Long Range Handgunning

Course Description:

Long Range Handgunning is a one-day, approximately 500-round intermediate pistol course focused on developing the ability to make consistent, accountable hits at extended handgun distances. Students will engage targets beginning at 15 yards and progress to 50 yards and beyond while learning how distance magnifies errors in sight management, trigger control, stability, and follow-through.

Students will refine the fundamentals required for precision handgun shooting while developing a better understanding of acceptable sight movement, visual confirmation, trigger manipulation, recoil management, and shot calling. Training emphasizes learning what the shooter needs to see and do to guarantee the required hit rather than allowing speed alone to dictate performance.

The course progresses beyond unsupported standing marksmanship. Students will learn to increase stability and precision through kneeling, prone, braced, and supported shooting positions. Available cover and environmental support will be incorporated to demonstrate how position, stability, and reduced muscular effort can improve performance at extended distances.

Every block of instruction follows the Trident Concepts ATPT methodology—Assess, Train, Perform, Test. Students establish their current capability, train specific technical deficiencies, perform the skill under progressively more demanding conditions, and ultimately test their ability against objective performance standards.

Upon completion, students will leave with measurable performance gains, a better understanding of their handgun capabilities at distance, and practical training methods they can use to continue developing extended-range shooting performance.

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Students will train and be evaluated on:

• Making consistent, accountable handgun hits from 15 to 50+ yards.
• Refining sight management and visual confirmation for increasingly difficult shots.
• Improving trigger control while minimizing unnecessary movement of the pistol.
• Managing recoil and maintaining consistent follow-through at extended distances.
• Developing accurate shot calling and using visual feedback to diagnose performance.
• Understanding acceptable sight movement and its relationship to target size and distance.
• Applying kneeling and prone positions to improve stability and precision.
• Using cover, barricades, and available support to create effective braced shooting positions.
• Managing shooting cadence based on distance, target difficulty, and required accuracy.
• Transitioning between different distances and levels of precision without sacrificing accountability.
• Demonstrating long-range handgun proficiency during graded exercises.

Throughout the course, instructors employ the Trident Concepts ATPT methodology—Assess, Train, Perform, Test—using a deliberate practice model. Each block begins with an assessment of current performance followed by focused instruction addressing the most significant technical deficiency.

Drills are conducted in short, focused iterations with immediate coaching. Students apply specific corrections, repeat the task, and evaluate whether those corrections improved performance. Each block concludes with an objective evaluation and performance review identifying what improved, what still requires refinement, and how those skills apply as distance and target difficulty increase.

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Who This Course Is For

Long Range Handgunning is designed for trained pistol shooters who want to expand their capabilities beyond typical handgun distances and develop greater accuracy, consistency, and confidence when distance is present.

This course is a strong fit for:

• Law-enforcement and military personnel who may operate in large or open environments.
• Armed professionals seeking greater handgun capability at extended distances.
• Serious concealed carriers who want to better understand the practical capabilities of their handgun in preparation for active shooter attacks.
• Shooters with prior formal handgun training who want specialized instruction in extended-distance marksmanship.
• Red-dot pistol shooters who want to improve visual processing and precision at distance.
• Iron-sight shooters seeking greater consistency and accountability.
• Students who want to improve positional and supported handgun shooting.
• Shooters who want objective standards, direct diagnostics, and measurable improvement.
• Anyone who wants to identify and deliberately train weaknesses that become more apparent as distance increases.

This is not a beginner handgun course. Students will be expected to safely draw from the holster, maintain muzzle and trigger-finger discipline, perform basic reloads and malfunction clearances, and demonstrate acceptable handgun accuracy before progressing to extended-distance exercises.

The course is physically and mentally demanding. Students should be prepared to shoot from standing, kneeling, seated, prone, and supported positions while maintaining safe gun handling and consistent accuracy.

 

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Gear List

• Serviceable duty-size or compact pistol in 9mm (red dot sight optional*)
• 500 rounds of reliable training ammunition
• 50 rounds of premium defensive ammunition
• 5 x pistol magazines
• Range attire: long pants, comfortable shirt, athletic shoes and ball cap
• Basic loadout: rigid belt, on the waistband (OWB) holster or duty approved holster, magazine pouches and dump pouch (optional)
• Wrap around ballistic eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Water, snacks, sunscreen and appropriate inclement weather clothing
• Firearms cleaning kit and quality lubrication
• Notebook and pencil
• An open mind and willingness to receive direct coaching

*Students are welcome to use RDS equipped pistols, but must ensure they are properly zeroed.  Recommended zero distance is 25 yards for optimal performance, but regardless students must know their impacts at ranges from 0-25 yards. 

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Course Prerequisite:

Long Range Handgunning is intended for intermediate and experienced pistol shooters and is not an introductory handgun course.

Students should possess the ability to:

• Safely draw from a quality belt-mounted holster.
• Consistently present the pistol from the holster.
• Maintain safe muzzle direction and trigger-finger discipline.
• Demonstrate safe reloads and malfunction clearances.
• Maintain consistent accuracy at typical defensive handgun distances.
• Demonstrate fundamental sight management and trigger control.
• Follow range commands in a dynamic training environment.
• Safely assume kneeling and other alternative shooting positions.
• Receive and apply direct performance coaching.

Successful completion of a reputable intermediate-level pistol course is strongly recommended. Students should arrive capable of demonstrating consistent handgun accuracy before attempting increasingly difficult shots at extended distances.

Students should expect a demanding training experience that places a premium on accuracy and accountability. Distance exposes technical deficiencies quickly, and students will be expected to apply coaching, make corrections, and demonstrate measurable improvement throughout the course. The recommended target is the TRICON TCT-MK4 available from Action Target or TRICON B8 target.

• Pistol Standard Bravo 2; at 25 yards, fire 10 rounds within 20 seconds. Must be below par and score 80/100 or higher.
• Pistol Standard Bravo 7; At 25 yards:draw and fire 1R; from ready fire 1R; from ready fire 1R, reload, kneel and fire 1R; draw and fire 6R. Score is total time +1 second per miss; 8/10 hits and 15.00 seconds or less are required to pass.
• Pistol Standard November 2; at 5 yards, fire 10 rounds into a 2-inch target within 30 seconds. Must be below par and score 8/10 hits or higher.

Registration fee does not include any associated range fees.

Want to see other classes coming up this year? Check out the Class Schedule.