In May 1998, I attended your Handgun Skills Instructor course.  The Wyoming Highway Patrol and I were impressed with the unique shooting tactics that you not only taught but demonstrated.  We now teach all of our troopers the ‘Avery technique’.

On March 30, 1999, I was unfortunate enough to put your technique to the ultimate test. I first thank God the Father in Heaven for my life and then I want to thank you, Ron Avery.

The deceased was getting out of his car with a .357 magnum concealed behind the door panel.  His feet had just touched the road and up the gun came to my face. I had a fraction of a second to react.   I was unable to get the first round off but the mobility you teach proved to be life saving.  The muzzle flash burned my face and eyes and I could not see my sights due to the flash burns, however, nine of eleven shots fired hit the suspect.  I attribute that to the sight alignment by feel exercise series you teach.  Placement of my shots stopped the subject so quickly.  I know that your school was the key to my survival.

I thank you all at The Practical Shooting Academy. 

Trooper R. Delane Baldwin – Wyoming Highway Patrol

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 20, 2009

I was really impressed with the three day Defensive Handgun class taught by Ron Avery at his Practical Shooting Academy.  I was literally stunned by the quality and quantity of information provided.

I learned far more about practical handgun use than I expected. The techniques are of the highest quality, the shooting practice is well thought out, and a wealth of background information is provided.  

I cannot recommend this class too strongly.

Norman H. Hunter Jr., Colorado

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

April 16, 2009

Mr. George Harris, Director of Training, Sig Sauer Academy

Dear Mr. Harris:

I just attended your urban carbine course using my Sig 556 at the N.R.A. Whittington Center, taught by Ron Avery.  He is one of the finest teachers and trainers that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I have over thirty years of experience as a professional trumpeter and music educator and make it a point to investigate teaching methodologies as a way to improve my own professional performance and teaching skills.  Similar to firearms, trumpet playing requires a combination of isolated strength supported by continuous relaxation, and clearly reflects how our practice habits manifest in our performance.

I found Ron’s insights into the biomechanics of shooting to be unique and to fully illuminate each student’s particular issues and how to immediately improve them. He communicates his vast knowledge of the science of firearms with a laser like clarity enveloped in a folksy humor that kept us laughing at ourselves as he both taught and demonstrated precisely why and how to take our individual skills to levels that we had only imagined possible.

Prior to meeting Ron Avery, I had never met a world- class shooter who is also a master educator that has studied science, history, strategy, and tactics at such a thorough level, but who also truly embodies genuine humility. I am delighted to wholeheartedly recommend that anyone seriously interested in developing an informed understanding of weaponry consider studying with Ron Avery.  He is in a class all by himself.

Thank you indeed, for sponsoring this course.

Very truly yours,

Brad Upton, Longmont, CO

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 20, 2009

Ron,

I recently purchased your Secrets of a Professional Shooter Part 1-3. I enjoyed them thoroughly. They are definitely well worth the money. I am looking forward to putting the tips/drills to use to improve my shooting. I hope to be able to actually attend one of your courses in the future!

 R/Brad Toncray

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Words (other than perhaps some really great profanity) cannot describe my appreciation for your passion, professionalism, and teaching ability. I learned so much, and can’t wait to get out there and practice.

I came to you with great expectations based on the personal comments and praise from Cody Lundin, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and author Brad Thor.  And you exceeded them.

It is critical for those of us who need the inspiration and knowledge of a mentor, to experience someone like you with your compassionate teaching style, coupled with the moments of humor, and the know-how of what kind of real hands-on training it takes to demonstrably improve our skills. It means more than you can imagine to have the confidence you’ve trained with the best. I look forward to the upcoming classes and know that I will use those crazy little sights to my advantage.

You know me, I can’t be brief, but if I had to be . . . I’d just say Ron Avery, you’re world-class!  You’re the best.  And of course, YES I CAN!

 Nanette Towsley, Arizona

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron, hi, I went through your class in St. Paul, MN at the Ramsey county range.  As a RCSO training unit staff member your class has made me a better trainer and more confident when I teach shooting techniques to my deputies.

Also, I asked you for some advice on shooting the 9mm Beretta because that is what I use in the Air Force Reserves and I had a qualification coming up in May.  I had never achieved expert in this and by using the new methods I learned in your class I was able to become the high shooter in my unit of security force members.

I also passed along some of the methods to those members that were struggling to qualify and it helped them greatly in qualifying (one shot expert her second try because of your awesome training methods and techniques). I deploy to Iraq in November and hope to use your methods overseas and to pass on the knowledge you gave me.

