exceptional. The supportive and inclusive learning environment he created was invaluable. I highly recommend OpTempo and look forward to more courses. Thank you, Ben, and the entire team! read more

I've taken various courses with OpTempo: Combat Carbine, CQB, PRS, TCCC. All were stellar. Matt is great instructor. The classes are not intimidating. The instructors aren't their to boost their egos or try to embarrass their students. Rather they train you, don't mind question, and will alter the course along the way for the class and individuals to get the maximum benefit. I also spent two hours in a 1-on-1 with Matt for pistol skills. I learned and improved more in two hours than I had acquired in ten years. For combat situations they provide real word data. This means concepts and methods have evolved and you're previous knowledge is challenged. Great classes and people. read more

OpTempo Training Group - Combat carbine class - Firearm Training Near Me - Livermore, California

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Solid training group. The instructors have a wide variety of knowledge, from the military side to the law enforcement swat side. I have taken several courses with them and ive had a blast every single time. The deills and scenarios are very practical. The instructors will push you and make you work to test your skills. I highly recommend Optempo if you're looking to improve your firearms skill set or if you're brand new to firearms and want to build a strong foundation. Matt and his team will get you to where you need to be. read more

Matt and Ben at OpTempo are great instructors. My family took the class at different levels - Ben taught the Foundations course to the women, and Matt taught the intermediate course to the men. Many of the women were first time shooters, and Ben was very clear in his instructions, teaching us not only how to manipulate a pistol, understand loading, unloading and safety precautions, but also practical application for self defense. We got a lot of practice and are excited to continue practicing what we learned at a public range. My favorite part of the day was shooting the steel targets. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing the "ping" of hitting that target! Matt taught the men the intermediate course. Since they had already taken the foundations course, they were able to advance to the next level. They had a great time, learning a lot of techniques and even had a timed competition at the end. I would highly recommend OpTempo for first time shooters, or those who have been shooting awhile. The instructors work with you to teach you what you want to learn, and provide the opportunity to learn how to operate your firearm safely in potential real world situations. They also make it fun! read more

I attended a basic shooting class from Optempo. It was about 6 hours long. The three instructors did a great job teaching the important foundational skills to be safe with a hand gun. I liked that they reiterated over and over again to be sure we were not only learning but performing the skills as taught. We also discuss legalities of owning and using a gun which was good to hear. I've done some shooting with friends, but I walked away with reinforced skills that I will use all of the time and safe. Thank you, excellent job. read more

Im a new shooter and have completed their Carbine 2 training in San Jose. Great group of teachers. I went from being uncomfortable handling my weapon, to being proficient. I now have the basics to practice on my own. There are experienced shooters in the class, but there is room for us beginners. Highly recommend for new shooters, and shooter looking to refresh the basics. read more

Super cool dudes. Only place around that trains with simmunation. Great places they rent to train at as well.

I recently attended the Women's Only Pistol Course. Having never fired a handgun before, and arriving to the course with a overwhelming sense of anxiety, I completed the course with a new sense of calm and confidence. I listened, watched and learned from experienced, knowledgeable, well-trained instructors . . . yes, all the instructors were extremely skilled shooters, but they were also skilled at conveying proper fundamentals and technique. I can now SAFELY (and confidently) transport, carry and fire a weapon. read more

This is high quality training. I've done some rifle and pistol courses with OpTempo and I can testify to the fact that Matt, Kyle, and the rest of the crew know what they are doing and know how to effectively train anyone who is willing to put in the effort and learn. I will continue to take more of their firearm classes and next year will get into their CQB courses. I highly recommend them. read more

I've gone through about 6 courses so far. Matt, Kyle and the team are true professionals and have learned so much under their leadership. Highly recommend read more

The group of instructors they have are amazing! I have taken a few courses and did some one on one training as well. Always teaching the fundamentals before going hands on has helped me understand why things are being done. I will continue to train with OpTempo. read more

