Mark Schneider

Firearms Instructor

Mark Schneider is a Firearms Instructor based in Denver, Colorado. His journey into the world of firearms, novice gunsmithing, shooting, and tactics began nearly two decades ago. Over the course of his career, he has amassed over 18 years of firearms instruction experience and 10 years of security experience, predominantly in the realm of armed uniformed security. Mark holds NRA certifications and has held multiple roles, including NRA Certified Pistol Instructor, NRA Inside The Home Protection Instructor, NRA Outside The Home Protection Instructor, NRA Refuse to Be a Victim Instructor, and NRA Chief Range Safety Officer. Mark’s extensive training history includes a wide array of tactical and security courses, encompassing advanced pistol, rifle, and shotgun training, close quarter combat, ambushing tactics, and more.

Certifications & Organizations

Colorado Insurance License
NRA Certified Instructor
MAG 40 Grad and LOSD Grad
Licensed as an armed security guard with the City & County of Denver

Favorite Piece of Advice

Take some firearms training classes! Learn how to safely and legally use your firearms.

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Co-authored Articles (12)

How to

Shoot a Revolver

Shooting a revolver is very similar to shooting other types of handguns. If you are new to guns in general or even just revolvers in particular, you should start by training with a professional at a shooting range to lea...

How to

Load a Black Powder Revolver

Modern black powder revolvers are loaded in the same basic way as their historical counterparts. Before loading the firearm, you need to make sure that the gun is clean and in proper working order. If everything checks o...

How to Install Shotgun Choke Tubes

Interchangeable choke tubes customize the shot spread of your shotgun, allowing you to switch from a wider spread (such as for skeet shooting) to a narrower spread (like for turkey hunting).. 26 January 2024. Switching ...

How to

Shoot a Shotgun

Shotguns are used primarily for hunting birds and other small game, as well as for sport in skeet shooting. They come in a variety of sizes and styles. Learning the basics and selecting a gun is covered in this shotgun p...

How to

Paint Guns

You can easily change the color of any rifle or pistol by painting it in it’s entirety or painting individual pieces. However, it’s important that you have thorough knowledge of the gun first, as you may need to disa...

How to

Load and Fire a Muzzleloader

Firing a flintlock muzzleloader provides an experience to the true weapons connoisseur that no modern, precision-engineered, mass-produced firestick can match. Holding, loading, and shooting this pinnacle of early human ...

How to Use a Cable Gun Lock

Using a cable lock to lock your gun prevents it from being loaded and fired. Plus, it’s an easy, relatively cheap way to keep your guns safe while in storage. In this article, we’ll tell you exactly how to use a cab...

How to

Wear a Shoulder Holster

A shoulder holster is a comfortable way to carry a gun, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting. Holster rigs allow you to tighten the straps, so they are adaptable to a wide range of body sizes. They feature a gun...

How to

Maintain a Shotgun

Every time you fire a shotgun, residue collects in its movable parts. This residue buildup can cause gun malfunctions, unreliability and firing unpredictability, the consequences of which can be detrimental and even leth...

How to

Clear a Building with a Firearm

Clearing or searching a building when someone may be in it (who also may have a weapon) is a very dangerous task, and should not be taken lightly. Police and military have training for such circumstances, but the normal ...

How to

Handle a Firearm Safely

Firearms are dangerous tools, but they can also be very fun outdoor recreational activity, or even a family event. Before ever touching any type of firearm, there are a few cardinal rules which should be followed at all ...

How to

Shoot an Assault Rifle

Semi-automatic rifles can be useful. Whether it's just going hunting, a decoration, or for any other reason, it's always good to learn how to shoot it. Of course, you'll be wondering where you can learn, how you will lea...