Victoria Kogan
About Victoria:
- Texas License to Carry (LTC) Instructor
- NRA Certified Instructor for Basic Pistol
- NRA Refuse to be a Victim Instructor
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 which 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 where 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 of watching it grow from a slab on the ground into a booming business. While my professional background had mainly been in accounting and office management, I soaked up a wealth of practical firearms knowledge. This also put me on the path of becoming an instructor, and it brings me joy to help others become competent and confident with a firearm as I continue to learn and develop as a competitive shooter.
As a woman who became interested in firearms “later in life,” I’m not your typical “Tactical Tammy” firearms instructor with a lifetime of gun experience. However, because I came into firearms “later in life,” I am acutely familiar with a lot of misinformation that is given to new firearm owners and to women particularly.
I love working with beginners and with people who may be intimidated by firearms. I am passionate about teaching others to be confident and competent at their own pace.
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. The “snappy” recoil can be a challenge. 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. However, 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!