Front Sight

Obviously the cost of the gun is built into the deal somehow. Whether you call it free or you buy a $1200 gun and get free training, it really doesn't matter.

I think their retail price on their 4-day training class is $2000. Front Sight provides quality training. They have promoted their facility, training and membership in a variety of way over the years.

I have trained there many times and their training staff is squared away.

I know in the past, Front Sight offered free training to Utah University students. I don't know if the deal is still in affect but here is a reference:

After hearing that Utah Legislators had lifted the Utah
University ban against students carry concealed weapons on
campus, Dr. Piazza, the Founder and Director of Front Sight
Firearms Training Institute near Las Vegas, Nevada wants
every law-abiding, full-time university student to have the
opportunity to attend Front Sight's Five Day Armed Citizen
Course and Piazza is willing to pay the $2,500 course
tuition for each student.

You get a bunch of stuff besides the handgun. You have to think that since they buy in bulk they are getting the gun for around $500 or less. Then they give you the course (which they value at $500 per day x 4 days = $2000), 7 training manuals ($40+ each) and a bunch of other stuff (knife, t-shirt, etc). So the the $700 over the gun they get is to cover all the stuff they make and the course - they are getting screwed. But the reason they do it is because the training is so good and there are so many other courses down there they know you will want to take, that they expect a good number of people to buy memberships.

I know, I know, you wonder if this will be like a time-share experience. Well, I was worried and prepared for that, but it didn't happen. Sure, we had videos during lunch about buying memberships, but it wasn't forced on you and I didn't feel any pressure. I had a great time and went for free (Utah college students) - so all I had to pay for was travel, lodging and ammo. I would recommend taking a trip down there and that deal is a really good one - most of the people that I knew down there got XDs with the deal.

Let me know if you have any other questions.