Near and Far: The Complete Handgun Fight

Near and Far: The Complete Handgun Fight

Greg Elifritz and I are teaming up to bring you an action-packed, two-day training experience that covers the full spectrum of handgun combat. Greg will lead students through extreme close-range gunfighting, covering retention shooting, in-fight weapons access, contact-distance shooting mechanics, and close-quarters problem-solving skills designed for real-world encounters. I’ll round out the program by teaching long-range handgun skills that push students past comfort zones and into true marksmanship performance territory; engaging targets from 15 to 50+ yards. From braced positions to prone, this training prepares you for the realities of large, open-space threats where the distance requires skills. Together, we’re delivering a course that prepares you for every fight; near and far from arm’s length to across the street.

Close Quarters Gunfighting

The skills you learned on the shooting range or in your CCW class may not work for you when the fight happens within arms’ reach. Extreme close range gunfighting is a completely different skill set, one that relies far more on FIGHTING than on mere shooting.

In this class Greg Ellifritz will teach the dynamic close quarters gunfighting skills covering the following topics:

• Retention Shooting Positions
• Body positioning and shooting stances for the close quarters fight
• In-fight weapons access and drawing skills
• Stopping an opponent’s draw
• Mechanical and tactical considerations for making contact distance shots
• Close quarters gun disarms
• One handed close quarters malfunction drills
• Using the firearm as an impact weapon
• Drawing and shooting from unconventional position
• Close range lethal force empty hand skills

This is not the class for a beginner. Proper gun handling skills and prior training is a prerequisite for the course. Students must be competent gun handlers. They should be able to draw safely from the holster, shoot one handed, and clear common malfunctions without assistance.

If students do not possess these basic skills at the start of the course, they will be barred from further live fire participation.

The class will be physical, but you will be able to control your level of participation in each drill. This class will not include any physical conditioning, nor will it devolve into some type of “Fight Club” scenario occasionally seen in similar classes.

I pride myself on taking care of my students. You’ll be tired at the end of the day, but if you can stand on your feet and engage in light intensity upper body exercise for a period of about six hours, you will do absolutely fine in the class. I will attempt to scale the activity level for folks with physical limitations.

Instructor Bio:

Greg Ellifritz is the President and Primary Instructor of Active Response Training and recently retired after 25 years in law enforcement. He spent 13 years as a full-time tactical training officer, developing and teaching in-service training for his department, and served in roles including rangemaster, sniper, armorer, bike patrol coordinator, and field training officer. Greg instructed for 17 years at the Tactical Defense Institute and was a lead instructor in ground fighting, knife fighting, active shooter response, impact weapons, and extreme close-quarters shooting. He holds instructor or armorer certifications in more than 80 weapons systems and has completed over 4,000 hours of advanced training with leading firearms and defensive tactics instructors nationwide. Greg has also taught at the state, national, and international level, holds a master’s degree in public policy and management, and is a published author in multiple professional firearms and law enforcement publications.

Greg can be reached through his website at www.activeresponsetraining.net

Long Range Handgunning

This is an intensive handgun course dedicated to building accuracy and accountability at extended distances, with students engaging targets from 15 out to 50+ yards. In this course Jeff will reinforces the core shooting fundamentals; sight management, trigger control, recoil management, follow-through and shot calling; through structured drills with clear performance standards.

Students will learn to maximize stability and precision by shooting from kneeling, seated, prone, and braced positions using cover or support. The course is designed around real-world threats in large, open environments where attacks often occur beyond typical defensive distances and compliments the near and far approach. Built for experienced shooters, this performance-driven program sharpens marksmanship and confidence when distance is present. In this course Jeff will be covering these topics:

• Develop the ability to make consistent, accountable hits at extended handgun distances from 15 to 50+ yards.
• Refine core shooting fundamentals; sight management, trigger control, recoil control, and shot calling; specifically for long-range performance.
• Build confidence engaging threats beyond typical defensive ranges found in large, open environments.
• Apply stable shooting positions (kneeling, seated, prone) to increase accuracy and control at distance.
• Use cover and braced positions effectively to improve precision and reduce exposure.
• Strengthen diagnostic shooting skills by using shot calling to immediately correct errors at extended range.
• Establish measurable performance standards for long-range handgun shooting through structured drills.
• Prepare students to effectively engage threats in large, open environments where distance, accuracy, and timing are critical.

This course is designed to help students develop the technical skill and personal confidence necessary for successful long-range handgun shooting through a guided approach.