Due to great demand, the F.I.R.E. Insittute is scheduling another session of "One Day Hand Gun" on Saturday, July 13.

This course is designed for those who have no previous firearms training, and want to better understand thier firearm, how it is used, and more generally the process and value of firearms training.

A more complete course description follows.


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ONE-DAY HANDGUN CLINIC
Introduction to Handgun Basics

SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2013
PITCAIRN-MONROEVILLE SPORTSMAN’S CLUB

Typically a novice shooter will turn to friends or relatives for instruction in the use of firearms. However, as is the case with learning to drive a car, family members are not usually the best choice. Neither family nor friends are usually experienced teachers, and their knowledge of the subject might not be that much greater than your own. This course is designed to provide a good alternative. It is for people who have no prior formal instruction in the safe handling and use of handguns. Topics include:

Gun Handling and Marksmanship: Safe loading and unloading, correct stance and grip and basic marksmanship techniques are taught. These include proper sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger manipulation. We will endeavor to demystify these essentially mechanical processes.

Firearms Safety: Students will be exposed to four universally accepted rules of gun safety, which if followed scrupulously, will prevent unintended discharges and will comply with the civil standard of care for the handling of firearms.

Shooting Drills:
A course of fire has been developed to permit a novice shooter to gain experience and a better understanding of the concepts introduced in the program. We believe a novice shooter will find this challenging and educational.

Equipment: The instructors will explain how to select a handgun, holster and ammunition, so your equipment fits your hands, matches your body type and is consistent with your life style. Students will have the opportunity to examine and try out several different types of handguns.

Cost: $60.00, plus a $10 range fee for those not a member of the host club. This includes targets, range supplies and handouts. Students will provide their own firearm, ammo, personal gear and meals.

Course format: 9am – 5pm. Lecture (approximately 2 hrs.), and live-fire exercises (approximately 5 hrs.). Everything is done on the range. Each student will need 100 rounds of ammunition.

Instructor(s): The instructors and staff are FIRE Institute volunteers who have collectively accrued several thousand hours of formal training from experienced, professional firearms instructors. In addition to their personal firearms training, each of the staff have attended firearms instructor schools run by the NRA and/or professional instructors. Peter Georgiades will be the Rangemaster for this course. His instructor training has included hundreds of hours under Giles Stock (Rangemaster, Gunsite Training Academy) Jim Crews (Marksman’s Enterprise) and Pat Rogers (Gunsite; EAG). The instructors for this course are selected for their patience, clarity and even temperament. .

Class size: Enrollment will be limited to EIGHT students.

Location: Pitcairn-Monroeville Sportsman’s Club, 505 Mosside Blvd. (Rt. 48) N. Versailles. Meet at the main clubhouse/indoor range at 8:45 a.m. We begin at 9:00 a.m.

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites. However, course participants must be at least 18 years of age and proof of no criminal history is required. Please visit our website for credentialing documentation or contact us via the options listed below.

Deadlines for Enrollment: Applications must be received two weeks prior to the first day of class. After that time (two weeks before the first day of class) your tuition payment becomes non-refundable, unless the course is for some reason cancelled.

There is certain equipment that is REQUIRED in every course, in order to be safe and facilitate the training objectives of the course. YOU MUST HAVE THE FOLLOWING:

Hand gun. Any caliber is acceptable. However, the weapon itself must have a barrel at least 3.5 inches long, and the grip (stocks) must be such that all fingers rest on the grip and no fingers curl under the grip. Semi-automatics that use magazines that extend the grip are acceptable. “Snub-nosed” revolvers, subcompact “pocket guns” and single-action (“cowboy”) guns are not acceptable. If you have any questions, contact the course administrator listed below.

 Ear protection and Eye protection.
 Cap or hat with baseball-style bill. This is to prevent ejected brass from another shooter's pistol from falling between your eyewear and your eye, burning you. It is important gear.
 A STURDY holster, worn on a STURDY BELT, on pants that have BELT LOOPS (rather than an elastic waist band). The belt must be strong enough to keep the holster in place. The holster MUST NOT HAVE A FLAP, COVER or THUMB STRAP, and be sufficiently rigid it stays open when the firearm is withdrawn from it, so one can re-holster the gun with one hand. Reaching around with the support hand to open one’s holster while re-holstering is dangerous, and is not permitted. No shoulder holsters.
 At least THREE magazines or TWO speed loaders. WITH MAGAZINE HOLSTERS OR SPEED-LOADER CARRIERS, designed to be worn on the aforementioned STURDY BELT.
 100 Rounds of ammunition. "Match grade" ammunition is unnecessary (and would be a waste of money), but your investment in this course does justify the use of reasonably consistent ammunition. No incendiary, tracer, armor piercing, or other exotic ammunition is permitted.

There is other equipment that is not required, but which we know from experience will enhance your experience of the course. We therefore recommend you bring the following:

 Soft drinks or water to drink while on the range. There is no water on the range itself, and the Clubhouse is too far to run back and forth. Note: No alcohol of any kind is to be consumed within eight hours of the start of any course session or at any time during the course.
 Rain gear. The course proceeds rain or shine.

Please note:
 Transport your handgun to the range UNLOADED.
 Wear substantial shoes and "work clothes", denim jeans or fatigues.
 If you have specific questions, you should contact Peter Georgiades – (412) 370-9500.

To Contact Us:
 E-mail: tony@fireinstitute.org
 Website: www.fireinstitute.org
 Subscribe to PGH-training@yahoogroups.com for information and announcements about this and other firearms training oppor