Training outside of CHL class in Fairfield, Ohio

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kgibbs123

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Does anyone know where I can get training outside of a CHL class (since I've already got my CHL) in a class like setting. I hate the idea of practicing on my own and would rather be taught by someone that could tell me what I'm doing wrong and right and what I could do to improve (sort of like a personal trainer for self defense?)
 
Many of the quality private ranges I've frequented have range masters and other qualified personnel with the degree of training needed to help you. Are you a member of a private range already? If so I would start your search there, since some of the most effective training will be hands on as the trainer observes you shooting.
 
There are lots of places that do firearms training-- Thunder Ranch, Gunsite, Front Sight, and so on. If you're willing to say what your locale is, somebody here will doubtless be able to make a recommendation. (And what Torian said.)

You could poke around a bit on the NRA's training website and see what's near you, too.

Hey, welcome to the forum! Glad to have ya.
 
There are lots of places, but I would start off with a well known school. A lot of the ROs or other guys offering lessons at ranges might be able to help you with some of the "how to shoot at a range" type of information, but I would not think many are qualified to teach more than that (or maybe I'm just seeing the wrong kind of ROs at my range...).

Once you get a good grounding in knowledge and techniques from a good school, you'll be able to better judge the smaller trainers. What you don't want to have happen is to take a bunch of training classes from a very small trainer only to have to unlearn those techniques when you go to a good trainer.

The thing is, once you get past basic handling, you'll want to get training in the specific use that you plan on doing. If you want to shoot competition, you want to learn from a guy who knows the competition you want to do well in (there's a lot of difference between IDPA and Olympic bullseye for instance). And if you want to learn information and techniques related to CCW, you need to learn from someone teaching you how to actually fight with a gun. There's a lot more to the world of fighting with a gun than just hitting your target.

That said, there are a lot of good schools out there. As mentioned above, thunder ranch, gunsite and front sight are good, as are Tactical Response (good curriculum, very outspoken owner), Valor Ridge, and SouthNarc's ECQC (VERY highly recommended, but it may be a bit more advanced than what you're looking for right now).

I also recommend that after you get defensive weapons training, you should do some force on force training, where the school runs you through shoot/no shoot scenarios. It is humbling, but very good.
 
Traveling instructors, that come to my pre-caffeinated mind: Mas Ayoob, Tom Givens, Michael de Bethancourt, and Craig Douglas, a.k.a. Southnarc. Plus, anyone who has ever been an AI with either of these two gentlemen. Be aware that ECQC and AMIS, taught by Craig, can get very physical, but one ECQC student was 71 years young. I either know these men personally, or have attended at least lecture-level training with them.

Brian Hoffner, in SE Texas, is a full-time firearms instructor for a large PD, but does have a site, and does some amount of private training. I work for the same PD, and know him. I have not (yet) attended any of the private training he does, just the basic and some of the more-advanced LE stuff.

If she is actively teaching, Debbie Lokey, retired from Houston PD, was instrumental in helping me learn DA sixgunning, in the Eighties.

Darryl Bolke and Wayne Dobbs, in the DFW TX area. I have never trained with them, but people I personally know and respect do personally know them.

If he is still active, Steve Moses, in Texas, probably north or central part. An instuctor in his own right, he was a fellow student in an ECQC class. Good instructors will attend training, to refresh and expand their knowledge.

William Aprill, in the US Deep South. He is known more for teaching subject matter than shooting, but what he teaches is gold. I have met him, but not actually trained with him.

John Hearne, is also in the US Deep South. He mostly trains law enforcement, but if you have a chance to train with him, I bet it will be gold. I have met him, but not actually trained with him.

Clint Smith, of Thunder Ranch, is an obvious choice for training, even for beginners. One of my colleagues trained at Thunder Ranch repeatedly while it was in Texas. I regret not training at Thunder Ranch before it moved to Oregon.

This is not a complete or exhaustive list. None of these ladies or gentlemen are names I have merely repeated after being found on the internet. I am sure I have forgotten some good ones, that I know, but my fatigue-fogged mind is not remembering at the moment.

BEWARE of any instructor who claims to be teaching The One True Way, and says everyone else is doing it wrong.
 
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Does anyone know where I can get training outside of a CHL class (since I've already got my CHL) in a class like setting. I hate the idea of practicing on my own and would rather be taught by someone that could tell me what I'm doing wrong and right and what I could do to improve (sort of like a personal trainer for self defense?)

First, I'm happy to hear someone asking this question. I teach concealed carry classes myself and while I strive to give students the best introduction to the fundamentals that I can and while the class does meet the legal requirements, it should by no means be considered to be all they need. Doing that is impossible in an 8 hour class. I'm constantly emphasizing to students the need for further, more advanced training. Most CHL classes in this area (and it sounds like yours too) are shockingly basic, to the point where most of them don't even address something as fundamental as drawing from a holster. It'd be like drivers ed not teaching students how to start or shift the car, only steer it, and yet, that's the norm.

I am a little confused by your statement that you "hate the idea of practicing on your own". Practicing the things you learn during quality training is essential to maintaining those skills.

There are lots of very good trainers and resources to find trainers out there. Several have already been mentioned. Several more trainers and organizations that I can personally vouch for are;

https://tdiohio.com/
https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/courses-offered/
http://www.haleystrategic.com/training
https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/

Two others that I don't have personal experience with yet (I will in the next few months) but who I have heard very good reports about from people I trust are;

http://www.tmacsinc.com/
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/

It would be helpful if you said where you were located.
 
There are lots of places that do firearms training-- Thunder Ranch, Gunsite, Front Sight, and so on. If you're willing to say what your locale is, somebody here will doubtless be able to make a recommendation. (And what Torian said.)

You could poke around a bit on the NRA's training website and see what's near you, too.

Hey, welcome to the forum! Glad to have ya.

Thanks for the welcome. I updated the title with my locale, since I couldn't figure out how to edit the thread body.
 
Many of the quality private ranges I've frequented have range masters and other qualified personnel with the degree of training needed to help you. Are you a member of a private range already? If so I would start your search there, since some of the most effective training will be hands on as the trainer observes you shooting.
I only have a few private ranges near me and each of them are asking for someone to sponsor you & I don't personally know anyone at those ranges & lets face it, hate meeting new people.
 
First, I'm happy to hear someone asking this question. I teach concealed carry classes myself and while I strive to give students the best introduction to the fundamentals that I can and while the class does meet the legal requirements, it should by no means be considered to be all they need. Doing that is impossible in an 8 hour class. I'm constantly emphasizing to students the need for further, more advanced training. Most CHL classes in this area (and it sounds like yours too) are shockingly basic, to the point where most of them don't even address something as fundamental as drawing from a holster. It'd be like drivers ed not teaching students how to start or shift the car, only steer it, and yet, that's the norm.

I am a little confused by your statement that you "hate the idea of practicing on your own". Practicing the things you learn during quality training is essential to maintaining those skills.

There are lots of very good trainers and resources to find trainers out there. Several have already been mentioned. Several more trainers and organizations that I can personally vouch for are;

https://tdiohio.com/
https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/courses-offered/
http://www.haleystrategic.com/training
https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/

Two others that I don't have personal experience with yet (I will in the next few months) but who I have heard very good reports about from people I trust are;

http://www.tmacsinc.com/
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/

It would be helpful if you said where you were located.
Gonna take a stab in the dark here and say, Ohioian?
 
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