1st IN

1ST IN is a firearms training operation run by Gino Giliotti, based in Pennsylvania and focused on building defensive shooting skills that actually work under pressure. This isn't bullseye shooting or stand-and-deliver fundamentals—it's training designed to reveal weaknesses and force skill development where it matters.

Giliotti's approach starts with a hard truth: slow fire target shooting is insufficient for self-defense. In self-defense scenarios, all targets are high-risk. You need precision and control, but that control has to happen at speed. The gap between what students think they can do and what they can actually do under pressure is usually massive, and that's what the training exposes.

The methodology is straightforward: build foundational hard skills first, then pressure-test them using objective standards and time constraints. Understanding that performance degrades under stress, training happens faster than real-life speed to reveal weaknesses you can't see when shooting slowly.

Core Skills Developed: - Fast and efficient draws from concealment - Visual discipline and target acquisition - Consistent grip and recoil management - Shooting at speed with accountability (accuracy maintained) - Single-hand shooting (strong and weak hand) - Engaging multiple targets at varying distances - Shooting on the move - Movement transitions and position changes - Distance estimation and hold adjustments - Performance under time constraints

Class Formats: - Concealed Performance Pistol - Full day training combining foundational hard skills with high-risk target arrays, then pressure-tested using USPSA classifier stages - EDC Assessment - Measures current skill level objectively so you know where you actually stand - EDC-Focused Hybrid Practical Shooting Workshop - Develops foundational skills, applies them against complex stage arrays - Private and group training options available

Giliotti competes in both USPSA and PCSL matches—24 matches over two years with GMs and high-level shooters. This isn't ego. Competition serves as a training tool that pressure-tests skills and forces performance on-demand. Recent results:

Finished 1st overall in Practical division at PCSL All Rifle Match (Poconos) with 52 competitors, taking 1st place on stages 1-2, 2nd on stage 3, and 3rd overall.

The competitive experience directly informs class curriculum. Students run outlaw USPSA classifier stages as part of training—not to teach competition, but to create the intensity that forces realistic assessment of skill under pressure.

• •The Bill Drill - The standard 2-second par time from 7 yards (draw to all alphas on USPSA target) builds critical skills: fast draws, index consistency, visual discipline, and recoil management. Giliotti's "Berserker Bill" variation runs multiple Bills at 5, 10, 15, 25, and back to 7 yards, requiring distance adjustments and movement. Requires actual skill development—people disparaging it as a "mag dump" are typically the same people who can't hit the standard.

• •Variable Distance Training - Knowing your holds matters. At a 50-yard zero, you need to know your hold-under for 100-yard targets and hold-over for 15-yard plates. This isn't guessing; it's precision that applies to real defensive scenarios.

• •Intensity Through Iteration - Classes aren't static. Recently added agility poles for complex mini-stages. Uses SG timer for detailed performance data. Every class evolves based on where students are gaining success and where the "wheels fall off."

Regular classes, private training available. Classes run using actual pressure—timers, objectives, and data collection. Classes accommodate different skill levels but expectations for performance are clear: articulate your goals, train toward objective standards, demonstrate competence on-demand.

• •The gun isn't a magic talisman. Training must reflect real-world use and pressure conditions. There's no hack to skip hard work. Building shooting skill requires consistent practice over time, and the training has to evolve as your skills develop. Many students come through with inflated sense of ability—cold drills at the start of class usually fix that fast.

Gino Giliotti [email protected] 267.312.3416

• •Policies: Cancellation policy, waiver, and FAQs available on website.