When you purchase a firearm, you don’t expect to immediately become a pro, right? Of course not. That would be pretty ridiculous! That’s like buying a guitar and calling yourself a musician before your first lesson. With musical instruments, you build up your expertise over time with training and practice — and those skills do not automatically carry over from one instrument to the next. The same goes for firearms skills. Even if you have had years of experience with one style of gun, there will be a learning curve before reaching a comparable level of proficiency with each new firearm. This is where firearms training can be a huge boon.
Not Just For Amateurs
Whether it’s required in your state or not, all new firearms owners should go through a basic firearms safety course. It’s a logical place to start to be sure you know how to handle it safely, including how to disassemble and reassemble for cleaning/maintenance as well as what a proper shooting stance should be in various positions. Of course, that’s not a one-and-done deal. Each style of firearm will have different handling and care specifications. While it may feel somewhat redundant, taking an introductory course for each different style of firearm you own will help give you a firm foundation on which to build your skills.
Expanding Your Skills
Basic firearms training is just the beginning. From that solid foundation, there are a wealth of different options out there to help you hone your skills further. What those classes are will depend on what you want to achieve, or which area of focus is most relevant. The good news is each training course will add additional knowledge to your repertoire, so you really can’t go wrong no matter what you choose. However, if you’re looking to learn how to best make use of your AR 15’s new BCM KMR handguard or another accessory, an advanced rifle course or a course focused on tactical skills may best fit your needs. Some great options to expand your skills include:
Home Defense
Many AR 15 owners specifically, and rifle or shotgun owners in general, have purchased that particular style of firearm with the intention of keeping their homes and families safe. This is a great option, even if you spend plenty of time at the range. A home defense firearms training course provides valuable lessons on things like improving draw time, storing your firearm safely but accessibly, and firing from cover. The focus is going to be on real-world scenarios like a home break in, and how to best protect yourself — this means an emphasis on speed as well as precision that will differ from other courses.
Tactical Rifle
This subset of firearms training, like home defense, puts a heavier emphasis on skills that would help in a real-world scenario. Tactical rifle courses will generally include rifle theory and safety, then move into marksmanship, carry techniques, shooting from different positions, and shooting on the move. Most will also provide a focus on multiple targets, not just one at a time. If you’re interested in shooting competitions, tactical rifle courses can teach you the base skills to help you find success.
Personal Protection
By and large, this category of firearms training can be summarized as the concealed carry course offerings. However, personal protection goes further than just concealed carry. It can also include alternate terrain (indoor and outdoor with obstacles), low light shooting, room entry, and vehicle-based incidents. Some personal protection firearms training will also include emergency medical training and how to respond in active shooter situations. Ultimately, as the name implies, the skills taught in these courses focus on what will help keep you safe.
Rifle, Pistol, & Shotgun Advanced Training
As you have likely experienced if you’ve spent time among gun owners, each different type of firearm comes with different skills necessary to wield it safely and accurately. Most firearms training locations will offer advanced training focusing on those aspects unique to each category of gun. Some will even offer courses for specific guns. These offerings will help you dig further into technique and improve your accuracy in a more general way.
Whether you’ve just upgraded to a KMR handguard or you’re still on the hunt for the right AR accessories, firearms training can be a valuable way to learn more about which options will best suit you. Find the best AR accessories and parts from handguard rails to carrier group components and more at Bootleg, Inc. Shop online to see what makes our AR parts and accessories stand apart.