NRA Courses

The NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course teaches the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude for owning and operating a pistol safely. This course is at least 10-hours long and includes classroom and range time learning to shoot revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. Students learn NRA's rules for safe gun handling; pistol parts and operation; ammunition; shooting fundamentals; range rules; shooting from the bench rest position, two handed and one handed standing positions; cleaning the pistol; and continued opportunities for skill development. Students will receive the Basics of Pistol Shootinghandbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification booklet, take a Basics of Pistol Shooting Student Examination, course completion certificate, and Lesson Plan.

The NRA Basic Personal Protection In The Home Course teaches the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude essential to the safe and efficient use of a handgun for protection of self and family, and to provide information on the law-abiding individuals right to self-defense. This is an eight-hour course. Students should expect to shoot approximately 100 rounds of ammunition. Students will learn basic defensive shooting skills, strategies for home safety and responding to a violent confrontation, firearms and the law, how to choose a handgun for self-defense, and continued opportunities for skill development.Students will receive the NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection In The Home handbook,NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification booklet, course completion certificate, and Lesson Plan (print 10-06). 

The NRA Basic Personal Protection In The Home Course participants must be law abiding, adults (at least 21 years old), and experienced shooters (shooters able to show mastery of the basic skills of safe gun handling, shooting a group, zeroing the firearm, and cleaning the firearm) to maximize what can be learned from this course. Proof of shooting experience can be one of the following: NRA Basic Pistol Course Certificate, NRA FIRST Steps Course Certificate, NRA pistol competitive shooting qualification card, military DD 214 with pistol qualification, or passing the Pre-Course Assessment.

The NRA Basics of Personal Protection Outside The Home Course is both comprehensive and intensive in its approach to equip the defensive shooting candidate with the skills needed to survive serious adversity. The course teaches students the knowledge, skills and attitude essential for avoiding dangerous confrontations and for the safe, effective and responsible use of a concealed pistol for self-defense outside the home. Students have the opportunity to attend this course using a quality strong side hip holster that covers the trigger, or a holster purse. From a review of safe firearms handling and proper mindset to presentation from concealment and multiple shooting positions, this course contains the essential skills and techniques needed to prevail in a life-threatening situation.

The NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home is divided into two levels (basic and advanced). Level one is a nine-hour course and offers the essential knowledge and skills that must be mastered in order to carry, store, and use a firearm safely and effectively for personal protection outside the home. Upon completion of level one, students may choose to attend level two, which is an additional five hours of range training and teaches advanced shooting skills. After the classroom portion, students should expect to spend several hours on the range and shoot approximately 100 rounds of ammunition during level one. Level two involves five additional hours on the range and approximately 115 rounds of ammunition. The ammunition requirements are minimum and may be exceeded. Students will receive the NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection Outside The Home handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure and the appropriate course completion certificates(s), NRA Basic Personal Protection Outside The Home (identifies strong-side hip holster or purse use) certificate, NRA Advanced Personal Protection Outside The Home certificate, and Lesson Plan (print 11-06).

The NRA Basics of Personal Protection Outside The Home participants in this course must be at least 21 years of age and possess defensive pistol skills presented in the NRA Basics of Personal Protection In The Home Course. Participants must also understand the basic legal concepts relating to the use of firearms in self-defense, and must know and observe not only general gun safety rules, but also those safety principles that are specific to defensive situations. Prospective participants can demonstrate that they have the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes by producing an NRA Basic Personal Protection In The Home Course Certificate, or by passing the pre-course evaluation.

The NRA Basic Rifle Shooting Course teaches the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary for the safe use of a rifle in target shooting. This course is at least 14 hours long and includes classroom and range time learning to shoot rifles. Students learn NRA's rules for safe gun handling; rifle parts and operation; ammunition; shooting fundamentals; range rules; shooting from the bench rest, prone, sitting, standing and kneeling positions; cleaning, and continued opportunities for skill development. Students will receive the Basics of Rifle Shooting handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure,Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification booklet, take a Basics of Rifle Shooting Student Examination, course completion certificate, and Lesson Plan.

The NRA's Home Firearm Safety Course is a non-shooting course and teaches students the basic knowledge, skills, and to explain the attitude necessary for the safe handling and storage of firearms and ammunition in the home. This is a four-hour course for safe gun handling that is conducted in the classroom only. Students are taught NRA's three rules for safe gun handling; primary causes of firearms accidents; firearm parts; how to unload certain action types; ammunition components; cleaning; care; safe storage of firearms in the home; and the benefits of becoming an active participant in the shooting sports. Students will receive the NRA Home Firearm Safety handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, Basic Firearm Training Program brochure, course completion certificate, and Lesson Plan.

