One of the most oft-repeated saws from firearms experts and trainers is that people shouldn’t buy a gun for self-defense without first renting and trying several different types of guns.  While it’s a good thought, the issue is that many newbies simply don’t know what makes a gun good or not.  It would be like telling a 16 year old new driver to buy a car based on how the car feels when you test drive it – that 16 year hasn’t been driving long enough to know what kind of car they like.  They could like cars that ride soft and have a big boot, or cars that corner aggressively and go fast, but until they’ve amassed enough experience to know their own preferences, it’s hard to make an educated opinion.

Smith & Wesson K-frame revolver

Unfortunately, many people who are interested in carrying a firearm for self-defense will never spend enough time shooting guns to really grasp what feels good or bad about a gun.  Most people will drive every day – however it’s a sad fact that many people will buy guns for self-defense, fire them once or twice and then maybe shoot them once a year after that.  With that type of reference, it’s difficult for a new shooter to make a truly educated decision.

That’s why classes like InSights Basic Handgun are so great.  This class allows new shooters who may not have any experience with guns at all to shoot a variety of different platforms under the supervision of qualified instructors.  From DA revolvers like the S&W pictured, single action autos, striker fired autos, and DA/SA autos – a person looking for a good firearm for personal defense can shoot them all and see what fits them the best, without having to spend a ton of time and money going to the range and renting 15 different handguns.

The real benefit to a basic handgun class isn’t the plethora of different guns.  It’s the instruction.  Imagine if

InSights Instructor Stephanie (L) coaches a new shooter

the next time you went to buy a car, there were 3 independent driving coaches at every car dealer explaining throttle response, different types of brakes, and all the little details about each car that you may not know about.  That’s what Basic Handgun is like – you could shoot a DA revolver and like it, but without the advantages and disadvantages of the platform being explained by someone who knows what they’re talking about, it’s easy to make a decision based on poor information.  By taking a class with good instruction, you can actually save money and eliminate much of the research time that goes in to purchasing a firearm for self defense.

To enroll in an upcoming InSights Basic Handgun course, click the link!