By the way, we have been teaching our new deputies the shooting and moving drills you did with us and they love them especially because they are so practical.  They said they like them a lot because we are not just showing them how to shoot from a static position.  Kenny, Erick and I are planning on incorporating those drills now with our qualifications also in the near future.  Once again thanks for all the great knowledge.

A hearty thank you and I hope to see you down the road. Stay safe.

Doug Ranke #572 RCSO training unit., Minnesota

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron,

We have adopted the information and skills learned during the Practical Handgun Skills Instructor Course into our firearms program. In fact, all of our instructor’s must complete the course in order to instruct at our department. Our previous program lacked the methodical approach in instructing these vital skills.

One student was in an OIS three weeks after receiving an abbreviated tutorial, and credits the new skills for saving his life.

Without a doubt you’ve improved our program. I feel our deputies are better prepared to deal with what can only be described as the most important actions they’ll take as peace officers.

Many thanks for the instruction and continued support!

 Cpl. Gary Sams- Firearms Instructor, Campbell County, WY Sheriff’s Department

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron,

Took your class in April, and made M in production in less than 4 months.

 Good luck at the Nationals.   Thanks. 

Joe P.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Just a brief note to say thanks for the excellent training.  I appreciate the fact that there were several facets to your training approach addressing not only shooting skills but also the importance of meaningful standards and realistic training, diagnosing problematic shooting behaviors, classroom teaching tips, and dealing with non-motivated students.

Ron and Kathie, you left me with lessons that will stick with me throughout my career.  Doug, Ken and I will pass those on to the new groups of officers that we teach and your influence will be multiplied exponentially.

 I hope to sign on for more of your training in the not-too-distant future.  Take care of yourselves.

 Sgt. Erik Lerfald, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department Training Unit, Minnesota

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Ron and Kathie,

I want to thank both of you for the professional presentation provided at the Lakewood CO Sig Class, 10 Aug 2008.Your hands-on approach and extensive experience make this truly a valuable and worthwhile offering.

I appreciate the opportunity to have met you both and sincerely hope things work out at this end to where I have the opportunity to receive further instruction at PSA.  (I felt bad that we caused Ron to miss chow.)

Semper Fi

Eric Collins – Lakewood, CO

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hi, Ron…Just a short note to thank you and Kathy for a great course today. For a novice like me, it was exactly what I needed to get started.  You are obviously a very knowledgeable guy, and your enthusiasm was contagious. My only regrets were that my wife wasn’t able to attend (she was home with the kids) and the course came to an end.  I will look for more courses from you in the future, thanks again…   Regards,

Bob, Colorado

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron,

Thanks again! I know I had a blast and learned a ton of “stuff”! I’ll be working through everything I consumed for many, many months!  (Practical/Tactical Handgun – 5 day)

I tried an experiment with myself-I purposely did not work on any of what we learned for the past few weeks. I knew we had our semi-annual handgun/shotgun/rifle range date coming up, so I wanted to see what kind of retention I had, and how I would react without having practiced.

Last week was our instructor day (prior to our teaching everyone else). I was amazed at the ease of target acquisition and on-target shots! The hard focus/soft focus drills were invaluable, as was learning the new grip and stance. Even though I shot a perfect score, and with groups tighter than they were prior, I would catch myself analyzing the finer points of my grip, etc. that I knew were not what I wanted. I was really excited to see my pea-brain actually had some of these still ingrained!

Now, even though I’m a desk jockey, I try and make at least 10-20 min a day available for dry fire so I can continue to refine and improve. Thanks again for all the great “stuff” you gave out. I haven’t had so much fun in a long time!

 Bob T, West Covina Police Dept., West Covina, CA

 P.S. We’re incorporating the hard focus/soft focus drills into our training this month so everyone can benefit.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron,

Your techniques and drills have had a dramatic improvement on my shooting. I truly believe that you provided the mechanics to consistently replicate grip, stance, and trigger pressure. The skills I learned truly improved my speed, accuracy and, most importantly, my confidence.

It was by far the best class that I have ever attended. (Practical/Tactical Handgun)

I would also like to thank Ara for his help. His advice has come in very handy at a local match. Also, you both work really well together.

 Thank you,

Mike B. –  Police Officer, Livermore Police Department, City of Livermore CA

 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron,

We have adopted your S.A.F.E. exclusively for all training in our department. 83 + hours are conducted during academy firearms training. Any time we do shorter blocks of instruction we incorporate S.A.F.E. series in the execution of drills.

