Firearm Training - Is It Better Alone or With Others?

Firearm training has several different components to it. When you’re just learning the basics of a firearm, you might feel better about working alone or one-on-one with an instructor. That way, you can have complete focus and take all the time you need to make sure you have the fundamentals down. 

Firearm training can also be beneficial alone if you really want to hone in on your skills to eventually become an instructor. But, even if those are your goals, there are benefits to taking a class with others or training at a gun range, too. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons. 

Benefits of Training With Others

Think about the benefits of practicing on a team when you’re playing a sport. Not only do you learn how to work together, but you learn from each other. You can watch your teammate and learn more about their form, their precision, and little nuances they might have. You can pick up on things that aren’t taught through fundamentals alone. 

Others can do the same by watching you. It’s a natural form of motivation and can build a desire to learn and thrive even more during your training. 

Additionally, also like sports training with a team, working with others in a class or at a range can push you to be better. Encouragement from others is one of the best ways to learn and grow. 

Benefits of Training Alone

There are drawbacks to any type of class you’ll take. It’s just a matter of deciding whether those drawbacks outweigh the ones that come from training alone.  

When you choose to go through firearm training by yourself, you know you won’t be overlooked. For example, if you’re not a “stand out” student in a group or class (meaning your skills are right in the middle), or you’re not extremely outspoken, you might not get the one-on-one attention from an instructor. As a result, you might not feel as confident and you might end up not asking important questions. 

If you know that you would benefit from individual attention with an instructor, training alone is probably your best option. 

Training With a Partner

A third option apart from firearm training by yourself or going to a range is training with a friend or partner. This can be a great way to further advance your skills, push yourself forward, and still feel comfortable and confident because you’re working with someone you know. 

Training with a buddy can allow you both to work on your own schedule without and pressure, so you can enjoy the comradere and fun that can come from growing your skills together, while pushing each other to be better with everything from firearm handling to shooting and hitting your target. 

Many times, whether you train by yourself or with others is a matter of personal preference. Think about your needs and what you really want to accomplish from your training, That can help you to make a more informed decision.