Available Classes
Click on the buttons below for course description, then visit our Class Schedule page to find the course you want.
Texas Specific Courses
Texas Concealed Handgun License Course
Hunter Education is required to hunt in the state of Texas for all persons born on or after September 2nd, 1971.
Hunter Education Course
Become An NRA Training Counselor
Click here for information on becoming an NRA Training Counselor
The NRA Training Counselor Program
NRA Courses
Click here for information on becoming an NRA Instructor!
Refuse To Be A Victim Course
Home Firearm Safety Course
Personal Protection Course
Pistol Shooting Courses available
Rifle Shooting Courses available
Shotgun Shooting Courses available
Range Saftey Officer Training
Muzzleloading Courses Available
Reloading Courses Available
Texas Concealed Handgun License
This course assumes that you already know how to use your handgun!
No class time is available to teach basic shooting skills. If you believe you cannot pass the proficiency test with a score of 175/250, (70%) or better, you should consider enrolling in our basic learn to shoot class. One on one sessions are available.
Concealed Handgun License course length is 10 to 15 hours.
To apply for a Concealed Handgun License in Texas you must be:
- A resident of Texas.
- 21 and legally able to buy a handgun under both Federal and State law.
- Not judged to be chemically dependent or of unsound mind.
- Not ever convicted of a felony anywhere, and no convictions of a Class A or B misdemeanor in the past 5 years.
- Not subject to a restraining or protective order.
- Not delinquent in payment of taxes, child support or any money collected by any Texas Governmental entity.
- Out of state residents may apply for a non-resident license if they meet all other requirements listed above.
You must qualify using a .32 caliber or larger. If you qualify with a Semi-Auto, you may carry any type or caliber handgun. If you qualify with a revolver, you may not carry a semi-auto legally
The shooting proficiency test will consist of 50 rounds of timed fire on the state specified target. 20 rounds at 3 yards 20 rounds at 7 yards and 10 rounds at 15 yards. Class costs and scheduled dates are listed on the schedules page, or call 817-291-2376 or email shootsafe@shootsafe.com.
TopTexas Hunter Education Certification
Hunter Education teaches hunting safety, skills and responsibility. The course includes instruction on these important areas:
- Hunting Rules and Regulations
- Ethics and Responsibilities
- Wildlife Conservation
- Modern and Primitive Sporting Arms and Ammunition
- Safe Firearm Handling and Storage
- Outdoor Survival and First Aid
Certification
When you successfully complete the course, you will receive a certification card.
- Certification is good for life.
- Texas certification is honored by all other states and Canadian Provinces.
- You must carry your card on your person while hunting. Failure is a Class C, Parks and Wildlife Code Misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine no less than $25 nor more than $500.
- The card is not required to purchase a license in Texas, but may be in other states.
- If you lose your card, send a written request including your full name, current mailing address and date of birth to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or visit your local TPWD office. You can also request a replacement online on the TPWD web site.
Hunter Education Requirements
Hunters certified in other states or canadian provinces are exempt, but must have proof of certification with them during the hunt.
- If you are age 17 or over AND born on or after September 2, 1971, then you must successfully complete a hunter education course to hunt in the state of Texas.
- If you are age 9 thru 16, then you must successfully complete a hunter education course OR be ACCOMPANIED by a licensed hunter 18 years of age or older.
- If you are under 9 years, then you must be ACCOMPANIED by a licensed hunter. "ACCOMPANIED" means being within normal voice control range and sight of the licensed adult hunter.
Cost
Certification by the state costs $15.
Course Schedule
Hunter Education is a minimum of 10 hours over two days for the classroom course. The schedule of courses is available at several locations:
- Local Texas Parks and Wildlife Department office.
- TPWD Austin Headquarters at 1-800-792-1112.
- The TPWD web site, www.tpwd.state.tx.us
The NRA Training Counselor Program
NRA Training Counselors are experienced, active NRA member-instructors who have been appointed by the NRA to train NRA Certified Instructors. Training counselors make a commitment to conduct at least one instructor training course per year. At the workshop, you will have the opportunity to obtain in-depth training in how to teach discipline-specific teaching skills. Training counselors are authorized to train instructors in those disciplines in which they are certified as NRA instructors in conducting NRA Basic Firearm Training Courses
Training Counselor Seminar Information
The minimum requirements to become an NRA Training Counselor are:
- be an active instructor for two years
- conduct at least five NRA classes including 25 students during the two years
- The Web Site for all the information on requesting apporval to attend a TC Seminar is: http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/trainingcounselors/index.asp or just [click here]
- The email address for the Training Counselor Coordinator is: trainingcounselor@nrahq.org
- Dates For our next TC Seminar are June 18th throuth the 20th, 2010: click here for signup form and information.
