Classes at Snoqualmie Valley Rifle Club

Home Firearm Safety

The NRA Home Firearm Safety Course is the basic course we recommend to anyone unfamiliar with guns or who needs a to learn gun terminology.

Course Goal

“To teach the basic knowledge and skills and to explain the attitude necessary for the safe handling and storage of guns in the home.”

—NRA Home Firearm Safety Course Lesson Plans

In this four hour course students will get the NRA's Home Firearm Safety handbook, pamphlets on safety and terminology, and lessons on the rules of safe gun handling, identifying and unloading various firearms, ammunition, cleaning, and storage, and will get hands-on experience with the most common types of handguns, rifles, and shotguns.

Lessons

1. Rules for Safe Gun Handling
2. Identifying and Unloading Different Firearms
3. Practical Exercises in Safe Gun Handling
4. Types of Ammunition; Cleaning and Storage of Firearms

Prerequisites

The are no prerequisites for taking this course, and the material is accessible to appropriately supervised mature children.

Course Completion

Students will receive feedback on the practical exercises and a course certificate upon successful completion of the lessons.

Schedule and Enrollment

Classes can be set up on request. Course time is 4 hours. Please contact the for more information on scheduling this class.

Cost: minimal fee.

Course description courtesy of Joshua R. Poulson.

 

Basic Pistol

A pistol, or handgun, is a firearm designed to be fired while being held in one hand. While such firearms are small and compact, they can be the hardest to learn.

Course Goal

“To teach the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude for owning and using a pistol safely.”

—NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course Lesson Plans

The Basic Pistol course can be as short as ten hours. In it students will get the NRA's The Basics of Pistol Shooting handbook and intensive lessons in safety, gun handling, the various types of pistols, the fundamentals of pistol marksmanship, various pistol firing positions, several practical exercises on the firing range, cleaning, storage, and a summary of pistol sports and activities.

Lessons

1. Pistol Knowledge and Safe Gun Handling
2. Ammunition Knowledge and Fundamentals of Pistol Shooting
3. Firing the First Shots (includes cleaning and storage)
4. Two-handed and One-handed Standing Shooting Positions
5. Pistol Sports and Activities

Prerequisites

The are no prerequisites for taking this course, and the material is accessible to appropriately supervised mature children.

Course Completion

Students will receive feedback on the live-fire exercise and a course certificate upon successful completion of the lessons. Students will receive a “Basic Practical” rocker upon successful demonstration of firing a qualifying “group”. There is a short written test on the lesson material at the end of the course.

Schedule and Enrollment

The schedule for this class is pending. Please check back for updates.

Please see General Notes and Enrollment Instructions for locations and enrollment instructions.

Cost: $30 for members, $50 for non-members

Course description courtesy of Joshua R. Poulson.

FIRST Steps Pistol

FIRST stands for “Firearm Instruction, Responsibility, and Safety Training”, a program the NRA developed to meet the need for a firearms orientation program for new gun purchasers. This FIRST Steps program is a basic courses abbreviated to the most fundamental shooting skills, and the specifics of a particular model of pistol.

Course Goal

“To provide beginning shooters with an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to own and use a specific pistol model safely.”

—NRA FIRST Steps Pistol Orientation Lesson Plans

This course, because of its narrow focus, can be completed as quickly as three hours. Students will get the NRA's The Basics of Pistol Shooting handbook and quick practical lessons on the safe use, cleaning, and storage of their pistol. The practical exercise covered a single pistol shooting position. As the number of participants or pistol types present increases, the course will take proportionally longer.

Lessons

1. Introduction to Pistol Safety, Parts, and Operation
2. Introduction to Ammunition and the Fundamentals of Pistol Shooting
3. Introduction to Pistol Shooting from the Benchrest Position
4. Introduction to Pistol Cleaning, Storage, and Training Opportunities

Prerequisites

The are no prerequisites for taking this course, and the material is accessible to appropriately supervised mature children.

