I recently finished a 3 day class at Gunsite for small pistols which are what most people carry on a daily basis. These are pistols with less than a 4" barrel. We started on Friday and finished on Sunday firing 1000 rounds while developing skills shooting targets from 3 yards up to 140 yards. I never thought I could shoot such a small pistol that far and be accurate but I did. Our course also included outdoor and indoor (playhouse) simulators with our instructor requiring us to use only one hand to shoot and also one eye by putting tape over our non dominant eye. Other training included shooting from and around vehicles. Gunsite training is for real world situations and consists of the highest standards. No wonder why it is the oldest and largest firearm school in the US. The facilities here are world class along with the instructors. This class was led by Jim Owens and he was excellent as a teacher and safety was paramount. I always enjoy coming to Gunsite and consider it to be without equal. Yes, it's pricey but you get what you pay for. read more

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Did 250 in May 2026 and going back for Carbine in March 2027. Planning for one more in 2027. TBD. Wish I did these classes years ago. Shooting is a skill that requires continuous training and practice. After 10+ years of IPSC and 30 years of occasional, my first 2 days .... I was lost. Fortunately, the Instructors are patient, but they push you. Each day is a challenge but well worth the effort. read more

I cannot express how much i enjoyed my class here at Gunsite. I attended the veterans 250 pistol course and it was an amazing week. The instructors were enthusiastic, encouraging, and extremely knowledgable. The facilities are amazing, well thought out, and very clean. Seriously, every bathroom was absolutely spotless. I would have to say that my favorite part about the course was that it was all action. We did not spend countless hours in a classroom learning theory by powerpoint presentation. Everything we learned we learned by doing on the ranges. If you have ever considered taking a course here you need to pull the trigger (see what i did there?) Because you will not regret it. read more

Gunsite Academy - Firearm Training Near Me - Paulden, Arizona

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I have been to several Gunsite classes and all I can say is that they are amazing. What makes Gunsite so great are the people. All the staff from the offices, pro shop, gunsmiths and instructors are top notch and make everyone feel like they are family. The class instructors are extremely friendly, knowledgeable, well trained and know how to teach while pushing the students to perform at their absolute best. I HIGHLY recommend Gunsite to everyone who wants to become a better shooter no matter what level you are. If I could give Gunsite Ten StarsI would. read more

I just completed the 250 Pistol class. It would be difficult to communicate exactly how much I learned from the experience. I am a long-time hunter but without any previous handgun time. I enrolled in the "Day Zero" class in order to gain some familiarity before the first 250 day. I would highly recommend this approach if you are new to the pistol. The course is not easy, and I had to work at it each day. All to the better. I felt extremely safe through the entire experience. The instructors are thorough professionals and highly attuned to participant safety. I will certainly be going back. 5 of 5, if I could rate them a 10 I would do so. read more

Neat site and enjoyed shooting there. Shot suppressed for the first time and the entire property is well setup

Fantastic, top notch academy with high level instructors providing detail oriented, focused lessons covering a huge variety of firearm handling topics. Completed a carbine course here recently and it exceeded all expectations! Been to many firearms courses previously that either lacked the progression, focus, or nuance that makes a shooter progress and improve in their skillset - Gunsite provides ALL of these things and does it with professionalism and finesse. Each of the instructors comes from an extensively rigorous firearms centric background, either w/ law enforcement or military, and they're able to provide detailed education that focuses on the needs of each individual student to what their educational goals are. The facility is immaculately maintained and the ranges are wide and varied - many different types of courses and training environments, from shoot houses to long range, to walking/cross canyon type shooting. All very fun! Instructor ratios are excellent and individual attention is great. Make sure you bring plenty of sunblock and SPF rated clothing - the one drawback is many of the waiting areas don't have a lot of shade, so you're exposure to the unforgiving AZ sun is pretty intense. Armorer on site is great, as is their pro shop. Students come from all walks of life and are friendly and easy going. Gunsite really does provide something for everyone. read more

