Opinions on training program requested

[Charles L. Cotton]

Thanks for the PM. Perhaps you and your wife would enjoy taking one or more of the NRA pistol courses like NRA Basic Pistol, Personal Protection in the Home and Personal Protection Outside the Home. I have gotten very positive feedback on these courses I have taught, especially the PPIH and PPOH courses. I am especially impressed with the PPOH course. The NRA did an excellent job putting that one together.

Chas.

[seamusTX]

I think it's a great idea. Nowhere in Galveston County has organized classes. Newbies have to find out about ElGato or find a friend who will teach them, and the latter is often problematic.

The only potential problem that I see is that there's often a long time lag (years) from when people first get interested in shooting until they decide they want a CHL or tactical training. You might get a lot of people who take the first course and fewer who take the follow-up.

One sees a lot of people in their 50s who have been shooting all their life but waited to get a CHL.

- Jim

[chewy555]

It sounds like a great idea. If I lived closer to you I would try to get my wife to take the classes. I think that having them take the classes together would help all the students. I wish that I could find something like that here in San Antonio for her to take.

[hi-power]

I like this idea a lot for my wife. She would be a good candidate for it, assuming I could talk her into it.

It would be a lot better for her to have a knowledgable professional teach her from scratch. I've tried, but those sessions don't go so well. Apparently, for her to shoot better, I'd have to be less of a moron.

I would be glad to drive us both down to your area a few times for us, (or just her), to take a program like this. I want her to get a CHL, but it's not going to happen without one of us receiving "professional" help.

[seamusTX]

I wish that I could find something like that here in San Antonio for her to take.

There is such a place: http://www.texasthunderrange.com/.

I don't know anything about it.

- Jim

[Venus Pax]

This sounds like an excellent idea.

[austin]

I would empahsize the presentation part of shooting - getting the weapon drawn and on target from the concealed. Lots and lots of repetition.

The other thing is something this forum has helped with is the "case studies" from real incidents.

These two things would set the program apart.

[CHL/LEO]

Charles - sounds like a very good idea!

I and a couple of other instructors are going to start offering two courses. One is the "Basic" CHL course and the other we are going to call "Advanced" CHL - which will include the standard CHL course along with the NRA Basic Protection Outside The Home course. We're working on the final format now but we believe that there's a fairly large market for this additional add on.

I also believe that this latest course from the NRA is one of the best that they've ever designed. As you are probably aware there are several states (I believe Michigan is one) that now require this course to be eligible for their state's CHL. We have a couple of fellows on our training team that like to travel and will probably be spending a lot of time in these states over the next year or so. Several members of our team are TCs and already have a full schedule of just getting NRA instructors certified to teach this course.

Again - it sounds like a great idea and good luck to you.

[Charles L. Cotton]

The combination of the CHL course with PPOH is a great idea. We see so many folks get their CHL and, while we all pray they never need to defend themselves with a gun, we pray a little harder for some.

Best of luck on this format, I think it will do well.

Chas.

[jbirds1210]

while we all pray they never need to defend themselves with a gun, we pray a little harder for some.
Chas.

Oh my......that is very true.

[neal6325]

I would be very intersted in a structured and ongoing training program. Being new I certainly fall into the catagory that would benefit. If you roll this out please let me know and I will be first in line to sign up.

[NcongruNt]

This sounds like a great idea. I wish you were closer, I'd send you several relatives.

[Paladin]

I have not decided whether to let other students take any of these particular courses with this group.

One thought I had here was that due to scheduling conflicts, etc... you would have likely some kind of attrition.

If you have 5 sessions(2 for PPOH) with an attrition rate of 10% per session, the final class would be only 65% of the original class.

If your attrition rate is 25%, the final class would be only 32% of the original class.

So an option of allowing other students might work out. Could be done on a course by course basis, depending on how big of a class you can run.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Thanks for all of the feedback folks; you've been a lot of help.

I have have had some PM's and emails on from this thread and I'm going to schedule the first "program." I say program rather than class, as I view this differently from several stand-alone classes. As noted in my initial post, the target audience for this training program is someone who wants a structured curriculum to take them from basic handgun instruction to self-defense training, including legal aspects of using deadly force, and getting their CHL along the way. This program will require a commitment of time and effort and only people who fully intend to complete the entire program should consider signing up. The class will be limited to 10 people.

I'm putting together my training schedule for the remainder of the year and I hope to have something posted in the next 2 or 3 days.

Again, thanks for your input. Some people have mentioned that coming to Houston/Friendswood is too far for a four-course program and I fully understand. If this format is as successful as I believe it will be, perhaps some instructors in other parts of the State can adopt the same or similar program. To aid in this effort, I will be happy to offer any suggestions or insight I may have after teaching this first program. I would be thrilled to see this concept take off and be offered by qualified, dedicated instructors all over Texas.

Chas.

[Paladin]

Chas,

Having been thru most of those courses and having experience working with new shooters, I think you're dead on that this program will be highly successful. I think the progression of training will do a fantastic job of turning new shooters into well qualified CHLs.