About DTA
Down-Range Training Academy is a private firearms training company based in Kennesaw, GA, serving the greater Metro Atlanta area. Every course is taught by a single instructor with 20 years of U.S. Navy service and thousands of hours of live-fire instruction.
Lead Instructor
Marcus Darling served twenty years in the United States Navy as a Master-at-Arms — the Navy's law enforcement and security force — retiring as a Petty Officer First Class (E-6), Surface Warfare qualified. During his career, the Navy formally certified him as a Small Arms Instructor: the sailor trusted to train other sailors to safely handle, carry, and use lethal weapons under real-world conditions.
After retiring, Marcus earned NRA certifications as a Pistol Instructor and Personal Protection In The Home Instructor, adding structured civilian teaching methodology to his military foundation. He also holds NRA Range Safety Officer certification — the standard for maintaining safe conditions on a live-fire range.
That military-grade standard is what every DTA student receives — whether it is their first time holding a pistol or their fiftieth session on the range.
His teaching philosophy centers on three principles: fundamentals first, deliberate repetition second, and confidence third. Personal protection is a skill, not a hobby. Skills are built through structured practice with a qualified instructor — not through a single afternoon at a public range. Every DTA session is designed around this belief.
Why DTA exists
Thirty-two percent of American adults own a firearm. Most have never received professional instruction. Marcus saw the same pattern in the civilian world that he spent two decades correcting in the Navy: people who owned weapons but lacked the training to use them safely and effectively under stress.
Down-Range Training Academy was founded in 2024 to close that gap — specifically for everyday people in Metro Atlanta who want practical pistol skills without a military commitment. Classes are intentionally small (private sessions are one-on-one, group classes cap at six) so every student gets direct, hands-on coaching from the instructor. Not a lecture. Not a video. Real rounds, real feedback, real skill development.
DTA is not affiliated with any gun range, retail store, or franchise. It is an independent, veteran-owned training company. Session locations are confirmed at booking and are held at professional indoor ranges in the Kennesaw and Marietta area.
Service area
Down-Range Training Academy is based in Kennesaw, Georgia, and serves students across the greater Metro Atlanta area. Most students drive from the following cities and surrounding communities:
Session locations are at professional indoor ranges within the Kennesaw–Marietta corridor. The exact address is shared when you book. If you are outside these areas but still within driving distance, text 404-590-5740 — Marcus accommodates students from across north Georgia.
Courses offered
Beginner pistol fundamentals plus live-fire. Covers safe handling, stance, grip, sight picture, and trigger discipline — then puts rounds downrange.
A women-only class built for comfort and confidence. Max 6 participants across two range lanes — small by design, so every shooter gets real time with the instructor.
One-on-one instruction tailored to your specific goals — whether that's refining form, building confidence, or working through a specific skill.
A 2-hour extended session with 75 rounds of 9mm, all gear included, plus a $25 credit toward gear or ammo. Solo or with one training partner.
Down-Range Training Academy is an independent, veteran-owned firearms training company. DTA is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any college, university, gun range, or retail firearms dealer. Training sessions are conducted at professional indoor ranges in the Kennesaw–Marietta area; the specific location is confirmed at booking.
