The Powder Room in PCB ramps up gun safety courses for National Shooting Sports Month
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Knowing how to properly handle firearms is a life skill Joe Preston, general manager of Powder Room Shooting Range & Training Center, says every adult should have.
With August being National Shooting Sports Month, the Panama City Beach facility is offering six sessions of the National Shooting Sports Foundation's First Shot Class, three of which already have passed. Two of the upcoming three classes are only available for women.
In these four-hour courses, which cost $125 to attend, participants learn how to safely shoot, handle and care for firearms.
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"It's designed to introduce someone who has zero or very little experience — a novice — into the whole issue of gun safely," Preston said of the First Shot Class. "The goal is just to try and (reduce fear of firearms). Fear is a byproduct of the unknown, so we try to answer a lot of questions and try to take the unknown out of it."
Headquartered in New Hampshire, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, promotes shooting sports across the U.S., including hunting and competitive target shooting.
Preston noted women are the fastest growing segment of the shooting sports industry.
"I think that's awesome," he said. "(Shooting) Firearms is something that doesn't require a lot of physical strength. It's something that smaller statured people can compete with larger people. .... Marksmanship and accuracy (are) general levelers of the playing field,(and) I think that appeals to females."
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Located at the intersection of Griffin Boulevard and Panama City Beach Parkway (Back Beach Road), the Powder Room was developed by the St. Joe Company. The 17,000-square-foot facility boasts 14 shooting lanes that are split between nine 15-yard pistol lanes and five 25-yard rifle lanes, along with a guns-and-ammo shop and training simulator.
It is the only indoor shooting range in Panama City Beach.
According to a press release from St. Joe, fees paid to participate in the First Shot Class can be put toward the purchase of a gun at the Power Room.
Upcoming First Shot Classes will take place Aug. 19 from 4-8 p.m., Aug. 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Aug. 29 from 4-8 p.m. Courses also were held Aug. 5, Aug. 12 and Aug. 14. The "ladies only classes" are Aug. 26 and Aug. 29.
"If you're a beginner who is wanting to simply know more about guns, this is the perfect class for you," the release reads. "Learn the basics of shooting, such as proper grip, proper sight alignment, proper sight picture and proper stance.
"... No prerequisite or prior experience needed."
In addition to the First Shot Classes, the range also will continue to hold this month is regular classes, including its concealed carry class, defense pistol class, red-dot sight class and modern sporting rifle class.
For more information on the Powder Room, visit www.powderroompcb.com.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Powder Room adds gun safety classes for National Shooting Sports Month
