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Boston / Brookline Residents

The goal of this NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course is to teach Basic knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for owning and using a pistol safely. Through this course, the student will learn about pistol parts and operation, ammunition, gun safety, shooting fundamentals, Massachusetts Firearms Laws and safe storage & transportation. The classroom lecture uses teaching aids including: NRA material, an audiovisual segment, real and "dummy" firearms. The classroom portion of the course emphasizes "discovery learning" - i.e. hands-on activity learning. In addition, there is live firing instruction on the range of a well-know pistol and rifle club.

A "break" is taken every 55 minutes during classroom instruction. At the lunch break, students can either bring their own food or go to several excellent quick restaurant or pizza establishments nearby. No alcoholic beverage is permitted at any time during the course. Consumption of any alcoholic beverage is cause for immediate dismissal from the course with no refund.

"The Basics of Pistol Shooting" handbook.
Each student will be sent a copy of the NRA handbook, "The Basics of Pistol Shooting" in advance of the course date. It is mandatory for students to read and review this handbook. Students will be asked questions in class based on this book. At the end of the course, students will take an exam and much of the exam will be from the handbook. Exam questions are drawn from the handbook, classroom instruction and actual shooting on the firing line. My students are highly motivated and always do well on this exam.

Lesson I - Pistol Knowledge & Safe Gun Handling
Why Americans Own Pistols • Revolver knowledge • Semi-automatic Pistol Knowledge • Operating Revolvers and Semi-automatic Pistols • Safe Gun Handling Rules & the Three "As" • Safe Pistol Handling Practical Exercise for Loading and Unloading Revolvers & Semi-automatic Pistols

Lesson II - Ammunition Knowledge & Fundamentals of Pistol Shooting
Pistol Ammunition Components • Rimfire and Centerfire Cartridges • Cartridge Designation & Identification • Storing Ammunition • Cartridge Malfunctions • Safe Gun Handling Rules • Fundamentals of Pistols Shooting • Strong Hand/Weak Hand • Dominant Eye • Benchrest Position • Two Handed Standing Position • One-Handed Standing Position • Weaver and Isosceles Positions • Grip-Breath Control-Sight Alignment & Adjustment-Trigger Squeeze-Follow Through • Optical, Electronic Sights & Laser Sights

Break for Lunch 30 - 45 minutes, and then leave for Firing Range

The Firing Range
The range students will use is at the 85 acre Braintree Rifle and Pistol Club, Braintree, MA. This Club is the largest shooting sports club in New England and one of the largest in the nation. It has two state-of-the-art indoor pistol ranges located in two separate clubhouses. Each indoor range has a shooting position for handicapped shooters. Students will be instructed on one of the indoor ranges. Both clubhouses are also equipped with areas for teaching and selected areas for firearm cleaning. All bathrooms are handicap accessible. (Directions)

Lesson III - Firing the First Shots On A Range
Range Orientation & Safety Rules • Eye and Ear Protection • Range Commands • Review of Safe Gun Handling Rules & the Three "As" • Firing Rimfire Ammunition from the Bench Rest Position, Sitting with Sand Bags

Lesson IV - Two-handed and One-Handed Standing Shooting Positions
• Isosceles • Weaver • Gallery Shooting • Firing .22LR Rimfire and .38 special

Lesson V - Pistol Sports, Activities, Organizations, Selecting a Pistol
NRA Pistol Marksmanship Qualification Program • Other NRA Courses • NRA Competitive Shooting Events • Why Join an NRA Club? • Publications • The National Rifle Association • The Gun Owners Action League • Second Amendments Sister • How to Select a Pistol

Lesson VI - Cleaning
Hands-On Cleaning • Tips • New Products • Safety Precautions • Cleaning Techniques

Lesson VII - Firearm Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts & Safe Gun Storage • Transportation • Where You Can Carry/Not Carry • Application for License to Carry and Firearms Identification Card • Bars to Making an Application (Click HERE for information.)

Exam
Exam • Grading • Awarding of Certificates • End of Teaching Day

HOME FIREARM SAFETY COURSE

The HFS course contains all the same components as the Basic Safety Course except for the Live Firing and range practice. This course also will fill the requirements for obtaining an LTC or FID. It is useful for people who may not have an interest in owning a firearm themselves but may have a licensed family member or roommate who owns some firearms. For example: wives of policemen, veterans, competitive shooters, etc.