About me: grew up in a home without guns, and only shot a handful of times.
Pistol 1A: Pistol Basics:
My first course was the Pistol Basics. The course is described as: "introductory class is designed for someone with little to no experience using a handgun. Class sizes are kept small for more one on one time on the range." That's exactly what I was looking for, and needed. The class was held at Usury Pass at Rio Salado Gun Range.
The class is four hours, with the first 1.5 hours dedicated to learning the safety rules, history,basics to grip and stance,, and how to choose the right gun for you. There was shaded bench area so it wasn't too hot being out there during the lesson. I brought a notebook, snacks and water, and they were cool with the students eating.
After a short break, we hit the range. You have to provide your own 9mm ammo, but they will provide handguns if you don't yet own one. They lent me a good condition Gen 4 Glock 19. We were taught range etiquette and how to safely approach the shooting lane and how to load the magazine. From there we did single round magazine loads and single shot fire drills, then worked our way up to 5 shot drills. They go from student to student, walking you through the process, and analyzing your movements and processes. Their focus for this course isn't you hitting the bullseye, but moreseo getting comfortable with the loud noises, handling a deadly weapon, and focusing under pressure.
The instructors were complete gentlemen. They weren't all up in your business, were never condescending, and treated my newbie ways of gun handling with respectful correction. They helped troubleshoot my aiming issues, and let others take their time. One older lady needed to step away after about 15 minutes as she felt uncomfortable with the guns. Nothing in particular about the course bothered her, she told me the noises were just so loud that it was triggering her. She went to sit on the benches, and the owner of the org, David, went to sit with her and talked with her for a good ten minutes, calming her down, getting to know her headspace, and letting her know she was allowed to go at her own pace. I found that really respectful.
It got dark but there's plenty of lighting around so the shooting at the range is never dangerous. I shot around 60-70 rounds total. Before class ended we finished up back at the benches with Q&A where we gave feedback to the class and asked any lingering questions.
Overall I went in nervous, left exhausted (a lot of new information to take in, and shooting was surprisingly physically tiring) but woke up the next day surprisingly excited. I looked up other classes and am already planning on taking more courses. I was not expecting to feel so excited about more courses, but I think that speaks to how they fostered that in their classroom. The class is for newbies, but for a newbie, it's absolutely fantastic.
CCW:
The class is held in Ahuwatakee at RangeTime (which in itself is a very cool facility). The class is four hours, and all you need to bring is ID. I brought snacks and water and a notebook. The class begins with introductions around the room, and then we're off to starting and completing the official CCW paperwork: the application, the fingerprinting, and the signing of everything. From there we dive into the safety rules for guns, legal aspects of carrying, crime prevention and what you're allowed to intervene in, and the importance of training. Overall they cover a wide spectrum of topics, and provide more reading options if you want to dig deeper into Arizona state law, or travelling with a concealed firearm.
What I appreciated about the class was their ability to answer questions (and if you've ever been in a legal or self-defense class, people ask every sort of question), but also stay on topic and on time. Their goal is for you to be aware of the laws, the dangers and benefits of carrying, and the importance of deescalation.
They provide the CCW application, two fingerprint cards, and they do the entire process there, including providing the envelope. It'll be up to you to get the $60 money order, copy of your certificate, and stamps to send off the envelope.
Overall the class was fantastic, and a quick 4 hours.
Ending Notes: The instructors are fantastic. Peter is my guy!! DCS as an org instructors offer 500+ years of human experiencing in regards to gun training, law enforcement, and military experience. Their ability to address problems with gentle correction, their ability to stay on topic while answering questions, and just how nice they were I think are very unique to their organization. It's obvious they don't just hire anyone, but seem very protective over who they allow to teach their students, and represent their school. I appreciate that. I highly recommend DCS for gun related needs, and I will be taking more courses with them in the future. read more