Recently finished my level 3 security guard re-qualification with instructor James DeCoux at Texas Handgun Academy. It was Excellent ! Our Instructor James Decoux has years service as a Dallas Police officer as well as a personal security officer (level4) Instructor DeCoux will take time above and beyond to explain and demonstrate so that applicants have a firm understanding of the material required by Texas law as well as a wealth of experience to give examples, shedding light on the material so it makes practical sense In other words to take dry theory/academics into Well understood useful material. The pistol range was conducted in a very well briefed, organized manner, his instructions during the range time were distinct and easily understood (even while wearing ear protection) And established a very safe and enjoyable learning environment. read more

Very good place. Highly recommend. I took there Class for Level III Security (2011) and 4 times (2013, 2015, 2017and 2019) re-qualification. read more

Texas Handgun Academy - Test on Level III Security Re-Qualification. - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Dallas, Texas

This was the range that I went to for my firing range test when I was getting my CHL with Elite Handgun Academy. The location is really easy to get to from 635 and is actually pretty large. Although this was my first time at a firing range, I wish the firing stalls were a little farther apart or at least had more extended walls so that the shells didn't hit everyone because it made it hard to focus. However, I don't know whether or not this is normal but I felt very confident in the location and the safety equipment we used there! As soon as I try other locations I might update this review, from what I understand they also host their own classes here so definitely check them out! read more

Texas Handgun Academy - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Booked over a week ago and when my wife and son showed up for the intro to handgun class, no one was there. Drove in torrential downpour and not even a phone call from them. Called today to find out what happened and was completely dismissed by employee read more

Great class other than the prepaid legal services scam they try to sell you on. Blake was knowledge and hilarious, and I got a great deal with the Groupon despite the class being very crowded. The small range area adds a lot of extra time since you have to cycle through in groups, so if you don't want to be there 5-6 hours, consider ponying up for a class elsewhere. So why the 1 star? It's the shameful "prepaid legal services" scam they participate in. Many, many LTC classes do this so it's not at all unique to THA; it's almost everywhere because the instructors get a kickback for every one they sell. The most important thing for you to know is this: they cannot point to even a single case of this service ever actually providing the services it promises. I believe they have never actually defended anyone in court: not even once. The contract is full of loopholes, namely that they will only defend you if the shoot was legal. Of course, that cannot be determined until after you go through the judicial system - the prepaid legal service does NOT necessarily presume innocence - so you are ultimately left responsible. You can read more about the different opinions around this on some of the Texas CHL forums, but the bottom line is that I wasted an extra 30 minutes stuck listening to their scare tactics and telling us that "every single shoot will be referred to a grand jury and will cost $10K+ to defend no matter how good the shoot was", which from what I understand is not true. Do NOT be scared into buying this without careful research. Something else that concerned me was that I saw them pass people who had NO BUSINESS passing. One man did not know how to handle or fire his gun properly, and Blake had to halt everyone on the range and order us back behind the safety line because this gentleman was aiming his weapon all over the place. He missed taking many shots due to not knowing how to unjam his gun and he barely hit the target. He passed anyway - "Merry Christmas", Blake said - and it scares me to no end that this man can now carry a firearm. read more

My husband and I decided to get our CHL and we went on Groupon and got a good deal for both of us. You should show up early and get a good seat because the classes get packed. If you have a gun you will need to put it in the closet before you sit down. Our teacher was Blake and this is a guy that looks like he's straight out of Sons of Anarchy tv show! He's a badass! He is loud, hilarious,knowledge and serious all in one person! He keeps you awake and alert in the whole class! The class says 4 hrs but you have to shoot so that takes you back on some time. I would definitely plan your day for just that class because they don't give you a time when your done. We were there from 8:30am-3:00pm with no breaks. You should eat a big breakfast before going and bring a water to drink. If you don't know how to shoot or load a gun you will need to practice before you go. They will not teach you how to shoot in this class. For you to pass you will need to pass the shooting part as well as the test!! Another thing make sure you shoot your gun before going because there was a couple of guys where there gun malfunctioned and stopped working and they didn't pass. Blake was a amazing teacher!!! I felt like I learned so much! He teaches you where you can bring your gun, when you can shoot it, when you can't, if you shoot someone what to do about it. I mean everything!! I think everyone should come here and take a class from Blake because you will learn so much even if you just want a gun in the house for safety. read more