Not so much as a customer, but as someone who has done a lot of training at Gunsite, I had the opportunity to give back a little by being a volunteer for Tactical Medicine course, playing the role of someone in need of emergency medical treatment in a mass shooting incident. The very first thing that impressed me was that safety safety safety is emphasized for class staff, students, and volunteers. The second? Safety safety safety is stressed as he class instructor, Dr. Steve Temerlin, MD (Captain, U.S. Navy, ret) walked us through the field lab exercises, making it clear that safety was our #1 priority, and that the students -- who were there to make mistakes while in training -- were there to learn. As someone who has decades of experience in the medical field, I'm in favor of doing whatever can be done to teach people to handle emergencies calmly and dispassionately while treating injured or wounded people. The training went very well. For the most part, the learning curve is pretty steep... and I think we inspired the class to do well with their training Last, and I'm as pleased by this as I am the success students had, I am impressed by the fact that we had students there who have never owned, used, or trained with a firearm. This is one class I recommend to everyone I know... you never know when some public emergency might occur, be it caused by an earthquake, tornado, vehicle accident, or shooting. The steps you can take to save someone's life in a couple of minutes are in everyone's best interests to know -- and that people from the community are coming to take this training at Gunsite. Having over 50 years of public and military medical training, the Tactical Medicine class has brought it all together for me. Best of all, you don't need to know anything about shooting or First Aid to profit handsomely from this course. I strongly urge everyone to take this training. read more

Amazing values, experience and great people. Very cool place to go. Highly recommend!

Truly a life changing experience! I will always be grateful for my first experience and will come back as often as possible. read more

Gunsite Academy - Graduation dinner at dry gulch! - Firearm Training Near Me - Paulden, Arizona

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The training is bar none, safety is the number one concern, they have top rated instructors with decades of experience and an amazing wealth of knowledge. With thousands of acres, stable targets, moving targets, night classes, different types of range, etc. the practice and skills learned will have you coming back. read more

I just finished the Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC) course, and the Defensive Pistol 250 a month ago. The facility, staff, and instruction are outstanding. I thought the Army trained me to be a good marksman, and never scored anything below Expert in any weapon I used in the Army. The training I received at Gunsite is far superior to what I had in the military. I am a far safer gun owner, more competent in gun handling, and have a clearer mindset about how and when to employ a firearm than before attending these courses. The staff are virtually all military/combat/law enforcement weapons experts, who do a great job teaching marksmanship, weapons handling, and mindset. They are very serious, highly disciplined, and make it fun at the same time ... a very tricky thing to do when you are dealing with firearms. The support staff and onsite gunsmithing service are equally wonderful, and the facilities are terrific - shoot houses, outdoor "simulators" and moving target ranges. They have a large catalogue of courses available, which makes my next choice that much more difficult. Two thumbs up. If you are serious about wanting to learn how to handle and engage firearms the RIGHT way, this is the place! read more

I have taken three classes and have a fourth one booked. The experience is amazing. From the facilities to the world class instruction. The opportunity to use indoor live fire simulators for learning is extremely rare and one of the things that make this training worth the cost. I highly recommend Gunsite to anyone that takes their firearms and training seriously. read more

Just completed the 2019 TWAW Arizona State Shoot. Thank you to Gunsite and their staff for volunteering to host our group of 100 Second Amendment loving women . This facility is far more impressive than I could have imagined. The staff were second to none in how much experience, knowledge and skills they bring to the table collectively. SAFETY is emphasized at all times. Thank you for allowing me to gain confidence. Grow outside of my normal box and bringing to the forefront of how important it is to have the right Mindset read more

Gunsite Academy - Lovoy - Firearm Training Near Me - Paulden, Arizona

Came here as a part of the Veterans 250 pistol course. The training absolutely exceeded my expectations. The instructors were all top notch and really pushed me. I never thought I'd be able to shoot a pistol as well as I was. All the staff were professional and welcoming. Gunsite runs like a well oiled machine (gun). From day one to graduation you really feel this is the best shooting school in the nation and probably the world... read more

