After only a 2 hour session with Michael, my long-distance precision rifle shooting approach and results have substantially improved. He is a natural, gifted teacher and extremely knowledgeable. Regardless of your background and experience level, I believe Michael can help you improve your shooting in a relaxed, enjoyable setting. read more

Certified Firearms Instruction and Training - Long-distance precision high-powered rifle shooting instruction. - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me

Awesome experience. Michael is a pro who made this novice feel at home on the range. The day felt safe in every regard, from gun safety to covid precautions. He is a skilled instructor who coached us into shooting bullseyes at 75 feet with a handgun in our first hour. read more

I wanted some instruction for myself and my grown daughter (age 19) - both novices - so we took a lesson last weekend. I agree, Michael is pretty much as described in all the other Yelps - that's why I chose gotopshooter.com / Michael. I was concerned I might meet a gun nut or a red neck or flake as described in Yelp about some of the other companies. He is definitely NOT that guy-no bullshit, no gun politics, no attitude. Just a very smart guy who knows guns, totally professional, knowledgable, friendly, the whole package in a gun instructor. I'm pretty sure he would be great for advanced shooters too - he just seemed like a guy who really knows the whole gamut of guns and could be a bad ass if he had to, but totally laid back dude with his students. Some details about our visit: we met at an outdoor range in Petaluma - about an hour pleasant drive north of SF. Nice spot, great place to learn. He brought everything: hearing protection, eye protection, cooler with drinks/snacks, short handout, targets, and of course guns and ammo. He brought a nice array of handguns to use, and was perfectly willing to let us use any of them. I will be going back there with my son and with my wife. He is the person you want to teach you about guns and how to safely use them. read more

Certified Firearms Instruction and Training - Gun/Rifle Ranges Near Me

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A true professional, subject matter expert and teacher. I had never shot a handgun in my life and recently inherited one from a family member. After doing research online and reading Michael's reviews, I booked a private 2-hour handgun training session for me and a friend. Michael's correspondence in scheduling the session was quick and easy and the lesson started right on schedule. Before we touched any firearms, we started the lesson with a briefing on range safety and safe firearm handling/operation. Michael then patiently walked us through proper grip, aiming, loading, unloading, trigger pull and much more. Despite being nervous, Michael never once made us feel bad, ashamed, or sorry for mistakes made or questions asked. He has several handguns available for you to shoot and keeps refreshments and snacks on-hand to keep you comfortable. All-in-all I left the lesson excited for my next trip to the range! Michael is clearly in his element as a firearms instructor and I look forward to taking additional instruction from him in the future. I highly recommend him. read more

Michael is an amazing and highly effective firearms instructor. After an attempted home invasion, I decided to learn to shoot. When I came to Michael, I was completely freaked out and had absolutely zero experience with guns. He was patient and reassuring every step of the way. During our first lesson, he started by reviewing gun safety practices and showing me fundamentals like how to grip a gun and load a magazine. He let me shoot several handguns to see what it was like. He was nothing but supportive and encouraging the entire time. Over the course of several lessons, Michael was highly responsive to customizing instruction to my needs. He listened and gave me precisely what I needed. He was very generous with his time and went way above and beyond in terms of providing learning resources and helping me select a good handgun. In a very short period of time, I went from being terrified of guns to shooting proficiently. Michael is excellent at working with beginners, but it's also clear that he has expert-level knowledge in all aspects of firearms. I can't recommend him highly enough - he deserves six stars. read more

Michael is just what you want in a firearms instructor: Professional, safe, and practical. He also happens to be a nice guy who is a natural at teaching. Some people are good at what they do and cannot teach others- Michael is a patient, focused, resourceful teacher who clearly enjoys teaching. I signed up so that I could gain a little more familiarity with the 1911 platform, and learn how to operate it safely. I gained a lot more than I expected to in the 2 and a half hour private instruction. I look forward to taking Michael's long range rifle classes at some point. But in the meantime I have gained a new level of enjoyment with the 1911 thanks to Michael. read more

