Why handgun
All handgun owners need be trained how to use them properly. This doesn’t mean going to the range with a friend or family member, shooting casually and getting a few pointers. It means doing it the right way with people who have an expertise in the field, just like anything else of consequence that you would learn.
If you have never received any formal firearms instruction, this is where to begin your training with us. Even if your ultimate goal is to train with shotguns or rifles, the shooting fundamentals learned with a handgun will translate to the other weapon systems. Handgun training will serve you well no matter what classes you take afterwards.
Handguns are harder to shoot than most people realize. While we’ve trained numerous actors (shameless plug – check some of them out here), this isn’t the movies and handguns are not forgiving. With that said, we will absolutely get you up to speed. We pride ourselves on that, but you have to put in the work!
"Handguns are the firearm most commonly used in defensive incidents (66%)."
Core Curriculum
Comprehensive classes that provide the framework to achieve advanced proficiency.
WHAT TO EXPECT
A high-level look at our Core Handgun Classes
HANDGUN 1: A safe, welcoming and enjoyable introduction to the laws, marksmanship and manipulations with a handgun. This class will show you what the experience of formal firearms training is all about.
HANDGUN 2: Refreshing the basics then building off of that. Lots of reps, you’ll hit your stride in this class and gain confidence. You’ll still miss shots, but you’ll know how to make corrections. By the end you’ll have a strong foundation and you’re ready to hit the ground running in the next class which becomes more advanced.
HANDGUN 3: You’ve established the fundamentals in Handgun 1 & 2 so we can apply those to a variety of different training evolutions. You are expected to be shooting very well at this point. A big part of this class is learning to shoot at night and the techniques and considerations that come with that. Hostage resolution and movement are introduced.
HANDGUN 4: This is an advanced class. You should be a very confident handgun shooter and ready to take on any challenge we throw at you. Advanced low-light shooting, the moving target system and the knife attack system will all add valuable new skills and challenge you. Decision making becomes a prevalent part of your training here and will continue to be emphasized in our Specialty Classes. An obstacle course will test the variety of skills that you have developed.
Frequently Asked Questions
That depends on a number of factors.
If you’ve never shot a gun before, or if you’ve done some shooting at a public range with friends/family but have never taken a formal class, then you will need to start with Handgun 1. There are things you will be learn in our Handgun 1 class that are mandatory in order to progress through the rest of our curriculum. This starts with our exceptionally high standard of safety and also includes, among other things, drawing from the holster, which is a very detailed and important skill.
If you have taken a fundamentals of handgun shooting class at another qualified and verifiable school, and it compares to our Handgun 1 class in both subjects covered and duration, let us know and you may be a candidate to start in our Handgun 2 class.
If you have extensive prior training then on occasion it’s possible to start in a class more advanced than Handgun 2, but please be prepared to show us proof of completion of those classes. We insist on this not to be hard on anyone, but to make sure every student is placed in an appropriate class based on their skill level for the sake of both safety and so they get the most out of the training.
Lastly, if you are active law enforcement or military then you may automatically start in Handgun 2. If you believe you should start in a higher level class than that please contact us to discuss further.
Contact us with any class placement questions!
Single-action, double-action or striker-fired semi-automatic handguns are best for our classes. With a few exceptions here and there, the most common calibers are 9mm, .40 and .45. Occasionally a student may bring a .380 or 10mm to class and that’s fine with us too. However, .22 is not appropriate for our training.
Unless you are already fairly proficient with a revolver (loading, unloading, speed reloading, etc.), they are not ideal for our standard handgun classes. Almost all of our handgun classes teach to semi-automatic handguns. With that said, we do offer a Revolver Class once or twice per year and we can also teach Private Lessons with revolvers.
Absolutely! We have firearms available to rent for all of our classes, even precision rifles for our sniper classes. When you rent from us you will receive a full rental package that includes: the firearm, all necessary associated equipment (ear and eye protection, a holster and magazine pouch, etc.) as well as ammunition for your training.
Yes you can and we don’t charge for them. With that said, if you own a handgun we highly recommend buying your own holster and mag pouch if you are going to commit to training long term. For Handgun 1 it’s not a big deal to use ours, but starting with Handgun 2 and on, we really prefer students use their own gear because it will be better suited to them and specific to their firearm.
A great local shop in Los Angeles to check out for any of your “”soft gear”” (accessories) needs is Tactical Pro Shop in Burbank – make sure to tell them we sent you and you’ll receive a discount! Most traditional gun stores in Los Angeles don’t carry such a wide variety of accessories, so other than visiting Tactical Pro Shop your next best option would be to order something online.
We don’t sell ammunition to those who are bringing their own firearm to class, they will need to supply their own. If you need help figuring out where to purchase ammunition, check out our Industry Partners!
We only provide ammunition to students who are renting firearms from us for the sole purpose of training.
