NRA Firearms training courses advise new shooters to seek out the advice of knowledgeable shooters when researching and purchasing their first gun. Gaining knowledge is only possible through education. We have been told our entire lives that “Knowledge is Power” and “Education Is the Key!”
Firearms instructors need to look at themselves as educators because that is what WE are! We educate people on the safe and proper use of firearms. We have all sat through a high school or a college class and experienced both good teachers and bad teachers. That does not necessarily mean the bad teachers did not know their subject matter. It might be that they were just not very good at teaching it.
It was U.S. Representative Solomon Ortiz from Texas who won re-election 13 times and served from January 3, 1983, to January 3, 2011. He made education his central platform throughout his years of service. Rep. Ortiz famously said, “Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.” Rep. Ortiz was correct when he made this statement.
As NRA Firearms Instructors, we can apply Rep. Ortiz’s words to our own teaching techniques. In other words, our goal is to teach “to” the student and not just check a box when that lesson is complete. As firearms instructors, we can “make or break” someone’s spirit and motivation if we are negligent in our duties. For example, if an instructor has a student shoot a firearm that he or she knows has more recoil than the student can handle, that instructor can quickly turn someone off to shooting. This is negligence on the instructor’s part. Not only can we turn someone away from the shooting sports, but we are also potentially losing another voice or advocate for the preservation of our 2nd Amendment.
Things that firearms instructors can do to improve their ability to teach include striving for improvement, striving for success, and striving for relevance.
Strive for Improvement
The NRA Training Department stresses in every NRA Instructor course that all NRA Instructors should strive for constant improvement. One way that we improve our classes is by staying abreast of new products, firearms and techniques. A great source of this information can be found on the NRA websites such as this website; in the NRA Official Journals such as American Hunter and American Rifleman, and NRA forums and blogs. The National Rifle Association has been the #1 source of firearms information since its founding in 1871.
Another way of improving your teaching is to utilize evaluations. If you are conducting an NRA Firearms Course, you are required to provide an evaluation for your students at the end of the course. Information from evaluations should be a guide for instructors on areas that he or she may need to change or improve upon, to benefit his or her students for future classes.
It is the job of an instructor to teach the “basic knowledge, skills, and attitude to owning and using a firearm safely.” When students understand the importance of safely handling their firearms and practice the basic shooting fundamentals (aiming, breath control, hold control, trigger control, and follow through), they are more likely to improve their confidence and skills.
Strive for Success
No matter what the subject matter, all instructors should strive for success when teaching a topic. I have heard comments from another firearms instructor or two how poorly one of their students shot while on the range. To me, that is a direct reflection of how effective they were as an instructor—or not! I like to brag about my students and emphasize how much they have improved from their first shot on target to their last during our range time together.
If you are an effective firearms instructor, you will reap numerous professional and personal benefits. When we focus our time and attention on the success of our students, it is quite rewarding to watch them transform into safe shooters with improved marksmanship skills because of your instruction. It is always a feel-good moment to watch their excitement and enthusiasm when their shot groups tighten, or when they can now identify and self-correct an issue they were struggling with, thanks to your feedback.
Your students are your greatest and most inexpensive form of advertisement. Successful students will have increased confidence in their shooting abilities which leads to a desire for continued training. This could result in your students sharing their positive experience with others and inviting friends and family to attend additional training opportunities as a repeat customer.
Strive for Relevance
Striving for relevance is important to help your students understand the subject matter. Sometimes this is not as easy as it seems. Why does it seem that each year you get older as a firearm instructor and your students seem to get younger? It is important to keep the references you make during class relevant to your audience. Believe it or not, I have students who have never heard of the “heroes of the silver screen” such as Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne), Matt Dillon (James Arness), or even Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood). With the changing demographics in our students, it was time to incorporate more relevant references such as John Wick (Keanu Reeves)!
Not only do your references need to be generationally relevant, but your training aids also need to be modern. My entire career has been in and around the hunting world. During my career as the Assistant Hunter Education Coordinator for the state of Texas, the bolt-action rifle was firearm of choice. As such, my idea of a rifle is a walnut-stocked bolt-action rifle. I did not own many AR-platform guns, but how can you effectively teach the NRA Basic Rifle Course in 2025 without one? So, I invested in a few good quality modern sporting arms just to be a better and more effective instructor.
Likewise, many older instructors may be a “revolver guy” or a big fan of the 1911. That is all great, but it may not mean as much to a younger audience. Like any business, you periodically must replace or update your equipment. Your training aids are no different. If you want to get your point across to a younger audience, your training aids must be part of “their” generation.
Many times, the public only has contact with the NRA through a Training Counselor or an NRA Instructor. This means that often the Training Counselor or Instructor becomes the face of the NRA. In other words, we become ambassadors of our organization. How we act as instructors and how we interact with our students leaves a lasting impression on everyone that we encounter. It is the student who leaves your class and forms an opinion on how successful you were in teaching them, and how you made them feel throughout the training. Ultimately, this reflects the NRA and your teaching ability.
It takes a special person to become an effective educator. As far as firearms instructors go, you can be the best shot in your chosen discipline of rifle, pistol or shotgun. But if you are not a good communicator, you may not be an effective teacher. Like any skill, there are things that firearms instructors can do to help them become better educators and successful trainers.
