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Defensive Edge Handgun Courses
Gunfighting From/Around Vehicles
Gunfighting While Protecting Others
Cold Weather Handgun
Outline and Course Objectives
This course is based on dealing with cold weather issues of carry, presentation from heavy clothing, shooting with heavy clothing on, manipulations with numb and stiff fingers, and performing with gloves on. This course has been set up for those people who take their own and loved ones self defense serious enough to carry a pistol in our fine cooler climate, that they will be able to get some quality range time which deals with these real world issues. This course is designed as a half day course.
There is no prerequisite for this course, although I do expect you to be a safe and competent pistol handler. This is not a permit to carry course so it will not be based on legal aspects or basic pistolcraft fundamentals. This course is topic specific and is open to all that are open minded and willing to learn.
Student Materials (Minimum Suggestion)
- Pistol
- Holster. We recommend a concealable holster for the clothing work.
- Belt that works well with your holster
- 3-magazines or speed loaders with carrier.
- 200rds pistol ammunition (minimum)
- Eye & Ear Protection
- Gloves
- Dress for the weather as we will shoot in a blizzard or mud.
Cost
$55
Location
This class is held during the cold months at the Westbranch Gun Club in Princeton, Minnesota.
Check the Training Calendar for upcoming courses.
Gunfighting From & Around Vehicles
Outline and Course Objectives
Many of us spend great amounts of time in a vehicles commuting and/or working. This course is designed to give hands on practical knowledge of how to defend yourself while in a vehicle and around vehicles. This course builds on the basic fundamentals of pistol skills, and adds an entire new dimension with hands on training.
This 16-hour course gives students an opportunity to learn and hone fundamentals as they apply to vehicles and learn to adapt tactics to vehicles. Students will have the opportunity to apply their knowlege during the scenario based training session. Students should plan on being on the ground, rolling on the ground, rolling onto the ground, lots of ground pivots, etc.
Student Materials (Minimum Suggestion)
Loadout:
- Pistol with Concealment Holster. SWAT, Military, & Contractor Personnel may use Tactical Holsters.
- Ammo: 800rds MINIMUM
- Cover Garment
- Body Armor Recommended, but not required
- Knee & Elbow Pads, Gloves (Optional but are always welcome)
- Sunblock, Hat, Bugjuice, Water/Gatorade and Snacks/Lunch
- Plan on working hard, so you will be tired at the end of the day. Vitamin-I (Ibuprofen) can be your friend!!!
Cost
$350. Early registration: $300 ends 30 days before class.
Location
Check the Training Calendar for upcoming courses. This course is held at the Westbranch Gun Club in Princeton.
Gunfighting While Protecting Others
Outline and Course Objectives
This course is a must for anyone that might be tasked with:
- Protecting a loved one and children
- Protecting someone that they are contracted to protect
- Protecting anyone else that may be present during a hostile attack where defensive and evasive actions are necessary.
This course is well suited for the Executive Protection Specialist, Parent, Spouse, Law Enforcement Officer, School Resource Officer, and Security Guards.
Time will be spent on the fundamentals necessary to deal in and around crowds, remove and move people from danger areas, and deal with hostilites while protecting others. A great deal of time will be spent on fundamentals of weapons skills for this type of task.
This is a basic level course and will be a primer for a level 2 course. There is no prerequisite for this course.
Student Materials (Minimum Suggestion)
- Handgun with hip holster (no thigh or shoulder rigs)
- 3-magazines with carrier
- 750rds ammunition
- Eye and Ear Protection
- Cover Garment
- Body Armor (Optional)
Cost
$350. Early registration: $300 ends 30 days before class.
Location
Check the Training Calendar for upcoming courses. This course is held at the Westbranch Gun Club in Princeton.
Handgun 1 - MN Permit to Carry
Outline and Course Objectives
The Handgun 1 Course is designed for the novice shooter or remedial training for the more experienced shooter.
The handgun is primarily a defensive weapon. Small and easy to conceal, it is often the first choice when selecting a firearm for defense. The handgun is the most difficult to master in comparison to the shotgun, carbine/rifle, or sub-machine gun.
If you are going to be relying on a handgun for self-defense, then you need to be able to use it properly with accuracy and safety.
