Firearm training in Reno/Carson/Gardnerville

[MrBadwrench]

Just for your information if you are looking for CCW instruction/training I would advise you NOT to go with Liberty Certified Firearms Training instucted by Dwayne Cottom "Doc" is what he goes by. He was affiliated with Nevada Firearms Training Academy. I took the course earlier this year and "Doc" was the instructor . I was going to qualify with 3 guns and after the 1st round I have had enough. Not professional at all and I especially felt bad for the women that were there trying to qualify. Just a really BAD experience. However the guys at Nevada Firearms Training Academy especially Mike Ford made it right. So if you are looking where to go I would go with them

 

[calmp9]

Just for your information if you are looking for CCW instruction/training I would advise you NOT to go with Liberty Certified Firearms Training instucted by Dwayne Cottom "Doc" is what he goes by. He was affiliated with Nevada Firearms Training Academy. I took the course earlier this year and "Doc" was the instructor . I was going to qualify with 3 guns and after the 1st round I have had enough. Not professional at all and I especially felt bad for the women that were there trying to qualify. Just a really BAD experience. However the guys at Nevada Firearms Training Academy especially Mike Ford made it right. So if you are looking where to go I would go with them

Just asking, but why was this a problem? You have to elaborate further on your experience. You tell people that the instructor is bad but you don't say why or what happened. For all we know, you were the problem. Maybe you didn't comply with his instructions, who knows?

Give us a full description of the situation.

Thanks!

 

[tattedupboy]

Just for your information if you are looking for CCW instruction/training I would advise you NOT to go with Liberty Certified Firearms Training instucted by Dwayne Cottom "Doc" is what he goes by. He was affiliated with Nevada Firearms Training Academy. I took the course earlier this year and "Doc" was the instructor . I was going to qualify with 3 guns and after the 1st round I have had enough. Not professional at all and I especially felt bad for the women that were there trying to qualify. Just a really BAD experience. However the guys at Nevada Firearms Training Academy especially Mike Ford made it right. So if you are looking where to go I would go with them

I see that this is your first post on USA Carry, MrBadwrench. Welcome aboard!

Anyway, sorry you had such a bad experience at this place. However, could you please elaborate on what happened that made this such a bad experience for you? All you say is that he wasn't professional (whatever that means) and that you felt bad for the women (without saying why).

 

[MrBadwrench]

Sorry the first thing was during the class room training he would say that during the range portion of the training that the weapons should all be pointing down range. On the morning at the range even before the range meeting he had asked all of us to bring our weapons to the table chambers open etc. Well I walked up with the barrel pointed down range like he instructed and he started yelling at me he told me that the barrel should be pointed up when you are in the range. Now granted I was in a class with 3 other guys and 4 women and we were all doing the same thing. He then instructed us to now load your magazines so we stepped up I loaded my sp101 the girl next to me was loading her .38 special. Once we were done we stepped back and he starts yelling and cursing at me telling me that if I screw up again I am out of there.Believe me it took all I had to hold my composure and tell him to F- Off so needless to say I qualified with 1 gun and I didn't care if it was gonna cost me more but I would go somewhere else. All of the people that were there were going to qualify at least 2 guns but now he made a already nervous situation worse. So now I just sat and watched the rest unravell. Making offcolor remarks toward the women, walking around to the side of the truck and urinating, and this was the last straw for me was watching him slap a shooters hand while he heald a LOADED WEAPON. That was not cool at all. And thats the main reason I started the thread.

 

[Hoplites1234]

Yes, Mr Badwrench but what are the details on this guy. Was he just a boor, didn't know his stuff, overbearing/over-testosteroned?

 

[Hoplites1234]

I think you've defined the total unprofessional there. Sounds like he should have his instructors license revoked. I've taught martial arts for over ten years and have never treated a person that way. Shame on him!

 

[MrBadwrench]

Just really unprofessional. He made what could have been a safe and fun experience into a very uncomfortable,subdued and nervous experience. We were there close to 2 hours and after the first 20 minutes non of us wanted to be there. The longer we were there the less you wanted to be. When I went back to shoot my other guns with 2 other instructors I had a great experience. And will surely go back to N.F.T.A.

 

[tattedupboy]

Yes, Mr Badwrench but what are the details on this guy. Was he just a boor, didn't know his stuff, overbearing/over-testosteroned?

You don't think he pretty much covered it all already?

