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{{Infobox Company
The "Front Sight Firearms Training Institute" is a privately held company founded by [[Ignatius Piazza|Ignatius Piazza]] in 1996. It is located outside [[Las Vegas, Nevada]].
| company_name = Front Sight <br/>Firearms Training Institute

| company_logo = [[Image:Front-Sight-Logo.jpg |190px]]
Their slogan is "Any Gun Will Do - If You Will Do!" <ref>[http://www.frontsight.com/Ignatius-Piazza/ignatius-piazza.asp Front Sight Slogan]</ref>
| company_type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| slogan = Any Gun Will Do - If You Will Do!
| foundation = [[Bakersfield, California]], [[United States|U.S.]] (1996)
| founder = [[Ignatius Piazza]]
| location = [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| industry = Firearms Training
| homepage = [http://www.frontsight.com/ FrontSight.com]
}}


==Location==
==Location==


Front Sight Firearms Training Facility is on a 550 acre property between Las Vegas, NV and [[Pahrump Nevada]] in [[Nye County, Nevada|Nye County]].
Front Sight Firearms Training Facility is on a 550 acre property between [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] and [[Pahrump Nevada]] in [[Nye County, Nevada|Nye County]].


==History==
==History==
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In 1998, Front Sight purchased a larger property 45 minutes from [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] and 20 minutes from [[Pahrump, Nevada]].<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE3DC163EF936A25756C0A96F958260/ A 'Sun City' for Gun Enthusiasts] New York Times Article retrieved April 5, 2008.</ref> It continued to operate in both California and Nevada through 2002, then moved exclusively to the Front Sight, Nevada location.
In 1998, Front Sight purchased a larger property 45 minutes from [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] and 20 minutes from [[Pahrump, Nevada]].<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE3DC163EF936A25756C0A96F958260/ A 'Sun City' for Gun Enthusiasts] New York Times Article retrieved April 5, 2008.</ref> It continued to operate in both California and Nevada through 2002, then moved exclusively to the Front Sight, Nevada location.


Front Sight Firearms Training Institute is also the place where Mark Wahlberg trained in sniper shooting for the movie [[Shooter (film)|Shooter]] in 2006.
Front Sight Firearms Training Institute is also the place where [[Mark Wahlberg]] trained in sniper shooting for the movie [[Shooter (film)|Shooter]] in 2006.


In March 2008 Front Sight received zoning, planning, and tentative map approval from the Nye County Planning Department and Nye County Commissioners for a destination hotel and interval ownership condominium development on their 550 acre facility<ref>[http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2008/Mar-26-Wed-2008/news/20528202.html Pahrump Valley Times Article - March 2008]Retrieved April 5, 2008.]</ref>. From 2002 to 2005 Front Sight had approvals for a residential community, but an uncertified [[class action]] lawsuit<ref>[http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2005/12/14/news/frontsight.html Pahrump Valley Times Article]Retrieved April 5, 2008.</ref> by &lt; 1% of the Front Sight membership was settled in 2007<ref>[http://www.frontsightlitigation.com/ Front Sight Litigation] Retrieved May 3, 2007.</ref> and resulted in Front Sight development plans changing to a hotel and [[timeshare|interval ownership]] condominium destination vacation resort.
In March 2008 Front Sight received zoning, planning, and tentative map approval from the Nye County Planning Department and Nye County Commissioners for a destination hotel and interval ownership condominium development on their 550 acre facility<ref>[http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2008/Mar-26-Wed-2008/news/20528202.html Pahrump Valley Times Article - March 2008]Retrieved April 5, 2008.]</ref>. From 2002 to 2005 Front Sight had approvals for a residential community, but an uncertified [[class action]] lawsuit<ref>[http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2005/12/14/news/frontsight.html Pahrump Valley Times Article]Retrieved April 5, 2008.</ref> by less than 1% of the Front Sight membership was settled in 2007<ref>[http://www.frontsightlitigation.com/ Front Sight Litigation] Retrieved May 3, 2007.</ref> and resulted in Front Sight development plans changing to a hotel and [[timeshare|interval ownership]] condominium destination vacation resort.


{{USgunorgs}}
==Activism==
==Activism==


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<ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200103/NAT20010307b.html Cybercast News Article]</ref>. Front Sight offered free firearms training to three teachers per school.<ref>[http://www.frontsight.com/news.asp?Action=ViewNews&ID=46 Courier Press Article]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200103/NAT20010307b.html Cybercast News Article]</ref>. Front Sight offered free firearms training to three teachers per school.<ref>[http://www.frontsight.com/news.asp?Action=ViewNews&ID=46 Courier Press Article]</ref>


Front Sight is supported by the Jews for the Preservation for Firearms Ownership, and the Gun Owners of America. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tm1OkTq2ps Video - JPFO, GOA Support]</ref> Front Sight also is supported by the Friends of the NRA<ref>[http://www.ignatius-piazza.com/charities/civil_liberties/FriendsofTheNRA.htm Friends of the NRA Letter]</ref>.
Front Sight is supported by the [[Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership]], and the [[Gun Owners of America]]. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tm1OkTq2ps Video - JPFO, GOA Support]</ref> Front Sight also is supported by the Friends of the NRA<ref>[http://www.ignatius-piazza.com/charities/civil_liberties/FriendsofTheNRA.htm Friends of the NRA Letter] Retrieved April 15, 2008.</ref>.


