Front Sight Firearms Training Institute Dr Ignatius Piazza Chiropractors Gun Training Company is Scamming Consumers with gimmicks that keep you paying Internet

$50 for a background check is ONLY charged for the annual year a member attends Front Sight - it is really a decent deal to protect the hundreds of other members at the facility to know that everyone there has been properly vetted. 

The question now has to do with the actual costs of the various LIFE memberships.  I have been a LIFE member for nearly 20 years at nearly every level. I am now at the Knight level and paid CASH for this membership. 

I have MANY  FOUNDERS memberships that the FS website list for $60,000 per membership but I donate them for $500 each and cover the $100 transfer fee with payment of the $500 - contact me for information - best deal available 

I'm a lifetime member at Front Sight and have taken 17 classes with them so far from 2013 to today.  I'm quite happy with both the quality of training provided and the overall value of Front Sight.

I have taken classes at a few other training centers (3 different places for CCW requirements, a bunch of classes at SIG Academy in Exeter, NH, and a great legal class with Masaad Ayoob, MAG-40, focused on legal aspects of concealed carry.)

I wouldn't want to only take classes at Front Sight, but learning the Front Sight skills and mastering them is great training.  Go to some other schools for specialty training, or different perspectives -- SIG and Thunder Ranch have some excellent classes that cost substantially more than Front Sight to attend, but cover different material, and MAG-40 is the best legal/classroom education you could receive anywhere.  Maybe attend classes with top USPSA shooters to focus on speed, or classes from weapons manufacturers to be an armorer or expert on their specific platform (I plan to visit IWI for the Tavor).  Front Sight is expanding their Tactical Handgun curriculum a bit in 2018, and maybe they'll continue to expand -- I'd really like to see tactical trauma (TCCC-type) taught on a range with shooting for 2-4 days, and maybe some vehicle skills.

I completely agree about the marketing aspects of Front Sight being weird, and in my opinion, counterproductive.  The endless barrage of "exploding" offers, extremely ambitious construction plans, high list prices for courses with membership discounts, etc. aren't personally how I'd do things, but the fact is Front Sight has gone from running classes on borrowed faclities in California to having a large and very nice facility in Nevada with a lot of exceptionally competent staff over the past 15 years, and Front Sight probably trains more people every week than every other major school in the US combined.  Something is working.  It's quite possible to get removed from the phone and email lists (I have), although I do respond to the offers for upgrades when they make sense (for instance, you can upgrade to be able to get lifetime private training on-site for 1 to 4 days at a time for yourself plus a few friends for less than a single spot in a large class at some other schools...)

As for Dr. Piazza being a chiropractor making him somehow less qualified as a shooter than someone else -- I have a lot of friends from the tech industry who are programmers, sysadmins, sales managers, etc. with great shooting skills.  One of the best precision rifle people I know works for Microsoft.  I'm personally not a big fan of chiropracty, but it would seem like as good a background as any to understand body mechanics around shooting.  The staff at Front Sight range from people with long military or police careers to people who have learned their skills at Front Sight and are just good at teaching, but I've gotten great coaching and advice from both.

The $50/yr background check fee is only for calendar years in which you'll be taking classes, and if $50 breaks your budget, you should consider the cost of gas to drive to/from the range for the class (it's ~50 miles each way to Las Vegas).  Ammo is expensive too.  Given that a lot of schools charge $1-2k per class, a lifetime membership + $50/yr is a remarkably good value.

Yes,  the Doctor's marketing is over the edge.... but the actual firearms trainings is excellent and there is absolutely no selling or marketing while the training is going on.   I only came to this Ripoff sight because I was trying to find out exactly what Front Sight does when you pay for a background check, which I have 3 times....   The way Front Sight has actually 'gotten me' was that I have sent them more money over the intitial life time membership after taking one of the classes that are free to me.  Why, because I feel the training was worth the extra cost.   

