What To Expect in a Gun Safety Class

Whether you are at a firearm range or in the comfort of your own home, firearm safety is a MUST. If you are a novice, a firearm safety class is essential before you even pick up a gun. For seasoned professionals, continued firearm safety education is beneficial.

Gun Safety Classes

Fear of the unknown is an easy excuse for delaying participation in a gun safety class. However, if you plan to own or use a firearm a gun safety class is crucial. As with any other type of training, there are ways to make your experience more comfortable. For example, you can bring a friend. Find someone who is concerned about firearm safety, as well, and invite them to go with you. You can also speak to someone who has taken a gun safety class. They can let you know about their experience and put your mind at ease. Lastly, do your research. Online articles, reviews, and customer experiences can help prepare you for your own firearm safety course.

An Educational Foundation

Most gun safety classes will create a foundation for learning with training via a handbook, presentations, and an instructor. Even if you know nothing about firearms, you will by the time you finish a firearm safety course. You will learn everything from the parts of a gun to gun safety to state laws in your area. For example, if you participate in a training courses at MN Firearms, chances are your instructor will inform you of Minnesota gun laws and regulations. Of course, it is your duty as a gun-wielding citizen to stay up-to-date on changing firearm regulation but this will provide a sturdy foundation for you.

Hands-On Training

An essential part of a gun safety class is the opportunity to actually handle a firearm in a safe, regulated environment. Most courses begin by identifying the parts of a firearm and move on to disassembling and re-assembling a weapon. This allows course-takers to see the inner-workings of a firearm and understand how to put one back together after cleaning and maintenance.

Instructors will then move on to proper form while holding a weapon. Difference stances for various situations will be discussed. Proper form will be practiced in both a group and individual setting, which will allow for practice and corrections.

Oftentimes, instructors will also discuss various types of holsters. Each kind offers unique advantages for various body types, carrying situations, and firearm structure. Basic knowledge about selecting a holster for your specific weapon will be covered in order to provide class-takers with the knowledge they need to purchase an adequate holster.

Firearm Discharge Test

This is perhaps the most daunting concept of a gun safety course: the shooting exam. In order to display your knowledge of course details, each participant is required to perform a test by shooting targets from certain distances with a particular type of weapon. The requirements for testing may vary by state, but the concept is the same–to prove that you can safely arm yourself and discharge a weapon accurately when faced with a target.

Online Gun Safety Classes

Despite the requirements of a gun safety course, online options are also available. Although they allow individuals to study and educate themselves at home, a live fire test is still required. An Online Minnesota Multi-State Permit to Carry Class is offered for a fee, and the live range test fee can be paid in the class fee or at the chosen range. Online courses offer the same knowledge of an in-person exam while being private and self-paced.

DNR Hunter Safety Course

For individuals and youth who are interested in hunting game, a DNR Hunter Safety Course is a great option for firearm education and is required for the purchase of a hunting license. This course is comprised of 12 hours of classroom training and a field experience with seven different scenario training opportunities. Individuals aged 11 or older can take this course, with the license becoming valid at age 12.

Instructor Training

If you are an individual who is experienced and comfortable with firearms, instructor training is also an option. Featuring a 6-hour class with topics on home defense, legal firearm requirements, shooting fundamentals and firearm safety, and a live fire test, the instructor training course results in a firearms instructor certification. This certification allows you to teach firearm courses in the state of Minnesota. Obtaining a firearm instructor certificate is a great tool to make money and teach others about gun safety, as well.