Practical Handgun Training

Significance

• Many states offering carry permits for concealed or non-concealed weapons have taken measures to ensure their citizens are taught safe and responsible gun ownership.

  According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), there are 40 right-to-carry states in the U.S., 36 states have "shall issue" laws, and three states have fairly administered discretionary-issue carry permit systems. Alaska, a "shall issue" state, has a carry permit system for the purpose of permit reciprocity with other states, and since 2003 has allowed carrying without a permit. Of the 10 non-right-to-carry states, eight have restrictively administered discretionary-issue systems. Illinois and Wisconsin make up the last two states and have no permit system and prohibit carrying a weapon.

Types of Training

• Practical handgun training is offered in varying skill levels designed to develop and hone your firearm skills. Handgun training course titles and offerings vary from state to state with training provided by certified firearms instructors at shooting ranges. Certified instructors must demonstrate a high level of skill in safety and shooting coupled with the ability to teach. They must also satisfactorily complete an NRA Instructor Training Course in the discipline they wish to teach (NRA Basic Rifle, NRA Basic Pistol Course, etc.) and receive the endorsement of the NRA Training Counselor responsible for their training.

  Types of practical handgun training include:

  Practical or Basic Handgun I--Entry level course covering safety, handling,loading, unloading, drawing and firing techniques, as well as grip, stance, sighting and one handed shooting techniques.

  Practical or Basic Handgun II--More challenging real world scenarios focusing on faster weapon deployment, more difficult shooting scenarios, disabled.injured shooter scenarios, various shooting positions and shooting on the move as well
  as many more advanced techniques.

  Advanced Handgun I--Must have passed Basic I and II courses. This class is for the intermediate shooter wanting to improves on basic skills. This course includes, multiple targets, tactical and speed reloading, sighting and many more advanced techniques.

  Advanced Handgun Skill II--Most advanced course covering; lethal force shooting, focal exercises and skills, combat and close quarters exercises and drills, bilateral skills and many more advanced techniques.

  Upon completing your handgun training course, most training programs award you a certificate indicating you have completed handgun training in your chosen discipline. Training courses are offered all over the U.S. To find a program near you, visit
  http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx.

Training Duration

• Most practical handgun training classes take one to four days depending on the level of instruction you choose. These are typically all-day events conducted by highly trained professionals with extensive firearms training. Most classes are small in the number of participants, allowing for one-on-one instruction.

Considerations

• When registering for a practical handgun training class consider what type of training interests you, such as self-defense, sport or law enforcement. Each course focuses on different aspects of firearms use, so for example, if you are interested in defensive shooting skills, it may not be necessary to take an advanced course.

  Training courses vary in terms of what is provided to participants. Some handgun training courses provide everything you need for the course, some require you bring your own gear, and some offer rentals providing firearm, holster, ammo and other essentials to complete your training. Contact your chosen course provider for specific requirements and offerings.

Statistics

• According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), there are 63,000 NRA-certified instructors, including 11,000 law enforcement instructors training over 800,000 people annually. The NRA claims that the number of firearms increases by 4 million annually.