The absolute BEST there is in the BAY! From start to finish, all of their various training courses…read moreare excellent. Anyone who trains with this outfit will undoubtedly leave more proficient at their craft, then when they 1st arrived. Repeat client/student talking, who will certainly be back for more.

I took Defensive 2 with Dick and had a great experience. The amount of attention he pays to each…read moreshooter and the individualized instruction he provides was extremely helpful. His military experience really shows in the way he teaches and explains things. This isn't my first course with Bay Area Tactical. I previously took Defensive 1 with Matt, along with another course before that, and Matt was also a great instructor. BAT consistently does a great job finding experienced, professional instructors who really know what they're doing. The BAT team is also a great group of guys who run a solid program. I've had a great experience every time I've trained with them and will definitely be taking more courses with BAT in the future.

Recently took the Beginner Pistol & Safety Course and it was great! I called & booked it a week in…read moreadvance. I grew up with a brother thatʻs a competitive shooter, but I wanted to take an official pistol shooting course from someone that was not my sibling. It was a slow day, so I was the only student & turned out to be an awesome private lesson! Scott created a friendly and comfortable environment for me to learn. 45 mins video on the responsibility that comes with carrying a firearm & the need for proper training and legal knowledge. Our trip to Reedʻs Indoor Range in Santa Clara, so that took up an hour out of the 3 hour class. I learned about bad habits that I had to correct and Iʻm excited to take more courses from Bay Area Firearms.

Had to try them out and would recommend them all the way! Scott treated me with nothing but respect…read moreand concern. He had Clark be our instructor and he taught us so much that I didn't realize I would need and don't know. Try them out to make sure you have not only the information needed to be a firearm holder but how to use it for everyday interaction that could happen.

I attended their CCW Modification class. Talk about a disorganized bunch! I was told to get there…read moreat 9:45AM. After finally finding someone to sign me in, all he said is wait for them to call your name. No going over safety rules, where to put your things or your what to expect. If something is unclear, you basically need to find someone in charge and ask one of them. Amongst the firing line was a bearded little person with a Nepolion complex and a megaphone berating the shooters about every "mistake" he felt they are making. A guy a few spots to my left raised his hand to ask a question and he yelled at him for turning his head towards him, saying it was an incredibly dangerous gesture. The guy's hand was up in the air, clearly without a firearm in it and that was dangerous? Another guy to my right put his empty magazine in his pocket and he got yelled at too. I heard him saying he would be murdered in real life if he did that and that he needed to drop his magazine on the ground. One of the other range officers had to come him down. I'm not sure if any range safety brief was gone over earlier in the day, but no one who got there at 9:45AM heard anything. Some people were even asking me where to put their guns and equipment. Not sure if the little person with the beard even comprihends that these are his clients that paid him money for a service, because he was acting to me like someone who felt he was doing them some kind of favor. Even at the end of it all we didn't know if we had to stay or if we could go home. They said my safety certificate would get to me by Tuesday. That was late by a few days too and when I followed up, I got no response. If you're looking for terrible customers service, you found it!

These guys are great. Wide variety of training, knowledgeable and available to answer all types of…read morequestions. I've enrolled in multiple classes with them, including my CCW renewal, tactical med, personal defense as well as rifle, pistol and shotgun training.

Mike, the owner of Threat Spectrum Inc., demonstrated self defense techniques in a comfortable…read moreenvironment that helped to not make it overwhelming. Each movement was clear and concise making for an easy learning experience. He had medical and self defense supplies with him at all times for any unforeseen occurrence.

From the owner: Threat Spectrum's services division works with government, commercial and civilian clients seeking…read moreto protect high value assets, be they facilities or human resources. Martial arts and weapons skills are taught in group classes and private lessons. Security consulting services can include site surveys of private residences, commercial offices, and digital networks for target hardening and disaster preparedness. Armed security guard services are available with several weeks notice, but our rates are not very competitive due to overqualification; guarding people, rather than places, is bodyguarding, and that costs more because it requires a much broader skill set, is more dangerous, and the client consequences are higher.

Manzano Munitions is more than a gun store. I genuinely see them as community builders first, with…read morea great gun store as a bonus. Kyle and the guys there aren't your typical pushy, salesy people. They're genuine gun guys who actually shoot and live the lifestyle. They'll give you options, share their honest opinions and experience, and then let YOU decide what's best for you. No pressure, no BS. I've personally bought 3 high-end 2011s from them and thousands of rounds of ammo, and every transaction has been smooth from start to finish. The shop itself is also one of the most welcoming and cozy gun shops I've been to. But what really sets Manzano apart is what they've done for the shooting community. They host and organize members matches where you can get stage experience, sharpen your skills, and eventually take what you've learned into a real USPSA match--which they also run out of Coyote Valley Sporting Clays. That's what I mean when I say community builders. They're not just selling guns--they're helping build a stronger shooting community. NorCal and especially the South Bay shooting community is a better place because of what these guys have built. I'm genuinely grateful to be part of it. May God continue to bless Manzano Munitions, the people behind it, and the community they've built. Shoutout to all the guys over there--Johnny, Mike, the two Alex's, Chris, and Jake. A+ customer service, every time. You guys are the real deal.