 

[calmp9]

Sorry the first thing was during the class room training he would say that during the range portion of the training that the weapons should all be pointing down range. On the morning at the range even before the range meeting he had asked all of us to bring our weapons to the table chambers open etc. Well I walked up with the barrel pointed down range like he instructed and he started yelling at me he told me that the barrel should be pointed up when you are in the range. Now granted I was in a class with 3 other guys and 4 women and we were all doing the same thing. He then instructed us to now load your magazines so we stepped up I loaded my sp101 the girl next to me was loading her .38 special. Once we were done we stepped back and he starts yelling and cursing at me telling me that if I screw up again I am out of there.Believe me it took all I had to hold my composure and tell him to F- Off so needless to say I qualified with 1 gun and I didn't care if it was gonna cost me more but I would go somewhere else. All of the people that were there were going to qualify at least 2 guns but now he made a already nervous situation worse. So now I just sat and watched the rest unravell. Making offcolor remarks toward the women, walking around to the side of the truck and urinating, and this was the last straw for me was watching him slap a shooters hand while he heald a LOADED WEAPON. That was not cool at all. And thats the main reason I started the thread.

Thank you for eleborating on your experience. It sounds like a bad one. How did the others handle the situation? I mean, you mentioned that he made remarks to the women. What did he say to them and how did they take it? Did he yell at anybody else?

If he is that bad, others should be bringing his name up. It will come out eventually.

 

[kwo51]

Bill Jeans with Morrogan Con.He is the best I have seen.He is a great guy and even better teacher.:dance3:

 

[MrBadwrench]

First of all on that day like I said after he yelled and cursed at me and I was going to qualify with 3 guns I was so disgusted with it I just went with the 1 gun and stopped. I can't speak for anyone else but I think everyone was just trying to get through the morning and get it over with. Now what I heard about 2 months ago I heard that an elderly woman called the store that the training academy works out of and said she was going to sue them due to sexual harrasment, but I dont know if thats true.Since that time that store has gotten rid of "DOC" thats why he is starting his own academy. However I do know that when me and my brother went back to N.F.T.A. and like I said Mike made it right with us when we went to the range there was another guy there and when we got on the subject of "DOC" He proceeded to tell us of him flirting with another female shooter quite a few months back. He asked if her husband knew what she was doing, asking her if she would cheat on her husband with him and staring etc etc. She finally informed him that her husband had past away from cancer and from what the guy said "That still didn't shut him up".

 

[gunrunner1911]

First a disclaimer. My intent is not to mock the poster merely to point out bad instructors and why they exist.
So what are you going to do about this? Most likely nothing. I have been around a few forums where people talk about instructors doing this and that and they won't even post who it is there because of some reason or another blah blah blah. These instructors exist ONLY because no one knows how bad they are and the ones that do come in here to complain and won't do anything about it. This forum and others like it have nothing to do with the instructors being able to instruct. Even if it isn't a complaint that warrents the removal of the persons ability to teach it would still help put them on notice to shape up or help with the removal later on if the proper people know about it. What does it say about a sheriff who signs these individuals off and keeps them on the approved list after several complaints?
I have witnessed 10 people on the line with 1 instructor and 5 useless RSOs playing grab ass while a student walks behind another with a loaded weapon. I have seen 10 people shooting for qualification on 4 targets and the wrong to boot that were not changed out and they were leaving the range at 1300 for an 8hr course they started at 0800. Improper qualification from not enough rounds to not enough points,this was from an NRA instructor taking a CCW course from another instructor. TOO MANY people in forums saying instructors said they can't open carry period or once they have a CC permit.
If we do not hold the instructors to a higher standard then we put all permits in jeopardy. It's only going to take someone with an agenda (ie brady plant, investigative reporter) to run through a course by one of these people note the problems and then make life hell for everyone. Some of the sheriffs are to blame as there have been many complaints but no action taken I guess they like the $60 bucks from 40 people come Mon. am better than the hassle of investigating a complaint. Why is there no requirement for continuing education for instructors? It only takes 20 hrs of NRA training, 10 as a student and 10 as an instructor, to get your certificate in basic pistol. Which has absolutely nothing to do with defensive pistol use. You have weekend warriors, gunshop commandos and unemployed construction workers being firearms instructors because as I have been told it's easy money. They do it for cut rate prices driving the market value down to where it is non profitable for real instructors. DONE. I will appologise now if I have offended.

