NRA Basic Pistol Course in Central Illinois

I recently attended the NRA Basic Pistol Course at Darnell's gun range in Bloomington, IL. My course was taught by Jon Maier and Bruce Bohall. Both Jon and Bruce are professionals that enjoy exercising their 2nd Amendment rights.

The first day of the course was spent going through book work, with hands on dry fire practice. We also reviewed a lot of fundamentals that might be boring if you have lots of small arms experience. It never ceases to amaze me how much I can learn from others' questions, even when the topic is something I've studied in depth!

The second day consisted of some book reviews, more questions and answers, and some range time. We only got an hour of range time, which is probably the right amount for a beginner course. Of course, one hour doesn't make you a marksman - it does get you headed in the right direction. We then took the written test (50 questions, pretty easy), and that was it.

Lunch was provided both days (good home cooking), and the time spent discussing our love for firearms was well worth the money. The course cost $100 for both days, with early registration recommended. I'd highly recommend taking any class by Jon or Bruce.

For a schedule of upcoming classes, checkout the Illinois State Rifle Association calendar at www.isra.org/calendar.