I'm writing this review for my wife who recently attended the woman's pistol foundations course in SJ. I have 10-11 years of firearms background and there really aren't a lot of people I would trust with firearms around my wife, but the 2 main instructors, Matt and Chris are 2 of them. If you're looking for quality firearms training to either start your journey, or to take your skills to the next level, I recommend OpTempo 100%. I also attended the Advanced Sniper course OpTempo put on with Fieldcraft Survival. This course was stellar and I came out of it with new skills and a whole new level of understanding of marksmanship and distance shooting. In all, you really can't go wrong with any level of class from OpTempo. read more

I LOVE this training group! The best! The women's pistol foundations course is just what you need as a beginner. Whether you've shot a few times and want to learn the right way of doing things or if you have never touched a gun. It's a 6.5 hour course with what I consider some of the best instructors. I'm not a beginner, but I was in this course and found all the knowledge and instruction given above all other classes I've taken. The amount of shooting you get to do is awesome! All the safety info and drills were a good refresher and fun. You get to "qualify" in the end and see your progress at different yard lines. Not to mention that you get cool points for taking on tactical reloads, emergency reloads, etc... These are skills you'll now be familiar with if you ever encounter an emergency situation. I also like the fact that the instructors give you real world examples. What to do when your at home in the dark...dunnn dunnn dunnn...All good info The advanced courses are going to be awesome with these trainers. Lastly, the best part is getting to compete for cool swag. Someone in this class won glasses from WileyX, someone else got a some cool gear. We all got discount codes from their sponsors Met some awesome ladies too read more

I hadn't fired a weapon in at least 15 years and never received any proper training specific to handguns, so I signed up for the Pistol Foundations course on recommendation from a coworker, and I'm really happy that I did. Most of the interaction I had was with Instructors Matt, Clay, Chris and Marco and they were welcoming, patient, skillful and I came away from this course with more confidence and knowing what I need to work on to become a better shooter. I really appreciated their emphasis on safety and attention to all students on the line in diagnosing and correcting their weaknesses- especially watching them with students who had never fired a handgun and were obviously very nervous: they guided and empowered them and it was pretty amazing to see the change in those students by end of day. I look forward to the next level pistol classes as well as carbine, CQB, and trauma courses! To Matt and all at Optempo- thank you and you have a new lifelong customer!!!! read more

Was given a gift to have a private training session with OpTempo training and the class was great. Not only did they accommodate a last minute change but Matt the instructor adjusted to our skill level. I highly recommend OpTempo Training to the beginner and also the experienced level to take on courses that reflect on their current skill. Matt is a great instructor and can adjust to your style of learning. Solid class! read more

Last Saturday, we had our first pistol training session with Matt. He was very professional and informative and we both left the training session with much more confidence in handling our firearms. Matt's instruction was thorough and his attention to detail and our safety was outstanding. We are excited and look forward to more sessions and furthering our education with OPTEMPO! I highly recommend OPTEMPO to anyone who is new to firearms and who wants to gain confidence in handling their gun. read more

The low light pistol course was hands down the best shooting class I've ever taken. We got great content, and lots of hands on application time. I've been taking classes with Matt and Optempo Training for almost 2 years now. I can't say enough good things about this company. If you want to learn how to shoot, and do it in a fun, safe environment, these are your guys. read more

I recently took one of their classes. I was very impressed with the collective knowledge of the training staff. Each trainer brought knowledge from their different individual areas of expertise respective of their individual disciplines. The trainers were high energy but completely approachable. They wanted the students to fully understand the curriculum, and encouraged questions. I walked away from their program tired but with a better understanding of the tactics and training that I sought. I can't wait to take another course through them. I would love a class dedicated to team high risk building searches. read more

I worked with this group a couple of times now through my college and I really like Matt Harden the owner - he is extremely nice, friendly, and definitely knows his stuff. I also thought one of their other instructors, Chris Leete was a cool guy - I think he was in the marines and he has a lot of experience. I am only giving them two stars though, because one of their instructors, Chris McGiboney, is really skeezy. He went after a bunch of the female students who worked with the group (he even did that to my friend who was only 20, which we thought was pretty weird and creepy because he's old). Otherwise we thought the group was solid and my best friend loved their women's pistol course! read more