Gunsite Academy - South range. - Firearm Training Near Me - Paulden, Arizona

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I have been coming to Gunsite for 25 years and I can tell you that you will receive first class training from a true impressive and inspiring staff. But this month, for the first time, I attended my first Gunsite Alumni Shoot, GAS for short. I shoot USPSA, IPSC, IDPA so I am no stranger to shooting sports. But the GAS event was quite different. Sure, it was a professional run and well designed set of 8 stages designed to pickle your brain while forcing you to demonstrate many of Col. Coopers shooting concepts (Thanks Gary). A professional might say "task loading" but they got me with procedural errors more than any other shooting competition I have ever attempted. It was truly excellent. Love a challenge. Normally, I would not take the time to write a review like this. Sure Gunsite has there business squared away. The classes are very well done in every aspect. But the reason I am taking the time to write this review was outside the shooting. I did this shoot with my Son. Prior to the shoot and after the GAS shoot was over the Staff and Volunteers of the GAS shoot took a crowd of 250 family through a truly American experience. From the invocation and flag ceremony to awards dinner with tribute table and flag folding, everything about the group event was deeply inspiring. I was so glad that my Son got to see what America values really look like! It had been so long since I had been reminded what it looks like, it almost seemed foreign. Kindness, reverence, acceptance, patriotism, work ethics.... man this place and this Gunsite family checks all the boxes for me. So if you are a sheepdog, American patriot, or just a real man / woman. I can tell you whole heartedly, Gunsite is for you. read more

The outstanding instructors, great staff, awesome facilities, well maintained ranges, challenging indoor and outdoor simulators, the well stocked pro shop, and beautiful landscapes makes Gunsite Academy a great training experience. Highly recommend! read more

Gunsite Academy is a MUST for all shooters regardless off previous experience or knowledge. Gunsite isn't the type of place that teaches you to win USPSA matches or shoot "sexy". It's one of the few places you can still go that drills the whole shooter. I would recommend it with 100% certainty. read more

The facilities are great, however the main instructor for my Defensive Pistol course needs to realize he isn't training government grunts anymore. I didn't pay a high end price to be insulted and talked down to like an army recruit. The drill instructor mentality has no place in modern business. I've attended several trainings over the years so none of the curriculum was new to me. I attended Gunsite primarily on the suggestions of others. The other students in my course agreed that the internal culture of Gunsite is somewhat cultish, where they even have Jeff Cooper's home preserved for tours. Kind of odd. But I could recommend the facility for a new shooter if they would treat customers like customers, not like a worthless draftee. read more

I just got back from Carbine 223, having previously attended 250 and 350. It is among the two best training courses I have ever taken. (Tactical Performance Center in St. George Utah is also outstanding but I only took one handgun mastery course there.) Gunsite under Jeff Cooper basically created the modern gunfighting training philosophy. They are organized and professional and friendly but take very seriously their responsibilities. If you are considering adding serious gun training this should be your first stop. What you should bring is on the website. I would also (if it's not on there) add a notebook. I take pretty copious notes because attending is like drinking from a fire hydrant. There is SO much to learn I write it down as fast as I can knowing it's too much to remember. Sunscreen and drink a lot. Thin gloves are recommended as well. I usually come home with a lot of cuts on my hands. The experience is just superlative. I'm going to get redundant and perseverate but if you are considering seriously adding to your shooting skills, Gunsite is the place to go. Great learning and very professional but at the same time not scary instructors. Finally I have to address that someone left a one-star review. Mike was the gunsmith at Gunsite until he passed recently. David Fink is the new gunsmith. Mike was great and David is excellent. I am pretty sure Mark G. who left the review is confusing Gunsite with another gunsmith. Gunsite takes all their responsibilities seriously and honesty is a core value. No one affiliated with Gunsite is shady. If they made a mistake and hired someone untrustworthy he would be gone yesterday. Or "GOOOOOOONNNNNE" as Charlie would say read more

Attended the 250 Pistol in January 2020. It was truly a transformative experience. Having limited firearms training they pushed my physical performance beyond what I thought possible in five days. However, the true value of Gunsite is in its culture and the overriding philosophy of developing the proper mindset; not just in anticipation of an armed encounter, but in all aspects of your daily life. Could not recommend more highly. Thank you Gunsite! read more

