Instructors and schools run the gamut of - almost a waste of time - to very good. Some teach to the lowest level of experience in the room ...some try and group students based on their experience and skill levels. Instructors vary a lot as well...some are just blowhards, some are folks that can really shoot but can't coach or teach a lick --- some communicate really well !
All of the advanced schools - will require some kind of pre-requisites in order to take their intensive or advanced skills courses. You may have to take the basic class, from them only, first --- and then come back --- or maybe they will let you submit some info on a local class - it varies by school or company.
There are a number of National Schools....Gunsite, Front Sight, Insights Training Center LLC, Sig Sauer Academy and Thunder Ranch are the ones that I'm familiar with ...or have buddies that have attended the schools/ but here is a sight that claims to list most of them around the country...
http://www.martialfirearmstraining.com/
Don't make any assumptions about what gun you should use or buy ...until you talk to some of the schools you may like to attend / or a local instructor, etc...---- everyone has their personal preference for a carry gun, size, weight, caliber, etc..../ you may want to find a good local class....
As an example...
a. Basic Defensive handgun...may not focus primarily on accuracy / it may focus more on speed, the legal side, etc...but from InSights Training Center LLC its a 2 day course ( 9 - 6 ) $ 450 per student plus 12 boxes of ammo so call it $ 630 for the class.
b. Intensive handgun Skills may be what you want ....and at Insights Training Center LLC it is ( from their catalog online
$750 per student plus 40 boxes of FMJ ammo ( $ 600 ) = $ 1,350....
This is a "shooters" course with maximum range time. The course stresses accuracy and speed but not speed at the expense of accuracy. The course will include equal amounts of paper and steel shooting. The principles of economy of motion and economy of time will be stressed throughout. Then on the third day the student will be put under stress through the use of time constraints and man on man competition.
Also included are long-range exercises, barricade drills, movement, shooting while moving, and moving targets. This is a perfect course for the shooter who wants to maximize their use of the handgun for self-defense or the competitive shooter who could use fine-tuning of their technique. After this course you will be shooting faster and with a greater degree of accuracy than ever before.
This course is a modified and updated version of the course taught to Government and Military Special Operations Personnel and draws heavily on techniques learned from the best shooters in the world. (J. Michael Plaxco's book is highly suggested reading for the course.)
Guaranteed! You will see a giant improvement in your speed and accuracy after completing this course!
Prerequisites:
General Defensive Handgun or equivalent and Concealed Weapons Permit
Required Equipment:
Reliable, functional handgun; Belt holster (rigid) with sturdy belt; 2000 rounds of brass-cased FMJ ammunition (minimum); 3 magazines or speed loaders; Hearing and eye protection; Electronic timer (if you have one)
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Ultimately it depends on what you need...or maybe a good local instructor that can work with you one on one.../ in my area that's about $ 100 an hour..plus your range expenses../ fees and 8 boxes probably.....
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As an example...my buddies wife and one of her girlfriends...were new to shooting ...and they didn't want to listen to him or me...except for just the basics. They hated the idea of a big class...wanted something specific for them. We helped them find a woman who was teaching local classes...and she helped them on a specific set of skills that they wanted....( draw from concealment of a purse, double taps, etc --- reloading skills --- ) just solid basic stuff...stance, grip, technique. She charged them $ 150 an hour - they saw her once a week for 4 weeks...they each spent about $1,000 on fees and ammo with her..../ as they learn, or read, or need help again...they can contact her down the road....but it was an affordable option...and easy to schedule. They used guns from my buddies collection as well as mine.../ they went thru every gun in the range rental case in both 9mm and .380 ( spent another $ 300 on that ) ...they have each purchased their own guns - that fit their hands well ...and are shooting with us at the range most weeks now - running Tactical Drills.