Our emphasis is to introduce the Fundamentals of Firearms Safety to the novice, and will teach the skills necessary to properly use the revolver and semi-automatic handgun in a self-defense situation.
Successful completion of this course qualifies as approved training for a Minnesota Permit to Carry. Defensive Edge is a MN BCA Approved Training Provider.
The hands-on course will cover the following:
- Legal aspects of owning, transporting, and using a firearm for self-defense
- Tactics of self-defense
- Proper Stance
- Grip
- Draw Stoke/Presentation/Reholstering
- Sight Alignment/Sight Picture
- Trigger Press
- Reloading
- Malfunctions
- Firearms Safety Issues (range/home/on-off duty)
- Ballistic Issues
- Cleaning and maintenance
Receipt of Training Application and Credentials: For credentials, the permit to purchase is acceptable. To obtain a permit to purchase, go to your local police or sheriff's department and fill out their application.
Student Materials (Minimum Suggestion)
You will need to bring:- A Defensive handgun - 38/357mag, 9mm, 40sw, 45acp, 357sig, or something similar
- Hip or thigh holster. No shoulder rigs or cross draw holsters allowed.
- 300 rounds of ammunition
- 2 spare magazines or speed loaders for the handgun
- Eye and ear protection
- Bug spray (seasonal but the bugs do seem to find us)
- Sunblock and hat
- Dress for the weather as we are outside and will shoot rain or shine
- Lunch with water or other beverage to keep you hydrated.
We shoot in all weather conditions and will only cancel if the weather is dangerous.
We will start the day with a 1 - 2 hour lecture and then the rest of the day is spent shooting.
Cost
$175
Location
Check the Training Calendar for upcoming courses. This course is held at the Westbranch Gun Club in Princeton.
Low Light Handgun
Outline and Course Objectives
The majority of defensive confrontations take place during hours of low light or darkness.
With that comes the need for training to learn about handgun fundamentals as they are applied at night, and learn the critical skills necessary to be successful in a low light confrontation.
This course will cover Low Light/Night Fire of the Handgun and will give you the knowledge and skills to become successful in both illuminated and non-illuminated situations.
This course will start in the afternoon to allow all the opportunity to train in late afternoon, early evening and nighttime conditions. Training will encompass no illumination and flashlight use in all types of light conditions.
This is a prerequisite for Tactical Low Light Handgun.
Student Materials (Minimum Suggestion)
- Handgun with Hip Hoslter
- 3 magazines
- 300rds Ammunition (minimum)
- Flashlight
- Eye & Ear Protection
- Dress for the weather
- Safety
- Tactics of Self-Defense
- Conditions of Readiness
- Types of Gear and Placement Issues
- Fundamentals of Shooting
- Proper Stance
- Grip
- Draw Stoke/Presentation
- Sight Alignment/Sight Picture
- Trigger Press
- Recoil Management
- Reloading (Emergency & Tactical)
- Malfunctions (3 Types)
- Use of Cover & Concealment
- Different Shooting Positions & their applications
- Movement Shooting (All Directions)
- Close Quarter Shooting & Distance Shooting
- Multiple Target Issues
- Building Searches
- Ballistic Issues
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- To attend this course you must submit a training application with a copy of your current Minnesota Permit To Carry Card.
- Defensive Handgun - 38/357mag, 9mm, .357Sig, 40S&W, 45acp, 45GAP, or something similar. (No Taurus Beretta 92 copies, HighPoint, Jennings, Bryco, Lorcin, or other substandard pistols; ask if you have questions).
- Hip Holster with belt. (No shoulder, thigh, or cross draw holsters allowed)
- 50 rounds of quality handgun ammunition.
- 2 spare magazines or speed loaders for the handgun.
- Concealment Garment to cover up holster.
- Wrap Around Eye Protection that is designated for shooting.
- Bug spray (seasonal but the bugs do seem to find us)
- Sunblock and Hat
- Dress for the weather as we are outside and will shoot rain or shine
Cost
$150 with $125 early registration (ends 30 days before class)
Location
Check the Training Calendar for upcoming courses. This course is held at the Westbranch Gun Club in Princeton.
Tactical Handgun
Outline and Course Objectives
2-day / 20-hours approximately
This comprehensive course emphasizes fundamentals and marksmanship, while perfecting skills at varying distances.
