It's always a joy to find people who have a passion for what they do and do it well. Lou is a fantastic instructor who loves his job, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole combo class (beginner's plus LTC qualification). I never fired a gun before in my life and by the end of the 2 hour class, I was two points away from a perfect score for my LTC qualification! A testament to his skill as an instructor. I am especially pleased he was adamant to call out when I got sloppy and forgot proper form. I kept repeating a lot of the same mistakes, and he was like a gentle drill sergeant, reminding me to "find your trigger!" lol That is exactly what I need, and greatly appreciate it! Some things folks might like to know as well: I loved that we started out with a laser pointer that was the perfect model of a Glock; I felt safe starting with the basics on that. I also really appreciated that he adapted to my skill level--accelerating past unnecessary practice when I was doing well and slowing down and focusing when I had errors to fix. (Also appreciate the professionalism sticking to the time schedule!) He was encouraging and believed in my skill, and I was very proud of my marks! He said at the beginning of the class he hoped that I'd be stoked to get a gun by the end of the class--and he was absolutely right! I loved his Smith & Wesson m&p compact .22 that he lent me for the class, and I will probably be getting one myself. He has been super generous with his time and advice outside of class as well from offering to let me shoot his 9mm after class to get a feel for the difference in recoil, to telling me about different guns, gun stores, and even shooting competitions! I look forward to making shooting not only a self-defense skill, but also a fun hobby as well! Thank you, Lou! read more

SA Firearms Instruction & Training - LTC qualification (248/250 points) - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me

My husband and I had a couples session with Lou today. Lou is an exceptional instructor, not only very well versed in firearms and safety, but with the utmost patience for two individuals who had never fired guns before. Of course, he needed much more patience with me, but he never once made me feel like I just wasn't getting it (vision and depth problem). My husband, on the other hand, did great! Lou explained everything in terms we were able to understand as new gun owners. We both took away a LOT from today's session. A most enjoyable experience, and we highly recommend Lou as an instructor. read more

Lou is a great instructor. Very educational well trained and patient. Taught me more than I thought he would. Made you feel comfortable and relaxed. read more

My boyfriend and I did the private couples gun training with Lou, and it was perfect, even with the cold weather. We received great instruction, learned how to handle a weapon, how to handle ourselves, and handle others when it comes to using guns. We are very happy with our experience. Covid precautions were used, masks, sanitizer, and social distance. Two thumbs up from of us! read more

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Lou is a great instructor. I took my mom (who is in her late 60s and never shot before) to a couples class. She was VERY nervous about handling a gun and seemed to want to muzzle sweep the entire state of Texas. Lou was very patient, VERY SAFE and always kept her finger indexed when it should be and the gun downrange, despite her best efforts. We both had a good time and she is interested in gun ownership and more classes to improve her gun handling and shooting. After that first good experience I joined Lou for my CHL qualification, and some rifle instruction. All three classes were money well spent, and I will be taking additional classes with Lou in the future. Very friendly, very knowledgeable and I can't stress enough how safe the class was with what would have been a VERY unsafe shooter. I would recommend him to anybody- but especially if you are a first time shooter Lou is the guy you want. read more

Lou is a patient and expert trainer in firearms fundamentals. In 2 hours, I learned the necessary techniques to hit the bullseye. I recommend Lou to any first-time gun owner. Worth the time and effort. read more

I selected Lou Vanderburg as my CHL instructor from recommendations on NextDoor. At first I was quite nervous because of my excitement, but Lou made me feel very comfortable. His class was very informative and easy to comprehend. After the class we proceeded to the local gun range where he continued to instruct me in safe handling, shooting technique, and qualifying. I highly recommend Lou for anyone interested in getting their CHL. read more

As a novice gun owner, I decided to get gun safety training. This guys are awesome and very patience with their training.

My husband and I recently took a One-on-One Handgun Class with Lou Vanderburg in anticipation of purchasing a new firearm for personal/home defense, as well as preparation for an upcoming CHL course. We met at a local range and received instruction for safe handling, shooting technique, and handgun selection. Lou exceeded our expectations! He was very organized and brought several different guns for us to handle and shoot. We started with the basics and proceeded to live shooting. He was very patient, answered all our questions and made us feel more confident in our abilities. Without a doubt, worth every penny! read more

This is reasonably priced firearms instruction course. Both myself and my fiance' are beginners, having minimal shooting or firearm handling in the past. I had recently purchased a handgun and wanted to be trained right the first time. Lou made the training process very simple and easy to understand. He walked us through step by step all the basics. What is a handgun, the types of handguns, how they operate, etc. Always stressing safety at every turn. The course was approximately 4 hours long. 2.5 hours was learning the basics in a classroom setting. We then proceeded to the gun range to practice what we had learned. This took about an hour. Afterwards we returned to the classroom to discuss what we learned and wrap up the course. I was very comfortable in the setting and with the actual firing of a handgun. He taught us how to relax and begin the process of building muscle memory in our fingers and hands. My fiance' and myself plan to return to the range as often as possible to hone our shooting skills with the real possibility of obtaining our Concealed Handgun License in the future. read more

Lou is a natural-born instructor and a gentleman. From the get go he will make you feel comfortable with his innate patience and his genuine eagerness to share his immense experience related to proficient and safe handgun handling. I have to admit that I selected him as my instructor, as a brand new handgun owner, at random from the internet. Nevertheless, I have decided that he will be my one and only instructor as I progress into eventually obtaining my concealed handgun carry permit, and other weapons use and handling training, over the next few years. Best $50 bucks I've spent in a VERY long time! read more

I signed up for a CHL class with Lou Vanderburg on short notice. Although the others scheduled that day (the day before Thanksgiving) had cancelled, Lou still held the class for a single student - me. It would have been fine with me if he had let me know and wanted to reschedule, but he honored our original arrangement. I was immediately impressed with his integrity. After taking the class, I am even more impressed. Lou Vanderburg is knowledgable and professional, and I would very highly recommend him to anyone seeking CHL or firearms training! read more