The NRA Range Safety Officer Course develops NRA Certified Range Safety Officers with the knowledge, skills, and attitude essential to organizing, conducting, and supervising safe shooting activities and range operations. This course is nine hours long and is conducted in a classroom and at a shooting facility. Range Safety Officer candidates will learn roles and responsibilities of an RSO; Range Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); range inspection; range rules; range briefings; emergency procedures; and firearm stoppages and malfunctions.

Refuse To Be A Victim® Seminars teach the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude for developing a strategy for ones personal safety. The seminar includes classroom instruction on a variety of crime prevention strategies, from criminal psychology to automobile crimes to cyber crime. Seminars can vary in length, and may be modified to suit the needs of a particular audience. This is not a firearms instruction course, and does not include instruction in physical combat self-defense. Seminars teach about common weaknesses that criminals may take advantage of, and teaches a variety of corrective measures that are practical, inexpensive, and easy to follow. Strategies include home security, carjack avoidance techniques, cyber safety, and use of personal safety devices. A complete seminar may last as long as eight hours and include the entire lesson plan, but a modified seminar may be as short as 90 minutes and address a specific topic. Students will receive the Refuse To Be A Victim student handbook, NRA Refuse To Be A Victim® brochure, NRA Become A Refuse To Be A Victim® Instructor Brochure, Refuse To Be A Victim® Firearms Supplement, and a course completion certificate.

The NRA Basic Shotgun Shooting Course teaches the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude for the safe and proper use of a shotgun in shooting a moving target. This course is at least ten-hours long and includes classroom and range time learning how to shoot shotguns at moving targets. Students learn NRA's rules for safe gun handling; shotgun parts and operation; shotgun shell components; shotgun shell malfunctions; shooting fundamentals; range rules; shooting at straight away and angled targets; cleaning; and continued opportunities for skill development. Students will receive the Basics of Shotgun Shooting handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification booklet, take a Basics of Shotgun Shooting Student Examination, course completion certificate, and Lesson Plan.

To qualify as an NRA instructor, you must:

• Possess and demonstrate a solid background in firearm safety and shooting skills acquired through previous firearm training (such as completion of an NRA Basic Firearm Training Course) and/or previous shooting experience.
• Successfully complete the appropriate NRA instructor examination. Certified?90% or higher. Assistant?85% or higher. Apprentice?85% or higher
• Satisfactorily complete an NRA Instructor Training Course for the area of specialization you wish to teach (e.g., NRA Basic Shotgun Course), and receive the endorsement of the NRA Training Counselor conducting your training.
• Submit your application with appropriate certification fee. Membership in the National Rifle Association is strongly recommended.

NRA Instructor courses are discipline specific. The first 6 hours of an NRA instructor course is NRA Basic Instructor Training (BIT), utilizing the NRA Trainer’s Guide. During this portion, candidates will learn NRA policies and procedures, basic public speaking skills, training methodology, use of a training team and training aids, organizing a course, building a budget, and finally preparing to teach. The BIT is followed by discipline specific training and will be 5 to 16 additional hours, depending on the discipline. During this portion, candidates will be provided the appropriate lesson plans and basic course student packets. Role-playing is a major part of an instructor course; therefore, the minimum class size should be at least four candidates, with 10-12 candidates being ideal. Candidates take turns working in teams, actually conducting portions of the course to other candidates who portray basic students.

Training Counselors will evaluate candidates’ performance based on their ability to handle the firearms with confidence, use of appropriate training aids, following the lesson plans and meeting all learning objectives, while utilizing the teaching philosophies learned during the BIT. Candidates can also expect to learn the NRA discipline specific instructional methods and evaluating and improving the performance of beginning shooters. Candidates will be provided with the NRA Trainer’s Guide, appropriate Lesson Plans and Outlines, Basic Course Student handbooks, certificates, basic student examinations, Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program booklet, Basic Firearm Training Programs Brochure, Gun Safety Rules brochure, NRA Trainer’s Examination and NRA discipline specific instructor examination (minimum passing grade is 90%).  

Assistant Ratings are available to individuals who wish to assist certified instructors in order to gain the knowledge and experience needed to become a certified instructor (18 years of age or older).

Apprentice Ratings are available to young people who wish to understudy a certified instructor in preparation for more advanced ratings. The apprentice instructor will be chosen by an NRA Certified Instructor from select individuals. These individuals must be of the emotional maturity necessary to handle such a position. In addition, they must have attended and successfully completed an NRA Basic Firearm Training Course in their chosen area of specialization (13-17 years of age).

• Gun Safety
• Care, maintenance and cleaning
• Ammunition
• Shooting techniques
• Shooting fundamentals
• Concealed carry (handgun)
• Proper holster (handgun)
• Accessories (scopes, lasers, optics, etc.)
• If you would like to individualize your program, please contact us