Close Quarter Combat Club
This invitation-only club is comprised of advanced students committed to the goal of Black Belt and above, as well as those who would like to teach the system in the future. It differs from our regular civilian system in that it opens up the full system to the student, covering all of the aspects of law enforcement and military systems. It is set up for students who want to have a full comprehension of the advanced aspects of our entire system and all of its operational uses.
The Close Quarter Combat Club is the inner core of our academy and best represents what our studio and the system stand for. Entry is by invitation, and only to those select students who have demonstrated our core principles and a commitment to the highest levels of achievement.
Firearms Program
We are very proud of our firearms program at Elite Training Center and consider it to be some of the most comprehensive training available it the South Bay. Our firearms instructors have years of real-world firearms experience from which they draw upon to develop their training curriculum. All of our instructors are certified by nationally recognized academies and institutions and have years of experience providing realistic firearms training to civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel. Our firearms program includes regularly scheduled classes on handguns, shotguns, and rifles as well as specialized training for members of the law enforcement and military communities. Additionally, our firearms instructors are available for one-on-one private instruction to meet your specific needs.
Firearms Training
In today’s world, everyone should have some level of firearms training. Even if you don’t personally own a firearm, you should still receive some type of firearms safety training. Why is that? Did you know that there are approximately 310 million privately owned firearms in the United States? It is further estimated that 47% of all households in the United States own at least one firearm. So what does all that mean? Let’s face it; America is a gun culture country. You may not like it, you might not even own a firearm, but you live here and our cultural fascination with firearms doesn’t show any signs of changing in the near future. Given this reality of our current society, the smart person should prepare themselves for the inevitable firearms encounter, speaking strictly in a non-violent sense. Think about it this way: consider your neighbor to the right and left of your home, one of them owns a firearm. Do you or maybe your child visit either of those neighbors? Well, if you do, you have nearly a 50% chance of encountering a firearm. Statistically speaking, this would be true for just about any household you or your child enters in the United States. Why are we telling you all of this? Hopefully to convince you that firearms safety is everyone’s responsibility and that having proper firearms training is just as important as having driver’s training and education.
So, what type of firearms training do you need? That depends on a person’s age and level of involvement with firearms. All children should, at a minimum, receive training that teaches them what to do if they discover an unattended firearm. If the child is of proper age, determined solely by their parent, to participate in recreational shooting activities or hunting, they should receive firearms safety, handling, and marksmanship training. Adults who are unfamiliar with firearms and that do not personally own a firearm should also receive training that teaches them the proper response should they or their child discover an unattended firearm. If an adult has decided to purchase a firearm for the first time, they should seek out training that assists in the proper selection of a firearm to fit their specific activity. Additionally, adult firearms owners should receive firearms safety, handling, and marksmanship training to ensure that they have the necessary information to become proficient in the safe and proper use of their new firearms. If a firearm is being purchased primarily as a means of self-defense in the home, then the firearms owner should receive additional training that stresses self-defense tactics as well as the legalities and personal liabilities regarding the use of deadly force. Adults that have, or are applying for, a permit to carry a concealed firearm (generally a pistol or revolver) on their person should receive specialized training that teaches proper concealment, deployment (drawing your firearm), and engagement tactics required by a person who is regularly armed. Additionally, a person who has a permit to carry a concealed firearm needs specialized training in the laws governing their permit as well as the legalities and personal liabilities regarding the use of deadly force outside of the home.
Firearms training does not end with a firearms instructor. All firearm skills are depreciable over time and need to be continually practiced. It doesn’t matter if it was the safety training that your child received or the advanced self-defense tactics training that you underwent. If you do not continually reinforce the skills that you or your child learned during training they will be forgotten and you, or your child, will develop a complacent attitude about firearms safety. Your child should be frequently quizzed on what to do if they encounter an unattended firearm. If your child participates in recreational shooting activities, they must regularly practice and be tested on their firearms safety, handling, and marksmanship skills. If deficiencies are found in these skills, then your child must be corrected and required to practice the correct action immediately. Adults must regularly be training with their firearm, either by dry-fire practice of an unloaded firearm or live-fire practice at your local firearms range. This requirement for regular firearms training can be a great excuse for some fun and constructive family time that will benefit everyone in your household.
At Elite Training Center you can get some of the best firearms instruction right here in the South Bay. Our firearms instructors are able to provide varying levels of training and instruction ranging from helping you select and purchase your first firearm, firearms safety, and basic marksmanship to advanced self-defense tactics. Additionally, we regularly hold a variety of firearms classes and our firearms instructors are available for private or semi-private training sessions.
Firearm Styles
What role or purpose is the firearm intended to fill? This is the very first thing that you need to consider when buying a firearm. Do you want a firearm that will be kept strictly in your household for the sole purpose of home defense? Maybe you are looking for a firearm to take to the field for hunting. Are you looking for a firearm that will be used for concealed carry? Are you a law enforcement officer and is the firearm going to be used in the line of duty? Are you going to partake in competitive shooting events with your new firearm? Are you purchasing this new firearm so that you can take one of Elite Training Center’s regularly scheduled firearm training classes? How you answer these questions will help you select the proper style and caliber of your new firearm. And our expert instructors can guide you in your choice.
