NRA FIRST Steps RIFLE Orientation

NRA FIRST STEPS RIFLE ORIENTATION Class

This course is offered FREE for youth students (under age 18)!

This NRA FIRST STEPS RIFLE ORIENTATION class is designed to provide a hands-on introduction to the safe handling and proper orientation of a specific rifle platform. This four-hour class is ideal for beginners, new purchasers and those contemplating buying a rifle. This training provides beginners with an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to own and use a rifle safely. This class is ideal for all and especially for families, couples, women, youth (10 and older), and groups!

This course includes classroom and live-fire range time for learning to shoot a specific rifle action type. We will cover bolt-action, semi-automatic, lever-action, single-shot, and pump-action rifles as well as different types of sighting systems. We focus on the needs of the students in the class. Students will learn the NRA rules for safe gun handling; the particular rifle model parts and operation; ammunition; shooting fundamentals; cleaning the rifle; and continued opportunities for skill development.

Students receive the Basics of Rifle Shooting handbook, the NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, and the NRA FIRST STEPS RIFLE ORIENTATION Course completion certificate.

WHO MAY ATTEND: Safe and responsible individuals who are U.S. citizens (or lawful permanent resident aliens with valid I-551—known as a "Green Card”), ages 10 and older. Students under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who also registers for the course (make sure there are enough spaces open in the class before registering to accommodate this requirement). Students ages 16–17 who are not attending with a parent or legal guardian must have express written consent to attend, signed by a parent or legal guardian. Space is limited. Pregnant or nursing women should consult with a physician before registering for this class, which includes a practical shooting exercise in an indoor live-fire range. If you are specifically prohibited from possessing a firearm, do not register for this course.

INSTRUCTOR(S): This class is taught by AIM-COMM-affiliated NRA-certified rifle instructors.

FEE*: $115.00 $65.00 paid in full at time of registration or FREE for youth students (ages 10-17). 

Costs for this class are partly covered (-$50 per student ages 18 and older and -$115 for youth under 18) by the Alaska Interior Marksmanship Committee (AIM-COMM), as part of our mission and purpose to foster the development of marksmanship, the safe and ethical use of firearms, and to support youth education and marksmanship opportunities in our community. AIM-COMM is able to provide more training opportunities for the community and reduce some course fees as a direct result of financial support from our permittee contract relationship with the gaming operator of Lotto Alaska.

DATE & TIMES**: This class is scheduled to be conducted on Monday, Monday, January 19, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SNACKS: You are encouraged to bring, if you wish, personal snacks and beverages for consumption during short breaks in the class. There are water fountains and a vending machine (with snacks and beverages) on site. Food and beverages are not permitted in the live-fire range.

WHAT TO BRING: All equipment and materials needed for this class are provided. Students should bring their own personal items, including protective eye and ear protection if you wish to bring your own, writing utensil(s) and notepad for note taking. Firearms and ammunition are provided. If you wish to bring your own rifle, it must be one permitted for use at the ADF&G Indoor Range (.22 LR), and we need to coordinate with you in advance of class. There is an option in the registration form to let us know if you plan to bring your rifle. All firearms must be UNLOADED and CASED upon arrival. If you have any questions about this, please let us know in advance.

LOCATION: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range, 1501 College Road, Fairbanks, Alaska. (Just west of Danby Street, south of Creamer's Field/Refuge.)

QUESTIONS: Contact us by email at firststepsrifle@aimcomm.org or phone NRA firearms instructor Ulises González at 907-378-3025.

* The registration fee is non-refundable if you cancel or do not show. If we cancel our class for any reason, including weather, and you are not able to reschedule, we will refund your fee.

** If the class date you prefer is showing as full in online registration and other class dates are not posted or available on the registration page, please contact us at firststepsrifle@aimcomm.org. We may be able to make other arrangements to accommodate you or put you on a waiting list. Likewise, if you have a group interested in this training course, let us know, as we may be able to arrange for a class for your group.

The Alaska Interior Marksmanship Committee (AIM-COMM), a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range (HEDR), in Fairbanks, Alaska, work cooperatively to host and conduct NRA FIRST STEPS RIFLE Classes for the public. AIM-COMM’s purpose is to foster the development of marksmanship, the safe and ethical use of firearms, and to support and promote the use of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range in Fairbanks, Alaska.