Advanced Pistol

Course Requirements

Prerequisites: None
Course Cost: $100
Course Length: 8 hours Plus Range Time (approximately 2 hours)

Part 1: NRA First Steps Pistol Orientation – (4 hours)
Provides shooters with an introduction to the Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude necessary to own a specific pistol model safely.

Part 2: Advanced Carry Tactics – (4 hours)
Advanced Draw, Ready positions, and Stances not taught in other courses. 

Course Description

The Advanced Pistol course is taught in two parts. The first part of the course is the the NRA First Steps Pistol Orientation, the same as is taught in our North Carolina Concealed Carry course. The course objectives of this first half are:

  • Lesson 1: Pistol Safety, Parts, and Operation
  • Lesson 2: Ammunition and the Fundamentals of Pistol Shooting
  • Lesson 3: Pistol Shooting from the Benchrest Position
  • Lesson 4: Pistol Cleaning, Storage, and Training Opportunities

Students who complete this first half of the course will receive a NRA First Steps Pistol Orientation Completion Certificate. This first half will complete the NRA portion of the course.

The second half of this course is designed for shooters who wish to extend beyond the basics, and specifically for persons that intend to open carry with their sidearm. In addition to the benchrest position taught in the first half of this course, the following will be taught in the second half of the course:

  • Close Quarters Draw and Target Acquisition
  • Instinct Shooting
  • Hi and Lo Ready Positions
  • Isosceles Stance
  • Weaver Stance
  • Modified Weaver Stance
  • Basic Shooting While Moving

The primary objective in this course is for the student to develop the skills necessary to teach muscle-memory for high-stress situations that would occur in real life, and to teach them safely and in such a manner that the student can practice and perfect the techniques on their own.

Must Have:

Students are required to bring the following supplies with them to class. These are all basic necessities every shooter needs to have in his or her possession, both for your safety while shooting, as well as for maintaining and storing your firearm.

Items with an asterisk beside them are available online. See bottom of page for details.

  • Notebook with stiff backing for taking notes.
  • Pencils or Pens
  • Pistol Cleaning Kit*
  • Pistol ( If you do not have a firearm of your own, you can rent one of ours for $20 at the range. This fee includes ammunition.) – Single Action Revolvers are NOT ALLOWED for this course.
  • A holster that attaches on the belt, outside the pants. (Concealed carry holsters are not allowed in this class. The same principles apply, but all participants might not have their concealed carry permit, so student comfort and knowledge may vary. With that in mind, we require a normal holster of any type that can be worn on the same side as the students shooting hand.)
  • Clothing: This course is going to have a significant amount of time devoted to drawing from the holster, so the student’s dress attire must make this possible. No dresses or skirts are allowed during the second half of this exercise. Pants are preferred, but shorts are OK as long as the student can wear a belt and holster.
  • Hearing Protection*
  • Eye Protection*

Not Sure What To Get?

We realize shooting supplies can be confusing to people not familiar with firearms. Purchasing the wrong merchandise can often damage your firearm, or cause you to have to buy something else because the previous item wasn’t suited to your needs.

To save you money and time, we have compiled a list of items on Amazon that we believe are both cost-effective and that perform satisfactorily for shooters. For example, if you are a veteran shooter, you may already own a great pair of active-electronic hearing protection, but a novice shooter would be tempted to purchase ear-plugs instead or over-spend on items they do not need, not realizing the potential cost savings wasted.

We want shooting to be fun, affordable, and something you can do often. If you do not already have all the shooting supplies you need, we suggest you visit the Range Supplies page for advice on items that are both effective and yet affordable. Where applicable, we have chosen items that qualify for Amazon prime so customers can get free shipping.

Visit the Range Supplies Page for more information.

Ready to Sign Up?

If you are ready to register for the course, you can register online. There are two steps involved.

First, visit the course calendar to determine which class date you would like to register for.

Once you’ve picked your class from the calendar, and read more about it, go to the registration form to sign up. That’s it!