Took my renewal with BAT in San Leandro. Very professional, friendly, helpful. Gregg, Dennis and…read moreNorman were absolutely great! Highly recommend!

My husband and I took Pistol 1 & 2 course couple of weeks ago. Our instructors Norman, Chris, and…read moreDennis were very helpful, knowledgeable, and patient. They explained everything really well for everyone to understand (regardless of experience). Chris was very patient and encouraging during while at the range. He did a great job putting everyone at ease and correcting people in a way that was productive but no one felt embarrassed or stupid. That is a great skill for any instructor to have. He also stayed longer to let me shoot with couple of his guns that I was not familiar with. Thank you so much. Dennis was the one coordinating the schedule when I signed up. He was very responsive and very accommodating. For example, when I asked if I could go to an earlier class, he remembered and called me when they had a cancellation). I will 100% recommend this course, and will definitely take other courses with them.

Josh here, owner of Trivalleydrones.com…read more Come here if you want to get educated on shooting a real gun and a great instructor for home defense. I took the Hand gun & home defense training. Scott has many years in exp with firearms in many of its industries taht come with it. Upon learning this, I followed with an open mind, and let him run his course. He explained everything thoroughly. Scott took me in near closing time, and was not in a rush to kick me out, a very humble patient business owner and genuine soul. On the first day we went through understanding each part of the gun, and what it does. We watched some videos and followed along while Scott was correcting what we needed to correct as far as posture and getting comfortable with gun in hand. Also learned how to clear a chamber first with training bullets. After, we practiced reloading/speed loading, really working the muscle memory. We also went through many tactics on home defense, how to approach a situation when someone is breaking into your home. exactly what to do so the law is in your favor if you had no choice but to take the intruder out. Once we finished, we broke down the gun, and learned how to complete maintenance on the gun to keep it running smoothly. Scott also provided all safety equipment. new stuff not used and abused gear. fresh brand new gear, that you now own. All was concluded within 1-2 hours. We then scheduled to come back and go live on the range, Scott mentioned the closest range was in SantaClara not far. We drove down to the range, and Scott got us signed in. From there, we trained shooting at different paces, and different situations. Scott was focused and never took his eyes off the student he was training. Everyone got their focused time with Scott, truly felt like a 1:1 and not a group setting when its your turn to shoot. Seriously, a gem and great people to have incase you had any questions about shooting.

I had a terrible experience with the way this company is run--avoid them at all costs! From my…read moreexperience in taking a novice shooting class with my girlfriend, here are all the reasons you should somewhere else that is more reputable: 1. The Total Cost is Much, Much Higher Than the Website Implies - $879 for 2 People Some of the prices on the website are old, which I'm fine with, but the full cost is just glossed over. Here's a breakdown of the total cost for two people, with all the hidden costs we paid: - Class instruction - $499 - Safety Equipment - $160 for two pairs of ear protection and one pair of glasses (I was wearing glasses already so I didn't need one). Most companies loan this to you for free. - Ammunition - $60 for two boxes - Range Fees & Targets - $160. This is a separate fee you have to pay the range. Total Cost for training Two People - $879 When you shop around for a class, ask explicitly what they provide, what they don't, and how much those additional items will cost. 2. The Weapons are Too Powerful for Beginners (You're likely to be in pain afterwards) Rather than train you on a beginner weapon like .22, they only offer Glock 17's and 19's. These are 9mm weapons-used by professionals in the military and in law enforcement. Beginner lessons I've taken in the past at places like Jackson Arms start you off with small caliber weapons while you work on your form, and then move you up. I'm a middle-aged, six-foot-tall man, I my elbow was in pain for months afterward from the lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) I got from using these weapons. My girlfriend, who is only 5 ft. 2in. couldn't finish. The other woman in the class struggled as well. Unless you're a very big, strong, young man, don't take this class. 3. They Don't Have Their Own Facility, So You'll Spend Alot of Time in Your Car The classroom training takes place in a creepy back room of diving school in Burlingame. Once that part is done, everyone has to drive all the way to Reed's Indoor Shooting Range in Santa Clara--about 30 miles. Reed's has instructors too, so avoid all these hassles. 4. They Don't Pick Up the Phone I had many questions before I signed up, so I called them. I got a text response, but the person responded wouldn't talk on the phone, which I should have picked up on as a huge red flag. Some of my questions were answered, some weren't. Buyer beware. Don't waste your time and money on this place and find a more reputable company. I'd like to append my review with a comment sent directly to me via Yelp from the owner: April 8, 2026 Scott J. She called us at the last second requesting only private instruction which is higher than the regular price, ammo has gone up like everything else since the war started. We cannot control that. Your girlfriend stated she enjoyed it. So who is lying here. We accommodated you both treated you very well we assigned you a great instructor with solid 5 star rating. Its so sad that you behave like a child. Don't get married no one wants anyone like you. You have zero people skills. You're pathetic you wouldn't last 5 mins in the military. Nothing you lied about on yelp mattered. We gave you great instruction. You're totally out of line.