Texas Handgun Academy - The dummy!! - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Dallas, Texas

My husband and I passed our LTC course today! The class portion was interesting and went pretty fast. As long as you pay attention and use common sense, the written test portion isn't hard. I suggest you know how to load and shoot your gun prior to the shooting portion of the class. Luckily, we have had a lot of practice so it was easy. It's a family business which we appreciated because we are also in a family business. They were super informative and helpful. Cindy was a sweetheart! This was a great program and we highly recommend it! read more

Texas Handgun Academy - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Great Firearm Safety and LTC Training class with Blake!! His class was quite colorful with humor! He was very relatable and gave great scenarios to help correlate the law to real life situations. Sign up today!! read more

I took my LTC class here and it was a great experience. The instructor was very informative and had multiple videos for us to watch. The shooting range is a decent size. I believe it can hold 8 people at a time. read more

Attended THA's LTC course last night. Blake was fantastic and full of energy, even as it started to hit midnight! I really liked how Blake kept everyone engaged and snuck a lot of information in for all levels of shooters. read more

I took the LTC course here. This legitimately was one of the best six hours I've had in a long time. Blake knew every law verbatim and had the most irreverent, environment-appropriate sense of humor, which was beyond refreshing. I would take this class every Wednesday if 1) I could afford it and 2) there was a guarantee that Blake would be teaching the class. read more

Just wanna say Texas handgun academy was the best experience as blake the instructor was teaching he really gets you to acknowledge and understand and gives it to you raw and uncut how it really goes down on the field great school recommend it to anybody looking to get into security or ltc 5 i give it 5 stars I hope fot the best and greatest success for you guys much love and thanks !!!!!! read more

Let me start off by saying: please, please don't take a chl class for your first time handling a pistol. At the very least take an intro to shooting class. Took my CHL class here and it met my expectations. Range master (Ben) was curt at best on the range and very efficient, but that's exactly what I'd want it in a qualifications range master. His job is to run qualifications, not teach you how to use a pistol. He was efficient at removing hazards from the range. If you are loading your bullets in the mag backwards, expect to get kicked off. As you should. You have no reason taking a chl class. Did I hit that twice? Meh... Rant over. Instructor (Marshall) was old school Texan with a ruff, possibly less than modern PC attitude (though not specifically non-PC) and sense of humor, which I appreciate. There are probably some people who don't. He did a good job of expressing the importance of last resort lethal. Last resort lethal... that's got a ring to it. I should trademark that. Honestly, there was more down time than I desired, but I got all my classroom and qualifications done in the same day, at the same place, and for not much more than I'd spend walking onto garland public range to shoot the first time. Many facilities add range and qualification fees outside of class cost and require you to qualify at a different time/day. Big bonus points with me, which earned extra patience, by wrapping it all into one package. A lot of the downtime can easily be attributed to unprepared shooters, whether they lacked items (ammo) or practice (oops, hit it again). The legal retainer sales pitch was a bit longer than someone who had no desire to sign up might want, but Ben did a good job of explaining the financial side of good legal representation in the civil and criminal systems following an incident with a lethal weapon. I've read up on the legal group at two different ranges and two gun retailers and have been planning on signing up, so just the application would've been enough for me. The only truly "high pressure" points in the presentation were the same day sign up benifits. The range was basic, but fully functional. Utilitarian would sum it up well. I don't know if I'll ever use it due to the hours available. Plus I prefer individual target/adjustable rail systems when I practice. If you managed to muck through this overly long review, I commend you! read more

Went to Texas Handgun Academy for the state required concealed carry permit training. To be honest, most of the course was great. But at one point, a guy came in (wish I could remember his name - long funny hair with beard) and went on about getting legal protection by a law firm he was obviously in cahoots with. He ranted that this "wasn't a sales pitch" however, it was...obviously. He took far too much time during an already late night session. I am all for legal protection but the way this sales pitch was introduced during class, was obnoxious; It simply wasn't the time or place. read more

