So you are going to take a gun class. You want some pro tips from someone who teaches gun classes and has attended many dozens of them. Here are some pro tips.
Read them twice.
Bring the items needed.
Bring your glasses / contacts.
Bring water, food, etc.
Bring sunscreen, bug spray, etc.
Bring spares, if you have them.
Bring more ammo and more magazines than the course description states.
Bring cleaning materials for your gun(s)
Bring lubricant!
2. Get good rest the night before.
Don't drink that night before.
Don't take drugs the night before.
Eat well, but not too much.
3. Drink water during the class.
A gallon per day is usually about enough.
4. Take notes.
You have spent $500 to hear what they have to say, write it down!
5. Stick to the course material.
Don't talk about what you think you know or who else you've trained with. Your paying for this particular instructor's take on the subject, try to apply it, even if at first seems odd / "wrong" to you.6. Don't be that guy.
You do not have to be the only one asking questions on every single thing.
Slow down. It is not a race.
Don't muzzle people... not a good way to make friends.
This is not a competition, it is a class.
A class is NOT a place to "try new gear."
7. Proper Gear
Bring the suggested type of rifle or pistol - you don't have to be weird all of the time.
Bring the best quality training ammunition you can afford. Avoid steel ammo in AR15's.
Make sure your rifle and optic are zeroed to that exact ammunition.
Preach it! I suppose a lot of this seems obvious to people who've been to a number of classes... but it took me a number of years to shake the urge to do something clever despite what the class equipment list said. It took me 3x to get over the "my reloads are as good as the factory ammo they specifically tell me to bring". I get better results simply trying to complete the syllabus as intended, rather than trying to be james bond or mcygver.
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