PRIVATE LESSONS

Our amazing group class instructors here at SafeFire are also available for private lessons! Each of our instructors have an incredible amount of experience to share! Private lessons are great for all levels of shooters. From the beginner shooter who is hesitatant to take a class to more advanced shooters looking to perform at a higher level, we’re confident you’ll find an instructor you’ll love! These private lessons are only available by appointment only.

Ready to schedule a lesson? Read through each of our instructor’s bios below and give the range a call! We’ll find a time that works best with you and your preferred instructors schedule. Private lessons do not include ammo or targets. Targets must be purchased from our facility.

COST:

 

For private group classes or groups of 5+, please call or email us for a quote.

Private Lesson Bundle Package: 

Our new Private Lesson Bundle package is here! Purchase 5 private lessons for $350 (Originally $425)! If you’ve been looking to take a few private lessons with your favorite instructor, take advantage of this incredible bundle price. You’ll have a 6 month time span to redeem your lessons before they expire, which gives you the perfect amount of time to make your training stick!

Talk with a team member today on how to get your Private Lesson Bundle Card, and start earning stamps for your private lessons today!

Paul Prather

Paul was a Deputy Sheriff with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office for 27 years, during which he became a firearms instructor for police officers. Since his retirement, Paul has found his dream job at Safefire.  He is passionate about teaching people how to shoot; from beginners who have never shot a gun, to experienced shooters who want to improve their skills. His goal for his students is for them to have fun shooting, and ensure they do it in a safe manner. He is also happy to help people find the right gun for them, which can lead to improving their shooting abilities and enjoyment of the sport. Paul competes in firearm competitions, and has set two world records.  Two of his favorite places are at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and on the Serengeti in Africa. Paul is a well rounded instructor and is great for people who are willing to learn anything and everything about shooting. 

Paul is available: Sunday through Wednesday

Mike Osilla

With over 30 years of experience, including 24 years as an active duty Marine, Mike has developed and refined his rifle and pistol skills to a very high proficiency. Any time he was not on duty, during tours or at home, Mike could be found at the range. After retiring from the military, he competed in USPSA for a couple years. He then made sure he maintained his high proficiency by attending the Firearms Academy of Seattle, taking courses as often as he could and gaining mastered qualification every time. 

Mike loves to teach anyone and everyone who is interested in learning more about firearms. He is always a friendly face in our range, and will always go above and beyond to help those looking to learn. Mike loves teaching brand new shooters and is fantastic at addressing whatever anxieties or fear they may have. He loves to see people grow in their confidence and competency in safe handling of firearms.

When Mike isn’t shooting, which is quite rare, he fosters kittens with his wife for the Southwest Washington Humane Society or goes sport kite flying. If you want to really laugh, just ask Mike about the mop bucket situation!

Mike is available: Sunday through Wednesday

Tom Chong

Tom is our newest instructor to join the team, and his experience and qualifications have set him up to be an incredible asset to our instruction team! Tom is a retired law enforcement officer, and in his 26 years of service, he was a field training officer, police vehicle operations instructor, and a patrol tactics instructor. In addition to his instruction experience, Tom has also competed in USPSA and 3-gun matches. 

Tom loves working with students and assisting both enthusiasts and beginners who are striving to improve their safe handling skills and performance. 

When Tom isn’t shooting at the range, you can find him watching movies and enjoying a nice meal out at his favorite restaurant. 

Tom is available:  Upon request.

Billy Stephens

You may recognize Billy from our store upstairs, but aside from his immense knowledge of firearms, Billy has a long list of credentials to back up his love of instructing. Billy is currently the lead firearms instructor for Kagwerks, and has more than 20 years of experience under his belt. Between target practice and hunting, shooting essentially was a way of life for Billy growing up. He then went into the family business of serving our country, and spent four years in the Army as a part of Special Operations. While he was in there he took and passed the Advanced Ranger Marksmanship Course. This knowledge and experience helped him with his 2 deployments to Afghanistan. After the military, shooting turned into a full-time hobby. Billy now leads our team upstairs in SafeFire’s retail store, and is the best man to turn to with any firearm questions!

If he isn’t shooting or working, Billy enjoys power-lifting. He loves teaching those a higher intensity version of pistol and carbine level I. Billy will set you for a successful path to being an efficient and accurate shot! Please note: Billy’s instructional rate is higher than our other instructors.

Billy is available: Mondays, Thursdays & Fridays from 10-4pm

Kent Marsden

Kent has an unbelievable amount of experience with firearms – 50 years to be exact! Under his belt, Kent’s experience includes working as a correction & transport officer for the Clark County Sheriff’s Department. Kent started shooting as a young teenager, using his skills to hunt deer and elk. In high school, he got into the Clark County Law Enforcement Explorer program and learned how to shoot handguns with precision and skill. 

Kent enjoys giving back by teaching others how to shoot safely. He is currently a NRA certified rifle, handgun, and shotgun instructor. If Kent isn’t here, you can probably find him enjoying the great outdoors of the pacific northwest or with his family. Kent makes a great instructor for those wanting a one-on-one experience free of intimidation. 


Kent is available:  Fridays & Saturdays

Lee Sellers

Lee, a retired entrepreneur and university professor, began shooting when he was nine.  During his early years he competed on his high school and university’s rifle and trap teams and continues to shoot competitively to this day.  This is a family affair, as three of Lee’s children join him in shooting competitively.

As a U.S. Marine, Lee qualified expert in both rifle and pistol then continued to earn expert and master rankings in the competitive disciplines of Sporting Rifle, Small-bore Rifle, Service Rifle, and Conventional Pistol.  He currently competes in Service Rifle, Rimfire Challenge and ICORE revolver matches and also shoots trap just for fun.

Lee has a passion for teaching.  Over thirty-five years coaching junior shooting programs at local ranges has allowed Lee to train literally thousands of young shooters from their very first shots to levels of skill resulting in college shooting scholarships.  Directing NRA and CMP Service Rifle and High-Power Rifle matches allowed Lee to stay on top of current methods used by top-tier shooters and he brings that knowledge to his training.  His experience allows him to relate well with all ages and levels of skill when it comes to firearms training. 

Lee is available: Monday – Thursday

Aaron Gibson

Aaron was a sworn officer for both the Los Angeles Police Department and Vancouver Police Department for a total of 32 years, retiring as a Sergeant. During that time he not only trained thousands of officers and citizens in the safe use of firearms, but also developed hundreds of new firearms instructors around the state. Many of those student instructors have gone on to become successful trainers in their own right. He enjoys seeing both new to shooting take their first shots in a safe environment, as well as shooters looking for their next challenge in their journey towards tactical competence in home and self-defense development. 

When away from the range, Aaron is spending time with his wife of 20+ years, his children and grandchildren, and enjoys being there to witness their life moments and achievements. Aaron is always happy to train and meet shooters where they are at in their journey to move to the next level of skills, knowledge and abilities.

Aaron is available: Friday – Sunday

Questions?

Have a question regarding how our private lesson system works? Please email us at info@shootatsafefire.com with your question. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

Interested in scheduling a lesson with one of our instructors? Please call us at 360-834-7233 to schedule a lesson.

Lesson slot reservation times will only be made and held via phone. 

Due to a high volume of lesson requests, please note that email inquiries sit at a 1-2 day respond time.