Tom’s Instructor Credentials:

• NRA Training Counselor
• NRA Chief Range Safety Officer
• NRA Certified Pistol, Rifle, & Shotgun Instructor
• NRA Certified Personal Protection In The Home Instructor
• NRA Certified Personal Protection Outside The Home Instructor
• NRA Defensive Pistol Instructor
• Texas License to Carry Instructor
• USPSA Range Officer
• Multi-Gun Competition Instructor

Tom Dowdy, owner of Handgun Skills, LLC, is a decorated US Army Vietnam veteran.   He is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association, an NRA Training Counselor, a certified NRA Pistol Instructor, NRA Basics of Personal Protection in the Home Instructor, NRA Basics of Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor, NRA Defensive Pistol Instructor, NRA Rifle Instructor, NRA Shotgun Instructor, Texas License to Carry Instructor, & USPSA Certified Range Officer,  He has had extensive NRA training through six NRA basic courses, seven NRA instructor courses, Combat Focus Shooting with pistol and carbine through I.C.E Training, and ten days defensive pistol training through Front Sight Academy.  Tom has been the Match Director since 2014 for the monthly USPSA Multi-Gun Matches at Thunder Gun Range.  As an NRA Training Counselor Tom trains and certifies others as NRA Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun Instructors, Range Safety Officers, and Chief Range Safety Officers.

Tom has a patient but razor focused teaching style that allows students to learn in a relaxed atmosphere aimed at a high retention of the material taught.  Tom follows an eight-step method of teaching that is very effective in students learning through mastering the simple and then progressing to the complex fundamentals in shooting.  Tom is very quick to recognize shooters weaknesses and adept at helping them overcome their weaknesses.  Tom’s and Handgun Skills, LLC goal is to enable students to improve and hone their shooting skills through highly skilled instruction and training on their own once they learn the proper fundamentals.

David Gaines is also a NRA Training Counselor and an independent instructor that has worked with Handgun Skills, LLC for several years.  He is an MBA, has a diverse background that includes, being a licensed paramedic, Program Director of a college EMS program, working in the oilfield services industry, then moving into the firearms business as a Federal Firearms Licensee, gunsmith, and certified firearms instructor.  David’s style of teaching mirrors the Handgun Skills philosophy of providing focused training in a relaxed atmosphere where students retain a high percentage of material taught.

David’s Instructor Credentials:

• NRA Training Counselor
• NRA Chief Range Safety Officer
• NRA Certified Pistol, Rifle & Shotgun Instructor
• NRA Personal Protection in the Home Instructor
• NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor
• Texas License to Carry Instructor
• Certified Gunsmith