A student will learn to engage different sizes and shapes of targets at varying distances. The element of movement shooting is added to the individual tactics and handling techniques. Multiple targets will be engaged at varying distances while on the move.
Limited visibility techniques, instinctive shooting techniques, firing positions, cover and concealment, including weak hand shooting will be practiced and polished. A higher stress level is introduced to hone skills at faster speeds with an emphasis on shot placement.
Topics covered in this 2 day course include:
For those that are interested, we will also cover the necessary requirements to obtain a Minnesota Carry Permit, including Non-Resident for those desire it.
Student Materials (Minimum Suggestion)
Holsters: it really is a matter of personal preference to which holster.
No cross draw, tanker rigs, shoulder rigs, or vest holsters in our course.
A handgun should be carried on the hip or thigh for this course, mainly due to you will be shooting with people on both sides of you, and muzzle discipline will be enforced by all at the highest standard.
No FOBUS as they probably won't hold up through the course. Kydex, look at Galco, G-Code, BladeTech, SideArmor, and Uncle Mikes. For leather look at Safariland, Milt Sparks, Galco, Thompson, Desantis, Bianchi, Ernie Hill, etc.
If using a thigh rig, I highly recommend a Safariland 6004 variant, as they are very user friendly.
Handgun: use something that is of good quality, has good magazines, and is reliable.
My suggestions are usually a Glock, 1911 variants, Sig Sauer, HK P7 or USP series, XD/HS2000's, Beretta, Smith & Wesson, Ruger.
"ABSOLUTELY NO" Taurus, inexpensive High Power copies, High Point, Jennings, Bryco, Lorcin, etc. Any questions please ask.
Revolvers are welcome, but I will warn you that this will be a long 2-days with lots of trigger presses and reloads, so if you plan to shoot a revolver just be forewarned!!!
Magazines: Have at least three, and more if possible. Make sure they work and are very reliable, as there is nothing more frustrating that having nothing alot of feed problems. Also a magazine carrier is recommended, whether it is thigh, belt, or chest rig.
Ammo: 800rds minimum, and we may shoot more. Make sure it is good quality, and it runs and feeds well in your weapon. If you have bad ammo it will be a long two days of clearing jambs.
Eye and Ear Protection is a must. Plan on eyewear that will be good for rain and sun, so a couple of different pairs is always a good idea. Eyewear should be ballistic tye polycarbonate, and not cheap gas station sunglasses. Any questions please ask.
Clothing: Wear comfortable clothing that you can kneel and go prone in, and don't mind getting dirty as you will be on the ground. I recommend BDU or 5.11 type styles, as they offer freedom of movement, are reinforced in the seat and knees, and have lots of big pockets, plus they dry quickly after a possible rain storm. Hat is mandatory as we will be outside for 2-days. Layer your clothing for all weather conditions. Good footwear is a must, as you will be on your feet for 2-days and will be doing movement shooting in all directions over all types of terrain, as well as some possible jogging/running.
Other: Body Armor is not required, but if you wish to wear it I will not object. Knee and Elbow Pads is recommended but not required, we will be on the ground some. Raingear is a must to have with, as we will shoot rain or shine, so if you forget it plan on getting wet!!! Pack a lunch, snacks, water and gatorade to keep yourself hydrated. Sunblock and a hat are a must, as we will be outside for two days in the July sun. Bug Repellant is highly recommended, as we will shoot while the mosquitoes attack if necessary.
Cost
$350. Early registration: $300 ends 30 days before class
Location
Westbranch Gun Club, Princeton, MN
MN Permit to Carry Renewal
Outline and Course Objectives
This half day course is designed for the person who is renewing their Minnesota Permit To Carry A Firearm.
Attendees need to be proficient with their handgun as they will tasked to perform a shooting qualification course out to 25yds with no warm up and must pass with a minimum of 80%, this is a pass/fail course and no retests will be conducted on the same day.
This course is for the person who is already proficient in their shooting and weapon handling skills. If you are wanting a course that works on fundamentals and skills, then we suggest taking our Handgun-1 Course
Student Materials (Minimum Suggestion)
Cost
$100 for 4 hoursNO REFUNDS OR CREDITS FOR NO SHOWS OR FAILING TO PASS THE SHOOTING PROFICIENCY TEST
Location
Westbranch Gun Club, Princeton, MN