Brandon Cox
May 10, 2023
    

Defensive Shooting Academy’s Rural Tactics is the best firearms course I have ever taken. Instructor Billy Smith is the absolute epitome of a quality instructor. He has copious real world empiric knowledge and can pass that knowledge onto his students in a concise, understandable, yet urgent manner. The students in this class were highly trained. SWAT guys, prior military, etc. They were way above my skill set, yet I never felt intimidated or out of place.

You may know how to run a rifle, but do you know how to run it when the SHTF in a real-world event? Can you communicate and work with a team to mitigate a threat in a rural environment when your life depends on it? This course, Rural Tactics, will give you many tools, but it is so much more than just a shooting course. These tactics will give you a route to access opportunities that could lead you to the most important element leading up to a CQB… Surprise. With tip of the spear instruction, set in a real-world scenario, this course gave me invaluable instruction with my gun, but more importantly, it expanded the use of the most important weapon in an SHTF moment, the mind. I could take this course over again and again, and envision learning something new and valuable each time.

Tom Salmon
May 9, 2023
    

Any responsible person who carries a pistol and is serious about developing his or her skills definitely must take Advanced Combat Pistol 1 (ACP1). Marshall Luton’s world-class experience combined with skillful effective teaching make this an exceptional training course, perhaps one of the best you can find anywhere. The class alternates between in-depth explanations of a critical fundamental (for example trigger press), followed by carefully planned live-fire drills. Marshall has a eye for subtle errors, which he corrects, always in a positive encouraging manner. His objective is to make us better shooters. For example, when I thought I needed to slow down to reduce misses, he said, “No, that’s not the problem; you need to aim harder.” Our class included police officers, competitive shooters and ordinary armed citizens. It was challenging, but also very satisfying and fun. I took home many valuable pointers that I will continue practicing to take my performance to the next level.

Tom Salmon
Retired optometry professor
NSU continuing education firearms instructor
oakleydefense.com

Apryl Longacre
March 29, 2023
    

My decision to start training with DSA was the right choice without a doubt. For years I’ve wanted to learn how to safely handle a firearm. I started with a private lesson with Marshall and then I recently took a Ladies Only class. I’ve learned a ton of valuable life saving information in a very short period of time. The instruction is fantastic. The instructors keep everyone engaged and feeling safe the entire class. I feel much more comfortable and confident handling a pistol after attending their training.

They create a learning environment that helps you retain the information. The instructors help you to develop proper habits then ingrains them into your memory. They show you step by step how to safely load and unload your firearm so it starts to become like muscle memory. Their methods of teaching are direct and easily understood. I am confident I am learning the right way from the beginning, which is what I intended to accomplish. I went directly to the subject matter experts, the instructors at DSA.

DSA also provides an arsenal of pistols for you to shoot. Dozens of guns were made available to us on training days so I could decide which one I wanted to seek out and purchase. I’ll continue to sign up for more advanced training. I am 100% satisfied with my choice in attending the training offered by DSA.

Charlotte DeVitt
March 29, 2023
    

I would recommend this class without hesitation and with much enthusiasm. I learned so much and became much more comfortable with my pistol. As a side note: DSA allows you to shoot several different types of pistols in the class, and I enjoyed all of them too. At first, I was nervous and unsure about handling and firing my weapon. After a few minutes of coaching, I shot about three full magazines through my gun. Immediately I became more calm and more comfortable and really started to enjoy it.

The instructors were great. They are funny and super informative. Marshall and Kai were amazing with how much information they provided without overwhelming me. They were patient and helped us understand the why, when, where and how, for many different situations. Hopefully, I will retain all the info and be prepared for dangers I may encounter.

Maggie was helpful too. She inspired us as she mingled with all us classmates. She eased my nerves as she spoke with us on the line. DSA helped me to realize I must practice on my own if I want to continue to be comfortable with firearms. I plan on taking another class with Marshall and Kai.

Jennifer Sweeney
March 28, 2023
    

An attempted break-in at our home prompted me to take this course. I realized that if my husband hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have been able to protect myself and my kids. A Rogers County Sheriff’s Deputy recommended Defensive Shooting Academy. I was relieved to find the Ladies Only course as I’ve had minimal experience with guns and wanted an in-depth explanation of safety, handling, proper shooting technique, and practice. I received this- and more- through this course. The lecture portion also included managing unknown contacts and “what to do/say” scenarios specifically for women. The two main instructors gave detailed information, backed by statistics and experience in an easy-going and fun way.

The practice section allowed for incremental steps from practicing stance and grip with dummy firearms, moving to live firearms. I thought I would only practice with the pistol I brought, but many different types of firearms of different size and calibers were available and we were encouraged to try any or all of them. The instructors brought in additional assistance for the firing range portion. This allowed for more individual attention, which was important for me as I wasn’t comfortable even handling a live firearm without someone close to make sure I was doing so correctly.

Of course, a 1-day 10 hour course of any kind is not going to be sufficient training for anyone new to firearms, but it is HUGE for me to find a level of comfort and empowerment in operating a firearm considering the level of fear that I had before this course. I brought a small .22 pistol to the course (which I was uncomfortable with) and left knowing I could (and wanted to!) own and handle a 9mm. I will definitely continue learning and training, but this course was a CRUCIAL step for my mental game regarding confidence in handling a firearm.

Thank you, DSA for offering this course and giving me the confidence I needed to begin training with firearms.