Almost every first-time student asks me some version of “what do I actually need to bring?” the day before their lesson. It’s a good question, and the honest answer is: less than you think. Here’s the real list.
Bring These
- Eye and ear protection — if you have your own, bring it. If not, we’ll have some available, but your own fit is always more comfortable.
- Closed-toe shoes. Hot brass on an open-toe sandal is not a lesson you want to learn twice.
- Your firearm, if you own one — along with the manual if you have it. If you don’t own one yet, that’s completely fine; rentals are available.
- A valid photo ID. Ranges require it, and it’s needed if you’re renting a firearm.
- An open mind and realistic expectations. This one matters more than any piece of gear on this list.
Leave These At Home
- A loaded firearm in an unsecured bag. If you’re bringing your own gun, transport it unloaded and cased, magazine out.
- Kids who need supervision you can’t split your attention to provide. Some ranges allow observers, but check with us first — your lesson time should be focused on you.
- The expectation that you’ll be “fast” by the end. Speed is the last thing we build, not the first. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast — cliché because it’s true.
- Embarrassment. I’ve taught total beginners for over a decade. There is no question too basic and no starting point too far behind. That’s the entire point of a private lesson.
What The Lesson Actually Looks Like
We start with a full safety briefing and range orientation before a single round is loaded — the four rules, how the specific firearm you’re using works, and what to expect from recoil and noise. From there we build slowly: proper grip, stance, sight alignment and trigger press, all practiced dry before you ever fire live. By the end of a 90-minute Basic Pistol lesson, most students are shooting 8-inch groups and reloading independently — not because they were naturally gifted, but because the fundamentals were built in the right order.
One Last Thing
There’s no such thing as a dumb question in a private lesson. If something makes you nervous, say so before we start — that’s information I use to build the lesson around you, not a reason to feel behind.