NRA Instructor Training Courses
The first time you take an Instructor Training course, it will take two days to complete. These courses are conducted over a weekend.
The NRA Instructor Training Program is designed to train experienced shooters to teach NRA Basic Firearm Training Courses to beginning shooters. NRA Certified Instructors are experienced shooters who teach others how to shoot. The NRA Instructor Training Programs are directed at teaching these experienced shooters HOW TO TEACH others to shoot.
Instructor Training Courses are available in the disciplines of:
- Refuse To Be A Victim Instructor Development Workshop(IDW) NOT A SHOOTING DISCIPLINE.
- Home Firearm Safety; considered so important it is included in all shooting disciplines.
- Basic Pistol, Muzzleloading Pistol.
- Personal Protection in the Home and Personal Protection Outside the Home.
- Basic Rifle and Muzzleloading Rifle.
- Basic Shotgun and muzzleloading shotgun.
- Basic Metallic Cartridge Reloading and Basic Shotshell Reloading.
- Chief Range Safety Officer. This is an instructor rating that allows range operators to train their own staff as NRA Certified Range Safety Officers.
During the Instructor Training Course, the Training Counselor and his staff will be evaluating each Instructor Candidate to insure they have not only the knowledge and skills needed to train beginning shooters, but also a Positive Attitude toward safe firearms handling to pass along to their students.
TopNRA Refuse To Be A Victim Seminar.
This is a Personal Safety Strategy Course!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 8 hours and include the entire lesson plan, but most seminars are 4 hours in length. If you have a specific topic in crime prevention you would like covered for your civic group, we can do that as well. These seminars are typically 90 minutes.
Fundamentals Of Shooting
The pistol, rifle, and shotgun courses described below are designed to teach beginners the fundamentals of safe firearms handling and how to shoot.
Pistol Shooting Courses
The Complete Course
The entire course is about 8 hours long.
During that time, the student will learn the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for owning and using a pistol safely.
- Each student will learn about
- pistol parts and operation
- ammunition
- gun safety
- shooting fundamentals
- legally transporting your handgun
Shooting exercises will include common shooting positions. As a part of the shooting experience, the student will learn about care and cleaning necessary for handguns.
Topics such as basic guideline for purchasing a pistol, legally transporting it to and from the range or field, and safe home storage are also discussed.
Most Requested Course
This introductory course is about 4 hours long.
A popular alternative to the Basic Pistol course is FIRST Steps. New firearm owners are encouraged to take the "first step" of obtaining training and this program is designed to provide a hands-on introduction to the safe handling and proper operation of Your New Handgun.
Since this orientation is model-specific, and teaches only the most basic shooting skills, it is not a complete "course" in the traditional sense of the word, however, it does provide a thorough introduction to:
- firearm safety
- handling your firearm
- shooting skills
This course will include some initial practice with your firearm under the supervision of a qualified instructor.
TopRifle Shooting Courses
The Complete Course
The Basic Rifle Shooting course is about 14 hours long.
During that time, the student will learn the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for owning and using a rifle safely. The course teaches the students about:
- rifle parts and operation
- ammunition
- shooting fundamentals Shooting exercises will include the bench rest, prone, kneeling, sitting and standing positions.
- shooting positions
- sighting-in
- sight alignment
- gun safety
We will also discuss other firearm ownership necessities, like:
- care and cleaning
- safe home storage
- legally transporting your rifle
Most Requested Course
This introductory course is about 4 hours long.
A popular alternative to the Basic Rifle course is FIRST Steps--Firearm Instruction, Responsibility and Safety Training.
New firearm owners are encouraged to take the "first step" of obtaining training and this program is designed to provide a hands-on introduction to the safe handling and proper operation of Your New Rifle.
Since this orientation is model-specific, and teaches only the most basic shooting skills, it is not a complete "course" in the traditional sense of the word, however, it does provide a thorough introduction to:
- firearm safety
- handling your firearm
- shooting skills
This course will include some inital practice with your firearm under the supervision of a qualified instructor.
TopShotgun Shooting Courses
The Complete Course
The Basic Shotgun Shooting course is about 10 hours long.
During that time, the student will learn the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for owning and using a Shotgun safely. The course teaches the students about:
- Shotgun parts and operation
- ammunition
- shooting fundamentals
- how to shoot a moving target
We will also discuss shotgun ownership topics, like:
- criteria for selecting a shotgun
- care and cleaning
- safe home storage
- legally transporting your Shotgun
Most Requested Course
This introductory course is about 4 hours long.
A popular alternative to the Basic Shotgun course is FIRST Steps--Firearm Instruction, Responsibility and Safety Training.
New firearm owners are encouraged to take the "first step" of obtaining training and this program is designed to provide a hands-on introduction to the safe handling and proper operation of Your New Shotgun.
