Glock Operators Course

Once upon a time, there was an ingenious Austrian named Gaston…. well, I could go on, but even in those few words, you already know what is coming next. The sheer fact that you already know who I am talking about is a tribute to a company that has changed the firearms world. So, the question has always been, “What now?” To the surprise of many, Glock has also turned to training. I hopped on a plane to attend the Glock Operators Course to see this for myself.

The course is managed and taught by the company’s “Glock Professional” division, which is based in Smyrna, Georgia. This division provides professional training to law enforcement, military, licensed security, and other personnel who desire to utilize the Glock “Safe Action” system to its maximum potential.

Right out of the blocks, it is essential to note that the Glock Operators Course is not a general beginner’s course. This is a two-day, 16-hour intensive designed for experienced shooters. In fact, Glock requires that students meet specific prerequisites. To take this course, you must be one of the following:

Active or reserve law enforcement
Active or reserve military
Licensed armed security officers
Current GSSF members
A current NRA firearms instructor

I was fortunate to get an invitation to one of their first courses, and I jumped at the chance. This course, however, would be a bit different from the traditional class they offer. Our group consisted of gun writers from around the country.

The Glock Operators Course was enjoyable.

A Serious Class

The class was well organized and had a very clear and direct curriculum. Since it was designed for experienced shooters, there would be very little time for hand-holding, which was fine by me. A theme quickly emerged as the training progressed. This was a gun fighting class with a focus on winning in lethal force encounters. With that being our central focus, there was much less focus and time spent on points such as reloads, etc.

I was pleasantly surprised when it became clear that the instructors acknowledged that there was more than one way to skin a cat. While they offered their opinions, they were quick to say, “Try it. If it doesn’t work for you, then go back to what you were doing.” This is especially true of basic manipulations. Having been an instructor for a long time, I have seen a variety of methods to accomplish everything, from loading the gun to clearing malfunctions. I have also seen people cling to a process like religious dogma with no room for variation.

Professional Yet Not Stuffy

The Glock Operators Course was far from this and addressed the fact that there were many ways to accomplish the same task. It is at this point that I will make a general warning statement. If you are a serious student of the gun and open to improvement, this course will serve you well. If you are set in your ways and are simply looking for a pat on the back, this class may not be your cup of tea.

The instructors at the course are professional and good at what they do. I found their style easy to follow and gained several solid points from them. “We strive to provide the best training support to public safety professionals and ensure they have the necessary knowledge and training to do their jobs effectively,” said Joseph Parent III, Director of Training at GLOCK Professional. Even with our dual purpose focus, we quickly approached the projected 1000 rounds per student that they listed as required for the class. There was little wasted time, and I believe the class is a solid choice for anyone looking to improve their GLOCK skills.

Glock Operators Course – Great Facility

The indoor facility was excellent, which you would expect from Glock. We ran ten shooters on the line with no issues. We ran a number of drills at a variety of distances. Each time, we received feedback and suggestions. My OCD was well served as we followed their training schedule to the minute. It was obvious that this was not their first rodeo.

In the end, we face the inevitable end-of-course test. The Glock Operators Course pistol standards test is no joke. I found it to be thorough and reflected what we had trained on. You can achieve four levels, ranging from “thanks for coming” to shooting the test clean. I was pleased to get to level three with just one mistake.

Overall, I give the course high marks. As I mentioned early on, this is not for beginners, and it is also not for those who want to hear how wonderful they are doing. It is serious training offered by serious people. If you want to improve your handgun skills, I encourage you to commit to trying the Glock Operators Course.

For more information visit: https://glocktraining.com/