In The Beginning
Front Sight Training Institute has become the Premier Firearms Training facility in the entire nation. Over the past twenty years, it has developed from a ten student class in Bakersfield, Ca. to a 550-acre facility that trains more people in one week than all other training schools in the US teach in a whole year, combined.
I have seen this for myself. I spent five days there last November for the Four-Day Defensive Handgun Course. I have been carrying a handgun and shooting for most of my adult life, starting with Jr. ROTC in high school (something I don’t see anymore in Calif.). This was my first visit to a training facility since being in the US Army back in 1967. I can say with complete conviction that this was the experience of a lifetime. I look forward to going back as often as I can. And with a lifetime membership, the only thing keeping me away is time.
My first visit to Front Sight Firearms Training Institute was just to ask questions and get a tour of the place. I was so impressed that I purchased a lifetime membership one week later. Then I scheduled my training for that November.
There were a few things I had to get before the course, like hearing protection and eye protection, and a new holster. The holster I was using didn’t fit the requirements of Front Sight; they were not satisfied with the safety of what I had. Like all training schools and larger reputable organizations, there are certain suggestions and then there are requirements. This is all pretty normal.
I arrived the night before my course started so I could set up my camp for the week. I brought my 5th wheel and parked in a piece of BLM property just outside the gate to Front Sight. I wanted to be ready since the training began at 7:00 the next morning. Check-in was at 6:30. I had to get my gun, holster, ammo, and other gear inspected before the class.
A typical classroom and range at the start of training. There are six of these classes and they are all full every day.
These pictures were taken on a random visit to Front Sight in October of 2015.
The first two pictures are day 3 and 4 of the 4-day defensive handgun course done at the larger range.
These 2 days are mostly shooting.The next picture is where the check-in begins at 6:30 am on the first day.
Classes started in the big auditorium where all new students were gathered together for the safety part of training and some rules of the ranges. Anywhere you go you have rules to be followed and here it is most important to follow all of them. During lunch breaks, there were always optional lectures in the auditorium covering the legal aspects of carrying a gun for defense. They also covered a lot of the moral and psychological effects of a defensive shooting. When you have to shoot someone for whatever reason, it will change your life.
Leave a Reply