Course Completion

Students will receive feedback on the live-fire exercise and a course certificate upon successful completion of the lessons. Students will receive a “Basic Practical” rocker upon successful demonstration of firing a qualifying “group”.

Schedule and Enrollment

Classes can be set up on request. Course time is 4 hours. Please contact the for more information on scheduling this class.

Cost: $15 for members, $25 for non-members

Course description courtesy of Joshua R. Poulson.

Basic Shotgun

A shotgun is a long gun designed to be fired with two hands. It has a smooth bore (the inside of the barrel) and is designed to shoot a variety of ammunition, ranging from a solid bullet, called a slug, to multiple projectiles, called shot. Shotguns are often used in bird hunting, and in the sports of trap or skeet.

Course Goal

“To teach the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the safe and proper use of a shotgun in shooting a moving target.”

—NRA Basic Shotgun Shooting Course Lesson Plans

The Basic Shotgun course can be as short as ten hours. In it students will get the NRA's The Basics of Shotgun Shooting handbook and intensive lessons in safety, gun handling, fundamentals of shotgun shooting, several practical exercises on the firing range, cleaning, storage, and a summary of shotgun sports and activities.

Lessons

1. Shotgun Knowledge and Safe Handling
2. Ammunition Knowledge and Fundamentals of Shotgun Shooting
3. Firing the First Shots (includes cleaning and storage)
4. Shotgun Shooting Skills Practical Exercise
5. Shotgun Games and Activities

Prerequisites

The are no prerequisites for taking this course, and the material is accessible to appropriately supervised mature children. Be aware that the proper fitting of a shotgun to a shooter can be time-consuming.

Course Completion

For best results, the shotgun shooting skills exercise is repeated several times, with feedback from the instructor.

Students will receive feedback on the live-fire exercise and a course certificate upon successful completion of the lessons. There is a short written test on the lesson material at the end of the course.

Course description courtesy of Joshua R. Poulson.

FIRST Steps Shotgun

FIRST stands for “Firearm Instruction, Responsibility, and Safety Training”, a program the NRA developed to meet the need for a firearms orientation program for new gun purchasers. This FIRST Steps program is the basic course abbreviated to the most basic shooting skills, and the specifics of a particular model of shotgun.

Course Goal

“To provide beginning shooters with an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to own and use a specific shotgun model safely.”

—NRA FIRST Steps Shotgun Orientation Lesson Plans

This course, because of its narrow focus, can be completed as quickly as three hours. Students will get the NRA's The Basics of Shotgun Shooting handbook and quick practical lessons on the safe use, cleaning, and storage of their shotgun. The practical exercise covers a single position and type of target. As the number of participants or shotgun types increases, the course will take proportionally longer.

Lessons

1. Introduction to Shotgun Safety, Parts, and Operation
2. Introduction to Ammunition and the Fundamentals of Shotgun Shooting
3. Introduction to Shotgun Shooting at Straightaway Targets
4. Introduction to Shotgun Cleaning, Storage, and Training Opportunities

Prerequisites

The are no prerequisites for taking this course, and the material is accessible to appropriately supervised mature children. Be aware that the proper fitting of a shotgun to a shooter can be time-consuming.

Course Completion

Students will receive feedback on the live-fire exercise and a course certificate upon successful completion of the lessons.

Course description courtesy of Joshua R. Poulson.

Basic Rifle

A rifle is a long gun designed to be fired with two hands. It has a rifled bore (thus the name “rifle”) and is designed to shoot a specific size of ammunition. Rifles are often used in game hunting and in long range marksmanship competitions.

Course Goal

“To teach the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the safe use of a rifle in target shooting.”

—NRA Basic Rifle Shooting Course Lesson Plans

The Basic Rifle course can be as short as fourteen hours. In it students will get the NRA's The Basics of Rifle Shooting handbook and intensive lessons in safety, gun handling, fundamentals of rifle shooting, several practical exercises on the firing range, cleaning, storage, and a summary of rifle sports and activities.