I am amazed that someone finds it unfair to charge $50 for a background check within a 12-month period that a gun class is taken. That should lend credibility to Front Sight's commitment to safe gun use. Would you want to take the chance that you provide excellent - and I mean excellent - gun training to someone with something in his or her background that might suggest this person is not a good candidate for gun training? From a safety perspective as well as a common sense business decision, I find this requirement totally justifiable. I felt much more secure in the class knowing that everyone there had had a background check.

I do not think $50 is too much. In addition to the cost of running the check, they have administrative and infrastructure costs to cover just like anyone who is in business. If you have ever run a business yourself, you should understand this. If you haven't, then you should try it sometime.

I do not work for Front Sight and have no connection other than I just became a member and just finished my first class. I'll admit to being somewhat skeptical about it at first because Dr. Piazza is obviously such a marketing guru. I was so impressed with the class that I plan to have as many family members attend who can manage it. I feel that I now have the training that I need to allow me to own a gun responsibly.

The membership structure is somewhat confusing and really different, but so far, I have only found good value. I plan to attend other classes, because I heard from other students that all the classes are great. I think every law enforcement unit should consider this place for training. In fact, many of the students were involved in law enforcement.

Great training, great instructors, highly recommend Front Sight training.

The $50 background check fee is ONLY paid if you train within that year. If one chooses to NOT take a course within that calendar year, you don't pay the fee.

In addition, $50 is a very small price to pay for decent training using memberships that did not cost a lot of money to begin with. Price any 4 day firearms training course elsewhere and compare the costs.

You do not pay them anything for the rest of your life simply because you have a membership.

These are facts about about the original claim without emotions ruling the content.

I  have been to Front Sight Training for 10 classes over 25 days.  The training is of high quality and very informative.  I agree that he should have told me up front that there is a $50 per year fee.  I would have still signed up but they should have said that.  Yes the marketing is over the top, but you don't need buy anything other than a lifetime membership (which can be had for under $100) in order to have 40+ classes for the rest of your life!  If you want to learn gunhandling and marksmanship you could do a lot worst than this place.  

I have been a Lifetime Member for many years. I have progressed through several levels of membership starting with a Libertytree Membership progressing to a Diamond Membership.

All information was clearly explained at each up-grade and I was clearly given the oppertunity to ask about any of the information or decline the up-grade. Nothing is hidden if you take the time to read the information they send you in the mail as well as the information on the Computer.

I have been a member for a about 4 years.   The program requirements and costs are clearly disclosed up front.  The only costs you have is a background check in the year you take any classes.    At $50, this is a minimal cost to keep the bad guys from accessing some very good training.  

If you don't take a class in any given year, there are no charges to you for anything.   Depending on how you acquired your membership, he issues credits that can be used toward this fee.   I received enough to pay my fee for over ten years of classes.

He is an aggressive marketeer.  Wiill he try to upsell you - yes, but they provide mechinisms to opt out of any contact, email or phone - just follow the instructions.   The choice is yours, but frequently he has oppotunities to expand on what you purchased depending on your initial level.  Again, it is your choice to participate or not. 

With respect to the training, I have trained at mutliple centers across the country and with multiple luminaries, this is equal to or exceeds most out there.  I would highly recommend this facility, and have to multiple friends and family members.    In fact I have given memberships to at over ten friends and family over the last two years.   We will be bringing a group of about 40 friends and family to Front Sight later this year.

In summary, great training, no surprises if you really listen.    I would recommend them to anyone that takes carrying a firearm as a serious responsibility and wants to be the best they can.  

I have paid the same $50 background check every year I attend a course at Front Sight.  That was clearly explained in every membership I considered.  It only has to be paid if one takes a course that year.  So in the many years I've been a member, I've only paid that fee when I attended a course.  I've bunched my courses into one year.  So I paid for only one background check, then took several courses that year. 

A background check is important as life changes could prevent one from being qualified to carry a weapon.  In Texas, if one has a domestic violence conviction, that prevents them from getting or keeping their CHL in Texas.  So things change, and Front Sight is a responsible organization that only trains those that are qualified to carry a weapon.

I paid cash for my memberships so I had no interst.  I just paid what was the agreed charge for the membership, then only $50 for the years in which I take a course.  That fee has never risen for me.

They have the best training I've ever experienced.