Firearms training in Brownsville, taught in person
NRA Certified · Texas DPS-certified License to Carry Instructors
Get range ready, fast.
Claim your free class
No cost, no obligation. Or call (956) 254-0724 — we answer the phone.
What you learn in the free class
No experience needed, and you do not need to own a gun. We use dummy ammunition throughout.
- The three universal rules of gun safety
- The parts of the gun, and what each one does
- How to lock the slide to the rear
- How to engage and disengage the safety
- How to load and unload with dummy ammunition
- How to use your sights and aim
- How to grip the firearm and get into a proper shooting stance
- How to deal with common malfunctions
- Dry firing
Who we are
Welcome to The Firearms Academy, your trusted partner in responsible firearms education. We are dedicated to empowering responsible citizens, new gun owners, and seasoned shooters with the knowledge, skills, and mindset for safe and confident firearm handling.
We are Emmanuel Jose Galvan and Martha Galvan, a husband-and-wife team. We are lifelong master martial arts instructors, and we are NRA Certified and Texas DPS-certified License to Carry Instructors. Martha is the only female NRA instructor in the Rio Grande Valley, and she leads our women’s-only courses.
At The Firearms Academy, safety is our absolute priority. We emphasize responsible ownership, legal awareness, and proactive defense.
What our students say
5.0★★★★★from 12 Google reviews
- Jose Galvan
Awesome experience today with The Firearms Academy here in Brownsville,Tx. We took the basic firearms course and the program helped me understand all the basics of Firearms. I took this course with my son and daughter to help them have a better understanding of guns and gun safety. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a basic gun course or for self protection.
- Alonzo Alaniz
That workshop was great! It was incredibly thorough, giving us a good understanding of every part of the gun. Plus, the safety standards were well-explained. The instructors were both funny and nice. I do recommend .
- camila galvan
I learned a lot from this experience and it was very helpful. I left with more knowledge and understanding.
- jose galvan
I thoroughly enjoyed the course and emerged with a profound sense of confidence and a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter highly recommended anyone to come join a course
- Maria Angela Z
What a great experience. Anybody that is interested and serious about either carrying a firearm for safety or simply learning basic etiquette and handling, this is the place to go in Brownsville. The licensed instructors, Emmanuel and Martha Galvan, were very welcoming and guided me through the learning course section by section. I will be honest, I was afraid at the beginning since I grew up with a somewhat negative view on guns, however, I remembered I had come here to learn about self defense to protect myself best from situations where being a woman can be seen as being a vulnerable target. As I familiarized myself with gun anatomy, safety, handling, etc, I quickly gathered confedence and control with a couple of firearms. I'm extremely proud of myself as I also earned my certificate and will be going back to complete more courses. Thank you, Manny and Martha for prioritizing firearm knowledge, safety and as always self defense.
- Miguel Leal
Very informative and well designed course. The information provided during the class was easy to digest, and every question I had was answered with both experience and safety in mind. Looking forward to more classes and trainings!
Not sure which class you need?
Most people who call us asking for the License to Carry class actually want to learn to shoot. Those are two different courses.
The License to Carry course teaches the law, not handgun technique. It assumes you can already handle a firearm safely. NRA Basic Pistol teaches you to shoot. If you are new, start with the free beginners class above — then the rest will make sense.
Courses we teach
- NRA Basic Pistol
Where new shooters should start. No experience needed.
- License to Carry (LTC)
The Texas legal course for carrying a handgun. Not a shooting lesson.
- Women's-Only Basic Pistol
Basic Pistol taught by a certified female instructor.
- Personal Protection Inside the Home
Defending yourself at home. Basic Pistol first.
- Personal Protection Outside the Home
Carrying responsibly outside the home. The top of the ladder.
- NRA Basic Rifle
Rifle fundamentals. We can supply the rifle and the ammunition.
- Private, One-on-One Instruction
Monday to Friday, at your pace, one-on-one.
Women’s-only courses
Martha Galvan leads our women’s-only introductory courses. She is the only female NRA instructor in the Rio Grande Valley.
Common questions
Do I need my own gun?
No. We rent firearms for the range portion of our courses, and the range fee is included in the rental. If you already own a handgun you are welcome to bring it.
Is the License to Carry class a shooting lesson?
No. The Texas License to Carry course covers the law around carrying a handgun. It is written for people who already handle a firearm safely. If you have never shot before, start with our free beginners class, then NRA Basic Pistol, and take the LTC class afterwards.
How much do your classes cost?
The beginners class is free. For everything else, call us at (956) 254-0724 — what each course includes (range fees, ammunition, firearm rental) differs, so a single figure would be misleading.
Do you offer the License to Carry course online?
Not at present. Our courses are taught in person in Brownsville.
Do you sell firearms or do gunsmithing?
No. We are a training academy. We do not sell guns and we do not do gunsmithing or repairs.
Where we teach
Classroom instruction takes place at our Brownsville location. Live fire moves to a separate shooting range afterwards — we are a training academy, not a range.
We serve Brownsville, San Benito, Los Fresnos, La Feria and Harlingen.
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