Over the past few years I’ve had the opportunity to learn from several great instructors. If you’ve been interested in something for long, you’ve probably had the unfortunate experience of missing out on meeting someone before they’re gone. From sudden passing, to retirement, incompatible schedules and more, there are a variety of circumstances that can stop us from studying under someone.
Part of my intent with this series is to help guide people towards “living legends” they may not know of, or may not know much about. Other consideration is compiling some information for posterity, as some of those I interview do not create content of their own. It was content like this, that initially introduced me to several of the people I consider mentors today. Maybe that’ll be the same for you.
Interview with Tom Givens
I had someone very specific in mind to kick this series off. Tom Givens is a name that many of you should be familiar with. Since 2019 I’ve spent a significant amount of time with Tom on the range. As someone who’s been instrumental in my development as an instructor, Tom was an easy choice to start with. That said, I won’t wax poetic about his background, instead I’ll let him speak for himself.
Q: We’ll start off with a little bit of your background. What first got you into guns, your professional experience, etc.
Even as a child, my heroes were Texas Rangers and similar men. I got my first BB gun at 6, my first .22 rifle and 20 ga shotgun at 12, and my first centerfire handgun at 15. I was fortunate to have a safe, legal place to shoot within a short walk of my home and I spent a great deal of time in the woods.
Q: If there was a discernable shift to “being serious” about guns, what brought that about?
No shift. I always saw guns as fighting tools, hunting gear, or for competition. I took all three venues seriously.
Q: What inspired you to set up the original Rangemaster “mothership” back in Memphis?
Tennessee went to a state-wide carry permit system to replace the old county by county system, which was often abused or run capriciously by local officials. This was in 1996, and the statute required eight hours of training in order to obtain the permit. We opened the range in 1996 to meet that demand.
Memphis has always been in the top 3 cities in the US (#1 right now) for violent crime, so the time was right for a concealed carry training oriented range there. We subsequently taught over 46,000 local students in an 18 year period.
Q: Today you’re largely known for your instructor development program. Outside of the NRA and USCCA, there aren’t too many people offering that sort of program for armed citizens in the US. How did you end up focusing on that aspect of the training world?
I began our instructor training program in 1997 to recruit and train staff for our own range. When we closed the range in 2014 we had an outstanding cadre of 52 lead or assistant instructors. When we closed the range and I went on the road full time, I decided to do everything I could to elevate the skill and professionalism of the training community.
Q: What are some things you would look for in an instructor development course from a program other than your own?
I like to see the following, in addition to traditional shooting instruction:
Emphasis on the legal issues, helping students stay out of prison.
Explanation of the realities of violent crime- how much there really is, and the fact that no one is coming to save you. You are on your own.
Coaching technique.
Q: Do you have any especially notable mentors? If so, what are some things that they did for/to you which stand out?
My primary early mentor was Jeff Cooper. Jeff and I started corresponding when I was just 21 or so. Back then there was no internet, and people actually wrote letters. I would send Jeff questions and he would personally answer them in detail. I also got to spend time learning directly from him at IPSC events and in several trips to Gunsite. I attended a 499 class at Gunsite in 1980, the highest level course they taught at the time.
In addition to Jeff, Chuck Taylor, Dennis Tueller and others taught the classes I attended there and all had a hand in broadening my knowledge base. I first trained with John Farnam in 1977, and he remains a good friend to this day. I’ve also known Ken Hackathorn since the 1970’s and he had input, as well. I’ve trained with Massad Ayoob, Craig Douglas, Jim Cirillo, Louis Awerbuck, Clint Smith, Ernest Langdon, Todd Green, and many more. There have been many other influences, but these stand out.
Q: Tell us about any especially fond memories you have from your career, as an instructor, other firearms or defense related experiences?
My wife, Lynn, came in third overall (not Ladies, overall) at the Tactical Conference national match several years ago. That made me very proud. Also, we’ve had over 70 students involved in defensive gunplay. Getting a tearful hug from one of them, saying, “You saved my life”, makes a lot of the travel and hard work seem worthwhile.
Q: Are there any hard lessons learned for you that changed the way you do things, or that you’d like to relay to the readers?
Success is rented, and the rent is due every day. Don’t stop working on your skills, and don’t stop training. I took a class from someone outside my organization in June although I’ve been teaching for 50 years. Learning should never stop.
Q: Is there anything you’d like to pass on to readers, whether they be instructors, competitors, or regular earth people?
We need to do a better job as 2A ambassadors. The Left relentlessly propagandizes against us. If you want your children to have self defense rights when they grow up, you’d better get involved now.
Q: Where can people find you, your work, or train with you?
Rangemaster.com has tons of information, including our monthly newsletter and our class schedule. I’m 72 now, so I am cutting back my travel a bit, but I still roam all over the US from as far West as Texas and as far North as Pennsylvania. That covers 80% of the population.
Wrapping Up Living Legends, an Interview with Tom Givens
I highly recommend jumping into a class with Tom Givens. I’ve spent over 150 hours of my life on the range with him, both as a student and as an AI. His program is THE standard for instructor development courses, and his alumni are generally more squared away than those simply holding NRA or USCCA credentials. It was great to start this series off with one of my most direct influences, and I appreciate him taking time out of his training schedule to answer a few questions.
Stay tuned as this series continues. I have some great guests in store that I’m excited to chat with. If there’s anyone you’d like to see added to list, leave a comment with your requests!
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Excellent article!
Thanks Mindy!
Great story. Tom Givens is the best.