Firearms 101: Who Trains Gun Owners?

This may surprise you

This is a the 2nd in a series of firearms articles designed to advance civil debate on the topic. (Part 1 is here.) We're tackling issues that are often misunderstood.

We hope that these posts will contribute in some small way to more knowledgeable debate and more accurate reporting.

Firearms are a somewhat technical subject. As is the case with other technical topics, reporting on firearms is often muddled.

So, how do firearm owners get training? Who trains these citizens?

Law Enforcement and Military to the Rescue

The answer may surprise you.

Based on our experience in over 18 years of firearm ownership, the majority of firearms classes for civilians seem to be taught by law enforcement.

For example, this writer has taken classes from:

* Retired police officers

* A retired husband and wife FBI team

* A former Secret Service officer and federal air marshal

A glance at a well-known training facility near me, lists trainers like these.

* Former military

* Current police officer or detective

* Active SWAT team member

* Trained sniper

* Member of federal law enforcement including counter-terrorism

Above: Photo from the Sig Sauer Academy.

A Remarkable Privilege

It's one of the great privileges of living in the United States, that anyone can access this quality of training.

These are experts at the top of their game. And their years-long experience is priceless. That includes “skin-in-the-game” knowledge of how threatening people operate.

The cost of this training is also accessible, with many classes starting at the $125 range.

You can also find certified instructors who are competitive shooters, or have a non-law-enforcement related job. An example of the latter is a female ER doctor who also doubles as a firearms instructor.

And at many training facilities, the staff also train current law enforcement.

A Welcoming Atmosphere

Most of the training events I’ve been to have attracted individuals from all walks of life.

I’ve found the firearm community to be very welcoming, supportive, diverse, and mature.

I’ve never heard an instructor raise politics or any controversial issues.

Perhaps one day you will experience this for yourself.