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Hello, thanks for your reply. I'll look for an instructor, but I assumed they were scarce. I live in Santa Cruz CA, which is could be called "Berkeley by the Sea", and I assumed none existed.
Actually, they're really quite common. Most everyone who is semi-pro (i.e., shoots in some formal competition, wins prizes or money, and competes at the higher levels) is certified to instruct or is DYING to tell others how to shoot better. Check your local IDPA club, local IPSC club, or USPSA, etc. Most pistol ranges and dealers know of instructors or can get you in touch with someone who KNOWs who to contact.
The biggest problem many will have -- and I've been there, done that -- is that when you learn on your own you can pick up bad habits that are hard to UNlearn later, when you start learning to do it right.
In my earlier message I mentioned a class that a bunch of us took from a professional shooter (IPSC International Master, once ranked 5 or 6 in the IPSC world). About half of those who took his course have significantly improved their skills. The other half appear to have wasted their time, as they simply can't overcome their old ways (read "bad habits") to use the new techniques. Their old ways are so deeply ingrained they don't seem able to change.
Don't go there. Don't get bad habits so ingrained that you can't learn new ones.
(Speaking of bad habits: another acquaintance took the concealed carry course for our state. He basically failed the course because he couldn't shoot fast enough! In NC you're required to do x number of shots in a relatively short period of time. He has been so FOCUSED on accuracy in his shooting -- and he is VERY ACCURATE -- that he couldn't speed up his shots: every shot was slow and deliberate, and his target was a thing of beauty -- one relatively small hole. But he continued to miss the time limits. He had to shoot it three times before he passed. One wonders what he'd do if he were in a life/death situation and faced with making a shot...)
Regarding "Frontsight" and some of the other big name schools: don't go there, YET. These are great schools, but very expensive. And they assume a certain level of proficiency. If you're not thereyet, you're likely to have a less-than-positive experience.
A couple of my well-to-do shooting buddies have gone to these type of schools and came back almost demoralized. Their basic skills were so basic that all the schools did for them was cause them to focus on their shortcomings; it made them feel like complete KLUTZES. They're not Klutzes. They're pretty good amatuers who just need some refinements as they improve.
They would have been far better served by a few hours of private instruction (for $50 - $200, total) than spending $1000+ (counting travel, room and board, etc.) for several days of intensive training that simply eluded them or was way over their heads.
Going to these big-name schools can be good for an advanced amateur but may not be good for the beginner.
I think a lot of folks go to these type of NAME places so that they can say, "I've been to Frontsight (or LFI, or Blackwater)." Sadly, many of the ones I know who have gone don't demonstrate any real improvement in skills upon return. But somehow they think they're better for it.
I guess its a GUY THING. Or (hopeful) improvement by association.
Another website that's interesting is:
www.bullseyepistol.com/"BULLESYE" shooting isn't what I do, but the basics described at this site are solid fundamentals that can be applied to many types of shooting. This is the single most valuable shooting site I've found in years of searching on the net.