Gunsite Academy - Firearm Training Near Me - Paulden, Arizona

Gunsite sells peace of mind. Regardless of your level of experience, you will leave the ranch a more confident person with a different outlook on the world around you. Gunsite is the premier crisis intervention school in the world. As the name suggest, firearms training is part of the curriculum, but it is not the only component of the curriculum. Mindset - refusing to think like a victim, inculcating awareness as part of your daily life, and having the dedication to stay in the fight - is perhaps the most important thing that one takes away from the Gunsite experience. It is no exaggeration to say Gunsite is, in fact, a life-changing experience. Your rangemaster will tell you this on the first morning of the 250 defensive handgun course, and on Friday afternoon you will find they were right - each and every student leaves the ranch a different person, better able to cope with the world. This is true across the range of Gunsite clients, from veterans of military special forces units, to police officers, to normal folks like me (and my 66 year old Mom). Even though I am prevented by the powers that be in San Francisco from arming myself in my day to day activities (Why carry a gun? A whole cop is too heavy.), Gunsite has made me a better "coper" (as in coping with real life). That's something that is hard to put a price on. If you have no shooting experience, you will likely do better than folks with many years behind them -- this is because you won't bring bad habits with you. The person who came in 2nd in the final shoot-off at one of my classes was a 45ish lady with very little experience with guns - she beat a bunch of police officers quite handily. It's a great place to go with your significant other, even if you are, like me, kept from carrying a concealed weapon. The mindset, confidence, and awareness you will bring away from Gunsite will make you a better person, both to yourself and for your friends and family, and paradoxically will help you to avoid situations that present the need to defend yourself or your loved ones. Quit thinking like a victim and give yourself the tools to face and deal with anything the world might throw at you. read more

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I have had a lot of training from many well regarded firearm instructors. However, I believe Gunsite's high standards for instructors, curriculum and facilities makes it the best in the industry. Highly recommended. read more

I just completed the Gunsite 250 Pistol course. To get right to the point, WORTH EVERY PENNY! Now the longer version: My Nephew and I went together and stayed in the campground. It was very nice with Water and Electric 50/30amp. and we had a 40' 5th wheel. There was a nice Dry-Fire area available for homework and the camp host Walt, was impressive to say the least. (Personally, can't wait to do a class with him!) On to the 250, It was everything I expected, and then a whole lot more. I watched about every video out there, so I thought I knew what to expect pretty clearly, but what you don't get to really see in the video is the quality and professionalism of the instructors. They really are the best in the industry. There is very little ego rolling around, and these people genuinely are there to help make you a much better shooter. By that I don't mean accuracy alone, I mean they want your mind to be a large part of the fighting equation. I may have expected more time in the cool, air conditioned classrooms, but the real learning happens with a gun in your hand at the multitude of ranges on the campus. The instructors seemingly didn't miss anything, they were hands on with serious attention to the fine details. Every night I got back to the camper I was ready for food & bed. The immersiveness of the experience really made it complete. As you can probably tell by now, I really enjoyed every moment and can recommend this to anyone considering. I genuinely can not wait to get back there and progress through the next class. I am grateful this place exists. My heartfelt gratitude to those who work there that got their experience and wisdom the hard way. Charlie, Joe, Chris... I mean you! Stellar job! read more

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Wanted to attend Gunsite since Jeff Cooper founded it in the mid 1970s and finally had the balance of money and time to get there! Took the basic 250 Pistol as well as the 223 Carbine Class and my high expectations were greatly exceeded. Even the lunches were outstanding! I have significant experience in law enforcement, military, and various shooting competitive sports and still learned tons. The facility and the instructors are the best, as they should be. The courses are focused around the firearm as a martial arts tool and that separates it from competition schools and marksmanship classes. I was able to clearly identify weaknesses in my equipment and training and hope to return. GREAT EXPERIENCE! /Users/gregkitchens/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/Thumbnails/2018/09/14/20180914-005754/QRbQLs0yRkOu9np9yhv6WA/thumb_DSCF9607_1024.jpg read more

If you are looking for the best In firearms training, this is it. Instructor experience is second to none.

I have had the privilege of training at Gunsite with the Well Armed Woman Gunsite Chapter. While the history and legend may be a bit intimidating, let me tell you, the people here are as friendly and welcoming as any I have ever met. You will receive world class training from the best instructors on the planet. Whether you are a veteran, military, law enforcement or a grandma who loves to train and perfect the skills of gunfighting, this place can't be beat! Plus, the setting is absolutely gorgeous! read more

