I am a 51 year old grandmother that had very limited experience with guns. I had only really shot them twice prior to this year. I shot a rifle with the help of my dad as a teenager and then went and shot at cans once in my early 20’s with a group of people. I took this class because with so many shootings and tragedies in this world today, I wanted to get a concealed carry permit.
People told me that I was foolish for signing up for this class because I could take a basic concealed carry and spend less money but with my limited experience with firearms, I wanted more. I didn’t just want something that gave me permission to carry a gun; I wanted to know that I could handle it, care for it (clean), and shoot it effectively. This class taught me how to handle, load, shoot, deal with malfunctions and through the additional videos clean my firearm and overall firearms safety. Josh is very skilled and knowledgeable and taught the class in a way that made every participant regardless of skill level feel as though they were getting the training they came for.
I was somewhat apprehensive that being older, female, and a complete novice in regards to firearms would make this class intimidating, but Josh taught in a way that made me feel that as long as I was willing to learn I could succeed. He is a very observant instructor and was able to give constructive instructions for improvement without being critical or harsh all while maintaining a safe and comfortable learning environment. The class was very structured but the day flew by because it was also fun and motivational. I know that if I am to be effective in the event that I ever need to use my firearm for protection I will have to continue to practice and prepare and thanks to this class I now have the confidence and the knowledge needed to help me improve on my level of skillfully handling my firearm. Prior to the class, I had questions and Josh was very helpful in answering them and ensuring that I was prepared and that I had what I needed to ensure that I was prepared for this class.
Anyone that wants to learn about firearms safety or has a desire to learn effective techniques to ensure that they can handle their firearms effectively regardless of age or experience with firearms should reach out to Appalachian Tactical Academy. Today I can say that I am thankful that I didn’t let those that felt I should just take a concealed carry class influence me because the training and experience was all that I hoped it would be and more.