Basic Class Descriptions

A South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) class is required to legally carry a concealed handgun in the State.  The SC CWP class is a six to eight-hour block of instruction which includes all information needed to apply for your CWP. You leave the class knowing exactly how to complete the application process.  Our class includes information that goes beyond the South Carolina requirements to obtain a CWP such as scenario-based training, discussion of "typical" use of deadly force, legal aspects of interacting with police after an incident, drawing from concealment and proper techniques for concealment. This class is comprised of about 5 hours of classroom instruction with one additional hour (may be less or more time) spent on the range where each student will demonstrate the safe operation and handling of a handgun.   If this is your first handgun experience, we highly recommend you take the NRA basic pistol class before taking the South Carolina CWP class or you take our "Enhanced CWP Training."  Contact us for package pricing. We can tailor a course to your individual needs.

Topics covered in this class at 909 Old Bush River Road, Chapin, SC:

 1. The statutory and case law of South Carolina relating to handguns and the use of deadly force. Including, prohibited carry locations in South Carolina and the proper interaction with law enforcement officers while carrying. 

2. Handgun use and safety. 

3. The proper storage practice for handguns with an emphasis on storage practices that reduces the possibility of accidental injury to a child. 

4. Properly securing a firearm in a holster. 

5. “Cocked and Locked” carrying of a firearm. 

6. How to respond to a person who attempts to take your firearm from your holster. 

7. De-escalation techniques and strategies. 

8. The actual firing of a handgun in the presence of the instructor. 

Please note that State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has made it much easier now to apply for a CWP and get the required fingerprints done. This program is through a local company named Ident-to-go. The link to begin the new or renewal on line application is:  https://sc.ibtfingerprint.com/?RESTART&step=CWP .  I make sure you have all the paperwork you will need and will help you set up your fingerprint appointment with the SLED Ident-to-go processing company.

Military with DD214 do not need to qualify on the range or take the handgun manipulation and handgun marksmanship portions of the class.

 The NRA Defensive Pistol Course is THE perfect training to follow up your Concealed Weapons Permit course with.  This class focuses on the use of a gun for self defense.  It covers presenting a gun from concealment, reloading, malfunction drills for semi-automatic handguns and the mindset needed to survive a life threatening encounter.  The student will execute basic competency drills to further enhance gun handling techniques.  The course is approximately 6 hours but is an objective based course meaning the time limit is not critical- results are.  This course goes beyond the NRA basic pistol class but does not cover the topics in the NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home course.  NRA Defensive Pistol is meant to go beyond the information covered in the South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit class by providing more detailed instruction.  This is the perfect class to learn the skills the student was introduced to in the South Carolina CWP class and NRA Personal Protection classes.  Prerequisite is the SC CWP  class, one of the NRA personal Protection classes or permission of the Instructor.
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 The NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting is intended for all individuals regardless of previous shooting experience or NRA-affiliation and is available for delivery in two ways. One option is the traditional, instructor-led course where you will receive direct instruction from an NRA-certified instructor from beginning to end. The other option has two components: a self-study or “eLearning module” which is completed online in your own time frame and a hands-on practical portion conducted in a classroom and shooting range with an Instructor.  The online coupled with range time is referred to as the blended course.  The classic instructor training course is a full day and includes firearm safety, function, basic fundamentals of shooting and a live fire component.  A NRA basic pistol certification will be issued after successful completion of the course, including a 90% score on the written test.  Many states accept the NRA basic pistol course as proof of training for concealed carry so if you are interested in concealed carry, this is a good place to start.

Topics that will be covered in the NRA Basic Pistol Certification class:

• Firearm Safety
  • Basic safety
  • Firearm storage safety
• Pistol Mechanisms of Operation
  • Pistol parts and how they work
  • Semi-automatic pistol parts and how they work
  • Operating double and single action semi-automatic pistols
  • Revolver parts and how they work
  • Operating double and single action revolvers
  • Ammunition fundamentals
  • Popular pistol cartridges
• Fundamentals of Pistol Shooting
  • Fundamentals of pistol shooting
  • Fundamentals of pistol shooting positions
  • The benchrest position
  • Standing pistol shooting positions
  • One-handed shooting position
  • Common pistol shooting errors
  • Clearing common pistol stoppages
• Pistol Maintenance, Selection and Use
  • Selecting pistols, ammunition and accessories
  • Cleaning and maintaining your pistol
  • Pistol shooting activities and skill development

The NRA Basic Pistol class is the cornerstone of all my Handgun classes and satisfies the need for at least three of the five major topics described below.  For new shooters, we highly recommend taking the NRA basic pistol class first and then the South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit class.

Reloading is fun, it can save you money, it saves wear-and-tear on your firearms and is absolutely required for long range precision shooting.   The basic reloading course is designed for students who have no experience with the topic.  The topic covered in the basic metallic cartridge reloading course are:

• Safety while reloading
• Components of a centerfire cartridge
• How to use the reloading manual and reloading data
• Equipment for reloading centerfire cartridges
• The process of reloading
• Reloading exercise
• Examination

The basic course covers the essential process and the specific points that should be observed during the reloading process.  More advanced courses are also available if the student is interested in precision shooting.

Goal- to introduce students to the knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for owning and using a rifle safely.

During the NRA basic rifle class the student will learn;

• rifle parts and types of rifles and safe gun handling
• ammunition and fundamentals of rifle shooting
• fire the first shots from benchrest and free standing positions
• how to score targets
• selecting and maintaining a rifle
• course examination