I purchased a groupon for my LTC class. This was a disaster from beginning to end. First they totally oversold this class. We were initially in a class room where people were standing. They moved us to a larger class in a different building but this was Texas in July-- the room never cooled down with so many people in it. Next we did the range qualifications first. The range only allows 8 shooters at a time it takes each group 15-20 minutes under a perfect scenario. Classes started at 9am it is now 12:27 and people are still on the range qualifying. We've been stuck in the classroom watching a video. And while the video is informative if a video option was available I would not be sitting in a class with the teaching and testing portion still ahead. Go ahead and plan for the whole day no matter what they say. We finally started the classroom portion at 12:38 and he continued to say how tired he was and that he would be going over stuff really fast and skipping a lot of stuff that was more practical to our roles handgun carriers. Next I am not a beginner but I will not be cast in the next 007 or Mission Impossible movie but the guy that taught the class is sort of a "gun prick"-you know one of those guys that walks around holstered all the time and makes belittling comments to everyone that didn't hit the X with all 50 shots. I know that this is rare because I have been to other gun ranges and training class and they are not snobbish like this. Finally I felt like the instructor made very inappropriate comments about race and sexuality. He also took many opportunities to put his personal political views into the class. I also agree with the other reviewer about the gun shield program. It was like he tried to scare us about using a handgun and then sold us on this program that we have to sign up for before we leave. I would not recommend this facility to anyone unless it was because of a groupon. read more

Pros - Class Availability - Groupon Specials - Target Ranges Cons - Gunshots - Temperature - Time Consuming The THA is a decent place if you are trying to get your CHL or any type of clearances. There are a number of these places scattered around the city, but this one in particular has a number of things that makes it unique. The class availability is decent and scattered throughout the day allowing for nearly anyone to set up a time to learn and get qualified. Groupon has specials going for the business constantly, a class that normally cost a couple of hundred dollars can be reduced to 40 or 60 with the click of a button. These promotions are unbeatable for the most part. There is also a decent target range area to hone shooting skills and also as part of the testing. If you're sensitive to loud noises this might not be the place for you. Ever had a class with gunshots ringing out in the background, if not be sure to expect that here. The gun range is next to the class room and depending on the firearm it can get loud and unsettling for some people. Temperature is like most classrooms, either freezing or really hot and its up to you to pack a jacket or dress accordingly. The last part is the amount of time this takes to handle. In short, my class started at 9 am and did not end until 4 pm. If you're going to take these classes be sure to set aside a day just to be safe. Overall this place is excellent if you're trying to get your concealed carry license read more

Instructor Marshall was crude and had a sense of humor that was not for everyone. His comments throughout the class were condescending on every level. He asked the class several times if he had already talked about topics and took smoke breaks every 45 min. There was a lot of down time in the class where people were talking and hanging around waiting. First hour and half was Marshall randomly halting yelling things the next 2 hours waiting for everyone to shoot then the 25 question test. Another 35 min for paperwork. Plan on a minimum of 5 hours. Somewhat of a sketchy crowd, but no surprises there There was a range nazi named Ben. He is the kind of guy who thinks he knows everything. The only positive thing is that u greatly appreciate his approach to keep everyone safe. I couldn't believe they let people attempt to test for Chl who never had even held a gun. A few people were sent back and not allowed to shoot. Thankfully. While Ben's attention to detail and safety were paramount, he's the kind-of person who always thinks he's right. No matter what. I wasn't impressed. This place majorly pushes an insurance plan at the end of the Chl course. I'm always skeptical of places the say you must do this today. Do your research before you go and figure out what personal insurance is best for you. If you have a chance look other places. This wasn't bad, but it wasn't a place I would recommend either. read more

No one answers the phone during hours, No one else answers the door. Crap service. I tried to call to let them know I was running late. Even though everyone is in there, they won't answer. I drove 45 min in traffic for this. Go somewhere else! read more

Great experience at that place, the instructor was funny and made the class go faster than expected. I really don't know why people give that place a bad review. read more

I took the LTC course and it exceeded expectations. Blake Beidleman was the instructor and he is awesome! Very thorough and even made sure we knew all the nuances of the law, and had a healthy respect for our weapons and the ramifications of our actions. I've had a CHL before and it expired while I was living out of state, so I thought I knew it all and it would be a done deal. But I learned so much from Blake that I think I will take more courses. read more

This company takes pride in the work they put in to ensure the person is properly trained to face the outside world.