 

[calmp9]

First of all on that day like I said after he yelled and cursed at me and I was going to qualify with 3 guns I was so disgusted with it I just went with the 1 gun and stopped. I can't speak for anyone else but I think everyone was just trying to get through the morning and get it over with. Now what I heard about 2 months ago I heard that an elderly woman called the store that the training academy works out of and said she was going to sue them due to sexual harrasment, but I dont know if thats true.Since that time that store has gotten rid of "DOC" thats why he is starting his own academy. However I do know that when me and my brother went back to N.F.T.A. and like I said Mike made it right with us when we went to the range there was another guy there and when we got on the subject of "DOC" He proceeded to tell us of him flirting with another female shooter quite a few months back. He asked if her husband knew what she was doing, asking her if she would cheat on her husband with him and staring etc etc. She finally informed him that her husband had past away from cancer and from what the guy said "That still didn't shut him up".

I think that you should report him to the Nevada Sheriffs' and Chiefs' Association. They can set up a review and revoke his privileges if deemed necessary. After all, they're the ones who set up the training requirements for issuance of CCW permits.

 

[MrBadwrench]

Hey gunrunner1911 I did name who the instructor was in the 1st post. I have contacted local entitys and the N.R.A. but I feel that posting it on a forum like this might do some good also.

 

[calmp9]

Hey gunrunner1911 I did name who the instructor was in the 1st post. I have contacted local entitys and the N.R.A. but I feel that posting it on a forum like this might do some good also.

While it's good to report Doc to the appropriate governing bodies, it's even more effective to post the incident here in this forum. I would even consider concealedcarry.net, defensivecarry.com, and U.S. Concealed Carry Association (if you're a member of the United States Concealed Carry Association).

Now, a lot of people are going to know and will stay clear.

 

[1015811414]

My CCW class was the best instruction in firearms I have ever received to date here in Reno, NV. The instructor is Mike Motta, and he runs Semper Firearms Training of Northern Nevada. Great teacher, very knowledgeable, very professional, courteous, safety of highest priority, and a Marine without the drill instructor attitude.

My 21 year-old daughter qualified at the top of the class and aced the written test. She had only a minimal amount of weapons training from me. Now she is telling me what I occasionally do wrong. Now she is the one with the drill instructor attitude.

 

[1015811414]

I had also heard of a terrible instructor from a colleague. We contacted the Washoe County Sheriff's Office and they said that a formal written complaint must be sent to the Sheriff's office with the details before anything will be done about the person's license to teach CCW classes. They will not act on hearsay alone, but they do want to know about questionable instructors who should not be teaching the wrong stuff to potential CCW holders.

J.

 

[calmp9]

My CCW class was the best instruction in firearms I have ever received to date here in Reno, NV. The instructor is Mike Motta, and he runs Semper Firearms Training of Northern Nevada. Great teacher, very knowledgeable, very professional, courteous, safety of highest priority, and a Marine without the drill instructor attitude.

My 21 year-old daughter qualified at the top of the class and aced the written test. She had only a minimal amount of weapons training from me. Now she is telling me what I occasionally do wrong. Now she is the one with the drill instructor attitude.

My brother and I also went with Mike. The guy is good, plain and simple. He's all about survival and staying alive, not just making money. I like his classroom setup too. I originally set up for the private class in his classroom, but he asked if it was okay if someone could come in the afternoon for a renewal. No biggie, so he gave us the group class rate.

We're going to contact him for some more live fire qualifications pretty soon and we definitely want to take his Tactical One class.

By the way, I heard that Semper Firearms and Maccabee Firearms are going to be at the Crossroads of The West Gun Show October 25-26 at The Reno Convention Center. I am going to hit that one, I think.

 

[calmp9]

I had also heard of a terrible instructor from a colleague. We contacted the Washoe County Sheriff's Office and they said that a formal written complaint must be sent to the Sheriff's office with the details before anything will be done about the person's license to teach CCW classes. They will not act on hearsay alone, but they do want to know about questionable instructors who should not be teaching the wrong stuff to potential CCW holders.

J.

If he's bad, then you have to let us know who it is. It's important for people to stay clear of this instructor. What did he do exactly?

 

[1015811414]

If he's bad, then you have to let us know who it is. It's important for people to stay clear of this instructor. What did he do exactly?

Sorry, I have been down and out for awhile. Illness. I am doing much better now, back to 100%. Anyway, the things done wrong are: not having enough range safety people (2) for the number of students qualifying (50+ students per class). Giving the students an answer sheet to the written test before handing out the written test. Qualifying students on firearms proficiency though not having actually observed the student with the said type of firearm. On several occasions, the student did not have the firearm in possession to qualify with and the "instructor" entered that gun, usually revolvers, as having actually observed the qualification.

The instructor(s): Armed & Safe in Reno, NV