Where are the Coaches

Over by the livery in front of the Carriage House. Next to that darling Surrey.

Not those coaches! Foo!

I want to find a shooting coach and get some real training. But how to evaluate the plethora of options?

Let me whittle it down. Proximity and expense have to be a pre-requisite at this point. While I’d love to do something like Gunsite, or Thunder Ranch, those course are very far away, and relatively expensive, and may be beyond the scope of what I am looking for.

Gunsite is a little intimidating, I have to admit. I’d not want to try that one until I was a bit more proficient. Hence wanting a bit more basic training locally. Doing a Gunsite course would be thrilling, someday.

The NRA offers some canned courses which are fine, and I still may take one or two. If I get a conceal-carry permit in Virginia, I’d want to take the NRA conceal-carry course anyway. But that’s not exactly what I am looking for in this particular case, either. Those courses seem to be introductory/basic classes. I want a basic/intermediate/marksmanship class. Maybe I am wrong and someone will correct me, sending me to: “NRA’s Basic blurfle Class” as it may SOUND like something for people that have never fired a gun before, but the actual instruction with Instructor X is just what I want.

Ideally, I want a one-on-one coaching for a few range sessions with an expert marksman, evaluating how I shoot now, correcting immediate problems, and giving me pointers and drills to improve my ownself, going forward, solo, firing 1000s of rounds in practice sessions on my own. The perfect instructor would be a long lost Uncle that used to train competition shooters in the Army and just loves teaching people, particularly long lost nephews, how to shoot. A slightly less skilled non-relative that charges a fee or makes me pony up free ammo for them to shoot would be more than adequate, too.

A rifle AND pistol instructor would be great, but if I have to, I’d take one of each.

There are a few lists of instructors in a 100 mile radius I’ve found online, but knowing of their existence is different that knowing of their quality.

You know what I have to do beside sitting on my backside and trying cursory internet searches? I need to ask people. People at the OnTarget range, Gilbert, the NRA range, my gun shop, etc. And consider this an ‘ask’ as well. Of all my readers. Both of you.