I took Fighting Rifle 1 + 2 over the weekend and had a great time and learned a ton. I went from…read morenot knowing how to rack the rifle, to knowing how to zero a rifle, confident with manipulations, and knowing what my limits are in terms of shooting, stress, and movement. It was also a lot of fun Brian really donates all of his energy into this, and goes above and beyond. He's not here to give you a simple low effort easy experience that you can feel good about later. He wants to challenge you. He really wants you to grow as a shooter and share with you his passion for this activity and skill. I saw a few people here post about the drive up so I want to help inform others with this aspect-- I will say that its a very doable drive if you can drive twisties. I have performance driving experience and it took 50 minutes from the base of San Jose. I will say if you are less experienced, budget 1.5 hours. And if you lack confidence driving, budget 2 hours. Its not a difficult drive as in there is no risk, as long as you drive within your limits in terms of speed. Feeling not confident? Just slow down. Some people were driving 15-20mph which is totally fine for these roads. But if you are the type of person that cannot confidently put their car where they want it to go, I would skip this trainer and find a closer place to town. His range itself is off road. I would say its in the beginner off road level of driving. Meaning treat it like driving on road. There isn't really anything that can damage your car. But you will be driving on dirt, and if you are not used to that it might concern you. But don't worry off road is only tricky with hills, ruts, or rocks, which there are none. With a standard sedan, drive up to the bathrooms. Any further and you will get bigger hills. With fwd, if you are a confident driver you can make it down to the classroom building. However I would not suggest driving down to the range unless you have AWD as you may not have enough traction to go back up. I will say that if you do not consider yourself a skilled driver, do not drive back at night. Plan to pack up at 5 and leave at 6 minimum (assuming 7 is sunset). I drove back at night, and had to manage deer (saw two packs), fog, rocks on the road. It was raining that day so maybe my drive back was trickier than normal. These things are not an issue during the day, however at night you do need to be attentive.

I don't write many 2-star reviews, but I think this experience warrants it. I took the firearm…read moresafety class with Brian, and unfortunately I can't recommend it. Brian was unprofessional, rude, and had a habit of belittling students. He made the learning environment uncomfortable by embarrassing people rather than constructively correcting them. While I understand that it's not an instructor's job to be friendly or to "hold our hands," there's a difference between being direct and being outright disrespectful--and Brian crossed that line. In terms of content, the class was heavily skewed toward theoretical discussions, such as legal frameworks for self-defense and broad topics on conflict and society. While some of this information was interesting and well-explained, it dominated the day, leaving little time for actual hands-on firearm training. The balance between theory and practical instruction was way off. Additionally, while Brian welcomed questions, he often responded by making students feel stupid instead of providing clear, direct answers. This approach, combined with his condescending attitude, discouraged people from asking questions at all. A firearms class should foster confidence and competence--not intimidation. I gave it 1 extra star because instructor Spencer was amazing. Overall, I did not gain much practical, in-depth knowledge about firearms or safety. If you're looking for a class that prioritizes hands-on training and a professional learning environment, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.

Robert and Matt are some of the best shooting instructors that I've had the pleasure of training…read morewith. They were professional, patient, and their attention to detail is second to none. If you're looking for a premiere firearms instruction company then Silicon valley Tactical is the choice.

Rob always provides a safe place to learn and practice all firearm skills. His courses are dynamic…read moreand interactive. He is knowledgeable on anything related to firearms. Highly recommended.

Absolutely top-tier FFL shop. From the second you walk in, you're treated like family. Warm,…read morewelcoming, and genuinely happy to help. The staff behind the counter are incredibly knowledgeable and more importantly, they're actual shooters with real experience. You can tell right away these guys live the lifestyle and know their gear inside and out, not just random internet keyboard warriors pretending to know what they're talking about. They take the time to answer questions, give honest advice, and make sure you leave confident in your purchase. No pressure, no ego, just solid people who care about their customers and the shooting community. Rare to find a shop with this level of professionalism and authenticity these days. Easily one of the best FFL experiences I've had. Highly recommend supporting this place. I've been coming back since they opened and the service has stayed consistent

Great experience coming to Manzano's. My friend pointed out they had some availability here so I…read morecalled to check on the part and went to make the purchase same day. My firearms license expired so I was able to take the test again on the spot. It was a quick and easy process. The staff was friendly and helpful. They provided me with all the paperwork and details. Fast forward 10 days, picked up my item, no problems. Easy and carefree. Great selection of firearms all around. The staff is very knowledgable. Definitely will be back in the future.