Lessons

1. Rifle Knowledge and Safe Handling
2. Ammunition Knowledge and Fundamentals of Rifle Shooting
3. Firing the First Shots (includes cleaning and storage)
4. Standing Rifle Shooting Positions
5. Prone and Kneeling Rifle Shooting Positions
6. Sitting Rifle Shooting Positions
7. Rifle Sports and Activities

Prerequisites

The are no prerequisites for taking this course, and the material is accessible to appropriately supervised mature children. Be aware that the proper fitting of a rifle to a shooter can be time-consuming.

Course Completion

Students will receive feedback on the live-fire exercises and a course certificate upon successful completion of the lessons. There is a short written test on the lesson material at the end of the course.

Schedule and Enrollment

This class is not scheduled at this time. Please contact the for more information on scheduling this class.

Cost: $30 for members, $50 for non-members.

Course description courtesy of Joshua R. Poulson.

FIRST Steps Rifle

FIRST stands for “Firearm Instruction, Responsibility, and Safety Training”, a program the NRA developed to meet the need for a firearms orientation program for new gun purchasers. This FIRST Steps program is the basic courses abbreviated to the most basic shooting skills, and the specifics of a particular model of rifle.

Course Goal

“To provide beginning shooters with an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to own and use a specific rifle model safely.”

—NRA FIRST Steps Rifle Orientation Lesson Plans

This course, because of its narrow focus, can be completed as quickly as three hours. Students will get the NRA's The Basics of Rifle Shooting handbook and quick practical lessons on the safe use, cleaning, and storage of their rifle. The practical exercise only covers a single firing position. As the number of participants or firearm types increases, the course will take proportionally longer.

Lessons

1. Introduction to Rifle Safety, Parts, and Operation
2. Introduction to Ammunition and the Fundamentals of Rifle Shooting
3. Introduction to Rifle Shooting from the Benchrest Position
4. Introduction to Rifle Cleaning, Storage, and Training Opportunities

Prerequisites

The are no prerequisites for taking this course, and the material is accessible to appropriately supervised mature children. Be aware that the proper fitting of a rifle to a shooter can be time-consuming.

Course Completion

Students will receive feedback on the live-fire exercise and a course certificate upon successful completion of the lessons.

Schedule and Enrollment

Classes can be set up on request. Course time is 4 hours.  Please contact the for more information on scheduling this class.

Cost: $15 for members, $25 for non-members

Course description courtesy of Joshua R. Poulson.

Basic Personal Protection in the Home

Unlike the other basic courses, the Personal Protection course covers defensive shooting. Self-defense is a topic somewhat distinct from the regular diet of shooting fundamentals, it can cover mindset, legal issues, decision-making under pressure, and planning for the worst. The Basic Personal Protection in the Home course is designed around the use of the defensive pistol.

Course Goal

“To develop in the students the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude essential to the safe and efficient use of a handgun for protection of self and family, and to provide information on the law-abiding citizen's right to self-defense.”

—NRA Basic Personal Protection in the Home Course Lesson Plans

Although the course can be completed as quickly as eight hours, the amount of information presented, and the probability of intensive question and answer sessions on the included topics, makes it likely that the course will take longer.

Students will receive the NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection in the Home handbook and intensive lessons on basics of defensive shooting, issues of self-defense, and other strategies for protecting the home and family.

Lessons

1. Introduction to Defensive Shooting
2. Basic Defensive Handgun Skills
3. Firearms and the Law: Possession, Ownership, and the Use of Deadly Force
4. Strategies for Home Safety and Responding to a Violent Confrontation
5. Selecting a Handgun for Personal Defense
6. Sport Shooting Activities and Training Opportunities
7. Course Review and Examination

Prerequisites

Participants in the Personal Protection course should be experienced shooters, showing mastery of the basic skills of safe gun handling. If necessary, this course will put participants through a pre-course evaluation exercise, where potential students are asked to demonstrate safe gun handling, shoot a series of five-shot groups, discuss the operations necessary to zero a pistol, and demonstrate how to properly clean a handgun.