Firearm Caliber
Simply put, caliber is a designation of the general size of a bullet that a particular firearm is designed to fire. What does this mean to an individual who is considering purchasing a firearm? Generally speaking the larger the caliber, the greater the recoil that is felt during firing and in the overall weight of the loaded firearm. Selecting a caliber that is appropriately matched to a shooter’s size, strength, and ability is extremely important to ensure proper marksmanship and general shooting enjoyment. Another consideration in caliber selection is the availability and cost of ammunition for the firearm. This becomes an issue during training with the new firearm. If the ammunition is hard to get or is prohibitively expensive, a person will become reluctant to train with enough regularity to become proficient with their firearm.
Firearm Fit
This is often the most overlooked consideration when purchasing a firearm. Proper fit is greatly influenced by not only an individual’s hand size (in the case of a handgun) but also the length of their arms, height, and general upper body strength, specifically for shotguns and rifles. When looking for the proper fit for handguns, the fingers of the firing hand should wrap securely around the handgun’s grip and cover at least half of the grip on the opposite side of the handgun. When it comes to the proper fit for shotguns and rifles, a buyer must take into consideration the length of pull, the distance from the trigger to the end of the stock, and the drop of the stock, the distance the comb/heel of the stock falls below the bore line of the firearm. Proper fit is crucial in aiding the shooter in good marksmanship and plays an equally important role in the comfort and safe control of the firearm.
Mistakes to Avoid When Selecting a Firearm
Two of the most common mistakes made when choosing a new firearm are poor caliber selection and improper fit. Many times an individual is persuaded either by peer pressure, write-ups in shooting publications, an uninformed salesperson, or simply ego (the “More Power” syndrome) to purchase a firearm in a particular caliber that is ill-suited to their size, strength, and ability. More often than not, the result is an unused firearm and an untrained firearm owner, which is a dangerous combination.
Proper fit is often overlooked because once a caliber selection has been made an individual considers the firearm selection process over. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even if an appropriate caliber has been selected, an ill-fitting firearm will plague an individual with marksmanship issues regardless of the amount of training and practice they have with the firearm. The biggest mistake a person can make when purchasing a firearm is letting somebody else select your firearm for you. This is most often seen when a generally helpful husband selects and purchases a firearm for his wife. While his heart may be in the right place, he seldom selects an appropriate firearm. A result is a person who will become disinterested in shooting and with a firearm that they are not capable of properly handling.
Properly selecting and purchasing a firearm is a very personal endeavor that requires research, honesty, and patience. It can often be beneficial to consult a reputable and experienced firearms instructor to help you through the selection process. The firearms instructors at Elite Training Center have helped many new shooters select and purchase their first firearms. If you have any questions about firearm selection or would like help with the selection process, be sure to ask to speak to one of our firearms instructors.
Firearms Safety
Firearms safety is priority number one. Firearms safety must always be in the forefront of your mind, whether you are getting in a little practice at the local range, competing in a shooting event or competition, or out hunting with your family or friends. Your enjoyment of the shooting sports will come to a quick halt if you become complacent about firearms safety. The firearms instructors at Elite Training Center teach and abide by Universal Firearms Handling Rules:
- Treat ALL guns as if they are ALWAYS loaded.
- NEVER point your gun at anything you are not willing to shoot.
- Keep your finger OFF the trigger until your sights are on the target.
- Be sure of your TARGET and what is BEHIND and BEYOND it.
Following these rather simple rules when handling firearms will help to ensure that you and the people around you are safe. But firearms safety doesn’t end when the shooting is done and you are on your way back home. Did you know that the vast majority of firearms accidents happen within the home? Firearms safety is a 24 hour a day commitment and firearms safety in the home is just as important and sometimes more important than when you are actively shooting. First off, firearms and alcohol (or drugs) DO NOT MIX… EVER! If you have had even one drink, you should consider yourself impaired and never handle a firearm. Additionally, you should never allow anybody who has had a drink to handle firearms, yours or theirs. If you are a guest of somebody who is mixing alcohol or drugs with firearms, you should leave immediately.
Another frequent cause of firearms accidents in the home is unattended or unsecured firearms. You should never leave a loaded or unloaded firearm unsecured where it may be handled by an unsupervised individual. If you have children in your home, you should always secure all of your firearms when they are not in your direct sight. In fact, many states, including California, have laws that regulate the storing of firearms in your home. In California, you can be found guilty of a crime if you allow a loaded weapon to be obtained and improperly used by a minor. All firearms should be unloaded and properly secured when they are stored in your home. Ammunition should be stored separately from your firearms and access to that ammunition should be highly controlled.
The firearms instructors at Elite Training Center firmly believe in, and teach the principles of firearms safety. They are extremely knowledgeable in mitigating safety concerns to keep you, your family, and your guests safe in the presence of firearms. If you have questions regarding firearms safety, what to do if you see unsafe acts, or how to properly store your unattended firearms or ammunition, be sure to ask to speak to one of our firearms instructors.
Elite Training Center supports legal, responsible, and safe firearms ownership. We provide firearms training and consultation to our students and to members of the law enforcement and military communities. It is the responsibility of each firearms owner to fully know and understand the laws of their state governing firearms ownership. Furthermore, we believe that all firearms owners should partake in regular firearms training to ensure safe responsible firearms handling and full enjoyment in the shooting sports.