The head gunsmith is a LIAR and a thief. This lying fraud agreed to restore a 1911 pistol for a agreed amount . Disappeared , no return calls , no return emails for 6 months. In November of 2020 he answered the phone by accident and spoke for 6 minutes telling me the pistol will Be in my hand before Christmas . Again went silent until April 2021 and then appears on his FB page bragging he's now at GUnSite. Only then did he contact me representing himself as Gunsite. Returned a sloppy , not as agreed upon and non functioning pistol 2 weeks later. Returned it back to him and he demands more Money for work I didn't agree to or else he's selling my gun. That is theft. Refused to communicate via email so I could keep his lies straight to print out . Gunsite's stance is not there problem . Unorganized, Liar, con artist . Turned my 1913 colt into a Frankenstein Abomination half ass Star clone . Filed complaints with the BBB and the Attorney Generals office for consumer fraud . https://www.tribstar.com/news/boone-sheriff-quits-amid-prostitute-probe/article_4c5ef78d-6701-5579-a63b-44543efb431c.html https://amp.news-press.com/story/news/crime/2014/07/29/indiana-sheriff-indicted-prostitution-probe/13319237/ https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/buz-mills-fraudulently-deceived-former-business-partner-says-2002-florida-court-ruling-6632014 read more

My wife and I went for the Pistol 250 course last summer. The instruction was excellent, the staff was very professional and knowledgable. The days are busy, so don't think of it as a vacation, up early; trigger and class time. Clean firearms rest and back at it! Our class was full, around 25 students all well instructed and looked after by 4-5 training staff. My wife was a beginner-intermediate and was given both encouragement and attention when needed to pick up additional skill. The environment was pro learning rather than about what one came to the school knowing. I fully intend to bring back my older children to take the 250, while my wife and I take the two "man" tactical course. If you are looking to develop no nonsense skills this is a great place to do it. Zero bravado and machizimo. Pricy, but worth it my opinion. Did I mention - safety first - big time. read more

This was a bucket-list item, and did not disappoint! It was an honor to walk LtCol Jeff Cooper's grounds and see that the school is true to his time-honored conditions. I was here for the January 2018 Defensive Pistol 250. The staff and instructors were extraordinarily precise, procedure-oriented, and very helpful. They are also understanding when your personal physical issues get in the way, and are quick to give you other ideas. First, I cannot recommend January. Probably not December or February, either. Unless you are from the northern climes, in which case you will find the weather balmy. Note that June can be murderously hot. Do not trust the forecasts. A forecast for Paulden at 34 and 36 came in at 26 and 27F. The first thing you will figure out is that you are (a) doing things you didn't know you were doing, (b) the things you learned a while ago for what was then a good reason are NOT good now, and (c) five days is not enough time to 'repair' the damage. :-( You will get practice, and practice, of the basics, walking through every single step in the presentation and firing of the pistol. Then they will have you push ahead and speed up. During the later half of the class, you will have practical shooting exercises that will "bring it all together". For you old military guys -- all those years of shooting the military "center of mass" targets mean you will default to that location over and over. I had to eschew years of training and concentrate on the center of mass defined at the heart level. It didn't always work. It's frustrating to see how "you have always done it that way" overruns what you want to do . . . You will take away the most effective way of executing a firing sequence, a level of awareness in a way you may not have considered, and training that will need continuing honing in dry fire exercises and range time. Practice does NOT make perfect, it makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect. The instructors are premiere - I cannot emphasize that enough. There were some things I could not do - they always had a suggestion. They could always explain the background on everything, so you could truly understand. They didn't make you feel 'weak' when you couldn't do something. To my dismay, I found many weaknesses; I have to tools to fix them now! If your hands get cold, I recommend some hand warmers from a camping store or WalMart. It is hard to shoot when you cannot feel your fingers, or the trigger, and sometimes even the gun. If you have arthritis, I recommend grip exercises. I developed a sore spot - working toward a blister - on my finger. My hands were *very* tired by the end of the week. Going from shooting 200 rounds at the range once a month or so will mean you could develop sore and tired hands from the training. For me, sore and tired applied to elbows, shoulders, knees, and the torn tendon in my shoulder. I won't mention my back, because it's permanently shot . . . :-( Be prepared with any medications. Please note that the instructors accepted my inability to stand for long periods and I carried a camp stool. They work with you. Your day is packed. Wake up, dry fire, eat and report by 8am. Expect to run dry fire exercises, every night and every morning, on your own. You will find yourself practicing procedures with your "finger gun" all the time. You will have rounds of ammunition in your pocket and will reload magazines every time you come off the line. You will work, and work hard. You leave the range, find food, clean your weapon / mag, and dry-fire. Then it is bedtime. The Academy has a caterer - Sandwiches, chips, cookies, etc. It was okay but I prefer to not eat processed foods and I brought my lunch. PB&J rules! Take snacks and plenty of water. If you camp, or have a TT / RV, I recommend the Gunsite Academy campgrounds. I wrote a separate review for them. read more