Participants are expected to show validation of shooting experience by showing an NRA Basic Pistol Course certificate, an NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program certificate, a Pistol qualification card, a DD 214 card with pistol qualification, or a Concealed Carry Permit.

Finally, the Personal Protection course is intended for mature law-abiding adults, who have the mindset and seriousness necessary to properly perform the activities in the course. Self-defense is not a topic that lends itself to horseplay and distractions.

Course Completion

Students will be given feedback on their shooting exercises, and a certificate upon successful completion of the lessons. Not only are shooting standards fired during the practical exercises, but a written exam will be given at the end of the course. Throughout the course the instructor will use a individual checklist for each student to ensure the coverage of course material, and satisfactory absorption of the material being taught.

Schedule and Enrollment

The schedule for this class is pending. Please check back for updates.

Please see General Notes and Enrollment Instructions for locations and enrollment instructions.

Course description courtesy of Joshua R. Poulson.

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Safety experts agree the single most important step toward ensuring your personal safety is making the conscious decision to Refuse To Be A Victim®. You stand a much better chance of preventing criminal attack if you develop a safety plan before you need it. That is why the National Rifle Association is offering the Refuse To Be A Victim® crime prevention seminar.

The seminar teaches easy-to-understand methods you can use to increase awareness and prevent criminal confrontation. In just three to four hours, you will get the tools you need to develop your own personal safety strategy, including information about:

• The Psychology of the Criminal Mind
• Home & Phone Security
• Automobile & Travel Security
• Personal & Technological Security
• Self-Defense Devices and Training Options
• And more!

Additional information about this program can be found on the following Web pages:

• Refuse To Be A Victim
• Refuse To Be A Victim - Safety Strategies
• Refuse To Be A Victim - Publicity & Praise

Schedule and Enrollment

Classes can be set up on request. Course time is 4 hours. Please contact the for more information on scheduling this class.

Cost: minimal fee.

NRA Reloading

Reloading - the assembly of safe, functional ammunition from the basic cartridge components - is a hobby that many firearm owners have found adds greatly to their enjoyment of the shooting sports. The NRA Reloading class presents the basic theory, procedure and equipment to safely reload handgun, rifle and shotgun ammunition.

Course covers:

• Safety rules and considerations
• The firing process
• Components needed to reload
• Equipment needed to reload
• Reloading Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun ammunition

Benefits of reloading include learning and enjoying a whole different aspect of the shooting sports; saving money on the cost of ammunition; developing custom-tailored cartridges for your firearm and shooting activity for more accuracy and precision; helping the environment by recycling shells; and reloading can be fun and relaxing.

Schedule and Enrollment

This class can be set up with only one or two students at a time. The course is held in the home of the instructor where equipment is set up so you get hands-on training. Please contact the to set up this class. Cost is $10 for SVRC members, $20 for non-members.

About this page

Many of the NRA course descriptions on this page were written by Joshua R. Poulson. Josh has been certified by the NRA to teach Home Firearm Safety, Basic Pistol, FIRST Steps Pistol, and Personal Protection in the Home. He is also a certified Range Safety Officer.

The official NRA lesson plans were used to develop each course description, and are quoted where appropriate. Those publications are copyrighted by the NRA and are available for purchase from the NRA store.

All of Josh's hard work at maintaining web standards for his original version of the page were compromised in this version when the SVRC webmaster modified it to fit into the site. The original page and its content were designed to comply with browsers supporting the standards recommended by the World-Wide Web Consortium. Such browsers include modern versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, the Mozilla browser (the technology used to make Netscape 6), the Opera browser and a few others.

While the content should display in other browsers, it may not be as pleasing to the eye as it would appear on a browser that supports current web standards.

Josh's adherence to web standards was inspired by the folks at the Web Standards Project and the online webzine A List Apart, the basic code for his layout was borrowed from the Layout Reservoir at bluerobot.com.