Practical Handgun
Date/Time
Date(s) - 11/15/26
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location
Manteca Sportsmen, Inc
Categories
“When the time to perform arrives, the time to prepare has
Practical Handgun
One day class – 8 Hours (8:00 am to 5:00 pm)
Manteca Sportsmen’s Inc – 30261 Airport Way, Manteca, CA, 95337
Course Description: This beginner level course is intended for students with little or no prior handgun experience who want a structured introduction to practical defensive shooting. Training is conducted under instructor supervision, and all activities follow the four core safety rules, established range rules and safety procedures. Students should arrive ready to follow instructor directions and practice with a safety first mindset.
This course is focused on the foundations of defensive handgun use. Experienced instructors introduce students to the seven fundamentals of shooting and provide guided practice to help develop safe habits, accuracy, and confidence. The course also covers basic handgun handling, along with introductory instruction and supervised practice in drawing from and returning a firearm to its holster.
Students will be introduced to the principles of movement while shooting, with an emphasis on maintaining awareness, control, and safe practices throughout training. Instruction is paced for beginners and combines clear explanations, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises. Participants will learn how the fundamentals apply in a defensive context and why responsible decision-making and firearm safety are essential parts of every skill.
This class will prepare students for more advanced pistol classes should they decide to continue in their quest for more training and experience, such as our Fighting Handgun class.
Learning Objectives
By the end of Practical Handgun, students should be able to:
- Identify and demonstrate the seven fundamentals of shooting
- Stance – A stable, balanced body position
- Grip – A consistent, secure hold on the handgun
- Sight alignment – Proper relationship between the front and rear sights
- Sight picture – Aligning the sights with the intended target area
- Trigger control – Pressing the trigger smoothly without disturbing the handgun’s alignment
- Breath control – Managing breathing to reduce movement during a shot
- Follow-through – Maintaining control and focus through the shot, then reassessing as directed – “Drag the bag”
- Demonstrate safe, responsible handgun handling in a supervised range setting
- Demonstrate the basic steps and safety considerations involved in drawing from and reholstering a firearm.
- Apply the fundamentals during instructor led live fire practice
- Demonstrate introductory movement concepts while maintaining safe firearm control, following instructor direction
End Goals
Upon successful completion, students should leave with a higher level of proficiency in employing a defensive handgun under realistic conditions. Rather than focusing solely on marksmanship, they should understand how to integrate weapon handling, movement, use of cover, malfunction management, reloads, and decision making into a cohesive defensive skill set. The course is intended to bridge the gap between basic handgun competency and more advanced training involving force-on-force scenarios, low-light operations, and team tactics.
Student Prerequisites
- None
Required Equipment
- Handgun
- Reliable pistol
- 9mm or larger recommended
- Two magazines (Three or more recommended)
- Holster
- Strong side belt holster
- Completely covers trigger guard
- Open top or retention holster
- No shoulder holsters
- No cross draw holsters
- No SERPA style holsters
- Magazine Pouches
- Minimum one magazine pouches
- Ammunition
- At least 150 rounds
- Belt
- Quality gun belt that was designed to support a firearm
- Eye Protection
- Hearing Protection
- Electronic recommended
- Clothing
- High neckline shirt
- Long pants recommended
- Closed-toe shoes
- Baseball or “Boonie” cap
- Weather appropriate clothing
- Optional Recommended/Suggested Equipment
- Water or other form of hydration
- Folding chair for comfort
$200 Tuition per Student