I went to the ccw class taught by Matt Marquez on a Monday. It was a small class size with only 4…read moreother students. The class ranged from new gun owners to retired plinking experts, and everything in between. I know it can be scary taking a firearms class, especially if it's your first one. Don't worry Matt will take the time to help you along the process so there is no reason to be nervous if you are a novice gun owner. The class is broken down into a classroom portion, a gun handling portion, and a live fire portion. The classroom consisted of a necessary PowerPoint with first hand knowledge and experience thrown in. There is a written test that must be passed and then it's on to the more hands on training. All of the basic gun handling fundamentals and techniques are reviewed, as well as drawing from concealment. As a class we decided to drive down the street to take our shooting qualification test at the bigshot range. We shot the qualification and received additional guidance from Matt. I ended up shooting an extra box of ammo to practice what I learned from the class. Matt Marquez is a great teacher and brings his experience from a variety of specialized law enforcement divisions to make the class entertaining and educational. There's a difference between a qualified professional and someone going through the motions and just reading off a script. You can tell the people at hog tactical really care about their students and will do whatever it takes to help them. I would recommend taking the Hog Tactical CCW course and I plan on taking more of their wide variety of classes they have to offer. ~BMO

Took the handgun familiarization class as well as the ccw class over the course of two weekends…read more Both were great classes and as a novice came away with much more than I expected. Safe, secure and very comprehensive small class environment. All the skills necessary to continue practicing on your own. Just going to the gun range and learning the drill with an instructor is worth it! Highly recommend.

If you are looking for a business that offers quality firearms training then no look no further…read morethan here. Joel is one of the best instructors in the Reno/Sparks area. As an instructor he is thorough, intelligent and best of all patient. He has taught everyone from those who have no background in firearms to experienced law enforcement/military professionals. His most basic course, in the home firearm safety, is very educational and teaches you the fundamentals and foundation of firearm safety. His defensive pistol course is for more experienced and those looking to further their tactics and techniques. Additionally, he offers a Range Safety Officer course and Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) training. Joel is an honest, wholesome and humble professional who truly seeks to educate and give the tools to those who wish to be an asset in society by defend themselves and others. I highly recommend his courses to anybody who is looking to further their education and skills in firearms and firearm safety.

Joel is amazing! Joel can assist with any person, no matter their level of gun knowledge. Joel is…read moreone hundred percent professional and extremely flexible schedule wise. Joel took his time to explain the details of each weapon fully, how to handle it, and the proper technique to fire it. Joel is approved by Washoe County to give CCW license classes.

The attached picture is the end result from the CCW / Pistol I class at Nevada Firearms Academy,…read moretaught by Scott Catron on 4/18/2026.. It was such a fun day in the classroom and at the range. I enjoyed the whole day while learning about consealed weapons' law and I improved my shooting skill. Thank you Scott and the NFA's team for making that day fun and safe for us. Jerry

Just a few days ago I went out on the range with a friend of mine and despite the cold I thoroughly…read moreenjoyed it. Man I wish they had some space heaters hanging overhead in their outdoor ranges. My hands! LOL The service is straight forward. From stopping in, signing a waiver, picking up some rental items like ear or eye protection--it's all tremendously affordable and under $20. This alone offers a tremendous value. In terms of a selection per se, you can sign up for a membership which ranges from $30-$40 a month depending on the plan or you can go for a single day visit. Adults about $15. From there it's all about the training. From as little as 3 yards to as much as 2000, go for it. Pistols, shotguns, ARs, bring it. They also have some firearms you can rent while you're there at an affordable price (but there's a range fee required when using their firearms). It's a bit of a journey out to head out to Pyramid Way where they're located, but you should consider the journey and training there if you're serious about firearm training and understanding these tools in a wonderful outdoor setting that puts you in the mentality of growing your skill and proficiency. Shout out to Dean who was our Range Safety Officer that day. He was courteous, professional and that's what you want when working with firearms. Check them out!

