PERSONALIZED PRIVATE Lessons
If a group class isn’t your thing or you want even more personalized attention, our private instructors are there to serve you. Private instruction is ideal for in-depth knowledge delivered one-on-one or in a small group setting.
Even though it’s private, you can still share the experience with a few friends!
dan schmelzer
Range Master
Dan Schmelzer is our esteemed range master and has been a life long hunting and shooting enthusiast who has been involved as a volunteer in the law enforcement community for past 12 years. As an AZPOST Firearms Instructor for the last 6 years, Dan has developed a thorough understanding of marksmanship fundamentals. His experience with beginning as well as accomplished shooters gives him insight into getting great results in limited time. His passion for shooting is demonstrated in his approach to instructing and how he encourages the shooter to excel in their shooting skills while paying the utmost attention to safety.
Dan is a NRA Certified Instructor in Pistol, Personal Protection in the Home, and Home Firearm Safety. He is also an AZPOST Firearms Instructor, Patrol Rifle Instructor, MCSO General Instructor, and Qualified Judgmental shooting Instructor.
brad battaglia
Brad Battaglia has an extensive background with over 16 years of real world experience using firearms. Brad’s professional use of firearms started as a U.S. Army Paratrooper serving as a machine gunner where he deployed to Iraq. Upon returning from deployment Brad became a Sniper and Sniper Team Leader. After leaving the military Brad returned to Iraq where he worked as a private military contractor providing close personal protection to U.S. Government Officials. Brad then returned to Arizona where he began his career in law enforcement. As a Police Officer Brad worked Patrol as well as serving as a SWAT Sniper, Field Training Officer and Firearms Instructor.
Brad is both an NRA and USCCA certified instructor as well as an AZPOST Firearms Instructor. Brad has a passion for teaching new shooters and helping them build skills in shooting and personal protection.
matt obele
Matt Obele is an Arizona native who grew up hunting and target shooting in the North Scottsdale desert before development moved in. His love of the desert and passion for teaching others about it led to a 30-year career as a Jeep tour guide, where he shared stories of Arizona history, taught guests to shoot and reinforced the importance of firearms safety. Matt also spent 20 years performing with Western reenactments groups in which he served as the safety officer. He not only understands the mechanics of using firearms, he is deeply committed to teaching others how to use them properly, in a fun and safe environment.
Matt has taught hundreds of people how to shoot. Where he excels is with newer shooters who want to increase their ability and skill level. His ability to connect on a personal level immediately puts his guests at ease so the learning and enjoyment can begin.
Matt is a Certified NRA Pistol & USCCA Instructor who loves to teach and firmly believes in pursuing his own continuing education.
Anthony KINSEY
Anthony Kinsey is a retired police officer with over 10 years of service. During his time as a police officer, Anthony became a General Instructor which helped hone his teaching skills. These skills allowed him to teach numerous classes over a varied range of topics to multiple people with different learning styles. Anthony was also a certified Fitness Instructor. As a Fitness Instructor, Anthony was responsible for teaching, coaching and mentoring police officers to become more physically fit and reaching their fitness goals. Finally, Anthony was a Field Training Officer (FTO) for numerous new police officers. As a FTO, Anthony was charged with training new officers in multiple areas to help them reach their full potential of becoming a safe and effective solo officer.
Anthony’s background in law enforcement and passion for teaching as well as being a certified NRA pistol instructor and USCCA instructor has given him the insight to mentor and instruct both novice and experienced shooters.
Cherelle Hughes
Cherelle Hughes is a former correctional specialist previously employed at Phoenix West Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility. During her tenure there, she held the assignments of Shift Sergeant, Shift Lieutenant, Operations Lieutenant, and Special Security Unit Supervisor. She also served as a facility Field Training Officer (FTO), and Staff Instructor, specializing in firearms and security threat group instruction. Her dedication to duty and attention to detail aided in staff becoming firearms proficient under her training and well versed in the identification of gang members within the inmate population.
Cherelle’s teaching philosophy revolves around safety by first ensuring the student is relaxed and comfortable with firearms and then instilling a desire to learn new skills to meet individual goals.
Cherelle is an NRA certified handgun instructor, Personal Protection in the Home Firearm Safety Instructor, and an AZDPS Armed Guard Instructor. With a lifelong love of shooting rooted in hunting trips with her grandfather in South Dakota, she provides a safe and friendly learning environment for all skill levels.
CHRIS RAY
Chris Ray is a retired police officer with over 18 years of service with the Phoenix Police Department. During his career, he worked over 8 years on SWAT, where he specialized as a sniper and an Entry Team and Less-Lethal operator. He was also the lead Sniper Instructor and Subject Matter Expert for Arizona Tactical Officer Association, where he taught multiple agencies across the State. Chris furthered his expertise as he taught new and veteran shooters in his role as a firearms and tactics instructor at the Phoenix Police Academy. Teaching both the civilian and law enforcement groups has given him an insight and ability to prepare a novice shooter the importance of firearms safety and to increase their skill level. One of Chris’s recreational outlets is competing regularly in precision rifle matches both locally and nationally.
Chris’s Certifications Include: NRA Select-Fire (Sub Machine Gun) Instructor, NRA Sniper Instructor, AZPOST Firearms and Patrol Rifle Instructor.
Chris has a passion for teaching and is driven to expand not only the beginner’s knowledge and confidence in working with firearms but can take even the most experienced shooter to the next level.
Vern Crow
Vern Crow is a Certified NRA Instructor, Certified Range Safety Officer, Certified United States Conceal Carry Association (USCCA) Instructor and a Certified Law Enforcement Instructor. Over the past 20 years he has taught basic firearms handling skills, marksmanship and maintenance for semi-auto pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun and for the more advanced shooter, tactical skills for these as well.
His strong background in teaching and vast knowledge has been applied to the first time beginner as well as the accomplished shooter. This has given him the ability to obtain a positive result in a short amount of time, regardless of the skill level of his student. Combine this with his patient and pleasant teaching style, this ultimately guides each student into improving their shooting skills, while at the same time teaching them how to be comfortable and safe with their firearm.