I had an amazing time today at the range with MP I arrived a little early with the idea to observe and get aquatinted with the vibe .i felt a little nervous because I was a bit out of my element . MP quickly made me feel comfortable and at ease going over all the fundamentals and a thorough overview! Now to the good stuff !! He had a wide array of different handguns and calibers to choose from we started with the basics and worked our way up I felt confident and learned a lot just being in his presence on the line . He never overwhelmed me with too many things to think of he kept it simple and made sure we were safe in every aspect of our time together!! I can't wait to get my rifle sighted in and come back for more trading on long range shooting!!! read more

Professional knowledgeable firearms instruction at it's finest. Michael, (Our Certified Instructor) worked with both my wife and myself. I had never been to a range at all and had never wanted to use one. I have shot all types of guns my entire life (Though fewer handguns than rifles) I had always had thousands of acres at my disposal for hunting and shooting growing up in the Sierra Foothills. I now live in the city and do not have such easy access. My wife had never fired a handgun and for that matter any guns, except a shotgun once. (She did great with a shotgun) Anyhow, we mostly went to get my wife introduced to handgun operation and safety. (She did so well! Under Michaels teaching.) I as well needed some pointers and instruction (though I understood most things, you can always learn more and Michael knows so much.) Michael is extremely courteous and professional and is everything we had read about him. As a 'Guy' I really appreciated that I never felt pushed by him, or like Michael had some 'Big Ego'. There were none of the 'macho' attitudes at all, which was refreshing and sets you at ease, so you can learn without feeling intimidated at all. I/we highly recommend using his services. (Book for a morning session if possible, fewer shooters at the range.) We will make the trip from time to time I am sure and use the range. Hope to see Michael there when we do. Thanks again, Mike! Kindest regards, Kirk read more

Michael is exactly what you want in a certified firearms instructor. Knowledgeable, skilled and professional. I arranged a private course to refresh my skills and improve my technique with semiautomatic pistols. We went through various drills to safely load and unload a variety of firearms. He was able to identify a number of small issues in my stance, sighting and trigger pull that improved my accuracy and time to acquire a target. In addition, he also covered clearing jams, handling misfires, techniques to load quicker, etc. I highly recommend him to anybody looking to refresh or hone their skills. He customized my training around my particular needs which maximized the value I got out of his class. Based on his approach, professionalism and patience, I would also recommend him as a first step for anybody interested in learning how to safely and properly handle a firearm. Whether or not you ever plan on owning a firearm, having the skill and knowledge to properly handle and disarm a firearm is something I believe all adults should know how to do. read more

4 years later...since handling my first pistol under Michael's tutelage I am now a certified range safety officer and have participated in multiple competitions including the Winter Airgun Nationals at the Olympic Training Center, the NRA Indoor Rifle & Pistol Championships and the national team selection match at Fort Benning. Still not Olympic caliber, but getting there! A shout out to Michael for getting me started! read more

I set up a pistol training class for me and three of my friends. Two of us had experience, the other two had never held a handgun before. Michael was wonderful. Thorough about safety and proper range etiquette, he walked us through, step by step, all the basics we needed to get started. He was patient and encouraging with the beginners while providing the more experienced in our group to really enjoy themselves. We will definitely be returning for more shooting practice and expanding into other firearm training. read more

That Scott Jackson Is a great Firearm Instructor I like how S. Jackson He takes his time to teach

I am extremely versed in firearms and their use. I contacted mike for lessons in long range shooting of large caliber rifles as my focus has shifted as of late. I found the lessons to be very valuable, mike was courteous, professional, and very knowledgeable. He explained windage/elevation, dope, and moa calcs to me. Within 45 minutes I was getting multiple hits at 1500 yards without issue and was able to correct and vary ranges easily. The money and time spent was well worth it and invaluable in adding to my skill set. Great teacher! read more

