We are currently accepting registrations for our May, June and July classes basic handgun and Florida concealed carry license qualification classes.
Classes will be conducted on our new, air conditioned, indoor, gun range, with a state-of-the-art, high efficiency ventilation system. No battling the summer heat, no sweating, no breathing smoke filled air.
What separates our firearms training classes from the others . . .
Our classes are conducted on an indoor, AIR CONDITION gun range, with a state-of-the-art, high-efficiency ventilation system.
We offer convenient online class registration and payment.
Unlike classes conducted by law enforcement agencies, we do not require a pre-class appointment for registration, payment and fingerprinting.
Our classes are the most economical of any firearm training or concealed carry class conducted locally.
All our classes are taught by NRA advanced certified firearms instructors.
All our hands-on, firearm training classes qualify the student for applying for a Florida concealed carry weapons license. A license currently recognized in 38 states.
We have convenient online registration, with NO pre-class appointments or fingerprinting required.
All our firearms training qualifies the participant for applying for a Florida concealed carry license, currently recognized in 38 states.Your Florida concealed carry license will be valid when the ‘nationwide concealed carry reciprocity law’ goes into effect.
See our current summer class schedule and register for a class on EVENTBRITE at . . .
Recently while on an out-of-town trip, I had a rather painful experience.
While traveling out of town, I had some spare time before my appointment so I took the opportunity to visit a gun shop in the area.
The shop being occupied by only a handful of firearm enthusiasts, it was easy to move about and browse the inventory. Also, it was a rather small shop, so it was not difficult to overhear the conversations of others.
One of the shoppers was an older woman, some might describe her as elderly, interested in purchasing her first handgun. It was her conversation with the salesperson, on the other side of the gun counter, I found a bit uncomfortable.
As the woman asked her questions, the salesperson courteously responded to her inquiries and showed her one handgun after another.
What quickly became evident, the woman had no clue as to what she was doing or knowledge of what she was shopping for. All the woman knew was she wanted a gun that would fit in her hand, was not too heavy, had a safety and would fit into her small pocketbook.
She was overheard saying her friend had one that “looks like that”.
As the salesperson handed her one gun after another, she manipulated them, pointing out their shortcomings and why they would not work for her.
Her attention was directed toward the semi-autos. That is what her friend had.
Her concern was she had arthritis and did not have the strength to pull “that thing” back. Of course, the gun had to have a safety and she wanted one that would not jam. She was not concerned about how to load it. She would have someone do that for her. Maybe her friend.
After sometime and well into the shopping experience, a well-intentioned, nearby, fellow shopper suggested she consider a revolver.
Her response: “Oh no. Those are old-fashioned. I want one with a safety. My friend has one like these,” as she pointed at the semi-autos.
The woman must have looked at least 20 handguns and handled a dozen of them. Becoming obviously more and more dissatisfied with her inability to find the one gun that fulfilled all her needs, she left the store frustrated and empty-handed.
THE TAKE AWAY FROM THE EXPERIENCE
Before purchasing your first firearm:
First and foremost, determine what the gun is to be used for:
Concealed carry/self-defenseHome defenseTarget or sport shootingCompetitionHunting
No one gun is good for all purposes.
Second, set a budget. What is the most you are willing to spend. Guaranteed, what you want, a gun that will fit your needs, is going to be more expensive than what you initially considered. Also, you get what you pay for. Go cheap and you will get a cheap gun. When purchasing a tool to defend your life and the lives of your loved ones, it is no time to go cheap. If you ever have to use the gun to defend your life, you will only be given one chance. There are no do-overs.
3rd – Do your research. Yes, ask friends. Ask other gun owners. But do not rely solely on their opinions. You know what is said about opinions. Everyone has different physical characteristics, hand size, hand and arm strength, firearm knowledge, skills and experience. Remember, this is your first handgun. A cardinal rule: Keep it simple. The simpler your first gun is to operate, having the fewest buttons, levers and gadgets on it the better. At 2 o’clock in the morning, when you hear glass break and you do not own a cat, it no time to have to think: Is this the gun with the safety up or the safety down? Do I have to pull the slide back? Read bona fide articles, but avoid YouTube videos. Many videos are misleading.
4th – Before purchasing your first handgun, take a firearm training class. Learn the differences, the pros and cons of the different handguns, from an unbiased, certified firearms instructor. The few bucks you will spend on a handgun training class can save you hundreds when purchasing your first gun.
Following the above suggestions will save the first-time handgun buyer a lot of aggravation and likely prevent him or her from making a $450 – $600 mistake.
Contact us for official NRA firearms training. We will educate you in how to purchase your first firearm and train you in using it safely.
Appearing on Fox News Friday, April 11, 2025 . . . .
Nationwide concealed carry reciprocity takes another step closer to becoming a reality. Congressman Richard Hudson appeared on Fox News, Friday, April 11, 2025 . . . .
Law enforcement is calling for tighter gun safety, as it’s the second such death in Polk County this year.
Free child safety gun locks available from In-Gauge of Polk County. Simply send an email request to: in-gauge@ingaugeofpolkcounty.com
A 4-year-old Davenport boy has died of a self-inflicted gunshot after finding a firearm in his family’s car Friday night. Law enforcement is calling for tighter gun safety, as it’s the second such death in Polk County this year.
