Shooter kneeling behind a barrel for cover while firing at targets

Carry & protection · Advanced

NRA Defensive Pistol in Clearwater, FL

An advanced NRA course for trained shooters: a defensive mindset, drawing from concealment and shooting at close quarters under pressure.

NRA Training Counselor

NRA Training CounselorLed by an NRA Training Counselor

  • Wyoming Antelope Club, Clearwater
Tuition
$185Tuition & books
Length
4 hoursPlus qualification
Ammunition
100 roundsAmmunition required
Prerequisite
U.S. citizensPrior pistol training recommended

Next class

Dates on request

Ask and we’ll tell you when it runs next.

Ask about dates 727.470.0960

01 · Is it right for you

For trained shooters who want more than a license class.

NRA Defensive Pistol is an advanced course for gun owners who already have basic training, a CCW or a Florida CWP and want defensive skills beyond a license class. You train mindset and awareness, concealment, the draw and reholster, reloads and stoppage drills, cover and movement, then qualify for the NRA Defensive Pistol certificate. About 4 hours plus qualification; $185 covers tuition and books.

A good fit if

  • You have a CCW, a Florida CWP or a Basic Pistol certificate and want to take it to the next level.

  • Your license came from a short course and you want the in-depth training it skipped.

  • You carry while you’re out and about and want a practical framework for defensive shooting.

  • You wonder how you’d perform in an unavoidable defensive situation or a close-quarters attack.

02 · Curriculum

What you’ll learn.

The NRA Defensive Pistol course in three parts: the mindset and responsibility to carry, the gun-handling skills to do it well, and shooting under pressure on the range.

Handgun carried in a waistband holster under the hem of a T-shirt
Principles of concealment: carrying so the pistol stays hidden and reachable.
Pistol magazines surrounded by 9mm cartridges
Reloads and stoppage drills, run until they’re automatic.
Compact semi-automatic pistol resting on a wooden rail
Pocket and compact pistols built for concealed carry.

Part 1 of 3

Part 1: Mindset

Ethics, awareness and avoidance

  1. 1.1

    Safe gun handling and concealed carry

    The NRA rules for safe gun handling, applied to carrying a concealed firearm.

  2. 1.2

    Ethics and responsibility

    What carrying a concealed pistol asks of you.

  3. 1.3

    Avoiding confrontation

    Techniques for avoiding life-threatening confrontations.

  4. 1.4

    Awareness and mindset

    Levels of mental awareness, preparation and a defensive mindset.

  5. 1.5

    Under attack

    The psychological and physiological changes that may occur during an attack.

Part 2 of 3

Part 2: Skills

Concealment and gun handling

  1. 2.1

    Principles of concealment

    How to carry so the pistol stays concealed and accessible.

  2. 2.2

    The draw

    Presenting a pistol from concealment, and reholstering safely.

  3. 2.3

    Flash sight picture

    Fast, usable sight alignment at close range.

  4. 2.4

    Reloads and stoppages

    Reloading under stress and immediate-action drills for common stoppages.

  5. 2.5

    Pocket pistols

    Working with small pistols built for concealment.

Part 3 of 3

Part 3: Range

Shooting under pressure

  1. 3.1

    Cover and concealment

    The difference between them, and using cover on the range.

  2. 3.2

    Varying distances

    Engaging targets at different distances.

  3. 3.3

    Moving off the line of attack

    Moving and shooting.

  4. 3.4

    Qualification

    Qualify for the NRA Defensive Pistol certificate.

03 · Before class

What to bring. What’s provided.

You bring

  • 01

    100 rounds of ammunition for the range work and the qualification.

Included in tuition

  • Tuition
  • NRA course book

VETS/LEO family discounts available.

Where you’ll train

Wyoming Antelope Club

3700 126th Ave N, Clearwater, FL 33762

Classroom sessions meet in the clubhouse; live fire is on the club’s ranges.

Get directions
Paper pistol target with scoring rings
Results you can see on paper.

What you leave with

Qualify under pressure.

The course closes with the qualification for the NRA Defensive Pistol certificate. Students receive the NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection Outside the Home handbook and the NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure.

You earnNRA Defensive Pistol certificate

Who teaches you

Geoff Davis

Founder · NRA Training Counselor

Geoff founded GunSafety4U and holds the NRA Training Counselor credential: the people who train and certify NRA instructors. Before Florida he served with the Albany County Sheriff’s Department in New York and taught at the police academy.

Classes are led by Geoff and GunSafety4U’s NRA Certified faculty, whose backgrounds span law enforcement, the military and competitive shooting.

Read Geoff’s bio

Credentials

  1. 01NRA Training Counselor
  2. 02NRA Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor
  3. 03NRA Certified Pistol Coach
  4. 04Florida Class “K” Firearms Instructor

Teaching with NRA Certified faculty Susan Davis Henrik Rutgersson Carter Mayzik Carl York Lorenzo Williams Stephen Scalise Vince Curry Marcelo Rafaniello

Dates & registration

Dates on request.

No public class is on the calendar right now. Ask, and we’ll tell you when the next one runs or set up a private group.

Next class

Tell us when you’d like to train.

We’ll reply with the next scheduled date, or set up a session for your group.

Ask about dates

Questions first? Talk to an instructor. We’ll tell you when the next class runs, or whether another course fits you better.

Call or text 727.470.0960 Email an instructor

Student reviews

From students of this course.

Read more reviews

I completed the NRA Defensive Pistol course with Instructor G. Davis this past week. Instruction was excellent, interesting, and very helpful. The coursework and range practice/performance tests were fun, informative, and safely conducted.

Google review

He is patient and friendly, making sure that each student has the skills and principles down before moving forward.

Google review

Related training

Where this course fits.

Related courses in our catalog. Courses that list this one as a prerequisite are marked. See the full catalog.

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NRA Defensive Pistol

Advanced · $185 · 4 hours

A good first step

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Questions

Common questions.

Not answered here? Call or text 727.470.0960 or email gbdavis@gunsafety4u.com.

Who is NRA Defensive Pistol for?

Experienced, trained gun owners who want defensive skills beyond an entry-level license or Basics of Pistol course. If you have a CCW, a Florida CWP or a Basic Pistol certificate and want to take it further, this course is built for you.

Who can enroll?

U.S. citizens only, in accordance with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). You must also not be prohibited from possessing a firearm.

How long is the course, and what does it cost?

About 4 hours plus the qualification. Tuition is $185 and includes books. VETS/LEO family discounts are available. You’ll need 100 rounds of ammunition.

What do I receive?

Students who qualify receive the NRA Defensive Pistol certificate, along with the NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection Outside the Home handbook and the NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure.

What skills does the course cover?

Defensive mindset and awareness, principles of concealment, drawing from concealment and reholstering, flash sight picture, reloads under stress, clearing common stoppages, cover and concealment, moving off the line of attack and pocket pistols.

Enroll

Reserve your seat in NRA Defensive Pistol.

Questions first? Call or text 727.470.0960, or email gbdavis@gunsafety4u.com.

Tuition
$185
Length
4 hours
Prerequisite
U.S. citizens
Next class
Dates on request
Ask about dates Call 727.470.0960