Professional Firearms Training
Pistol and rifle training built around understanding, not imitation. Learn the principles behind performance and develop the ability to diagnose, adapt, and improve.
5TH PRINCIPLE TRAINING GROUP
Understand the Principles. Improve Your Performance.
Common Sense Applied.
OUR TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
Principles remain.
Techniques adapt.
The name 5th Principle Training Group comes from my military background, where tactical patrolling was guided by five core principles. The fifth and final principle was common sense—the ability to understand the situation, apply sound judgment, and adapt as conditions change.
That idea continues to shape how we train. The fundamentals of marksmanship remain consistent, while the techniques used to apply them may change with the shooter, firearm, equipment, environment, and the demands of the shooting problem.
Our training is built around understanding rather than memorizing technique. Through logical progression, purposeful repetition, and meaningful feedback, students learn how their actions affect performance, how to recognize deficiencies, and how to apply appropriate corrections.
The goal is to develop shooters who understand performance well enough to adapt, self-assess, and continue improving beyond the training environment.
UNDERSTANDING CREATES ADAPTABLE, CAPABLE, AND RESPONSIBLE SHOOTERS.
Training Options
At 5th Principle Training Group, training is built around understanding the fundamentals and principles that drive performance. Through logical progression, purposeful repetition, and meaningful feedback, shooters learn to recognize, correct, and improve their performance.
Marksmanship Dynamics - Pistol
MD-P helps shooters develop a greater understanding of the fundamentals and principles of marksmanship. Through purposeful repetition, shooters learn to recognize performance, apply appropriate corrections, and continue improving as the demands of the shooting problem change
MD-R helps shooters develop a greater understanding of the fundamentals and principles of marksmanship. Through purposeful repetition, shooters learn to recognize performance, apply appropriate corrections, and continue improving as the demands of the shooting problem change.
PRIVATE TRAINING
Individual or small-group instruction tailored to your goals, experience, and current skill level. Training is built around your individual needs so time is focused on the areas that matter most to your development.
Marksmanship Dynamics - Rifle
IS DIFFERENT
WHY 5TH PRINCIPLE
Most shooters score the target.
We teach you to read it.
Most firearms training focuses on teaching techniques—where to stand, how to grip the firearm, where to place your feet, and what to do when the timer sounds.
Those techniques can be valuable, but techniques alone don’t explain why they work or how to adapt them when the situation changes.
At 5th Principle Training Group, we teach something different.
We teach you to understand the principles behind every shot. Every round fired provides information. The target isn’t simply measuring your performance—it’s communicating the relationship between your inputs and the firearm’s response.
Once you learn to interpret that feedback, you no longer rely on memorizing techniques. You begin understanding cause and effect, allowing you to recognize mistakes, make purposeful corrections, and continue improving every time you train.
OUR DIFFERENCE
A TIGHT GROUP DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN GOOD TECHNIQUE.
Sometimes it simply means you weren't asking enough of yourself to expose the deficiencies.
A shooter can slow down enough to produce an excellent group without ever challenging grip, vision, trigger control, recoil management, or decision-making. The target may look impressive, but it isn't always telling the whole story.
At 5th Principle Training Group, we use time, movement, and practical application to reveal what static shooting often hides. Once those deficiencies become visible, they become measurable, understandable, and correctable.
That's where real learning begins.
WE DON'T TEACH STUDENTS TO CHASE PERFECT SHOT GROUPS.
We teach them to understand what every shot is telling them.
Understanding creates confident, adaptable, and responsible shooters.
Don't memorize techniques. Learn the principles that govern accurate and efficient shooting, so you understand why a technique works—not just how to copy it.
Every shot provides feedback. The target becomes a diagnostic tool—not just a scorecard. Learn to recognize what your inputs are producing.
Instead of guessing what went wrong, you'll learn how to identify the cause and make meaningful corrections that create better results.
Our goal isn't to make you dependent on another class. It's to give you the understanding to continue developing your skills long after the training day ends.
WHAT STUDENTS ARE SAYING
"I told Tim what I wanted to accomplish, and he built the training around my goals. The instruction was practical, challenging, and gave me the confidence and knowledge to keep improving long after the lesson was over."
- Jason Cao
"Tim excels at teaching the foundational principles for efficient gun handling and fundamentals. He has a unique ability to build confidence and make complex skills easy to understand. Hands down the best firearms instructor I have encountered."
- Steve Spears
Real feedback from students who trained with 5th Principle Training Group
"Professional, thorough, and easy to understand. Tim gave us the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to handle firearms safely and continue improving on our own."
- Robert Cogin
"Tim's instruction was professional, knowledgeable, and easy to follow. We left with greater confidence and a solid foundation in safe firearms handling."
- Johnny Figgs
Get in touch
Have a question?
We're here to help.
Whether you're looking for your first firearms course, private instruction, or simply have questions about our training, we'd be happy to help. Complete the form below, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Phone
(813) 485-6906
tim@5thprincipletg.com