I've taken the pistol course in the past and yesterday I took my first rifle class. I have been…read moreimpressed with the whole experience. These courses are well thought out and perfect for people who want to take their shooting skills to the next level. The environment is great for the first time shooter and is taught in a safe and controlled environment. Both Nick and Ephraim work well together and it is refreshing to see how Nick holds Ephraim in such high regard. I will be looking forward to more classes in the future.

User friendly website & courses. Very nice and professional when teaching / at range. Definitely…read morerecommend to anyone looking to sharpen their skills!

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.

Truly one of the best gun stores in the entire Bay Area. Extremely knowledgeable, approachable,…read morefriendly, and experienced staff who will help you. If you are brand new to the firearm world there is probably not a better place to start than this shop. If you are just looking to buy just go in there let them know or ask their opinions and in my experience they will help you get what you want if its within their ability to do so. If your looking for more they can easily direct you to staff who offer group and private lessons who can take a novice shooter and make you better in a couple hours and are very supportive throughout the process. I really hope that Manzano keeps going and can set the standard for all other shops to strive for.

Great experience coming to Manzano's. My friend pointed out they had some availability here so I…read morecalled to check on the part and went to make the purchase same day. My firearms license expired so I was able to take the test again on the spot. It was a quick and easy process. The staff was friendly and helpful. They provided me with all the paperwork and details. Fast forward 10 days, picked up my item, no problems. Easy and carefree. Great selection of firearms all around. The staff is very knowledgable. Definitely will be back in the future.

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.

*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.

Great Place to work!…read more Strategic Threat Management offers a great deal of experience in the security professional field and will train anyone willing to put in a meaningful days worth of effort into their work, and will reward you with plentiful training. If you are someone looking to become a professional security guard, STM has everything that you need, all you need to do is apply! As a current employee of STM, I see first hand the dedication STM puts into their employees to ensure that we are equipped, ready, and able to carry out our job duties and ensure the safety of the people and materials we are assigned to, wherever we are posted.

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

I am out of San Mateo County and during my application process was given a list of 10+ CCW renewal…read morecoarsest to choose from which to chose. This is about my 6th time renewing and it pretty much sucks each time due to the current California restrictions. "These guys", however made it pretty pretty, pretty, good. The Sports Field in San Jose is a great spot for the gun enthusiast. Properley run range in a world class setting. Just don't shoot the Swainsons Hawks. The class to take for a CCW Renewel was a little awkward ( due to coordination with Exposed Carry security guard qualifications." Attitude of staff made it flow a little easier, as this class was scheduled 1200 to 2000 hrs. The mood was dark. The class began with aa bit of waiting and then some basic gun training. Hard to hang in due to hearing issues ( skeet next door, live fire to the right ) Any way : excellent tips,pointers, reminders, lessons. Live Fire: This section of the class was handled safely and professionally. Each county had to qualify for their particular range scenario. I was taught a good lesson during this qualification process. I have to say that this was the first Renewel I had been to that didn't kick someone out due to just being dumb and unsafe At the end: pick up brass, go to front dude, computer bs, done. Good to go. If this is a convenient local to get to. go with McGrew and Associates Good Experience Highly Recommend.

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