==Facility==
==Facility==
Line 39: Line 48:


;;Training Types:
;;Training Types:
*firearms training
:*firearms training
*corporate team building
:*corporate team building
*rappel and climb
:*rappel and climb
*[[SWAT]]
:*[[SWAT]]
*Defensive driving
:*Defensive driving
*Martial arts
:*Martial arts
*Edged weapons
:*Edged weapons
*Family safety
:*Family safety
*Children and Youth <ref>[http://www.forbes.com/global/2005/0725/062.html/ Kiddies With Carbines] Forbes.com retrieved April 6, 2008.</ref>
:*Children and Youth <ref>[http://www.forbes.com/global/2005/0725/062.html/ Kiddies With Carbines] Forbes.com retrieved April 6, 2008.</ref>
*VIP and celebrity training
:*VIP and celebrity training
*Executive protection
:*Executive protection
*Armorer courses
:*Armorer courses
*Instructor development
:*Instructor development


Some of these classes are only available by invitation, or to those who have completed necessary prerequisite courses.
Some of these classes are only available by invitation, or to those who have completed necessary prerequisite courses.
Line 57: Line 66:
===Courses===
===Courses===


Courses are provided to those with course certificates or memberships, after passing background checks in excess of Federal requirements. Among the firearms courses offered are handgun, shotgun, rifle and submachine gun. These courses are broken up into defensive, tactical and specialized classes. These are provided on a schedule, and advance registration is required.
Courses are provided to participants after passing background checks in excess of Federal requirements. Among the firearms courses offered are handgun, shotgun, rifle and submachine gun. Most of these courses are broken up into one, two and four day classes. These are provided on a schedule, and advance registration is required.


Approximately 10% of people attending a course at Front Sight become lifetime members.
Approximately 10% of people attending a course at Front Sight become lifetime members.


Students can bring their own guns or rent guns for the duration of their courses, and must pass a background check exceeding Federal requirements prior to enrollment.
Students can bring their own guns or rent guns for the duration of their courses.


===Memberships===
===Memberships===
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:*Diamond Lifetime Membership (all-inclusive)
:*Diamond Lifetime Membership (all-inclusive)


These lifetime memberships usually include additional course certificates. The most common ways these certificates are used is:
These lifetime memberships usually include additional course certificates which allows a student to take their first course at Front Sight for free. The most common ways these certificates are used is:
*Given to family and friends,
*Given to family and friends,
*Raffled off in fundraisers,
*Raffled off in fundraisers,
Line 82: Line 91:


===Other Services===
===Other Services===

Available without membership or certificate are:


*Transcripts of much of the first time attendee's classes have been turned into "Gun Training Reports" that are available on the website without cost when joining the non-exclusive mailing list.
*Transcripts of much of the first time attendee's classes have been turned into "Gun Training Reports" that are available on the website without cost when joining the non-exclusive mailing list.
*"Dry Practice" manuals in ammunition-less home practice are available via the website. They are soft cover manuals with black and white photo illustrations.
*"Dry Practice" manuals in ammunition-less home practice are available via the website. They are soft cover manuals with black and white photo illustrations.
* Semi-weekly newsletters through the general mailing list, with an initial period of daily gun training reports.
* Semi-weekly newsletters through the general mailing list, with an initial period of daily gun training reports.

==References==

⚫
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* http://www.frontsight.com
* http://www.frontsight.com
* http://www.ignatiuspiazza.com
* http://www.ignatius-piazza.com
* http://www.friendsofnra.org/
* http://www.friendsofnra.org/

== Footnotes ==

⚫
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Firearms]]
[[Category:Firearms]]

Revision as of 23:11, 15 April 2008

Front Sight
Firearms Training Institute
Company typePrivate
IndustryFirearms Training
FoundedBakersfield, California, U.S. (1996)
FounderIgnatius Piazza
HeadquartersLas Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
WebsiteFrontSight.com

Location

Front Sight Firearms Training Facility is on a 550 acre property between Las Vegas, Nevada and Pahrump Nevada in Nye County.

History

Front Sight Firearms Training Institute was founded in April of 1996, originally on a leased facility near Bakersfield, California by Dr. Ignatius Piazza[1]. There were ten students in the first course. Since inception, it has been open to private citizens and law enforcement/military. It has continued to grow in the number of students every year since 1996. As of 2008, Front Sight's website claims that the institute trains "tens of thousands of students per year" [2].