Our training prior to your instructor class covered most of the high points but lacked the methodical system of breaking down the skills. Your insight into how the body, mind and training regimen work together to instill safe effective gun handling skills was an epiphany for me.

 Randy B – Senior Firearms Instructor, St. Paul, MN Police Dept.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A MILLION THANKS!!! for the fantastic training experience last week. I simply cannot imagine any other trainer being able to hold a candle to your ability to teach, analyze and perform the techniques of top level shooting. You have given me a tremendous starting point in my new journey in practical shooting. This afternoon I will be organizing all my notes into a coherent form, and start making an action plan.

 Stan Chen, Custom Gunsmith, Durango, CO

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I wanted to take a quick moment to let you know how much I enjoyed your school (Advanced Handgun Skills 250) at the Illinois State Police Range. It was the most useful shooting school I have ever attended. I believe the techniques you taught and the knowledge and experience I gained will have a tremendous impact on my own shooting abilities as well as our department’s firearms training program.

 Michael D. Volling, Commander DPS, Glencoe, IL

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Avery teaches professionally and competently. His curriculum is dynamic and absolutely cutting edge. His overall approach to shooting as merely another form of fighting – and the mindset that entails – is worth the price of admission alone.

More than that, you’ll learn the most advanced techniques for employing a defensive handgun that are currently being taught (Advanced Handgun Skills). Ron is a skilled shooter, articulate teacher and something altogether rare in this day and age – a man of honor.”

 Cameron Hopkins, Editor in Chief, American Handgunner

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As a supervisor for a DEA Task Force, I found the training (Practical Handgun) to be very practical and absolutely job related. The course was extremely well organized and taught in such a manner that all officers could grasp the most from the training.

The manner in which Ron related information and adapted the training to our job was nothing short of excellent. After the training, the performance level of all involved has done nothing but excel.

Ron not only taught the class, but also took the extra time to help us develop an ongoing program to maintain our skills. The real life scenarios taught in the course gave us a true feeling of the related stress and possibilities that would be present in an encounter with an armed subject.”

 Undersheriff Dan Taylor, Routt County S.O.,Steamboat Springs, CO

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the great job you did teaching our class in Advanced Handgun Skills Instructor. I’ve been a police officer for over twenty-eight years and without doubt, this is the best class in firearms that I have ever attended.

 It was great to come back to my agency and be able to pick out what and why an officer was shooting the way he or she was.

 This new found wealth of information we all received from your class will benefit all of our people for years to come. The old saying ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ just does not hold water with your method of training. It was fun, hard work and a real eye opener for me.”

 Ed Sienko, Firearms Instructor, Woodridge, IL Police Dept.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron,

I wanted to write and thank you for the skills and information you extended to me this past November at OPOTA.

My personal handgun skills have improved dramatically since attending, and I have managed to extend your information and techniques to other department members with great success. I now see officers who were reluctant to shoot or train, excited about training because of their own self-improvement. It has become “fun” to them again, because they are better. This, as you know, is a major obstacle in law enforcement. Perhaps the biggest success was the Chief of Police, with an improvement of 300% the first time out.

It was an honor and a privilege to learn from, and shoot alongside someone of your caliber. I look forward to seeing you in Montrose, CO!

Mark A. Milton – Firearms Instructor, Seville Police Dept. OH

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron,

Training is working great. I use a lot of your techniques now in teaching my classes. My perception is that I get better results in a shorter period of time. Time is something that we have damned little of.

Bottom line is, because of your program and you putting up with my incessant questions, I believe that my abilities as a trainer are better than ever. And, my Friend, for that I can’t thank you enough!

John Bonner –Firearms Instructor, FLETC – GA

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ron,

After going through the comp handgun 250 class you put on in Casper I improved from a middle “B” shooter to 81% in A class. (Now Master Class!)

Kevin B. Eberle, Casper, WY

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I started a personal training program with Ron in late January.  During the 3 days of initial training I spent with Ron; both my gun and my mind got a serious workout.  We spent just as much time working on the mental part of shooting as the actual shooting itself. 

The Practical Shooting Academy’s personal training is not a drill and forget class, but an ongoing training program.  The atmosphere is very fun and friendly.   Every shooter is different and I am no exception.  I had bad habits galore.  After some observation, we found my strengths and weaknesses.  Then we came up with an individual plan for improvement.

I have been stuck on a C class plateau for 2 years, and I am breaking away fast now. 

I recommend personal training to anybody who is serious about becoming a better shooter.  It is bringing a whole new level of confidence, understanding, and just plain fun to my shooting.  Thank you so much!

Michael Beam, Ohio