
Upon seeing scores of new gun owners who would've never considered firearms before the pandemic and civil unrest, L.A. Progressive Shooters was founded in 2020 as a non-intimidating and inclusive community, focused on safety and education, for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and progressives new to firearms.
CLASSES in the Los Angeles area to help people learn about firearms in a welcoming and inclusive space. We want to demystify guns for the most intimidated people, empower the most vulnerable and marginalized communities, and destigmatize responsible gun ownership.
We welcome people who are curious or passionate about firearms, but tired of the stigma and stereotype of being a gun owner in liberal circles, and being the minority in conservative-dominated gun spaces.
As a refugee who fled a war, Tom understands that guns can be triggering and have traumatic associations in many BIPOC communities.
Constantly honing his craft, Tom achieved B class ranking within 8 months of USPSA pistol competition.
When not teaching: Cat dad, dancing cumbia, yoga and cultural & activist scenes in Mexico City & L.A.
Speaks Spanish and Vietnamese.

The same month Robin started as a client, he was part of our civilian team which won 1st Place at Glock Sport Shooting Foundation in 2021.
Robin has been a constant presence since then, from supporting our past community events, to now a certified pistol instructor, who has helped streamline and improve how we teach Pistol 101.
When not teaching: Traveling and running his own small business.
Val is a certified pistol instructor and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher.
Starting as a client in 2021, Val loves teaching at LAPS as a safe space to learn, train, and thrive.
When not teaching: Animal Lover, taking care of her horses, chickens, ducks, birds, dogs. Traveling and homeschooling her kids.
Offering support in Spanish and her own women's pistol classes.
We were humbled to be featured in this short film about how people navigated the pandemic by creating new communities.
June 2022, we celebrated our 2 year anniversary as a welcoming, supportive and non-intimidating community for folks new to guns. New this year was a mock USPSA stage as we encourage more students and members to try competition shooting to keep growing and honing their skills.

During these difficult times, people are looking for a safe, inclusive space to learn, and our Pistol classes are only available every 4 weeks & sell out fast. Watch our FREE Intro to Firearms video.