Recommendations for Defensive pistol & shotgun classes in Los Angeles

[drummag]

Hoping to get some recommendations on home / urban defense pistol and shotgun classes.


Thanks in advance!
Mike

[RoundEye]

All Safe Defense (Instructor TJ Johnston) in Orange is the best certified NRA Training Counselor around. He teaches everything you're looking for.

[akjunkie]

https://www.stcrispian.com

Stanton Lee
Great instructor. Patient and knowledgeable.
Classes held at Angeles Shooting Range.

[Brianguy]

NRA instructor doesn't mean anything other than they took a 2 day class and paid $250.

Scott Reitz was a 30 year LAPD veteran and the instructor for LAPD Metro SWAT.

http://www.internationaltactical.com/courses.html

I enjoyed Uncle Scottys handgun I class although its mostly the basics

[Ronin2]

NRA instructor doesn't mean anything other than they took a 2 day class and paid $250.
http://www.internationaltactical.com/courses.html

YUP... I was once an NRA certified handgun instructor. All it means is that you can communicate the "basics" about handgun safety and marksmanship. NOTHING involving tactics or strategy is in the NRA curriculum.

I will recommend Max Joseph and his cadre over at Tactical Firearms Training Team (www.tftt.com). They are 1 tier operators and teach top operators for a living... LE and military. It is a military/LE training environment. You will not be coddled or tolerated if you are unsafe. His Tac Pistol series in an excellent starting point to begin developing manipulation muscle memory and tactical mindset from. http://tftt.com/TFTT_Tac_Pistol.htm

I have found over the years that simply being good at doing something doesn't necessarily make you a good instructor of what you know. I am a former military officer and it is the NCO's who do the hands on training in the military. FWIW, as an officer, I "managed" the trainers. They were the professional instructors.

[RoundEye]

NRA instructor doesn't mean anything other than they took a 2 day class and paid $250.

I guess I should have been more specific. TJ is an NRA Training Counselor and is probably the best one this region if not the country. He wrote the Personal Defense Inside/Outside the home curriculum, and was on the NRA Board of Directors for a number of years.

[Ronin2]

I guess I should have been more specific. TJ is an NRA Training Counselor and is probably the best one this region if not the country. He wrote the Personal Defense Inside/Outside the home curriculum, and was on the NRA Board of Directors for a number of years.

I have known TJ for almost 30 years. He is an excellent instructor with a very low key style that appeals to many civilians while still conveying current combat handgun theory. There is no "tacti-cool" attitude with TJ at all. I highly recommend him to ANY first time or novice shooters looking to improve safety and skill set. He will admit to you that his style is not for everyone and a more regemented tier 1 style class should be sought out elsewhere.

JT loves firearms and firearms people and as a result, he truly loves what he does and it shows.

Cheers.

http://www.allsafedefense.com/

Another school/instructor to consider is Bill Murphy at Firearms Training Associates. I ahve known Bill for over 20 years, he's retired Huntington beach PD patrol and SWAT officer who has been an instructor at gunsite since back in the day when Col. Cooper ran the place.

http://www.ftatv.com/

[ES13Raven]

NRA instructor doesn't mean anything other than they took a 2 day class and paid $250.

An NRA Training Counselor is not only an Instructor, but an Instructor Instructor

[Jack's Smirking Revenge]

ITTS has great pistol and shotgun courses. Search this forum, I have written AAR's for both.

I will recommend Max Joseph and his cadre over at Tactical Firearms Training Team (www.tftt.com). They are 1 tier operators and teach top operators for a living... LE and military.

"1 tier operators" or correctly "Tier 1 Operators" has become an industry buzz phrase and should be reserved for people that actually served in Tier 1 units. TFTT has great instructors but they do not have such backgrounds.

[Stan08]