Firearm Safety Training with Bill Tidwell

To enroll in any of Bill Tidwell’s courses, please contact him directly:

Check our current schedule below:

Basic Handgun Course

This course is ideal for the person who has no experience in firearms and is interested in learning safety and basic marksmanship with a handgun.

Students will be instructed in handgun safety, and will become familiar with a selection of revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. On the range, the student will fire both .22 caliber revolvers and autoloaders.

Continuing in the classroom, the course will cover cleaning, storage, and selection of a personal handgun.

The course fee of $225.00 includes all range & classroom fees, books, targets, ammunition and the use of handguns, and eye & ear protection.

During the optional third evening, students will explore additional shooting techniques including shooting with both hands, single handed at different types of targets and will have the opportunity to shoot various larger caliber handguns. Cost for the extra instruction and shooting is $115.00.

Introduction to Shotgun Course

The NRA First Steps Shotgun Course will introduce beginning shooters to the fundamentals of shotgun safety and marksmanship. The course includes information on the various types of shotgun actions, the uses of different chokes, shotshell choices, cleaning and storage. The many uses of shotguns, including trap, skeet, sporting clays, hunting and self defense will be discussed.

Courses presented at Reed's Indoor Range are oriented more towards defensive shooting with live fire on an indoor range.

The $225.00 per person course fee includes all instruction, range time, materials and use of equipment.

NRA First Steps Rifle Course

The NRA First Steps Rifle Course will introduce beginning shooters to the fundamentals of rifle safety and marksmanship.

The course includes familiarization with different types of rifle actions, ammunition, marksmanship fundamentals, cleaning and storage.

Students will fire .22 caliber rifles from various positions on an indoor range. (The fundamentals learned in shooting .22 rifles can be applied to larger caliber rifles as used in hunting and competition.) Approximately 3 1/2 hours usually on a Saturday morning.

The course fee of $225.00 includes all range & classroom fees, books, targets, ammunition and the use of rifles, and eye & ear protection.

NRA Personal Protection In The Home

The NRA Personal Protection in the Home Course is designed to develop a students basic knowledge, skills and attitude essential for the safe and efficient use of a handgun for protection of self and family.

This nine hour course will cover defensive handgun skills, firearms and the law, differences between concealment and cover, levels of awareness, strategies for home safety, responding to a violent confrontation, selecting a handgun for self-defense and shooting and training opportunities.

Prerequisite for the class is an NRA Basic or First Steps Pistol Course or by instructor's permission.

The course fee is $275.00 per person and includes all range and classroom fees, target, classroom materials and instruction.

Students are required to provide a handgun, 150 rounds of ammunition, and eye & ear protection.

UT CCW Course

The State of Utah allows non-residents to obtain a Concealed Firearms Permit that allows for concealed carry in Utah as well as many other states (California is not included).

Currently 35 states recognize Utah's permit. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, attend a qualified course and submit an application and $63.25 fee along with fingerprints and passport style photograph to the State of Utah.

The four hour course includes firearms safety and Utah law. The course fee is $125.00.

CA Hunter Safety Courses

In-Person courses are now available again on a limited basis (see below for details).

Please register online at the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife website at www.wildlife.ca.gov/huntered. After registering, students will be require to go to Reed's Indoor Range (1100 Duane Ave., Santa Clara 95054) to pay the $20.00 course fee and pick up study materials for the class.

Registration for courses open approximately two months before the class date.

2024 In-Person Course Dates TBD

RO Indicates Date Registration Will Open

February (RO January)

May (RO March)

September (RO July)

December (RO October)

Online courses are temporarily available for the State of California without having to attend a classroom session. To complete the course, go to https://www.hunter-ed.com/california/. Once you have passed the course you will be able to print out a Hunter Education Completion Course Certificate.

About Bill and Cathy Tidwell:

Bill Tidwell and his wife Cathy have been teaching firearms safety and marksmanship in the Bay Area for over 35 years. They are both Certified National Rifle Association Instructors for Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, Personal Protection in the Home, Personal Protection Outside the Home, Home Firearms Safety and Refuse To Be A Victim. Bill is also certified in Reloading, Muzzleloading (Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun) and as a Hunter Clinic Instructor for Wild Turkey, Western Big Game and Whitetail Deer.

Serving in the U S Marine Corps from 1968 to 1970, Bill maintained expert ratings for military rifles throughout his enlistment and in recent years has earned Distinguished Expert ratings in Handgun, Light Rifle and Defensive Pistol I & II in the Marksmanship Qualification Program of the National Rifle Association.

From 1983 to 1992 Mr. Tidwell and his wife Cathy served as instructors for the San Leandro Junior Optimist Marksmanship Club.

As NRA Training Counselors, Bill and Cathy conduct the courses necessary for experienced shooters to become Certified NRA Instructors, Range Safety Officers and Chief Range Safety Officers.

Bill and Cathy are also Certified California Firearms Safety Certificate Instructors. In 1995 Bill was named one of the first Master Hunter Education Instructors in the State of California and charged with the responsibility of helping new instructors to become proficient in teaching techniques and procedures. In November 1998, Bill Tidwell was recognized as the first Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for the State of California in a ceremony held at the State Department of Fish and Game meeting held in Yosemite National Park.

Bill and Cathy have taught over 20,000 people how to shoot safely and look forward to teaching many more!