Yavapai Firearms Academy is a Mobile Training Unit providing training that encompasses Gunhandling, Marksmanship and Tactics - the three elements of surviving a deadly force confrontation.

Lead Instructor Louis Awerbuck served in 1 Special Services Battalion in the South African Defence Force, and is a member of the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA), the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI), and the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA). He was employed at the original Gunsite Ranch as Chief Rangemaster until 1987, attaining the title of Shooting Master.

With three decades of instructional experience, Louis has been a contributory adjunct instructor to the Marine Corps Security Force Bn Atlantic combat smallarms program and an adjunct firearms/tactics instructor for the Central Training Academy, Department of Energy. He has trained extensively in the police and civilian firearms field, and has instructed military personnel from various United States bases, including Special Forces units.

Awerbuck has authored four books, "The Defensive Shotgun", "Hit or Myth", "Tactical Reality", and "More Tactical Reality", co-produced three videos including "The Combat Shotgun", "Only Hits Count", and "Safe at Home", and is Tactical Consultant and a contributing author to SWAT magazine.

Using a firearm for DEFENSE implies REACTION to an existing threat, not an INITIATION of an action. Therefore, it is our opinion that the most crucial elements of defensive training are QUICK, REFLEXIVE gunhandling and mental CONTROL. While marksmanship training is certainly necessary, it must be combined with tactics and street practical target systems and situations to allow any possibility of surviving a real-world confrontation. No one can guarantee perfect hits under stress, so training should not emphasize this aspect to the exclusion of the others. Reflexive gunhandling and mental control will leave your mind free to concentrate on SHOT PLACEMENT AND TACTICS.

To this end, we use a variety of target systems, and shooting is performed from various tactical body positions; the drills, however, are not of a strenuous physical nature. Training exercises are done from a tactical perspective. Any pressure applied to the student comes from within him/herself. While stress drills are utilized to attain maximum trainee performance on the range, the object of the exercise is to find your individual maximum potential by the end of the class - not during a later life-threatening confrontation! We, therefore, do not use a stopwatch on the range, but for your benefit, what you put in, you will get out of the courses.