Okay, I am one day out from completing my first 5 day class at Gunsite. It is a five star place. They have a culture and execution of safety and intensity. It is fun in an interesting way for people like me that are not "professional" gun handlers. I didn't feel like I was very different from the majority of the students that had a LOT more experience than me. You can hang in there but you need to remain present. I was using my iPhone to take notes and one of the "professionals" attending the class called me out for having my head in my phone as though I was on Facebook. There are ALL kinds of people taking courses there which makes it interesting and fun to get to know the different reasons for making the investment into your firearms training. I can't say enough about the quality, humor, intensity, knowledge, and attention of the Range Masters and their fellow instructors. We had three instructors for 16 people in my 3Gun Defensive class. Allan Hall was the Range Master an ran the class with help from Ted and Mike. This is serious training with but there was lots of humor and cop stories, shooting stories, military stories, range accidents, and gear stories. I was laughing then 5 minutes later I was struggling with running drills. I needed to do "homework" every night to practice the maneuvers or failure drills that we learned the day before. Since I had zero firearms training before it was then very first time I was doing the manipulations that the class was working on. There were folks in the class that had been through as many as 10 classes at Gunsite before. This is very common. We didn't have women in our class but it is also common to have women in classes. Allan reminds me of some of my many cop buddies with an interesting blend of seriousness and humor in transferring the information to us. He also reminded me of Peter from Family Guy. You could flick him shit too so it was not a one way street as long as it wasn't a safety thing. It was perfect really. I felt great at some times and other times I felt really inept. The facility is out in the high desert and it was beautiful to me as I love the high desert. The leaders of the Academy were also very professional and friendly. We started the week in a classroom (for 30 minutes) before we hit the range and we started with the pledge of allegiance. That was AWESOME. Obviously this is a place where you wear your gun 24/7 and when you go into town for Taco night you can wear it there too. That was unique for me with all the people where I live that get their information about guns from the movies and the media. "That is wrong" quoting Allan's favorite saying! I am going to go back for the 250 pistol class and bring my 17 year old most likely as that seems to be the most ubiquitous class there. As for lodging I shared a nice house 3 bedrooms 2 baths, A/C, Internet, BBQ, and all you need. Name of the house is "House on Gunsite Rd." And you can google it. The owner is one of the leaders at Gunsite and he popped by one night and we had a nice conversation. I stayed with a really chill guy that Gunsite hooked me up with. I found out he was at his 16th class. He knew a lot but was really modest about all the training he had under his belt. It seems like it is easy to get addicted. There is a lot of crap to learn to get to get there for a neophyte to combat firearms training. Push through it and you will learn a lot... I was thinking about taking a class at Thunder Ranch in Oregon (as I live close enough to drive there) and found out that the guy who started that was an early Gunsite employee. I may see what they are all about because I could do it quite a bit cheaper because of driving my own car. Net Net. I loved it. It was hard. It was fun. It was serious. It was transformative. I will bring my kids into it. Book early and make sure you have guns that work! read more

Gunsite is not just a shooting school. It is more like a family. Their courses are phenomenal and the instructor to student ratio is top notch! It has been amazing watching how far students progress between day 1 and day 5. If you want to learn how to shoot, Gunsite is the place to go! read more

Anyone who is into guns and needs training for shooting should definitely come here. The employees here are super nice. The food is amazing and the week flys by. Can't wait to come back for more. read more

I have attended Gunsite for 3 classes (350 Pistol, 260 and Advanced Tactical Shotgun), and will soon be attending Close Quarter Pistol (October 2015). I have attended many other training programs around the country, and I believe Gunsite to be the best of the best. It is the model used by a famous training site in Pahrump Nv, (which is also very good), but the student has not become the master. Gunsite, while smaller, is in my opinion the better instruction. The instructors are very professional, and all have real world experience. They understand that most of us do not have the experience that they do, and they work hard to bring us to higher levels. In 350 Pilsol, we are introduced to "Force on force" training, where we go up against real life bad guys who are trained to test our capabilities. The lessons learned in this training will be remembered for the rest of my life. I am better prepared to handle a bad situation since I have attended Gunsite. read more

