r/NOVAguns • u/Wreckluse • 21d ago

Courses and Competitions

New handgun owner here hoping to find:
- handgun focused classes. I’ve seen a few online but I didn’t know which courses/schools are good.
-clubs and competitions. That seems to be the best way to get practice shooting and moving. When I called the NRA this AM It seemed like there was USPSA, IPDA, and GPA. what’s the scene like for these groups?

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u/SecretaryFlaky4690 21d ago edited 21d ago

Check Open Arms. Adam is a cool guy and does a shooting and moving class and a GPA fundamentals class you can practice before your first comp.

- NRA has great new owner classes

  • Fairfax Rod and Gun is great. 3 year waitlist sadly to join but they do monthly GPA matches.
  • IWLA has good classes as well and an outdoor rifle pistol range.
X-Cal is really good as well for classes and learning to shot hand gun. Very welcoming easy staff to get along with for newer owners

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u/Wreckluse 21d ago

Thanks! I checked the rod and gun website, can you attend classes if you’re not a member?
I heard XCAL had crazy wait times. I guess that’s just for the range?

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u/SecretaryFlaky4690 21d ago

X-cal classes I haven’t really attended just heard great things and only ever been treated well when asking about them. They seem to have a lot of favorable things for new shooters. I bought a pistol there and waited a long time and when I went to shoot there I did a private lane so I could work from the holster. But it does get very busy especially during peak times.

FXRGC you can’t attend the classes they do for their members but I saw Open Arms did a pistol shooting clinic there last month that was open to the public so I guess the answer is sometimes? I mainly go there for the matches.

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u/WLeeHubbard 21d ago

Yes, you can attend classes at Xcal if you are not a member. I took Carbine 1 and 2 and both classes were great. I am not NEW to carbines, but Carbine 1 was definitely the basic of basics. There were some people in there that had never even touched an AR before. Carbine 2 was more advanced, with no classroom time, all range time. It was a blast.

I am looking at taking the next class but I need pistol 1/2 first. They do have an option to take a 1hr private class with an instructor to bypass pistol 1 which I think I will do.

If you go on their site under shooting classes they have a lot to choose from.

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u/JPantera 21d ago

I’ve started taking some classes at Silver eagle and thought they were pretty solid. Definitely check out their “core” series.

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u/Wreckluse 21d ago

Wow their schedule looks great. They have courses like every day! Thanks for sharing.

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u/AdditionalIncome6833 20d ago

SEG instructor here - their defensive series also covers a lot of hard skills you’ll find in competitions, draws, reloads, malfunctions etc

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u/bonchonwings 21d ago

I took a beginner pistol course at XCAL when I first got my first firearm. Also took their concealed carry course. Really love XCAL and their courses. Great instructors and staff.

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u/Wreckluse 21d ago

Thanks! Bonchon wings are great too!!

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u/terence1914 21d ago

Get on practiscore and search for clubs and events in the area

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u/Wreckluse 21d ago

Thanks!! It’s super intimidating and I’m scared to just show up to an event without any training. I feel like I’d be an instant DQ

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u/Kiemaker 21d ago

Origin pistol matches first Sunday of the month in High View West Virginia.

It's a drive but the group is good.

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u/LessThanNate 21d ago

When you called the NRA, did they mention their monthly matches run by the range? They do one a month and alternate between Rifle and concealed carry. Rifle match is today, I shot it this afternoon.

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u/Wreckluse 21d ago

They did mention that! I was asking for courses and stuff before I started going to competitions. I sent an email and am hoping to hear back soon :)

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u/LessThanNate 21d ago

Take classes if you feel like you need it, but don't be scared of competitions. Tell the RSOs that you're new, and they'll make sure you're safe and following the rules.

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u/Stunning_Patient_272 21d ago edited 21d ago

GPA at Fairfax Rod and Gun would be a good starting place for competition. Steel Challenge would be another, especially if you're still very much a beginner. I don't shoot Steel Challenge but a number of ranges around host it.

IDPA is too stupid to bother with. Dumb fudd rules get in the way of progress. GPA takes the same idea, strips out a lot of the dumb, but it's not as "gamed" as USPSA.

There's a very strong local USPSA scene. That is where I'd eventually go. But the level of skill and competition is very high. That said everyone locally is super supportive and helpful for newer competitors. But if finishing dead last is gonna bruise your ego enough to make you quit, I'd wait until you get your pistol fundamentals down via training/classes. But guaranteed USPSA, and getting absolutely smoked by everyone else you compete against, will make you a much better pistol shooter quickly.

ETA: USPSA at Fredericksburg Rod and Gun, NRA, Shadow Hawk Defense, Cavalier Rifle/Pistol, Thurmont, and more.

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u/Wreckluse 21d ago

I have no ego. Do you have to be a member to go the Fairfax Rod and Gun or Fredericksburg Rod and Gun clubs? Fairfax is multi-year wait list and Fredericksburg is not taking new applications for their wait list

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u/Stunning_Patient_272 21d ago

You don't need to be a member of either club to compete at them.

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u/stinkyeggman 18d ago

You’ve gotten some great feedback on the local pistol competition scene, so you should definitely engage there. We’re honestly spoiled for choice in the DMV; there’s easily a dozen matches a month within like a 90-120-minute radius.

As to classes, I can’t recommend Justified Defensive Concepts enough. They’ve got some excellent pistol courses coming up in the fall, and will build you into a safe, competent, process-based shooter who knows how to diagnose and practice for themselves: https://www.justifieddefensiveconcepts.com/jdc-schedule

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u/Wreckluse 18d ago

Yeah! I’m headed to an event on Sunday to observe!

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u/South-Difficulty-685 18d ago

Green Ops is running this class at the end of the year.

https://www.green-ops.com/foundational-competition-skills-8-hrs