Valley Defense Consulting, Inc.
Terms & Conditions
This information is intended for anyone attending or considering attending one our our classes. This information will cover some very important topics that will get you prepared to come to the range. If you click the box, accepting all terms & conditions, you are indicating that you agree to all terms & conditions below. ZERO exceptions! If you have paid, then you have accepted these terms & conditions.
SAFETY
A class environment is a very different experience from shooting at a private range with a group of friends or shooting at a public range, indoor or outdoor. You need to be very heads up at all times and situational awareness becomes extremely important. Handling firearms is an inherently dangerous activity. Specifically, handling guns anywhere on the range except on the firing line and after being instructed to do so. Handling guns anywhere else on the range in a class is a NO-GO! We will cover the safety rules before setting foot on the range and its your responsibility to abide by those rules. Adhering to those rules will keep everyone safe and allow you to get more out of the class. Following range rules at all times is one of the terms & conditions you have agreed to.
RELAX, and HAVE FUN
Our classes are meant to be a fun and enjoyable experience. It can however create a great level of apprehension when you step onto the line knowing that you are there with people you do not know and they all have guns! Often when people find themselves having a hard time following instruction it is because they are overwhelmed with information or stress. If you find yourself there, relax, take a breath, slow down and get back to the tasks at hand. If that doesn’t work, call one of the range masters to you. We will always do whatever we can to take care of you.
EQUIPMENT and GEAR
Please look over the equipment list for the class you are considering or have signed up for. This is CRITICAL! If you have questions PLEASE email us. We have been doing this for a long time. We can help get you and your gear squared away. Showing up with the wrong equipment can create a lot of problems. It will diminish your learning, it will slow own the rest of the class and may cause you to have to leave early or not be able to participate at all. Easy things like having a good sturdy belt for a handgun class or not having the right holster can mean the difference in having a great day to having a miserable experience.
HOLSTERS
The correct holster and magazine carriers are essential for a pistol class. Soft nylon holsters are not suitable and should not be brought to class(or purchased). Appendix carry, small of the back carry, and shoulder holsters are not allowed. We also strongly discourage the Blackhawk Serpa holster, although it is popular it is not an ideal holster. The finger release has created a great deal of problems for many shooters. Paddle holsters are also discouraged as they frequently come out of the belt when drawing the gun. Please email us so we can direct you or let you use some of our gear.
PISTOLS
Double action and sub-compact guns should be avoided. For the average shooter, which is most of us, these guns are hard to shoot and make mastering the basics difficult. This goes especially for 2 inch revolvers and micro sized .380’s. A Glock 17/18 or any of the full-size or mid-size XD’s or M&P’s are fine and are by far a better choice all around. This is usually the curse of the female shooter who has been influenced by husband/boyfriend/gun salesman to get a small gun to conceal, or a pretty pink one. Do no underestimate your ladies. Whether grandmas, moms, sisters, wives, girl friends, daughters etc. is pushed to protect herself or her “cubs” you’d best get out of their way. Their drive really is a force to be reckoned with! Then they come to a class where they are expected to learn to shoot a gun that will challenge even the experienced shooters. It ends in frustration, cuts and band-aids and a bad experience (for men and women alike). It also usually leads to buying another gun, which isn’t a bad thing. A small gun may be very concealable but they are also hard to shoot and manipulate. Which then defeats the purpose.
AMMUNITION
Bring/buy quality ammo. Frequently ammo is the source of most gun problems. Reloads from other than commercial sources should be avoided. Many people today out of financial necessity reload or shoot reloaded ammo. We get that, but unless you are dedicated to taking the time to put together quality ammo leave it to the pros. Also +P or magnum rounds are not a good idea. It is difficult to learn if the gun isn’t functioning properly or you are wincing from recoil.
LUBRICATION
Guns need to be lubricated. They are essentially machines with moving parts. You wouldn’t run your lawnmower with out lubrication would you? We like to lube guns before class, at lunch break and at the end of the day after cleaning. Lubrication is actually more important than cleaning to some degree.
ELECTRONIC HEARING PROTECTION, EYE WEAR AND BALL CAPS
You have paid a lot of money for the class and all that it entails including hearing all of the instruction. Hearing protection that blocks out too much can cause you to miss instruction and or misunderstand instruction. You then become a liability to yourself and others on the range. Buy an inexpensive set at first to get through the class and we can guide you to better quality products. You have a i-Pad and a smartphone, and GPS and all the other electronic do-dads in your life. Buy electronic hearing protectors and batteries!
OUR TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
Our round counts in our classes may not be as high as others, we simply do not believe shooting a bunch of rounds makes you a better shooter. Each round we fire should have purpose and form. We will give you what you need not always what you think you want. We are simplistic with guns and equipment. Nothing you can bolt on to your gun will make you a better shooter. Practice, perfect practice with good form and a consistent dry practice will make you a better shooter. Training is a vital part of raising skills for any physical endeavor, shooting is no different. Our classes are not geared to those wanting to be Navy SEALS or those wanting to engage in jumping through barrels and over barricades. Our classes are also not for those who spend their hours watching You-Tube videos and reading every gun magazine to obtain their training knowledge. If you know it all , please skip our classes. We don’t know everything nor do we know anyone who does we try to give you simple tools that you are able to take with you and replicate during your continued travels. When you show up have an open mind, a good attitude, and be prepared to learn.
We hope this helps you when making your decision to attend one of our classes and if it makes sense for you. Please call or email us with ANY questions or concerns. We sincerely hope to see on the range!
- TERM #1 of 6: All students agree to follow the safety rules and range rules of VDC, Inc and any range/training facility they use for my course. These rules encompass: basic gun/weapon safety, following the instructions of any rangemaster without debate, respect for all persons and property.
- TERM #2 OF 6: Pregnant women should not attend firearms training. If my doctor and I agree that it’s ok for me to attend firearms training, I will notify the instructors before class starts.
- TERM #3 of 6: All courses (except the Private Training Days) hold a 20% non-refundable cancellation fee. However, rescheduling to another published date can be done at no charge by contacting us at least 48 hrs in advance of the class start time. We cannot hold your money in limbo. You may email us and include your request for a refund minus the cancellation fee, or the date you’d like to be moved to.
- TERM #4 of 6: All Private-Members Only Training Days require a $15 non-refundable registration fee. This fee is non-refundable for cancellations and re-schedules. Please check your calendar before you book. In the rare instance that we have to cancel a Member day, you will not lose your registration fee.
- TERM #5 of 6: I understand that I will receive an email confirmation after I have successfully registered (including payment). I agree to print this confirmation and bring it to class with me, as well as bring all equipment required of me on the EQUIPMENT LIST.
- TERM #6 of 6: Each county has different time requirements for CCW Classes. I understand that regardless of the location of my class, I am required to attend VDC’s entire course. I understand that if I am more than 30 minutes late, or if I am late more than once, VDC may dismiss me, as I have not met the time requirements. I understand that if I do not cancel/reschedule prior to the class start time, or if I do not complete the VDC CCW course for any reason, VDC cannot give me a training certificate, and I forfeit my right to any refund. In regard to refund and refund amounts, VDC is willing to consider documented emergency situations. It is also MY responsibility to be clear on the CCW Policy and Procedures of the agency that will be issuing my permit. Valley Defense’s role is firearms training and/or qualifications only. The rest is between me and my issuing agency.
Thank You for understanding the importance of, and the need for these terms and conditions. If everyone abides by them, all students and VDC staff will benefit now and well into the future. If you have any questions at all, please email us at training@valleydefense.com.