Why Calgunners don't train seriously?

[ElDub1950]

So, this is an advertisement for your training classes. Hope you paid for the ad.

[Mitch]

I'm trying to get inside the mind of the Cal gunner. I recently spoke with guys that went through the requirements for CCW and was amazed by the lack of overall knowledge and interest in actual shooting.
I was amazed by the things that impressed good, normal, everyday people.
I understand a lot of guys here are LE/MIL trained, have taken classes in the past or compete in 3-gun, IDPA, ISPC, USPSA, but very few receive dynamic training often.
Essentially no training for what you may one day encounter, with loss of life hanging in the balance.
I'm trying to sort out a way to get guys out more, proficient with their weapons, confident in realistic scenarios, taught by great trainers.
I'm primarily talking about the carbine and handgun.
Individually and together.
I feel like the competition, active shooting and training section should be as active and popular as the Off Topic section.
I've already grilled my close friends and now look for a broader view.

If you don't know how to blueprint an engine, you have no business behind the wheel of a car.

[NYT]

i tend to take one class a year, more if i can swing it and i am interested. my friend just started a business a few months ago so i think ill be joining his regular training sessions soon.

https://www.facebook.com/KAGWERKS/

[wpod]

I have no class

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[j15w]

Some people don't fit into the 5.11 tactical operator mold, and find training awkward and uncomfortable.

[SuperSet]

You're at the movies when a cool trailer starts playing. Just when it piques your interest and you turn to your date to say 'I wanna see this', it suddenly ends up being the new Honda commercial.

Womp womp womp.

[readysetgo]

Chasing your tail with this one. Better strategy would be to debrief your current/past students carefully, find out what makes them tick, why they came out etc. Focus on meeting those needs really well.

Also, you may be highly overestimating your potential clients. Calguns consistently hovers ~20-30k regular members (logged on within past 30 days IIRC). Nix half that number off the top for marketplace only users and casual lurkers. Spread out 10-15k over the large geography that we encompass here. You're looking at 3-5k potentials in Los Angeles area.

Also, consider once a student has completed your course of training, there's not a lot of up-sell/resell available there.

All in all, it's a really small pool, divided by multiple factors. Must be really, really hard to make a living at it.

[FLDWRX]

To address some of the comments and questions.
I won't quote anyone since I feel everyone should have a voice and opinion on a forum without being ridiculed for their beliefs.
To each their own. I'm no one to judge anyone's lifestyle choices.
Casual shooters, entertainment/fun shooters. Cool.
MYOB crowd. Understood, but this thread is for those interested that have some barriers preventing them from moving forward. Also, those with perspective to share from past experience.
There is a deficiency in LE for sure, this thread is for everyone, not exclusive.
It's awkward to see guys on this particular site ask questions like "train for what?", "what do you mean by train?" And "what do you mean by serious?" "Better chance of getting eaten by a shark" "more likely to get in a car accident" "it's not likely you'll ever use your gun for self defense" "why spend more time and effort?"
I figured on a site filled with gun owners, there would be a crowd looking to gain perspective and expert direction first hand.
Thanks to the guys that offered honest replies, I think it's a major section of the California gun community that has been neglected.
To be clear, I haven't made a single penny on gun instruction. I don't have students, just friends.
I'm a guy with a job that takes me away from home 8 months a year, a wife and three kids under 10, and I understand some of the frustrations mentioned.
I do have friends and resources that can be of help. This thread was created to gauge interest and brainstorm ideas. Then, get some classes going.
It's seemingly impossible to get around the cynicism and stay positive. Almost impossible to help.
A lot of guys on this site know me and what I do. There is no powerful OZ behind the curtain.

[ChuckDizzle]

To address some of the comments and questions.
I won't quote anyone since I feel everyone should have a voice and opinion on a forum without being ridiculed for their beliefs.
To each their own. I'm no one to judge anyone's lifestyle choices.
Casual shooters, entertainment/fun shooters. Cool.
MYOB crowd. Understood, but this thread is for those interested that have some barriers preventing them from moving forward. Also, those with perspective to share from past experience.
There is a deficiency in LE for sure, this thread is for everyone, not exclusive.
It's awkward to see guys on this particular site ask questions like "train for what?", "what do you mean by train?" And "what do you mean by serious?" "Better chance of getting eaten by a shark" "more likely to get in a car accident" "it's not likely you'll ever use your gun for self defense" "why spend more time and effort?"
I figured on a site filled with gun owners, there would be a crowd looking to gain perspective and expert direction first hand.
Thanks to the guys that offered honest replies, I think it's a major section of the California gun community that has been neglected.
To be clear, I haven't made a single penny on gun instruction. I don't have students, just friends.
I'm a guy with a job that takes me away from home 8 months a year, a wife and three kids under 10, and I understand some of the frustrations mentioned.
I do have friends and resources that can be of help. This thread was created to gauge interest and brainstorm ideas. Then, get some classes going.
It's seemingly impossible to get around the cynicism and stay positive. Almost impossible to help.
A lot of guys on this site know me and what I do. There is no powerful OZ behind the curtain.