Took my CHL course there. It was great the instructor was superb and the staff was down to earth. Staff A Facility B- Price B read more

As far as the range goes it's decent and up to date. Not too expensive and they do offer gun rentals. As for the classes for gun training they are great at instructing, and know how to help with common bad habits. The only bad thing I didn't really care for, they really try n push that NRA gun agenda on you hard. And complain about liberals and Democrats a lot. They assume everyone that enters that door is a gun enthusiast. I'm not a big gun guy, I go for my job to requalify for my license. I don't need to hear any political opinions if I'm there for training. I get there's a gun culture and they live it 24/7 but some people just don't care. I am fine with one gun I don't need a NRA membership. Other than that it's a great location staff was friendly and funny. Definitely would use the range for recreational purposes. read more

I enjoy taking my CHL class and written test at Texas Handgun Academy. My instructor was Benigno, and I enjoy every minute of the class. This instructor was funny and made the class interesting. The information on how to be safe and how to use your handgun was great, anyone can pass the written test and shooting test. My gun was 33 year old and this was my first time discharging and using my gun. After failing my shooting proficiency test, Benigno was excellent at supporting me and telling me about Sunday classes, on how to safely handle, hold and aim your gun. I definitely will recommend this place to my mom, father, sister, brother, and friends. Thank you Benigno, From New York!!!!! read more

Absolutely the worst shooting range I have ever been to. Poor lighting. Poor ventilation, and piss poor instructor. I will never go back and holy shit, I am glad that I made it out of there alive!!! How the hell are these guys still in business?!?! read more

My CHL instructor was Bengino (SP?). The moment he barged into the room I noticed the tactical pants, holstered glock 17 (or was it a 34?), the 33 rd magazines attached to his belt and his glock 26 printing from an ankle holster. He sipped from a large cup of coffee that never seemed to run out and every other sentence was peppered with the F word but he couldn't spell worth a damn when he was writing on the board. It was entertaining, informative and at times overbearing but this guy lives this 24/7. I can't think of anyone else you'd want to teach you in a LTC class. Reading the other reviews, I'm not sure what people were expecting or wanting but this is the kind of instructor who should be teaching CHL due to his prowess of knowing the law due to his normal day job. The guy teaching a LTC class is not going to be on the same wavelength as most normal folks. The only negative was the Law Shield sales pitch. I react negatively to almost all sales pitches, regardless of their merit. And the more it that gets poured on the more I'm going to think it's a ripoff. AND BOY WAS IT POURED ON. Doing some research, it honestly doesn't sound like it is a ripoff but I hope I'd never have to use their policy in my lifetime. read more

Fred, Blake, and Ben are great. They're very insightful instructors with a true willingness to teach and help you in every way possible. They make the long days fly by and class as enjoyable as possible. Whether you're going through their LTC or private security courses, you'll have a great time and learn from true subject matter experts. read more

I took the Saturday June 27th class. Good points - Marshall King was an awesome instructor. Very knowledgeable and had the class roaring with laughter but was serious when he needed to make a string point. He made a possibly monotonous class enjoyable. Lots of good theoretical situations and law was discussed. The pistol range was small but well ventilated, clean and safe. Texas Law Shield signing up same day came with some nice perks. Bad points - The classroom was a bit cramped, I believe we had about 25 people and we were packed like sardines :). The chairs could have been a bit more comfortable and no coffee in the room :( but there was coffee in an adjacent room available to us. Maybe a few more handouts, quick reference guides would have been nice to hand out to take with us. I used a Groupon and got in for $39. Even at the regular full price of $60, this place is worth it. Make sure you find a class Marshall teaches, you won't regret it. read more

I greatly applaud the entire THA staff including Sherie the window clerk. What an absolute sweetheart she was both over the phone and in person. I took the standard LTC class and was instructed by Blake Beidleman. What a wonderful experience working with him. Every question was answered thoroughly but put in plain english, which helped encourage the discussion involvement of everyone in the class. Blake, you rock buddy. I will without a doubt be recommending you guys to anyone who inquires about getting their LTC. Cheers! read more

