“John Wayne,” an active- duty serviceman, watches his trainer demonstrate a “controlled pair”—two shots to the center of a target. (Evan Simko-Bednarski) I sat here for a reason,” says Mike Meacher.

Front Sight is like summer camp. Almost. Instead of a pine-smelling forest with a rippling mountain lake, say, you get the hard edge of a Mojave Desert badland. Instead of sweating in shorts, T-shirt ...