Absolutely top-tier FFL shop. From the second you walk in, you're treated like family. Warm,…read morewelcoming, and genuinely happy to help. The staff behind the counter are incredibly knowledgeable and more importantly, they're actual shooters with real experience. You can tell right away these guys live the lifestyle and know their gear inside and out, not just random internet keyboard warriors pretending to know what they're talking about. They take the time to answer questions, give honest advice, and make sure you leave confident in your purchase. No pressure, no ego, just solid people who care about their customers and the shooting community. Rare to find a shop with this level of professionalism and authenticity these days. Easily one of the best FFL experiences I've had. Highly recommend supporting this place. I've been coming back since they opened and the service has stayed consistent

Took a familiarization of guns course with Rick.I didn't know a lot about guns & was curious.It was…read morea great class very informative thorough & fun.Rick is very knowledgeable & kept the class flowing.He took his time to explain each weapon then we got to test them out in a safe manner to get a good feel for them & rick walked around to answer all questions & demo them too.if you had trouble he would be hands on which is in my opinion necessary. Took my wife who didn't feel like going & does not like guns & she had a great time & feels she has a better understanding about guns,gun safety & how they work.We are going to take a few more classes with Rick to learn to shoot.Thank you Rick for a fun day & helping us be more knowledgeable & less intimidated about handling guns.

I have watched this company grow and watched security guards do their jobs with care and respect…read morefor their employees and their job sites. Keep up the good work!

*DISCLOSURE* I am a competitor to STM…read more STM is one of the VERY few companies that I refer people to when I can't take on a particular client or don't have any openings for new employees. It's rare in this industry to find a company with respectable management, leaders, and employees. Even being a competitor, Larry has been a pleasure to work with and I know his company is top notch. If I were looking to hire security, STM would be my first stop.

Completed my 16-hour concealed carry training through McGrew and Associates, the course was…read morephenomenal. It covers everything a responsible gun owner needs to know, from the ground up. The curriculum dives deep into handgun basics and shooting fundamentals, making sure you have proper technique down solid. But what really sets it apart is how thoroughly they cover the mental and legal sides of carrying: The Psychology of Violent Encounters: A real eye-opener on how the mind and body react under extreme stress. The Legal Aspects of Using Deadly Force: Essential knowledge on self-defense laws that every carrier must understand. Legal Protection: They even brought in LawShield insurance to break down the legal coverage every armed citizen should have in place. If you carry or are thinking about getting your permit, taking a comprehensive course like this is an absolute must. Highly recommend!

As a first-timer that only got the level one guard card class for now, my experience was pretty…read morestraightforward and neutral since I arrived early and on a Saturday. When I was scheduling, it said that there was like 25 spots open so I jumped in on it. When you actually get there though on a Saturday, there's actually a decent amount of students. There will be a line to get checked in. There is a lot of parking and a 7-Eleven across the street if you get hungry during one of the couple of breaks that they give you during the class. Everything was extremely efficient from my point of view. They were able to condense 8 hours of material into around four to five. I mean, level 1 is extremely common sense as some say, but I did learn some things about the do's and don'ts about being a security guard. Not a lot of people had questions so it went by pretty quick. The test itself is pretty easy so as long as you're taking notes on important things and pay attention to the practice questions. I'm looking forward to my level two and three guard card classes and will update my review accordingly

My 14 year old son has been going to the Coder School for half of his life now: he has had weekly…read morecoaching sessions with Teacher John, who has been awesome and incredibly patient in teaching him all sorts of computer coding and languages - from Python, to Java, to C++, and nowadays they talk about AI and construct projects for him to do that feed his intellectual curiosity. John has been so helpful and creative, and he has maintained a balance between answering my son's myriad questions while also having him execute complicated projects. John has been a constant in my son's life for seven years, and the school is very organized, responsive and helpful whenever we need to make a change to the schedule. I HIGHLY recommend!

Great way to get kids into coding they started in the Palo Alto location and now go to San Mateo…read more My son and daughter both do weekly coding lesson and it has been a great experience. The staff are really top notch and take the time to make sure the kids understand what they are doing and also try to make it topical to games they might play Learning Scratch, python, java etc My kids love making their own games and are looking forward to summer camp where they might make mobile apps