Victoria Kogan
About Victoria:
- Texas License to Carry (LTC) Instructor
- NRA Certified Instructor for Basic Pistol
- NRA Refuse to be a Victim Instructor
- Member of A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League
- Member of Capitol Area Practical Shooting (CAPS) Shooting Club
- Member of IDPA, USPSA, Steel Challenge shooting sports
My Story:
The first time I was handed a pistol, I had absolutely no experience with firearms. With no warning, no instruction, and no ear & eye protection, I was given a handgun and challenged to take a shot. I aimed at the target, pulled the trigger, and simultaneously let out a startled scream as I was shocked by the sound and recoil. Others had a good laugh, and I will never forget the humiliation.
Twenty years passed before I was interested in firearms and finally purchased a handgun in 2012. When I became a gun owner, I didn’t realize it would start a journey that would add so much empowerment and joy to my life.
That path progressed into competition shooting with the mentorship of A Girl and A Gun (AG & AG) Women’s Shooting League and Capitol Area Practical Shooters (CAPS) Club. Within these groups, I found a warm and welcoming family, and I have been blessed with many friendships along the way!
In 2014, I began working at Shady Oaks Gun Range and had the wonderful opportunity to watch it grow from a slab on the ground and expand in 2017. Although my professional background was mainly in accounting and office management, I soaked up a wealth of practical firearms knowledge at Shady Oaks. This also put me on the path of becoming an instructor as I often found myself coaching folks from things I was learning. It brings me joy to help others become competent and confident with a firearm as I learn and develop as a competitive shooter, and I love being an instructor!
As a woman who became interested in firearms “later in life,” I’m not your typical “Tactical Tammy” firearms instructor with a militant style or lifetime of gun experience. However, because I came into firearms “later in life,” I am acutely familiar with a lot of misinformation given to new firearm owners and women particularly.
Most folks are interested in firearms for personal protection. It has been said that “we fight like we train.” If your goal is personal protection, you absolutely must be training regularly. You must be able to operate your firearm confidently for personal protection.
I love working with beginners and with people who may be intimidated by firearms. These are probably my favorite students. I am passionate about teaching others to be confident and competent at their own pace. I also like to work with folks interested in getting started with pistol shooting sports and who wish to further develop their firearms proficiency.
LTC Benefits
The Firearm Carry Act of 2021 also called “Constitutional Carry” or “Permitless Carry” went into effect on September 1, 2021. Many are asking if they should pursue getting a License To Carry (LTC). The answer is a definite YES! Texas Law gives LTC holders more rights than Constitutional Carry. Read my blog post Benefits of Having a License to Carry (LTC).
Victoria’s advice for beginners:
- You absolutely must know and follow the four gun safety rules.
- It’s best to learn the basics of how to shoot before purchasing a firearm. After you have some experience and familiarity, you’ll have a better understanding of what you like and how to find a firearm that fits your hand.
- My most successful beginner students have followed the crawl-walk-run advice:
- Crawl: Small Caliber – It’s generally easier to start with .22LR and mastering that before moving on to a higher caliber. While this isn’t the best choice for self-defense, it will establish good fundamental habits, develop confidence/competence, and is more affordable.
- Walk: Full-Size Gun – The next step would be to practice with a full-size gun. When you have an explosion going off in your handgun, weight and size are your FRIEND when learning how to manage recoil.
- Run: Compact Gun – Those cute little pocket pistols are designed to save your life and be easy to carry/conceal. The trade-off is that they are generally not fun to shoot, and it’s difficult to learn marksmanship with the little beast. The “snappy” recoil can be a challenge, and some would say it’s painful. It’s also difficult to be accurate, especially at distance, because the shorter barrel amplifies shooting errors.
- You have to work your way up to a small gun.
- Revolvers are awesome and fun to shoot. If you want to learn a wheel gun, start with a full-size as explained above. Those little snubby revolvers can be a beast for a novice, especially if you’re trying to shoot the 50-round LTC Qual. They can also be quite painful. They are great for self-defense; horrible for novice training.
- If License to Carry is your goal, please note it’s not necessary to qualify with the gun you intend to carry. You can shoot the LTC qualification with .22LR!!!
Schedule a Private Lesson:
Victoria is available for one-on-one private handgun lessons or hybrid lesson/LTC range qualifications at Shady Oaks Gun Range on most Wednesdays. She can be available on other days/times by request only.
Click on any of the green dates on the calendar, and you will see the available time slots for Victoria. Then click the “Book Now” button to book your appointment today!