Overview
Purchasing a firearm is one of the most significant decisions you'll make as an adult. This course ensures you leave that decision fully equipped — not just with a firearm, but with the knowledge, confidence, and habits that make you a responsible owner from day one.
We cover the four fundamental rules of firearm safety, how your pistol actually works, safe storage practices that protect your family while keeping the firearm accessible when you need it, and the Texas laws you need to understand as a gun owner. You'll also spend time on the range learning basic handling and familiarization — loading, unloading, and firing in a controlled, supported environment.
This is not a marksmanship course — it's a foundation course. If you're brand new to firearms, this is where you start.
Curriculum
The Four Rules of Firearm Safety
The non-negotiable rules that govern every interaction with every firearm, every time. We cover not just what they are, but why each one exists and what happens when they're violated.
How Your Pistol Works
Anatomy of a semi-automatic pistol and revolver. Understanding the mechanical action, how the trigger mechanism functions, and what happens between trigger pull and bullet exit.
Safe Storage Solutions
Gun safes, lock boxes, trigger locks, and quick-access options — the pros, cons, and appropriate use cases for each. How to balance accessibility with security, especially in homes with children.
Texas Firearm Laws
What you can and cannot do as a Texas gun owner. Where you can legally carry (even without a license), prohibited locations, transport laws, and the basics of use-of-force law.
Loading, Unloading & Handling
Hands-on range time covering safe loading and unloading procedures, proper grip and stance for a beginner, and your first trigger presses in a fully supported environment.
Cleaning & Maintenance Basics
How to perform a basic field strip and clean your pistol. What products to use, how often to clean, and the signs that your firearm needs professional attention.
What to Bring
- Your pistol (unloaded, in a case)
- 50 rounds of ammunition (factory, not reloaded)
- Eye and ear protection (loaners available)
- A notepad — there's a lot worth writing down
Who This Course Is For
- First-time firearm owners who want to start right
- Anyone who recently inherited or was gifted a firearm
- Experienced shooters who never received formal safety training
- Parents who want to understand safe storage before bringing a firearm home
Who Should Consider a Different Course First
- Shooters looking to improve accuracy — see Basic Pistol Marksmanship
- Those interested in carry — see Fundamentals of Concealed Carry