If you are looking for a good place to help you sell unique weapons these are the guys!read more

They had what I wanted at a fair price. I had lots of questions and the team answered everyone. I…read morewas impressed how they worked as a team. No BS - straight answers. I'll definitely be back for more

I was able to get a quick appraisal, in the meantime time looking at their awesome collection of…read moreused and new weapons. Prices are very comparable with other local vendors and stores.

Went to buy a firearm with a friend. During the background app process while im filling it up my…read morefriend ask if I can pass it (because ive been arrested before. Arrested not charged). I say yes and say what ive been arrested for. Dude at the counter with long hair is nosey and listening and asks questions. I say its not a problem I wasnt charged. Takes my money say I should be good in 3 days. Ive lived in 3 states and the BG check takes longer. He says they dont release the gun (i wasnt asking for it) and they have a courtesy time of 30 days or whatever. Then rushes me saying they dont wanna wait and wants to force me to do a refund but keep restocking fee. Says they aren't confortable releasing the gun to me because of what I said I did. Basically dude heard me said I was arrested for things, then went in the office like a gossip girl and said I was pablo escobar. Told me would give me 3 business days if not would force a return. The day came and dude called. I recorded call, cussed me out etc and said they aren't releasing the gun, would force me to take my money back and would keep restocking fee. Obviously dude is an idiot and I recorded the call. Days later I got the PROCEED later from BRADY. The letter was dated from thr date he called me. So they had the info already and didnt care. Terrible service. Terrible dude. Like, dont hear me talk, take my money, they go gossip to the office and play telephone and tell a crazy story about me. Management never called to ask anything. Place is way out of the way. I mean if you are white maybe you would be ok at this place. I am not.

Did some more business with Mike recently... he now can get some things from PSA at an extra…read morediscount and he still has all his other distributor connections, so I have found I can usually get the best price from him, which is great because I like to buy local. I just call him first or send him an email with what I am interested in and he gets back to me with a quote. Main reason I do business with him though is that he is a first rate human being and all around good guy. He is a fellow veteran. He goes out of his way to help on everything I have asked for help on. I recommend him whole-heartedly, he is one of the best businesses I have ever worked with.

Mike was great to deal with, and he has a great inventory of guns for the first-time buyer, hunting…read moreenthusiast, or anyone looking for several options for a good carry gun. Since the business is a home-based FFL it's a little bit out of the way from Reno, but the process of buying a gun was simple and straightforward and worth the drive. Mike even went to the trouble of meeting me in town to finish a sale since we had to wait until the next day for a NICS background check. If you ever have any questions or want to check out some firearms, I would strongly recommend using Big Valley for your purchases. Helping out your local small business is always a much better option than going to big box stores like Cabela's or Sportsman's, and Mike does a pretty darn good job at matching even some of the best prices out there. You can often catch him at the local gun shows as well if you're ever curious about what he has available without having to drive to him. Keep an eye out for Big Valley any time you're thinking about buying a firearms. Thanks, Mike!

My sister and I are both healthcare providers and it was time for our BLS, ACLS, and PALS…read morerecertification. We had some questions about which classes would be best as they provide a number of great and flexible options. Brian answered our questions and went above and beyond! He embodies what it means to have excellent customer service. It appears that everyone who works at Less Stress EMS is also friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable. From the beginning, Mike, our instructor was engaging and energetic. He provided fantastic clinical pearls with his years of experience in EMS. He made sure everyone was comfortable and used a lot of real life scenarios and examples. He also adds in a good number of jokes and humor to help solidify important concepts. Without question he is one of the best instructors I've ever had! They also provide adequate opportunities for breaks, snacks, popcorn, and coffee. If you need recertification for ACLS, BLS, or PALS I highly recommend less stress ems! It's organized, engaging, and fun! I know I will be returning for all of my recertifications in the future. Thank you Mike and Brian!

I did my ACLS recertification on a Sunday. Like their name implies, the course was definitely less…read morestressful than the other ACLS courses I've taken. They were efficient & straight to the point. I will come back & get my recert here.

Class was very professionally taught. Abundance of knowledge with personal experiences. I would…read morerecommend this class.