February 9, 2026

First Shots Drives Interest, Revenue at King Shooters Supply

By Tim Barker

When Patricia Burris first learned about First Shots^®, it seemed like a natural extension of what was already happening at King Shooters Supply.

Burris and her husband, owners of the 20-year-old store in King of Prussia, Pa., have always seen the value in offering more than just guns and shooting accessories to their customers. They got their start in the industry as bullet makers, which later expanded into firearm sales. And once they added a firing range (they now have two), there was a natural move into training.

When First Shots came along, King was already offering private one-on-one lessons covering much of the same material included in the NSSF^® program. But this was an easy way to take that introductory training in a different direction.

“We’ve been doing it for years, but First Shots gives us the opportunity to do a classroom setting,” Burris said. “Now we give people the option. You can come in and do this in a classroom setting, or you can do a private lesson. We even have some people who do the First Shots program and then come in and do it again in a private lesson.”

Make it Your Own

One of the appealing aspects of the program was the freedom to make it fit the needs of King’s customers.

The program provides most of the tools and resources needed to put on a class, which can be tailored to handguns, rifles, shotguns and now, suppressors. Support includes targets, ammunition, eye/ear protection (gifts for your customers) and a First Shots handbook for each participant. The curriculum was developed by an advisory panel of veteran First Shots instructors, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be personalized.

Burris believes in keeping things as simple as possible for new shooters. So they started by taking out the sections dealing with revolvers. They also minimized discussions about the differences between striker- and hammer-fired guns.

“I tell my instructors, when you learn to drive a car, you don’t learn to change the oil first,” Burris explained. “You get in the car, you adjust your seat, you adjust the mirrors, you figure out where your controls are and you drive.”

There is always time later, she said, to get a little deeper into the weeds: “It’s something you should know at some point, but you don’t need to know it at the beginning.”

King also saw an opportunity for a natural evolution of the First Shots concept. After experiencing success with the program, they decided to develop their own Second Shots class. The goal is to keep the momentum going for these new customers.

They get an average of 10 students each month for First Shots, which has both a classroom and range component. Everyone shoots the same gun (a .22-cal. GLOCK 44) for consistency and ease of instruction.

After completing the course, students are offered an opportunity for Second Shots. Think of it as a chance to hone the range skills learned in First Shots, but with a 9mm SIG SAUER P365. Each month, more than half of the students sign up for this next-level class — which also has a $25 fee.

Moving from .22-cal. to 9mm is a natural step for most shooters to take. Encouraging them to make the move now, rather than later, has benefits for both the customers and the range.

“We keep them shooting and, hopefully, bring them along to keep them growing in their firearm journey,” Burris said.

Double Duty

For King Shooters, the addition of First Shots offers benefits on more than one level. For starters, the store can take satisfaction from teaching new shooters.

“I like to have a full calendar of class offerings,” Burris said. “It’s teaching and helping people learn, helping them get started or helping them get to the next step.”

But also, the store’s financial success is connected to what’s best for these customers. Pennsylvania, for example, has no state-mandated training requirements for gun owners — meaning, any training is voluntary. Burris noted it’s rewarding to watch customers with no firearm experience walk off the range with smiles on their faces. Even better, the dollars attached to those smiles help the store’s bottom line.

“That’s a brand-new customer who hasn’t spent all their money on guns already. It’s money coming in the front door so we can pay our bills,” Burris said. “Revenue has to be a part of any decision we make.”

Advice for Potential Hosts

For anyone considering joining the First Shots program, Burris has thoughts on how to be successful. Top of mind is remembering many new shooters are going to walk into your store with little or no knowledge of firearms.

It might be worth having a conversation with your instructors about the need to take a step back and think like a new shooter. Burris remembers listening in on her own instructors covering safety rules, including: “Never let the muzzle cover anything you aren’t willing to destroy.”

It’s wonderful advice. But is it plain enough for someone who has never held a gun? What if the student is unclear about what a muzzle is?

“You have to go back to basics. You’re using terms they don’t know yet,” she said. “And even if you put a picture of the gun up on the screen and say, ‘Here’s what these things are,’ you still have to put it in terms that they’ll understand.”

There are other elements experienced shooters take for granted. She once asked her instructors what they told people about taking a bathroom break during a shooting session.

“The laughed at me. But I said you’ve been shooting too long if you don’t remember the first time you needed to go to the bathroom with a gun on your hip,” she said. “You have to cover this sort of stuff.”

Finally, keep in mind these new customers are likely feeling intimidated. That’s where the quality of your staff and your customer philosophy is critical. Burris attributes a welcoming approach at King Shooters for the creation of a diverse customer base.

“Everybody gets greeted with a smile,” she said. “We treat everybody like a person. No one is stereotyped by gender or color or appearance or any outward markers. Everybody gets treated well.”

“We keep them shooting and, hopefully, bring them along to keep them growing in their firearm journey.”

— Patricia Burris, King Shooters Supply Owner

Is First Shots Right for Your Range?

Do you want more customers? Is your facility equipped to introduce first-time shooters to safe and fun shooting? Do you have instructors and range safety officers who enjoy working with new shooters? If you answered “yes” to each of these questions — your facility is ready to reap the benefits of hosting a First Shots introductory course.

There are courses available for introductions to rifle/pistol, clay target shooting and — a new offering — suppressors.

An additional incentive to consider: Funding, which was previously limited to marketing efforts, is now available to qualifying NSSF member ranges, instructors and shooting sports organizations to help cover a variety of expenses related to First Shots hosting efforts. Hosts are eligible to receive $15 per First Shots participant, up to a maximum of $1,500.

To learn more or to sign up as a host, contact Ann Gamauf at [email protected] or Zach Snow at [email protected]. For more information on First Shots, visit the First Shots welcome page on the NSSF website.