by George Emanuel
You may very well be right.
Once you have taken a Basic Pistol Course and have moved on to additional training, you will be taught new skills, and it will be suggested that you do things you were asked not to do in Basic Pistol.
Basic is Basic and as instructors, we are often teaching, we are always teaching, people who have never held a gun before. This is always my premise no matter how much you may have shot in the past. It is easier to teach a brand-new shooter than an “old experienced hand”. Old experienced shooters have as likely as not been practicing and perfecting bad habits which hinder improvement and the achievement of their potential.
These classes are not intended to teach alternate grip techniques for one-handed shooting. They do not teach flash-sight pictures, unsighted fire, or any other techniques which are not foundational.
Basic Classes give the student the ability to safely and hopefully with some confidence discharge a firearm. They give them an understanding of the nomenclature, mechanical function, different action types, and many other facets of firearms and their responsible ownership and use.
The instructor again is giving the student the essential information to learn and have fun with a firearm safely. I would never think of suggesting anything other than that they are beginning a journey that, with practice and diligence, will lead to proficiency and with additional training even competence.
There are no questions in a Basic Class which are too simple. We want you to understand the subject matter and get a firm foundation on which to build. This is where we hold your hand and get you in a comfortable place to learn. Especially the brand-spanking new shooter. The old hand might not need as much hand-holding as he may need a friendly kick in the butt. We are here and quite capable of providing both, so get the basics!
Most instructors are fully capable and likely have courses in their portfolio that are geared to various skill levels. They might call these basic, intermediate, or advanced. Another might designate their classes a 1, 2, 3, etc. There are the target, defensive, and competitive aspects to firearms use. Each of these begins at the same place. BASICS!
While we are talking about different instructors, it is worthwhile to note that their class titles can be somewhat subjective. The thing that all good instructors have in common though is that they take the student through a progression of skills. Typically new skills are added to the old in a systematic if not a logical building of skill upon skill. It is not only worthwhile but recommended that you expose yourself to different instructors throughout your training. You can always learn something new and switching up instructors can be a great way to get exposed not only to different techniques of teaching and learning but also to new skill sets as well. It is more fun when the experience is shared with a “training partner”. More on that in another article.
Do not set unrealistic expectations of a Basic Pistol, or any other class for that matter. You go to class to learn. You are not there to perfect. That comes later at home and on the range. Do not confuse perfecting with perfection. Perfection is not for most of us to achieve. We do however have a potential well beyond what we may initially realize if we get the proper training and practice. You learn the skill, but you must practice becoming the master of that skill.
As with anything else, shooting starts at the beginning, and professional instruction is key to getting off to a great start. Uncle Louie may be a wonderful guy, and might even be a pretty good shot, but he cannot likely take a complex subject and break it down into the bite-size pieces necessary for digestion!
Seek out professional instruction here https://firearmtraining.nra.org/student-courses/ for the NRA. These are great beginner courses for a multitude of disciplines including rifle, pistol, and shotgun along with many others
If you need assistance contact me using the contact link and I’ll try to get you what you need.
If you are in Pennsylvania or nearby keep an eye on this site for training classes which I conduct personally from time to time. I would love to get you started or help you along your journey as you grow.
Your learning never ends. I have been at this for 60-plus years, and I am still learning. I learn from my students all of the time.
Good luck, now go get started!