You should 100% take the Fundamental Rifle course if you want to learn about and shoot different…read moretypes of rifles (bolt action, semi-auto, PCC, hunting/precision shooting) from a licensed firearms instructor.  This is more convenient than renting a gun (BTW, in California if you don't already own a gun and you want to rent a gun, you need to bring someone with you.  No exceptions.)   I took the rifle course since I'm in the market for a rifle.  Chao, our instructor, gave us a great introduction to different types of rifles and we also learned a little bit about the different types of firearm competitions you can try.  He also gave us some insight on some of the training and testing he does with the military. I will be taking other courses in the future. Tip:  If you have something specific you want to shoot or learn about let them know ahead of time to see if they can accommodate your request. We had a chance to try a pump action shot gun from a special request from one of the participants.

From the owner: At Legacy Firearms Academy, we are passionate about providing safe and effective firearms training…read moreto law-abiding citizens like you. For over 15 years, we have been helping individuals of all skill levels, from complete beginners who have never even held a gun before to experienced home defense enthusiasts, learn and improve their shooting skills.

Took a class at the EOS Training & Consulting center to apply for a Utah CCW. The instructor, Ari…read moredid a great job, was willing to answer all questions. They have other classes as well like private instruction at a range in Santa Cruz. I would highly recommend checking out their web site at www.eos-tc.com. " note they are buy appointment only, must sign up for classes on line" They are located on Camden Ave in San Jose in a building complex with plenty of parking. The inside office are has a "free" coffee machine that make mochas, cup of latte,

As a first-timer that only got the level one guard card class for now, my experience was pretty…read morestraightforward and neutral since I arrived early and on a Saturday. When I was scheduling, it said that there was like 25 spots open so I jumped in on it. When you actually get there though on a Saturday, there's actually a decent amount of students. There will be a line to get checked in. There is a lot of parking and a 7-Eleven across the street if you get hungry during one of the couple of breaks that they give you during the class. Everything was extremely efficient from my point of view. They were able to condense 8 hours of material into around four to five. I mean, level 1 is extremely common sense as some say, but I did learn some things about the do's and don'ts about being a security guard. Not a lot of people had questions so it went by pretty quick. The test itself is pretty easy so as long as you're taking notes on important things and pay attention to the practice questions. I'm looking forward to my level two and three guard card classes and will update my review accordingly

Unable to attend due to some major life events, so I can't speak on the class itself any other…read morereviews on here can speak to the class itself. However, beware of their strict policy canceling six days in advance cost me 100% of my money. I'm sure they have their reasons for the policie existence but it feels a bit dishonorable to take 100% of my money for doing nothing.

Surprised by the lower ratings. My experience was top-notch. Chris the manager was great. I left…read moreinformed and confident, thanks to him. He patiently answered all my questions and spent a long time with me to make sure I was taken care of. Kudos to him!

Stopped in for the first time earlier today on the recommendation of another well-respected local…read moregun shop for where to sell used firearms. They do cash trade-ins day-of-sale unlike most gun shops in the area that only do consignment. They take the time to properly appraise what you bring in, make sure it's legal for sale in California and make sure all the required paperwork is filled out properly. Their prices are generally fair market value from what I've seen considering it's a cash-day-of trade-in. You'll be waiting for maybe an hour at most here to get paid for selling your stuff instead of the weeks that you would with a consignment sale or what passes for a private-party transaction in CA. Could you potentially get more selling privately or putting your stuff on consignment and waiting for it to move instead? Maybe, but their way of doing things avoids a lot of the multiple trips and waiting time that comes with doing either of those other two options instead in California. I would definitely recommend coming here if you have guns you need to sell urgently or if you would just rather not deal with selling on consignment or arranging a private-party sale yourself.

Mike, the owner of Threat Spectrum Inc., demonstrated self defense techniques in a comfortable…read moreenvironment that helped to not make it overwhelming. Each movement was clear and concise making for an easy learning experience. He had medical and self defense supplies with him at all times for any unforeseen occurrence.

From the owner: Threat Spectrum's services division works with government, commercial and civilian clients seeking…read moreto protect high value assets, be they facilities or human resources. Martial arts and weapons skills are taught in group classes and private lessons. Security consulting services can include site surveys of private residences, commercial offices, and digital networks for target hardening and disaster preparedness. Armed security guard services are available with several weeks notice, but our rates are not very competitive due to overqualification; guarding people, rather than places, is bodyguarding, and that costs more because it requires a much broader skill set, is more dangerous, and the client consequences are higher.