Has anyone taken any intermediate to advanced training courses with Insight Training in Bellevue? If so, was it better, same, or look elsewhere kind of experience? (I tried searching the forums with key words and nada..). Thanks all.

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Used to shoot TNPL at that range a few years ago..

Using the last LEO Bay.

Made the mistake of thinking the bay was clear,empty one day and I walked in.

3 people in there.

The Instructor lost his shit...



He could have handled it better.

Well, never taken a class/course with them but here’s the basics.

$825. Intermediate Defensive Handgun
https://www.insightstraining.com/view_c ... courseID=8

Subjects Covered:

Contact distance employment of the handgun
Moving to the rear or laterally while drawing and shooting
Rapid assumption of shooting positions such as kneeling and prone, which will allow the shooter to gain more accuracy and protect themselves from being injured
Tactical management ("pieing", "quick peek", and "roll out" techniques) of danger areas such as corners, doors, and stairwells such as when protecting the home
Shooting around cover, braced cover positions
One handed shooting, drawing, and reloading, and clearing malfunctions with either hand
Injury drills, "downed officer" drills
Ground fighting and recovering from the ground
LFI's "stressfire techniques" like the stressfire star, rescue pivot, reverse to weaver, reverse to kneeling, etc.
Pivots (turning left, right, or 180 degrees) while drawing and shooting
Long-range drills
Challenging/covering opponents




Please note I am not knocking them.
I’m just cheap and aware of so many cheaper options…

1:1 instruction. Dedicated 4hr will be able to develop these skills quick. $350-400

Versus doing something like ASI (Action Shooting International) http://www.asi-usa.org
$20 a match near you (check website)

Or Steel Challenge type matches $10-$20
Or even IDPA (bit steep for a new person but if you take it slow) $20

Is this at WCA? I've had bad experiences with their "classes."

The emails I’ve been getting have been listing Wade’s as the location for shooting...

As long as no WCA staff involved, especially that tall black haired guy with the beard.

I did train with them - about 15 years ago. :) They were small outfit with moving base of operation, and revolving-door staff. Looks like they still are. Classes were ok, but nothing much to write home about.

FWIW Around the same time the most fun I had in shooting training was with these guys : https://firearmsacademy.com/ (handgun, carbine) It was freaking shooting Disneyland - great guys, big names, 40 acres of shooting places in Centralia, great memories. At the time was definitely worth the drive, motel, lots of ammo and money... :) Check them out, maybe you like what they have to offer now...

Greg Hamilton is a master firearms instructor, you'll not do better in the PNW. You will be humbled, so if that's an issue, maybe look elsewhere. Last class I took was before ammo shortage, so things may have changed, but you will shoot so much that you should have aid tape for your trigger finger. It's not a "fun" three days, but it can be a transformative 3 days.

Thanks for the input with this Insight. There are pretty much a bunch of reviews that echo the extremes but they also have the common theme of non-nonsense learning of skills, which I really like. Just want to avoid any classes where instructors use it as a platform to brag. I’ve also looked into FAS and seems more aligned with what I am hoping to gain, however the biggest drawback for me is the almost 3.5 drive time. I’ll need to think this thru before being able to commit to that group.

Thanks again everyone.

Good advice on tape on trigger finger with 1000+ rounds classes... :) Can get pretty painful - especially with Glock trigger safety digging into blistered finger... :)
(BTW the mentioned class is said to be taught in Insights by "stuff members", not by Greg Hamilton. That was also the case when I trained with them. )

I still believe a good class leaves off "fun" memories. I do remember FAS 180 degree range with moving targets, 360 degree range with instructor glued to your back and threats popping around you, hostage situations, night shoothouse, close fighting, ground fighting, night fighting, being trained by Jeff Gonzales, Navy SEAL fresh from Afghanistan, his stories and tips, urban defensive tactics... Transformative? - yes. Fun? - hell yes! :)

I had a less than stellar experience my one time there. I won't waste my money or off time again.

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=101440

Ouch! Doesn't sound like "fun" at all... Sorry to hear that. When I was there Marty used to teach police interaction, arrest techniques himself... Even ran play-acting scenarios where you're armed and walking in into some confusing situation in convenience store played out by the staff - for each student separately!... Apparently that did not last... Sigh...

Dave, Thanks for linking your review of FAS. These classes are not at all cheap. I’d be seriously ticked off if turned out to be a huge let down, especially after driving all those hours and paying that kind of money. The last minute brass fee seems indicative of a place that only cares about to money.

I've taken quite a few classes at FAS and always had a great outcome. Sorry to hear about Beretta Dave's experience there. I used to live in Oly/Tumwater so was an easy day trip for me at the time. Real bummer if you have to drive a distance and get local accommodations if the class is less than stellar. I took the full run of shottie classes there as well as quite a few pistol classes.

I think we also have a forum member here who runs classes in Southern Washington state near the Columbia River gorge on the east side. His training classes have always had good reviews on the forum though I can't remember his forum handle now.

A weekend class there might be a nice trip combined with a day or two relaxing in Hood River and a long circle back to the Seattle metro.