I'm a first timer for firearms in general, and I've wanted to go rifle shooting for a long while, so finding Michael was definitely worth it. My girlfriend and I both shot under his instruction for two hours today. As the other reviewers have said, he's very professional and doesn't b.s. you on anything even if you're a total beginner. He presented us with really good protective wear, which I believe was covered in the cost along with a short presentation on gun safety and how to properly shoot a gun. He definitely went the extra mile, even bringing some extra gatorade and water in case we wanted some. We were presented with an option to shoot on the 100yd range from five of his rifles. During the whole two hours, he doesn't dawdle or make you feel uneasy; he makes sure that you're doing everything the right way and is really respectful of his clients (asking if it's okay to touch your hand to adjust your grip, etc.). At the range, the rangemaster calls cease-fire in about 15 minute intervals and Michael brought us up to the targets we shot at and gave us pretty detailed comments on how we did and what he thought we could work on. read more

Actions speak louder than words -- I've already made a recommendation to a friend to contact Michael. Michael was a great instructor for a novice who wanted both education in gun safety as well as training in usage. I'm not sure I had certain expectations going into the training session, but I definitely noticed how professionally he conducted the training. It was both my GF and myself and we had a great experience in learning from Michael and using the variety of firearms (that he provided) in target shooting. read more

Michael continues to help me succeed in my ability to shoot safely and have fun in the sport!

As a new shooter I decided to get some instruction and get off to a good start. I found Michael to be the guy everyone is talking about in all of these positive reviews. It's nice To see someone who is both qualified and actually seems to enjoy teaching. I had a positive experience and learned quite a bit in this session. I hope to go back soon. If you want good instruction with no pressure from a qualified teacher look no further. read more

My husband and I had a lesson with Michael this past weekend. It was my first time shooting a gun. Michael was patient, informative and supportive. I appreciated his safety-first mentality, with everyone at the range, not just with us. I highly recommend scheduling time with Michael, if you're a novice like me, or an experienced shooter. There's always an opportunity to learn and perfect your skills, and Michael is the guy to help you do that. read more

michael is awesome. my search for a private firearms instruction ended with michael; he will be my teacher until i can mimic annie oakley's skills (one can dream). from the start, he was great about staying in touch with logistics and he always got back to me. i was pretty green to the sport and having an instructor like michael immediately put me at ease. before michael, i couldn't hit the side of a barn. he never made me feel bad for being slow or forgetting. he talked me through everything: what gun i'm shooting, how to load, how to aim, relax, safety, etc. he never rushed me. at first, i was shooting very slowly-- like a shot a minute. i was intent on getting it just right. michael very gently and subtly suggested that i could speed up. in fact, his approach so effective, before i knew it i was firing much faster with the close to the same accuracy. i think to sum it up what makes michael a great instructor is that aside from his mad skills and knowledge, which is evident in his conduct, he adapts to his students learning speed and style. he's unpretentious and did i mention how reasonable his rates are for what you get in return??? read more

I can't say enough good things about Michael Palombos class. I started shooting as a kid but never took any classes. My friend wanted to purchase a revolver for home protection and after I helped him with his purchase he wanted to take a class so he would feel safe and knowledgeable. After lots of research online I found Michael Palombo and we took the class together. Just our luck it was raining, excuse me, storming at the outdoor range that day. Michael was there and even with the harsh conditions taught an excellent class. His certifications are outstanding and I soon plan to take a rifle class with him. Most important thing is he absolutely wants to make sure that he has a satisfied customer. You don't find that very often anymore. read more

We can't say enough good things about Michael. We took a beginner course from him with the hope of re-familiarizing ourselves with guns and to get comfort handling them. Michael is an incredible teacher with the ability to teach in a way that you can learn and absorb, while still delivering valuable expertise. He was also instrumental in advising us and explaining our options for choice of weapon given our unique needs...something that was very valuable to us. We will definitely use Michael again in the future and would highly recommend. read more