So, you’re interested in firearms? Maybe you want to do some hunting and target shooting? Fantastic! You have come to the right place. All of us at DF Safety love to see new people get into shooting sports.
We take great pride in producing the next generation of firearms enthusiasts who are safe, considerate, and respectful. I have always said, that as a community, sport shooters should always present themselves, are law abiding, knowledgeable, respectful, and responsible. We will not only teach you the minimum legal standard, but we will also talk about when it is advisable to exceed minimum standards, and apply best practice. Hunting and Target Shooting are sports that attracts a very diverse audience.
On any given day we get singles, couples, families, new immigrants, people of different ages, people from just about any walk of life, and occupation you can imagine. We might have people with no experience, or military personnel and Indigenous subsistence hunters in the same course. All of our instructors enjoy interacting with, and getting to know, the wide variety of students. No two classes are exactly the same!
What can I legally do with my firearms?
There are a number of things you can do with your non-restricted firearms. Most people are interested in hunting, target shooting, shooting competitions or as part of the occupation, hunting guides, or farmers performing pest/predator control for example.
Restricted firearms, with very few exceptions, can only be fired at a certified shooting range, and are therefore typically used for target shooting and shooting competitions.
What courses do I need?
There are two courses. Everyone wanting to own a firearm will have to take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. It will take one day in class to complete, and will give you all of the basics for firearm ownership. Upon completion, you can apply for your Possession Acquisition License for non-restricted firearms. Most hunting and sporting rifles and shotguns fall into this category.
If you want to own restricted firearms, you will require an additional training day for the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course. This will give you the additional requirement for restricted firearms such as handguns, although many firearms other than handguns fit into this category.
What to expect at the course
You can expect high quality instruction. All of our instructors are certified by the Alberta Hunter Education Instruction Association and will have considerable firearms safety experience. We pride ourselves on providing a welcoming atmosphere for all students regardless of background, level of experience, and level of confidence. We have had students come into our classroom afraid of firearms and leave with a high level of confidence and familiarity.
The course will be a mix of formal instruction, work in your workbook, and hands on experience with actual firearms. Don’t worry! The firearms have all been deactivated by a gunsmith and we use inert ammunition. Safety is paramount in our classes.
What people are saying in our Google reviews
“This was a surprisingly excellent course. Dave and Bruce are very engaging instructors, and take their time going around to each student. As a younger single female, I often don’t know what to expect in male dominated courses like this, but Dave and Bruce really taught everyone on the same level and the environment was very respectful and had a high sense of comradery. For what could have been a long, dry day of learning, it went by very quick, and I actually had some fun while learning a lot. I didn’t do the restricted course this time but if I do decide to take it, I will be taking it here.”
-TW
“My wife and I recently completed the firearms safety course, and we would highly recommend it. The instructors were excellent. They were very patient, kind and supportive with my anxious wife, who was afraid of guns, but passed the course on her first try. Dave gave very clear and sensible instructions, Bruce had great stories to help us learn and David was no-nonsense and very supportive. Rachel was very sweet and kind, making sure everyone got through to the end of the day. We cannot thank them enough.”
-EC
“I can’t recommend Dave and his staff enough. I was nervous going in for my CFSC and CRFSC due to having no firearms experience. Dave and everyone I interacted with at Dave Ferro Safety Ltd. did a great job of teaching the course. I now see that firearms are something to be respected not feared, and I feel empowered to handle firearms of all kinds, to take charge of my own safety, and to ultimately find enjoyment in purchasing, collecting and using firearms of my own.”
-HC
“Professional environment and super knowledgeable and cool instructor! You will sit in the actual classroom and not in a day rented boardroom in a church or community hall. The COVID safety measurement is excellent. Bruce is a great instructor with an extensive experience with firearms and absolutely skilled how to teach and entertain the audience that they don’t even understand how 8 hours passed and they got their certificate. You will learn a lot from him.
-NS
I highly recommend DFSafety and I will get back there to finish my restricted firearm course for sure.
Thank you guys very much.”