Resources

Boston / Brookline Residents

Teaching Aids
This course uses the concept of "discovery learning," i.e., hands-on learning. In the classroom, teachings aids consist of posters, videos, unloaded firearms and parts of firearms and cartridges, newspaper and web articles, handouts, white boards, cleaning tools, "dummy" firearms, as well as e-mails from acquaintances in the Law Enforcement community and the Military overseas.

Firearms
The instructor owns a wide range of revolvers and semi-automatic pistols in .22LR, 9mm, .38 special, .357 magnum,.40 S&W and .45 acp. Manufacturers include Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Glock, Walther, Heckler & Koch, and Browning. Revolvers and semi-automatic pistols used by students are in almost new condition and not worn "student guns." There is a wide variety of firearm models, sizes and weights for firearm selection and training. Students will shoot handguns with fixed and adjustable sights, red dot scopes and lasers. Some revolvers and semi-automatic pistols have barrels which have been "ported" by Mag-na-port, reducing recoil. Students always comment about how much enjoyment, fun and good marksmanship they achieved with their first steps into the world of Shooting Sports.

The instructor also owns handguns that are a perfect fit for individuals with smaller hands. These firearms make an excellent choice for individuals who need to train with a lightweight handgun. This wide variety of firearm models offers students an ideal training situation in helping them determine which gun, and caliber, will be the "right" one for them when it comes times to make a purchase.

All students are given a $20.00 coupon for a one-time, new gun purchase at the Four Seasons gun store (Woburn, MA), the largest volume firearms dealer in Massachusetts. (http://www.fsguns.com)The instructor receives no compensation for any purchases made by his students at the Four Seasons.

It should be noted that the range portion of the course is designed around firing with .22 LR revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. These firearms are very accurate and have almost no recoil. Students are encouraged to shoot larger calibers in order to broaden their training experience. Students are amazed at how well they learn to shoot in this course.

One student comes to mind. She and her significant other took the course together. He already had his license and owned a number of guns, but took the course with her to share the experience and "encourage her." From time to time they had gone shooting together. She had fired his 4".38 special revolver before without much success because she had not been taught the Basics. Near the end of their training day he was doing well. He was shooting his 9mm semi-automatic at 33', and grouping his "hits" in a 4" circle. She was shooting at 50' with his .38 special revolver. She was meticulous. After each six shots she would retrieve her target and take a pen and mark where she had hit the target. Then she would shoot again. And she would mark again. After 18 rounds had been fired, she presented him with the target. Not only were her bullets hitting in a 3" circle, but as she explained to him, "Oh, honey, look, three of my bullets went through the same hole!" I didn't find out until later that they had a serious bet going as to who would pay for dinner at one of Boston's finest restaurants. She won.

Eye and Ear Protection
Students are furnished with protective polycarbonate glasses ("eyes") and Peltor 7 stereophonic ear protection head sets ("ears"). The Peltor headsets are battery operated and electronically shut off loud noises, but allow students to hear (and amplify if necessary) all instructions on the firing line. For those students who wear reading glasses, special protective goggles are available for use. The entire polycarbonate lens of the goggle is designed for magnification to either 2.0, 2.5 or 2.75. If you wear bi or tri-focal eyewear, make sure and inform the instructor so that he makes sure you have proper focus of the front sight of the firearm.