Police Chief Steven Parker said Chosen’s death should serve as a “stark reminder” of best practices and gun safety for firearm owners.
The firearm in the Morris family’s vehicle was legally owned by Robert Morris, who Parker said told police he owned it for personal safety on his travel to and from work.
Robert Morris told detectives he usually takes the firearm out of the car on Thursday nights when he arrives home from work, and securely stores it in his bedroom.
“He forgot. He simply forgot,” the chief said. “He forgot Thursday, this happens Friday.”
Parker said gun owners need to know exactly where their firearms are at all times, and make sure they are secure when not in their immediate possession.
This is the second child, self-inflicted, accidental gunshot death in Polk County, Florida in as many months.
6-year-old Major Smith died of an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound January 9, 2025, in Lakeland, Florida, by a gun he found in his parent’s car.
Major Smith died Tuesday at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, two days after he found a gun in a car outside his residence on West Crawford Street and accidentally shot himself, Lakeland police said.
In-Gauge of Polk County, a private, non-profit organization, Winter Haven, Florida, has FREE child safety gun locks to Polk County residents, available for the asking. Polk County residents need only send an email request to receive a free gun lock.
At the invitation of the Liberty Link Foundation 360, Bartow, Florida, In-Gauge of Polk County, a private, non-profit organization, chartered by the National Rifle Association, conducted a free youth gun safety class, for the participants of Liberty Link 360’s summer youth program. The class was conducted Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at the Liberty Link Foundation 360, facility in Bartow, Florida.
Recognizing the alarming rise of accidental child shootings, the Liberty Link Foundation 360 invited In-Gauge of Polk County to educate the teenage participants of its summer youth program on gun safety.
Using an audio visual presentation and physical props In-Gauge emphasized the importance of gun safety.
The overall message was: If you are not authorized and trained in the use of a gun, don’t touch it and always assume that every gun is loaded.
At the completion of the presentation, each participant was issued with a gun safety lock to accompany their certificate of training.
In-Gauge of Polk County routinely conducts gun safety training classes for the public and child gun safety seminars throughout the year, making available free gun locks to the public. The locks are provided through the generosity of local businesses that are concerned with child gun safety.
In 2023, In-Gauge of Polk County distributed over 500 gun locks, free to the public. In-Gauge of Polk County relies solely on the financial generosity of local businesses to fund its child gun safety program.
For information on how to donate to In-Gauge of Polk County’s child gun safety gun lock program, call 863-206-1996 or send an email inquiry to: robert_admin@ingaugepolkcounty.org
This is not a scene from a Hollywood movie. It did not happen in some far away stated. In happened right here in central Florida, in broad daylight.
This is not a scene from a Hollywood movie. It did not happen in some far away stated. In happened right here in central Florida, in broad daylight, at a busy intersection, in front of numerous witnesses.
Regrettably, the victim was found dead in her burned out vehicle hours later.
Every law abiding citizen needs to know how to defend him or her self and be able to do it. We want to train you how to do it, which involves more than owning a gun. It involves knowing how and when to use it. It involves recognizing a potential threat, recognizing a real threat and reacting to that threat. We want to train you to defend your life and the lives of your loved ones. Contact us for real life self-defense training . . . www.ingaugeofpolkcounty.com
You may be aware that a license is no longer required to carry a concealed firearm in Florida. Not that a license ever was required to have a gun in your vehicle. But, if you carry one or plan to carry one, you need to be proficient in its use and know when you can legally use it. Our ARMED ASSAILANT/ACTIVE SHOOTER DEFENSE COURSE does just that.
Our ARMED ASSAILANT/ACTIVE SHOOTER DEFENSE COURSE not only trains you in the safe use of you firearm to defend your life and the lives of your loved ones, it develops in you a defensive mindset, trains you in situational awareness, how to recognize a potential threat and avoid that threat. And, if necessary, how to use your firearm to neutralize a threat.
Our ARMED ASSAILANT/ACTIVE SHOOTER DEFENSE COURSE is an advanced level training class that takes the beginning, novice shooter from the introduction of a handgun for self-defense to the advanced level of defending his or her life against an armed assailant.
At the completion of our ARMED ASSAILANT/ACTIVE SHOOTER DEFENSE COURSE the participant is awarded an official NRA certificate of training recognized in all 50 states and is good for applying for a Florida concealed carry weapon and firearm license.
Contact us at: 863-206-1996 or through our website at: CONTACT US
In-Gauge of Polk County is an NRA chartered, non-profit organization located in Winter Haven, Florida. All training course proceeds go to support the shooting sports in central Florida.
Florida, carjacking, Seminole County, Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, Winter Springs
This is an official, gun safety course that fulfills the requirements, for those person who have had a little brush with the law and are required to complete a gun safety course ordered by the Court.
Online Gun Safety Course for Court Ordered Persons
This is an official, completely online, gun safety course that fulfills the requirements, for those persons who have had a little brush with the law and are required to complete a gun safety course ordered by the Court.
COST: $60
This is course is specific to Florida. It cannot be guaranteed that the certificate of training issued upon completion of this course will be recognized by an an out of state court.
It is guaranteed the certificate of training issued upon successful completion of this course will be recognized by any Florida court.
For more information and to register for the course, click on the button below.