Took the 250 pistol class last week and it was fantastic. I am not in the military or law enforcement and the instructors were super helpful making me much more confident and proficient with my firearm. I would suggest anyone wanting to know the proper way to use your firearm take this class. Great people and a beautiful location. Perfect week. read more

I attended the Pistol 250 class from 09/03/12 - 09/07/12. What an incredible experience. Gunsite is set up to teach you everything you need to know about handling your fire arms. I've been shooting my Glock 34 & 19 (9mm) for over a year. They teach you great habits, get rid of the bad. Safety is THE number 1 priority. There were peeps in my class who had never shot before and peeps who had been shooting for over 30 years. My instructors, Chris, Ed, La Monte and Hutch were incredible. The whole experience is set up for you to learn. And the facilities and staff are awesome. From the Pro Shop to the catered lunches everyday from Mona Lisa catering, I could not have asked for a better gun experience. Clearing houses, washes, competitive shooting, real gun fight training. I'd only shot at an indoor range and being outside and shooting live rounds was a trip. I felt so supported and I learned. AND, I'm going back in May of next year... Yes, Pistol 250 again with my shooting bud Dano. I have more to learn and I want my E Ticket! Thanks to you all. I proudly sport my Raven on my car. I earned it and I want to earn it again. The best $$ I've spent in a long time. read more

There are many choices in life. Most often the cheapest are not the best. After careful y reviewing all options we selected Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona for our combat defensive classes. The 250 Pistol Class was our first in depth encounter with a hand gun. Not knowing which type and caliber of pistol would be best for us we did not purchase anything before arriving. The staff recommended the correct rental equipment for our needs. The instructors had decades of professional experience in the military, law enforcement, or both. They eagerly shared their personal backgrounds and individual experiences. They were patient and attentive. They monitored our every movement. Safety was paramount. They eased us into our new venture. Each day brought more challenges. If you had a mechanical problem while on the range the Gun Smithy was there to assist. Besides the square range there were building and outdoor searches that challenged our new skills. By the end of the week it all came together. Our confidence was up and we had changed forever. Since we were traveling extensively in a motor home the staff recommend that the shotgun may be the preferred defensive weapon for our situation. So, we decided to stay for a second week and take the 260 Shotgun Class. The 250 Pistol Class made the 260 Shotgun Class easier since we were familiar with the facility and the class format. Both the pistol and shotgun were to be used together in this class. Again, the staff recommended which type and gauge of shotgun we should use. As in the pistol class, we had a great instructor for the shotgun class who had decades of professional experience. Being seniors, the class was a physical challenge for us. The shotguns were heavy and required more strength to operate. Physical conditioning is recommended if you are not accustomed to the weight and demands of a shotgun. By the third day we were quite familiar with the shot gun and were easily hitting our targets at up to 100 yards. The shotgun is now our preferred weapon since we will be traveling through many states in our motor home that have different gun laws for pistols. Eye and ear protection was needed along with a few other items. Each class required a couple of different items. The ever diligent Pro Shop staff assisted us in selecting the proper equipment. They even loaned us some items at no charge. After the class(s) when you know which gun suits you the Pro Shop will have it, or get it for you. Excellent lunches are provided at a reasonable price by a catering service. There is no need to make your own lunch. Having the lunches brought in allows you more time for study and practice in the evenings. As for the amenities, the facility was large with many training ranges. There are 26 heated bathrooms with flush toilets. There are also 6 heated showers with hot water. Their RV Campground had room for tent campers as well as pull-thrus for big rigs. All pull-thrus had 30/50 amp power and water. However, arrive with empty tanks since there is no RV dump. The campground had 4 of the flush toilets and 4 showers. The kitchen/laundry had, 2 microwaves, a sink, ice and a free washer and dryer. This is where you come for professional training. Gunsite made it convenient, easy and comfortable while attending their classes. We could not have asked for more. We'll be back. Lew & Ramona C. read more