Since this orientation is model-specific, and teaches only the most basic shooting skills, it is not a complete "course" in the traditional sense of the word, however, it does provide a thorough introduction to:
- firearm safety
- handling your firearm
- shooting skills
This course will include some initial practice with your firearm under the supervision of a qualified instructor.
TopHome Firearm Safety
This course is about 4 hours long.
During that time, the student will learn the basic knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for the safe handling and storage of firearms and ammunition in the home.
The student will also learn to identify and load/unload various types of pistols, rifles and shotguns. We will also discuss the different types of Ammunition used, the firing sequence and proper cleaning of firearms.
TopPersonal Protection in the Home Course
This course is about 8 hours long and is designed for beginning to intermediate pistol shooters.
The course is designed for law abiding adult citizens.It includes information on state law concerning Handgun Possession, Ownership and the Use of Deadly force. It also covers Strategies for Home Safety and defending your home against intruders.
Participants should be experienced shooters to maximize what can be learned from this course. Each shooter must be able to show mastery of these basic skills:
- safe gun handling
- shooting a group
- zeroing the firearm
- cleaning the firearm
This course will introduce the student to defensive shooting and teach basic defensive handgun skills. It exposes the student to several schools of thought regarding defensive shooting techniques. Once the fundamentals are learned, students are exposed to new ideas in a measured fashion and encouraged to experiment and choose techniques best suited to them. We will also discuss how to select a handgun for self-defense.
TopPersonal Protection Outside the Home Course
This Intermediate Level Shooting Course is Presented in Two Parts.
Part 1: The Basic Course
The basic course takes nine hours and can be taken alone.
Students will learn to present a handgun from concealment and shoot targets in the center of mass. This requires students to have already mastered safe gun handling and basic marksmanship skills prior to attending the course.
This is Not A Basic Shooting Course; it Requires Advanced Shooting Skills.
This course introduces students to the knowledge, skills and attitude involved in safely, responsibly and effectively employing a concealed handgun for self-defense. The student must learn and practice many diverse shooting skills in order to respond quickly and appropriately to a broad range of threats he or she may encounter outside the home.
The course also covers the unique safety and legal issues that apply when a concealed handgun is carried in public. This includes legal and ethical ramifications when responding to a life threatening encounter, and the legal, moral, emotional and social aftermath of the use of deadly force outside the home.
The large amount of new content in this course precludes any substantial review of fundamental shooting techniques or basic safety information.While there is a large amount of new material in this course, it builds on the basic defensive shooting skills, safety principles and legal concepts presented in the NRA Basics of Personal Protection In the Home Course. Therefore, this course presupposes the student has taken and mastered the knowledge, skills and attitude taught in the previous course.
Part 2: Advanced Personal Protection
Advanced Personal Protection includes an additional five hours of Special Shooting Techniques.
The Advanced Personal Protection Outside the Home Course includes:
- presenting a handgun from concealment
- shooting targets in the center of mass
- engaging multiple targets
- moving to cover
- point shooting
Range Safety Officer Training
This course teaches the basic duties a Range Safety Officer performs. It provides a thorough introduction to:
- the role of Range Safety Officers (RSOs)
- range Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- range safety briefings
- range inspections and rules
- emergency procedures
- how to clear firearm stoppages and malfunctions
The skills acquired in the course require regular practice, which should initially take place under the supervision of a qualified individual - like an NRA Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO).
TopChief Range Safety Officer
This is an Instructor Rating!
Requirements needed to apply for the Chief Range Safety Officer rating are:
- Be certified as an NRA Range Safety Officer (a Nine Hour course)
- Complete the NRA Basic Instructor Training course; (a Six Hour course). Already being an NRA Certified Instructor in any discipline will fulfill this requirement also.
- Successful completion of the eight hour Chief Range Safety Officer course and application to the NRA Training Department for certification. Please refer to the Schedules page for class date and other information.
Muzzleloading
Courses in Shooting Black Powder firearms are very similar to those for modern firearms in some respects, yet very different in others. During the class, the student will learn the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for owning and using a black powder pistol, rifle or shotgun safely.
Whether it is for a rifle, shotgun, pistol or the "cap and ball" revolver. These firearms are a world apart from modern firearms.
- they load differently
- they shoot differently
- they require a whole new base of shooting and safety knowledge
These classes will present all the essential information you will need to make your acquaintance with muzzleloading firearms a pleasant, rewarding and responsible experience.
TopReloading
Reloading courses are approximately nine hours long and cover almost everything you need to began reloading in safety.
There are two separate courses offered.
- Basic Metallic Cartridge reloading for those who want to learn how to load for rifles and handguns
- Shotshell Reloading for those interested in shotguns