I took Chucks class this weekend. It was very informative and helps prepare you to actually teach the class. It is also a prerequisite for teach CCW in NC. Chuck is a good teacher who has obviously taught many classes and brings a lot of real world experience into his explanations. He displayed in his teaching what he was trying to teach us to do, making eye contact, engaging students in discussion, asking students questions to see if they were paying attention and explaining what he has seen in the real world of teaching. There is a lot of information in this class. It is a brain dump and you need to learn the lingo and do's and don't of the NRA teaching An example is using the word "weapon," that is a no no. If you look on the NRA site for local instructors i believe Chuck teaches several classes in addition to Basic Pistol instructor. I recommend him and think he is a good instructor to learn from. Go take one of his classes!
V
Now for something completely different...
**steps up on a soapbox**
I really think the NRA does a disservice to the instructors by naming it "Basic." Any student who can consume all the data given and pass the course of fire comes out being very knowledgeable and a good shooter. Can you keep 4 strings of 5 rounds in a 4 inch circle at 10 feet (no cheating on distance. and i want video proof ) From what i have seen this is not "basic" marksmanship. This is the requirement to pass the Basic pistol class. For good shooters this is not a huge challenge, especially with no time limit. But my expectation is that NRA Basic Pistol would be something a new shooter may want to take upon buying their first gun. I doubt a new shooter can do this test without using the benchrest.
I also think with 10 students it would be hard to get through all the information in less than two days. To most of us who are shooters there is not a lot of new information (but there is some useful stuff) i am just thinking of a new shooter. I would imagine there is going to be lots of questions, personal anecdotes and tangents that would lengthen the course considerably.
The other person who could greatly benefit from this course is about 50% of all the guys i see at the indoor range (and we have all seen them) They are blasting away at 10-15 feet and it looks like a shotgun pattern. Usually they have a Glock **smirk** and may even have 20 mags and a 511 shirt on. These guys COULD benefit from the Basic Pistol NRA class, but when you tell them the name "NRA Basic Pistol" they will never take it because they believe they are too advanced for anything "Basic." Anyhoo that's my thoughts and i am stepping down from the soapbox.
V
Now for something completely different...
**steps up on a soapbox**
I really think the NRA does a disservice to the instructors by naming it "Basic." Any student who can consume all the data given and pass the course of fire comes out being very knowledgeable and a good shooter. Can you keep 4 strings of 5 rounds in a 4 inch circle at 10 feet (no cheating on distance. and i want video proof ) From what i have seen this is not "basic" marksmanship. This is the requirement to pass the Basic pistol class. For good shooters this is not a huge challenge, especially with no time limit. But my expectation is that NRA Basic Pistol would be something a new shooter may want to take upon buying their first gun. I doubt a new shooter can do this test without using the benchrest.
I also think with 10 students it would be hard to get through all the information in less than two days. To most of us who are shooters there is not a lot of new information (but there is some useful stuff) i am just thinking of a new shooter. I would imagine there is going to be lots of questions, personal anecdotes and tangents that would lengthen the course considerably.
The other person who could greatly benefit from this course is about 50% of all the guys i see at the indoor range (and we have all seen them) They are blasting away at 10-15 feet and it looks like a shotgun pattern. Usually they have a Glock **smirk** and may even have 20 mags and a 511 shirt on. These guys COULD benefit from the Basic Pistol NRA class, but when you tell them the name "NRA Basic Pistol" they will never take it because they believe they are too advanced for anything "Basic." Anyhoo that's my thoughts and i am stepping down from the soapbox.