Community Highlights: Meet David Selmo of Left of Center Gun School

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Selmo.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Left of Center Gun School began when a close friend of mine confided a very personal story. After being sexually assaulted at gunpoint as a teen, she was terrified of guns her entire life. With millions of guns in the United States, and the number growing daily, she was forced to face the fact that despite her own liberal activism, guns weren’t going away any time soon. She was far from ready to own one, but she’d come to believe that knowing how to safely load, unload, and accurately shoot a firearm were skills she needed to learn. She looked into classes at her local shooting range, but they were always taught in big groups that offered little personal attention, and she felt like she’d be judged for not owning a gun or being part of gun culture.

Thus, my liberal, terrified-of-guns LA friend came to me, her conservative, ex-military, ex-Tennessee cop pal and asked me to show her the ropes. In a single day of focused instruction, not only did she break through her lifelong fear of guns and learn to shoot with confidence and accuracy – she had fun doing it.

When she posted her experience on social media, she expected to take criticism from liberal friends. Instead, she was inundated with private messages from people who confessed to feeling just like her. Questions about potential courses and requests for my contact information poured in. It dawned on both of us that there was an important niche to be filled – fun, apolitical, boutique firearms training for folks who’d otherwise be afraid, embarrassed, or reluctant to seek it out at their local range. Left of Center Gun School, with its unique training techniques and personalized approach to every client, was developed to fill that niche.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As with any startup business, it takes a few years to gain enough exposure and positive testimonies for things to start snowballing. Launching your new business the week that Covid hit… is not advised! Nevertheless, we didn’t let it get us down.
I taught dozens of classes from behind a clear plexiglass blast shield to clients wearing masks. It was remedial action for the situation we faced, and it worked. As for getting the word out, in the beginning, I did everything from posting 11×17 fliers on telephone poles, to 1/4 page add fliers under wiper blades 🙂 Since our start in 2020, we have had more than 300 happy clients and now the word is finally getting out there. Slowly but surely, we have become the go-to gun school in LA.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We understand that people who do not come from “gun culture” are apprehensive about seeking out this type of training from “gun culture.” Our niche is that we offer fun, apolitical, and above all safe firearms training for anybody who wants to learn how to expertly handle and shoot a pistol or shotgun. Whether you currently own a gun or never intend to, Left of Center Gun School will address your apprehensions, teach you a comprehensive skill set, and take you from zero to hero!

We are best known for our Pistol Shooter 1 course. This course provides firearms training for anyone who wants to learn how to safely handle and shoot a handgun. Most of our clients have no prior experience with firearms of any kind. Our pistol course is a hands-on, boutique, full-day experience that utilizes an array of slide action semi-automatic and revolver style handguns, state-of-the-art laser engagement training aids, and creative and entertaining multimedia. Completion of an optional on-line self-study component provides eligibility to qualify for a nationally recognized certification upon completing the course. We are newbie-friendly and start from the absolute beginning with fear mitigation. By the end of the course, you will be able to comfortably, safely, and confidently operate and fire a handgun with expertise. The course culminates with a trip to the firing range. where you will enjoy one-on-one live-fire coaching to conclude your training.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
First, everyone comes into our boutique training studio with an unpredictable, yet predictable amount of apprehension. It is to be expected. You can’t talk somebody out of their fear! Instead, you must understand that it is an underlying factor and then work to mitigate it every step of the way. You can NEVER predict who will struggle and who will succeed in any given moment of training, but this much is certain… At some point, EVERYONE needs a little extra help. Patience is the key.

Pricing:

• Group Courses: $300 pp plus range and ammo.
• Private instruction is available at $90 an hour pp with a 33% discount on the 2nd person (amortizing to $150 an hour per couple.)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.leftofcentergunschool.com/
• Instagram: @leftofcentergunschool
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leftofcentergunschool
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/left-of-center-gun-school-los-angeles?osq=top+ten+firearms+training+in+la

Image Credits
Photographs by David Selmo, used with permission.