Advanced Combat Pistol Level 1  June 23-24, 2023

ACP I is some of the best training available today.  I’ve been competing in shooting sports for more than 20 years.  As a sponsored shooter, I realize the importance of staying on top of the fundamentals. I also understand how bad habits and bad practice can creep into your technique.  Vince Lombardi and John Wooden both understood how success was predicated on mastery of the fundamentals.  Regardless of how advanced you are, there is always room for improvement.  Starting with the fundamentals of marksmanship, the D.S.A. cadre present information in a safe, clear, and relatable manner that makes it easy to process and retain.  Concepts and techniques are built upon each other as you progress through the class and you are given enough time and repetitions to build a solid platform before more techniques are introduced.  

D.S.A. offers excellent training for shooters of ALL levels, novice to professional.  Thank you for coming up to Lincoln. 

Thank you to you and Jeremy for being in Lincoln last week. It was a great experience for me. I have been around firearms since high school and college back in the 80’s. I purchased my first pistol in the early 90’s. So, over 30 years. I had no formal training during that time. Just informal stuff from friends or fellow shooters who shared how they handled firearms while I was at the range. Who knows if any of it was correct. Other than basic firearm safety like “never point the gun at something you don’t want to destroy”, I could say I had picked up a lot of incorrect information.

When Tom first told me about the class back in February, I signed up immediately. I made a conscious decision entering the class that I would forget everything I thought I ever knew about pistols and just learn what you taught. Whether trigger control, stance, reload or changing my terrible grip, I absorbed it like a sponge to water. The result? A measured improvement of 35% in speed and accuracy. And a level of comfort in my own ability that I’m finally doing something with my pistol the way a professional does it. And that equates to a 100% boost in my confidence handling my pistol.

I told you before you left that I received so much confidence in your training, that not only am I going to participate again, I will be gifting your ACP 1 course to some of my kids this Christmas. In addition, it’s just been in the last couple of years that I’ve taken an interest in AR15’s. I now own three. It just makes sense to me that before I pick up a lot of bad habits that I have to unlearn, I should just get proper training. All that to say, you’ll definitely see me again!

Until then, I’ll stay deadly.

Bill Lahman
Lincoln, NE

This is my testimonial in reference to the Rural Tactics Course I attended with DSA.

I have been in Law Enforcement for over fourteen years and have been on a SWAT Team for twelve of those years. I have been blessed during my career to have taken some great training through many reputable schools and instructors. During my career I have found myself alone as well as with fellow officers in the woods or large, open fields, either pursuing a fleeing suspect, or while assisting a neighboring agency.  We have been known to conduct surveillance  and/or execute a planned operation. I have ended up in the woods or some type of pastureland more times than can recall. That being said, in those fourteen-plus years, I’ve never received any training related to this type of specialized environment . . . . none.

DSA is a phenomenal shooting/tactics school. Marshall Luton, owner of DSA, was a superb and down-to-earth host. The Rural Tactics Course at DSA, taught by Master Instructor, Billy Smith, is a fantastic course. The information provided during Rural Tactics was information packed even for myself and other experienced classmates. Every Law Enforcement Officer would profit by being exposed to this level of training.  In fact, it should be required training in my opinion.

Over the years, in the many classes I’ve attended, several previous instructors felt it necessary to give a long-detailed introduction of their past Jedi experiences.  They introduced themselves as “Delta”, or SWAT, or a S.E.A.L..  Some even told you about their classified “three-letter agency” experience including telling you of all their accolades and accomplishments while they were there. Instructor Billy Smith requires no such introduction. His students know that he is extremely knowledgeable and possesses legitimate real-world experience; not by what he says, but by what he does and demonstrates.

Rural Tactics at DSA with Billy Smith is the most unique course and one of the best training opportunities I’ve ever had.

Sergeant Cody Boren

Berryville Police Department

First off thank you both for allowing me to take this class, it was such an amazing opportunity for me. I learned a lot this weekend not just about the subject matter but about my abilities, areas I need improvement, and where my gear fell short. Safety was a priority for both of you and it showed. I never felt my safety was in jeopardy during live fire even with loaded weapons stacked two deep behind me.

I have always been self-conscious about my shooting abilities from an accuracy standpoint and it has kept me from taking more classes. With the atmosphere that you two cultivated, that feeling quickly went away. I realized all of us are on different parts of the journey of mastering this craft and got out of my own head.

Both of you have the background and credibility to justify being (for lack of better words) assholes and in your face during training but you weren’t. You both were humble, approachable, and open to questions. Never did I ever hear either of you answer a question with “because I said so”, you always took time and explained why something is the way it is or why it is done that way.

I really feel like I got more than my money’s worth with this class. So thank you both for that!

I recently had the pleasure of attending DSA’s combat carbine class and it, as usual for a DSA class, exceeded expectations. From the moment I arrived at the range, it was evident that this was going to be a top-notch experience. The knowledgeable instructors and comprehensive curriculum combined to create an exceptional learning environment for all participants.

The instructors were highly skilled and passionate about the class with an emphasis on participants’ safety at all times. Their expertise and ability to effectively communicate complex concepts made learning enjoyable and accessible; this class will be more beneficial if you already have pretty developed competence with a carbine. They fostered a supportive and inclusive atmosphere, ensuring that everyone felt comfortable and empowered to ask questions and seek clarification.

An aspect that stood out was the personalized attention given to each shooter. The instructors took time to assess individual strengths and areas for improvement, providing one-on-one guidance to enhance shooting abilities. They offered valuable tips and techniques, which significantly contributed to my progress and safety throughout the class.