Guidance in finding tactical handgun training in CA

H

Halbert9000

Inactive
I am sorry if this is either in the wrong place or is a duplicate post. Please direct me to the better thread, if so.

I was a Marine back in the first Gulf War, but that was so long ago much of my training is a distant memory. I am pretty certain, even now, that I would be proficient enough in a loud situation if I was holding an AR-15. I was a marksmanship instructor with the M16A2, and love it.

However, I do not have any confidence in my ability with a pistol. I can hit the hell out of a stationary target at the range. But I have no tactical training with a handgun. That is what I want: tactical pistol training. Does anyone in the San Francisco Bay area know where I can get that kind of training?

I do not want to buy a handgun and be ridiculously bad with it and have someone hurt my family with my own gun. Until I feel like it would be more dangerous to an invader than to me and mine, I am holding off on purchasing a handgun. I would greatly appreciate guidance, though, and thank you for your time.

(Note: Yes, I understand that many may feel tempted to tell me to just buy an AR-15. The issue is that in a sudden home-invasion, such as we have been having in Foster City, there is no time for me to unlock my cabinet, load my AR, and take action. It may as well be a paperweight in the scenario I worry about.)
 
Louis Awerbuck (Tactical Reality and More Tactical Reality) teaches a variety of classes at Reed's Indoor Range in Santa Clara, California. I've taken a couple of his classes and he's excellent. I think he's putting on one of his basic level classes in early January.
 
C.A.T.S. & Front Sight

In SoCal, I've trained with these guys:

http://www.civilianarmstraining.com/

It's been a couple of years since I trained with these guys. I took their basic handgun course twice and thought it was good. They've grown quite a bit over the last couple of years so they must be doing something right.

If you are in the Socal area, Front Sight in Pahrump, Nevada is only a 4 hour drive and worth it. Look on ebay to buy certificates to attend 2 or 4 day basic handgun courses. I highly recommend the 4 day. There is affordable/tolerable lodging in Pahrump & cheap gas for the return trip.

EDIT: Sorry - I didn't read your post all the way through and realized you are in NorCal.
 
Last edited:
LRChops said:
How can you get tactical handgun training at an indoor range? Not really possible!
Click to expand...
Don't knock it if you haven't tried it, and with the right instructor.

I've had my share of outdoor classes at Gunsite and with various instructors elsewhere. So I have some bases on which to opine that the indoor classes put on by Louis Awerbuck at Reed's were valuable.

Of course for that sort of class, the class takes the entire bay and doesn't use the target runners. Instead, target stands are set up in front of the backstop. It's just like outdoors, but without the sky (and the weather). And of course simulator (shoot house) type exercises can't be done. However, Louis is doing Force-on-Force using airsoft guns (I haven't take one of those classes --- yet).
 
Also, one of the fellows I teach with, and who is very well trained and whose opinion I respect, likes Tactical Firearms Training Team (TFTT). They put on classes various places, including Sacramento, CA.

And it looks like Massad Ayoob has a MAG-40 (his first level class) coming up in Sacramento in May of this year. I strongly recommend this class, and if someone can take only one class, this would be an excellent choice. I'm not aware of anyone else who does as good a job of covering for private citizens the legal and social aspects of the use of force in self defense.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top