In 1998, Front Sight purchased a larger property 45 minutes from Las Vegas, Nevada and 20 minutes from Pahrump, Nevada.[3] It continued to operate in both California and Nevada through 2002, then moved exclusively to the Front Sight, Nevada location.

Front Sight Firearms Training Institute is also the place where Mark Wahlberg trained in sniper shooting for the movie Shooter in 2006.

In March 2008 Front Sight received zoning, planning, and tentative map approval from the Nye County Planning Department and Nye County Commissioners for a destination hotel and interval ownership condominium development on their 550 acre facility[4]. From 2002 to 2005 Front Sight had approvals for a residential community, but an uncertified class action lawsuit[5] by less than 1% of the Front Sight membership was settled in 2007[6] and resulted in Front Sight development plans changing to a hotel and interval ownership condominium destination vacation resort.

Activism

Front Sight's purpose is to "restore the second amendment".[7]

Front Sight has, since 2002, supported the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program[8], offering gun training for pilots[9].

Front Sight has also made the news after several school shootings offering firearms training for teachers.[10] [11]. Front Sight offered free firearms training to three teachers per school.[12]

Front Sight is supported by the Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, and the Gun Owners of America. [13] Front Sight also is supported by the Friends of the NRA[14].

Facility

The Front Sight facility is on 550 acres and portions of the property are still under development. As of 2008 the facility includes a 6000 square foot classroom area, 12 shooting ranges, a rifle range, live fire simulators, underground training simulators, a SWAT tower, a pro shop, a gunsmithing facility and armory, a martial arts area and a secluded VIP training space.[15]

The targets used at Front Sight were invented by the founder, Ignatius Piazza.[16]

Training

The majority of Front Sight students come for firearms training, but there are other defense courses available.

Training Types
  • firearms training
  • corporate team building
  • rappel and climb
  • SWAT
  • Defensive driving
  • Martial arts
  • Edged weapons
  • Family safety
  • Children and Youth [17]
  • VIP and celebrity training
  • Executive protection
  • Armorer courses
  • Instructor development

Some of these classes are only available by invitation, or to those who have completed necessary prerequisite courses.

Courses

Courses are provided to participants after passing background checks in excess of Federal requirements. Among the firearms courses offered are handgun, shotgun, rifle and submachine gun. Most of these courses are broken up into one, two and four day classes. These are provided on a schedule, and advance registration is required.

Approximately 10% of people attending a course at Front Sight become lifetime members.

Students can bring their own guns or rent guns for the duration of their courses.

Memberships

Front Sight offers Lifetime Memberships with varying degrees of entitlement[18]. Most are available through the website, but some are only offered to those on the newsletter mailing list.

Publicly available membership types
  • Patriot Lifetime Membership
  • Challenge Lifetime Membership
  • Legacy Lifetime Membership
  • Bronze Lifetime Membership
  • Silver Lifetime Membership
  • Diamond Lifetime Membership (all-inclusive)

These lifetime memberships usually include additional course certificates which allows a student to take their first course at Front Sight for free. The most common ways these certificates are used is:

  • Given to family and friends,
  • Raffled off in fundraisers,
  • Donated to local law enforcement, NRA, etc.
  • Sold.

Other Services

  • Transcripts of much of the first time attendee's classes have been turned into "Gun Training Reports" that are available on the website without cost when joining the non-exclusive mailing list.
  • "Dry Practice" manuals in ammunition-less home practice are available via the website. They are soft cover manuals with black and white photo illustrations.
  • Semi-weekly newsletters through the general mailing list, with an initial period of daily gun training reports.

References

  1. ^ Webb Archive Snapshot - Front Sight in Bakersfield
  2. ^ [1] Front Sight Promotion - >10,000 students.]Retrieved April 5, 2008.
  3. ^ A 'Sun City' for Gun Enthusiasts New York Times Article retrieved April 5, 2008.
  4. ^ Pahrump Valley Times Article - March 2008Retrieved April 5, 2008.]
  5. ^ Pahrump Valley Times ArticleRetrieved April 5, 2008.
  6. ^ Front Sight Litigation Retrieved May 3, 2007.
  7. ^ Survival Blog
  8. ^ FFDO Program
  9. ^ Centennial Journal Article - 120000 Pilots Still Not Armed in the Cockpit
  10. ^ Sierra Times Article
  11. ^ Cybercast News Article
  12. ^ Courier Press Article
  13. ^ Video - JPFO, GOA Support
  14. ^ Friends of the NRA Letter Retrieved April 15, 2008.
  15. ^ Original plans for Pahrump facility expansion Retrieved April 5, 2008.
  16. ^ Small Arms Review Article Retrieved April 5, 2008.
  17. ^ Kiddies With Carbines Forbes.com retrieved April 6, 2008.
  18. ^ Membership Types
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