S.D.A Pistol 1. Basics

Pistol 1: Defensive Handgun Fundamentals

Course Overview

Pistol 1 is an 8-hour course (4 hours classroom + 4 hours live-fire) designed to establish practical, real-world handgun skills. This class covers safety, fundamental mechanics, and core shooting concepts, preparing students for further training.

Course Breakdown

✅ Classroom (4 Hours – Dryfire & Theory)

• Firearm Safety & Handling – reinforcing best practices

• Deliberate Load & Unload – safe and efficient loading/unloading procedures

• Grip, Sights, & Trigger Fundamentals – building a stable and repeatable shooting platform

• Draw Stroke Mechanics – establishing a consistent and efficient presentation

• Dryfire Exercises – reinforcing core fundamentals before live-fire

✅ Range (4 Hours – Live Fire)

• Applying Classroom Fundamentals in live-fire drills

• Reactive & Predictive Shooting – balancing precision and speed

• Shot Accountability & Accuracy – refining trigger control and sight picture

• Walk-Off Drill – reinforcing final takeaways and skill retention

Course Structure

• Can be split into two days (not necessarily consecutive) for scheduling flexibility

• Students will complete both classroom and live-fire components for full certification

Why This Approach?

By integrating dryfire instruction before live-fire training, students develop stronger mechanics and efficiency, making range time more effective while reducing wasted reps and unnecessary ammo expenditure.

Who Should Take This Course?

• New handgun shooters or those refining fundamentals

• Shooters preparing for Pistol 2 and more advanced training

• Anyone looking for a structured, professional approach to defensive pistol use