Matt Harden got me ready for PC 832. His expertise in shooting prepared me for the range. It resolved my flinch, for me over my anticipation and got me grouping on target. Highly recommend one on one training and his Next Level Course. read more

Excellent class. The content was clear and informative. The instructors were experienced, patient, helpful, and extremely educated in their field. I loved learning fundamentals and safe handling techniques. Their whole course is incredible and I will definitely be signing up for anything else they have to offer. read more

I just finished the women's beginner handgun class and I learned so much. I was intimidated before I got there but the instructors were so friendly and knowledgeable and super patient with all of us. These guys were born to teach. I can't wait to take more classes with them. read more

I scheduled a 2hr private lesson with Matt and it was awesome! He did a great job of being patient with me, and making sure that I understood the fundamentals. He is a very knowledgeable instructor that helps you see the big picture when engaging your target. I highly recommend taking a course from Op Tempo Training Group, as they will give you the tools to succeed. Thank you again Matt! I feel much more prepared for the police academy. read more

I just took a beginners pistol course for woman. The trainers made me feel safe and confident. They were knowledgeable and very patient. They were awesome instructors - walked us step by step through everything. I can't wait to sign up for another course soon! Thank you for a great day yesterday! read more

Can I just say, "WOW!" I've taken a lot of training courses over the years by some great instructors. Some notable favorites include Massad Ayoob and Vince and Christie Bizzini of Valley Defense. There are others as well. In my mind, what makes these trainers excellent is their ability to discuss and demonstrate various techniques, give the pros and cons of each, and then train you on them. Once trained, they let you decide to use and work with what works best for you. I can honestly say that I now will add Op Tempo Training Group to my elite list of great instructors. Matt and his team are top notch instructors. They know their stuff, are great in instructing, have a great attitude and sense of humor, and run a very tight and safe training. I just completed their low-light course. Being an experienced shooter, I've dry fire practiced a couple of techniques at home and thought I knew what I was doing. Never being able to really test in dark conditions, however, I had no idea what I was missing. After Matt's class, I realized quickly that my "preferred" practiced technique was absolutely horrible in real world conditions, for me. It worked for others just fine, but for me it sucked. I also learned some valuable new techniques that fit my body type, grip type, and shooting method perfectly, and now is my new go-to method. None of this would have been known to me if I didn't have the opportunity to experience it under such great training conditions. Huge shoutout to Christine Zador and her Linden Gun Range for hosting this training. Awesome facility for an awesome class. Thank you Christine! I look forward to taking more training from Op Tempo in the future. Thank you Matt and your entire crew. read more

I found OP Tempo Training Group by accident when I was looking to buy some private shooting lessons for my husband, Jeff, for Christmas. After getting no reply after several emails I sent to Solar Tactical (both last year and this year), I researched several firearms training facilities around the entire Bay Area and San Francisco. After reading Matt Harden's bio, I emailed him as I was looking for the "perfect" fit for Jeff. Matt responded to all of my emails (and there were a lot), and I decided he would be the best fit for Jeff. I definitely made the right choice. Jeff couldn't believe how much he improved after just the first two-hour session, and he was so impressed with Matt's knowledge, instruction, and experience. He didn't just instruct Jeff how to become a better shooter, he worked with him on different body positions (defensive and offensive), stances, and got him thinking about the "mental" part of shooting in different real-world scenarios. Jeff has now had three private training sessions with Matt and continues to improve after every session. He immediately struck up a great rapport with Matt and has not only become a much more precise shooter, he has found great passion learning to shoot the guns in his collection. Most importantly, Matt's training has given Jeff a place to spend his free time from long and demanding work hours doing something for himself that provides stress-relief and doing something he loves. Jeff has taken what he learns in private sessions with Matt and spends time at home and at the range working to perfect what he has learned, and plans to continue training with Matt into the future. Definitely contact Matt if you are looking for an expert firearms trainer. read more