I don't see anything wrong with trying to get perspectives by potential customers. In fact it seems like a smart thing to do and this would be a great place to do so.

As far as barriers go I would honestly place myself in the crowd that gets annoyed with the 5.11 wearing tacticool crowd. I've already offered my perspective on training vs. practicing, and as former military who was often lucky enough to rub shoulders with some elite units at Bragg the tacticool guys just seem so ridiculous I don't think I could stomach being around them for a full day or more. The one or two that are always at the range are enough of a dose for me.

I know that is where the market dictates though so I can't get mad about it. When time permits the first formal "training" class I'll attend will likely be Appleseed. I love basic rifle marksmanship, and the atmosphere, from what I've been told about it, is a little less ego driven than what I see commonly advertised for in firearms classes.

[tanks]

...
I do have friends and resources that can be of help. This thread was created to gauge interest and brainstorm ideas. Then, get some classes going.
...

There are plenty of trainers here in Southern, CA. Here are a few of the best just in As

http://aegisacademy.com

http://artemisdefenseinstitute.com

http://artifexcc.com

Additionally we get the traveling trainers. Just recently we had Bob Vogel, Travis Haley, Mike Pannone come by in the last couple of months.

Then, people go out of state to train whether it is Tactical Performance Center in UT, Front Site in NV, Gunsite in AZ among the few people travel to.

So, I think those that are interested are finding classes to fit their interest and budget.

[readysetgo]

I hope my post didn't come off too formal. I didn't mean to insinuate this was a profit venture or similar. I think I get where you're going with this, more a community building event with a benefit to individual skills etc.

What I posted still applies though.

I've stood at info booths and could probably only get 10 out of 100 to listen to a thirty second pitch and take a info flyer about Sac trying to rape us. The ones who actually read it and or took action would probably cut that number in half.

Very disheartening, you're right. All I can say to that is, be determined to push on regardless because for whatever reason, it's just how it is with these things. Also, there are natural ebbs and flows. And finally, be prepared to just build the damn thing (activity, effort, procedure etc), sometimes it takes hold, sometimes it fizzles out and dies. Be prepared for the outcome to be somewhat out of your control.

[HUTCH 7.62]

I'm so good I don't need any training.

[Dezrat]

To address some of the comments and questions.
I won't quote anyone since I feel everyone should have a voice and opinion on a forum without being ridiculed for their beliefs.
To each their own. I'm no one to judge anyone's lifestyle choices.
Casual shooters, entertainment/fun shooters. Cool.
MYOB crowd. Understood, but this thread is for those interested that have some barriers preventing them from moving forward. Also, those with perspective to share from past experience.
There is a deficiency in LE for sure, this thread is for everyone, not exclusive.
It's awkward to see guys on this particular site ask questions like "train for what?", "what do you mean by train?" And "what do you mean by serious?" "Better chance of getting eaten by a shark" "more likely to get in a car accident" "it's not likely you'll ever use your gun for self defense" "why spend more time and effort?"
I figured on a site filled with gun owners, there would be a crowd looking to gain perspective and expert direction first hand.
Thanks to the guys that offered honest replies, I think it's a major section of the California gun community that has been neglected.
To be clear, I haven't made a single penny on gun instruction. I don't have students, just friends.
I'm a guy with a job that takes me away from home 8 months a year, a wife and three kids under 10, and I understand some of the frustrations mentioned.
I do have friends and resources that can be of help. This thread was created to gauge interest and brainstorm ideas. Then, get some classes going.
It's seemingly impossible to get around the cynicism and stay positive. Almost impossible to help.
A lot of guys on this site know me and what I do. There is no powerful OZ behind the curtain.

I think what you are perceiving as negative comments were a response to what seemed in your OP to be a derogatory view towards the many if not most firearms owners that don't perceive a personal need for the kind of training you speak of. The responses were probably addressing what some see as a myopic view of firearms and firearms owners, and were merely explaining why you needn't be "amazed" at people's not being interested in training. Maybe you were just grossly misunderstood in what you really were implying. That seems to be what you're saying.
That said, my hat's off to anyone that's just concerned and motivated to help others. Wish you all the best with your endeavor!

[FeuerFrei]

So the hard working penny pinching citizen saves up enough $ to take a "class" conducted by an ex-military/leo/nra instructor du jour and they "teach" their way of doing everything right.

They teach him/her how to practice properly so after the class the student can repeat what was learned. Where?
Many ranges do not even allow a double tap or other tactics etc.. Insurance reasons and safety concerns a plenty.

Now the student cannot practice what was learned.
Wasted money unless the student can rinse n repeat the training regularly.

*I am sick of the omni-present sales mantra "if you own a firearm you need to train with us" or "our training scars are better than company ABC's training scars"

If you cannot practice what you've learned you have wasted your $.

[Dutch3]

Time is the greater issue for me as opposed to money.

Admittedly, I don't have an abundance of either one.