I have attended Gunsite multiple times. I was honored to have met Jeff Cooper personally before his passing. Unfortunately since Coopers passing Gunsite has declined. While their doctrine is solid in firearms instruction, they have failed to stay up with new approaches in firearms training. To the uninitiated, their baseline approach is acceptable. But they continue to hang onto old doctrine such as the Weaver Stance (for one), which in its own right has a place...but in the real world is generally not practical.Their tunnel vision approach of teaching is such that all of their instructors are either military or law enforcement with egos to match. If you look on their own list of bios for instructors you will see this for yourself. In addition they only have one female trainer. Gunsite would do well to realize that while some military and law enforcement influence is fine, they are missing the bigger picture by ignoring women and civilian instructors. They would also do well to open up their training approaches to include new advancements and methods based on real world events. While I would have no hesitation to recommend Gunsite at the 250 level, I would hesitate to ever return for intermediate or advanced coursework, especially when you consider the high costs of their courses. I can say this from personal experience at Gunsite at all levels in the past 5 years and from 30 plus years of law enforcement and military experience myself. Sorry Gunsite....but its time to move on! read more

I can do this easy, but a little long. The best of the best basic gun training, tactical and special ops from all states fly in to to train here.Sniper, bodyguard, over seas special ops training and they train people that have never handled a gun before to experienced African safari, large dangerous game hunting. It's an enormous facility, double check, but I recall at least 1,000 acres They're sought out by international security firms from all over America, to train and make their special ops teams the best in their line of work. They have all types of set-ups for some of their more advanced shooters. Courses that wind through heavy brush, over boulders, with automated targets that seem to come from nowhere. Shoot houses. Ranges out to 2K yards, IIRC. Simulated environments i.e. snow to desert, but of course. Top Hollywood celebrities fly here just to be trained by Gunsite and not rely on hired body guards exclusively. Top celebs seek out and find the best money can buy at any price.. I tell you up front, I think the basic 2 day courses start at $995 + all ammo they tell you is required for any course when you sign up. They don't advertise. They are sought out due to unflappable reputation for decades, and are booming. Truly, it's one of the best gun, any type, training in the U.S. I can guarantee after your first course, you'll come away with a new awareness of your surroundings at all times. Confidence spikes and worry about not so good parts of a city diminish. It changes most mentally in an empowering way. Especially women! My wife is hooked and will be taking her third course in a year. The best part for us, we live 3 miles away!! This is not a range. It more closely resembles some of the best training grounds the Army, Navy, Air force, Marines and Rangers train on. They may be a fully certified government training agency. I'm just going off memory, so again, if that's important to you, verify it. This a not a place with half day courses, but for anyone at any level, that's serious as a heart attack to learn only tested, military level training. It's owned and run by a high ranking retired Armed forces (Army?) General, trust but verify.his rank if necessary. Ok, it's hard to stop ranting after you've had your first Gunsite experience. Parting words - people have flown in to a town that has nothing to offer, but Gunsite and more gun stores in a 30 mile radius than any where in the U.S. AZ ONLY sells to AZ residents. Disappointing, but you'll see guns you thought couldn't be purchased in the U.S. Cool stuff used in the latest movies. AZ is the most pro gun state in the U.S., even more so than AK. We legally allow out of state visitors to carry open or concealed in public, no permit, nothing required except no felons, etc.If that's not lax, well crap. If you've not done that before, it does have a special feeling of trust and knowing you can actually protect your family. Gun crimes are very low in AZ even with more guns in public per capita than any state, save for Phoenix though. Guns in public also work because it's not changed much in over a century for AZ. So almost every child from 8-10 years has been taught safe gun practices. Other states could not be near as lax as AZ for reasons that should be obvious. When I first moved to Prescott, I was at Safeway and noticed two young men with semi-autos holstered on their hip. That was almost scary, until I learned about the gun culture and laws here. People in northern AZ cities are very warm and friendly. Our people have never been easy targets for violent criminals. Hopefully, more states will adopt some form of carrying in public. More guns equal less crimes - FACT. I'll try and attach a link at the bottom with a 20 year graph proving we have more guns now and much less crime. Oh yes, we have one of two Sturm - Ruger manufacturing facilities in the U.S. about 15 miles south of Gunsite. They offered tours for a long time, but check before you go. Gunsite without question, is the experience of a lifetime. Link to 20 year study proving that in that time, the U.S. has a lot more guns and much less crime. Google it if my link fails! http://www.aei.org/publication/chart-of-the-day-more-guns-less-gun-violence-between-1993-and-2013/ read more