March 2, 2026

First Shots Generates Business for Instructors and Ranges Alike

By Jade Moldae

“Not my average Sunday afternoon, but I learned a lot and am so glad I tried something new. I went in nervous, but felt very safe the moment the class started. I learned a lot and feel much more comfortable with a firearm now.”

This review posted by a smiling student who took S.A.F.E. Training’s New Shooter Firearm Safety Class is a common sentiment shared by many others who have taken this course, which incorporates curriculum from First Shots^® in a classroom/live-fire range setting for both private and group formats.

Woody Woodman, who has operated S.A.F.E. (Safety Awareness Firearms Education) Training out of Bentonville, Ark., for nearly 10 years, has been a firearm instructor for more than 20 years. He offers a variety of classes to serve his community — including Arkansas State basic Concealed Handgun Carry Licenses (CHCL), enhanced CHCL, emergency first-aid, local safety and awareness seminars and more. But Woodman’s passion is teaching new shooters about safe firearm handling and helping them become more confident.

In 2024, Woodman became aware of First Shots and began integrating the materials from this NSSF^® program into his existing New Shooter Firearm Safety Class seamlessly.

“It was fairly easy for me to incorporate First Shots materials into my existing class. In the end, I wound up having an even better New Shooter class curriculum that goes significantly deeper into new shooter concepts,” he said.

Becoming a First Shots partner aligned with Woodman’s desire to expand responsible firearm ownership in his community and support for the Second Amendment with his business.

“For those of us who support responsible firearm ownership, especially as instructors, we know this requires a clear understanding of the fundamentals of firearm safety and marksmanship — which is the goal of First Shots and it accomplishes this very well,” he said.

Growing the Shooting Sports

Woodman contends hosting a First Shots class has wide-ranging ramifications for the present and future of shooting sports.

“First Shots offers the opportunity for qualified instructors to share knowledge that not only keeps people safe when they’re handling firearms but also encourages more people — especially younger generations — to support the use of firearms for sports and recreation,” he said.

The resources provided to First Shots hosts add further value to instruction, according to Woodman.

“As a First Shots instructor, the materials sent by NSSF are fantastic to add to what we already provide students. They make both the class and instructors even more valuable to students,” he said.

When he first heard of First Shots, Woodman figured it was a program for ranges, rather than independent instructors. He was pleased to learn this NSSF program supports instructors not affiliated with just one range, too.

As an independent instructor, Woodman operates with a different set of resources to build his business portfolio compared to a full-service range facility.

“A range has a built-in flow of potential students,” Woodman observed. “Anyone who comes to a range is potentially someone the range can market or shop a class to. Whereas for independent instructors, like myself, any of the new students we get are due to word of mouth or finding creative ways to advertise.”

An early adopter of First Shots in his area, Woodman’s marketing efforts promoting First Shots afforded him an advantage over other ranges and instructors. In time, however, additional entities began offering First Shots classes as well— placing them in direct competition with S.A.F.E. Training.

Woodman had a grounded perspective on how this local shift relates to the bigger picture.

“Other instructors and ranges saw what I was doing and they probably investigated it, seeing the benefits for hosting First Shots classes and are now offering it to students,” he said. “Though this maybe isn’t great for my business, I’m a big believer in more people learning from qualified instructors how to handle firearms safely. That’s my priority, and I’m okay with the added competition.”

First Shots classes are designed to amplify business for participating ranges and instructors.

“At the end of the day, the ability to put some additional students in these classes is not only good for me as an instructor, but it’s good for the students who attend and the industry,” Woodman said.

An Impact Magnified

Woodman shared an example of how a positive introduction to firearms can lead to an enthusiastic shooting sports participant — generating repeat business.

“I had a student who was retired and took my class a few years ago and she developed a real passion for this. I wound up working with her for about 10 private lessons after the first class, which ignited something in her,” he said.

Today, that student — in her 70s — competes in the competitive shooting circuit and has garnered sponsorships from multiple manufacturers. And it all started thanks to a positive first experience with firearms.

As a First Shots range host or instructor, you have the potential to impact a novice student with a safe, empowering experience — which can lead to developing a passionate enthusiast who brings in others to the sport for a lifetime of participation. This is the “why” motivating so many businesses in the firearm community to drive business and opportunity for repeat engagement.

“As a First Shots instructor, the materials sent by NSSF are fantastic to add to what we already provide students. They make both the class and instructors even more valuable to students.”

— Woody Woodman, S.A.F.E. Training 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 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.