The good: The instructors seem to be knowledgeable and well qualified. Our instructor did this sort of Don Rickles thing where he had a lot of ?Trying to be funny? insults for everyone in the class. He did not seem to do as well taking as dishing, however. They got everyone at least to pass the written portion. The Bad: The range only handles 8 people at a time. The classes have 24 seats, so after the first hour, which is marginally used at best, the next long period of time is spent waiting for other groups to go through the firing qualifications. The range itself is also pretty low tech, there is a single top mount that all the targets hang from. There are no weights on the bottom of the targets, so the targets flutter a lot. I scored a 250, but several times I had to wait for my target to stop fluttering to shoot during the timed shooting events. They will put on some dubious quality videos on like in the movie "Bad Teacher".. I guess that qualifies as classroom time? The tv was pretty small to see across the room. Regardless it elongates the class without adding much value or learning during that interval. The Ugly: Before they will close out the class and let you take the written test, they will make you go through roughly an hour of a high pressure sales presentation. "Ya gotta buy today or this offer is not good anymore" Yes, about an hour trying to sell CHL insurance policies. I found this to be a truly amazing lack of consideration for our time. This pushed a 4 Hour 20 minute class to over 6 hours if you include the lack of sufficient range facilities. read more

My wife and I left the class and got a refund.We did not appreciate the rude instructors and comments made.After seeing other comments made here Im definitely filing a complaint. read more

I enjoyed the CHL (Concealed Handgun License or LTC - License to Carry) class. The required class topic time is 4 hours, but due to range time (and multiple small groups to the range) your mileage may / will probably vary. Plan for 6 hours - if the class is small, it'll be less time. Classroom ranges over the topic areas required by the Texas DPS, and Ben made it interesting, kept the pace up and kept us thinking, and completely made me forget missing lunch. During class and prior to range shooting, we were kept informed about what was coming up and what to expect. I believe the class cost is subsidized by a CHL Legal Insurance Policy, which seems quite a good deal, and I'll probably sign up with at a later time. So, there is a pitch, it didn't take long and you'll get a handout to either signup immediately or take with; but remember: you also got an inexpensive class. As other reviewers mentioned, you need to be able to load and (safely!) operate your own firearm. You can rent a gun (and ammo) from them - at a pretty reasonable price considering ammo prices - but again your own 'intro, basic handgun skills/knowledge' should be a recommended requirement. Also - only 32-cal and above are accepted for the range portion. Since it's a long class, there are the usual soda & chip machines, and the bathrooms (3, one ladies ONLY) were clean. In short: I thoroughly enjoyed the CHL class, felt real comfortable but challenged, was kept interested and thinking. read more

Took the CHL class last night, our instructor Blake was informative and entertaining. The shooting test was quick and in a safe environment. For the price, you really can't go wrong here. They do try to sell you on a subscription of sorts, Texas Law Shield for $11, but it also comes with a range membership at their range which allows you to shoot there for $5. Most ranges charge close to $20, if you hit the range more than once, a month it pays for itself. Plus you're covered if that dreaded day comes and you actually need to your firearm on something other and paper silhouettes. read more

Convenient class schedules, fair pricing, and excellent instructor. Recommended.

My wife and I both attended a class for our LTC at this facility. We had a great experience and we're very satisfied with both the training and the instruction that was provided. Fred was our instructor, he's very professional and knowledgeable and that is definitely something you want from a person that's training you. Highly recommend this place!! read more

The people were nice, but the time it took to get through the class and then gun range was unnecessary. It could have been over in 5 hours (which is what was estimated), but unfortunately it took closer to 8 hours. read more

Pretty good place to get your CHL. Very knowledgeable folks. They teach you need to know laws in order to keep you, your family and possessions safe. read more

Went to get my CHL here. Marshall and Ben did a great job teaching all the material. They kept your attention and knew what they were talking about to the last detail. I highly recommend this place to get your CHL!!! But if you are not familiar with pistols or never shot please go get instructions and do not waste these guys time with that. Take the initiative lower your pride and get some familiarization classes before getting your CHL and do not place the burden on these instructors or waste their time or put the safety of others at risk because you did not want to take the time to learn about pistols before you went. Otherwise best training for your CHL by far!!! Great job Texas Handgun Academy!!!! read more

Blake does a great job of teaching the CHL course. Ben will come and talk to you about Texas Law Shield. Take the offer they give you. They offer you the same rate you will get regularly but toss in a few extras if you sign up with them. Great class. Teaches you what you need to know from expert teachers. read more

Took my Chl here. Price was fair and class was pretty fast and easy. Pretty open and helpful. Instructors are educated and informative. Would highly recommend it. One draw back is having to wait on some role that wasn't on time. read more