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Pistol Fundamentals
— Level 1

Build the right foundation: safety, draw, grip, sights, trigger and live-fire drills under direct supervision.

Build the foundation before you build anything else.

Pistol Fundamentals is the entry-level course at HRT. It is built for shooters starting from zero, and for shooters who want to rebuild their fundamentals correctly. No tactical theatre — just the mechanics that actually carry every shooter through their entire training journey.

You will not learn how to look tactical. You will learn how to handle a pistol safely, draw it consistently, hit what you are aiming at, and operate the weapon without thinking about it. Everything past this course is built on these skills.

Who is this training for?

  • Complete beginners — first contact with a pistol, no prior shooting experience required.
  • Returning shooters who want to rebuild their grip, stance and trigger control from the ground up.
  • Civilians preparing for a permit, license or future advanced courses.
  • Anyone who treats firearms as a serious responsibility and wants to learn from a professional.

What you'll learn

  • Four universal safety rules and range discipline
  • Correct grip and stance under load
  • Sight alignment, sight picture, sight tracking
  • Trigger press and reset without disturbing the sights
  • Draw stroke from a holster — broken into 4 steps
  • Magazine changes and basic malfunction clearance
  • Dry-fire methodology you can take home
  • How to self-assess your own shooting

Training agenda

08:30

Brief & safety

Range rules, medical brief, four safety rules, weapon orientation.

09:30

Grip, stance, fundamentals

Dry-fire blocks. Grip pressure, platform, natural point of aim.

11:00

First live fire

Single shots, group analysis, individual corrections.

12:30

Lunch break

30 min — provided on site.

13:00

Draw stroke

Holster work in 4 steps, repeat drills, dry then live.

15:00

Reloads & malfunctions

Emergency and tactical reloads. Type 1, 2 and 3 malfunctions.

16:30

Integration drills

Draw → engage → reload → engage. Time pressure introduced.

17:30

Debrief & next steps

Performance review, dry-fire homework, training-path recommendation.

Requirements

  • No previous shooting experience required.
  • Minimum age: 18.
  • Physical condition allowing 8 hours of moderate range activity.
  • Legal right to handle a firearm on a Polish range (confirmed during booking).

What to bring

  • Eye and ear protection (provided if missing)
  • Range-appropriate clothing — closed shoes, long sleeves, baseball cap
  • Bottled water and a small snack
  • A notebook and pen
  • Optional: own pistol with holster and 2 mags (we provide if not)
  • Photo ID

Frequently asked questions

I have never held a pistol — is this really for me?
Yes. The course assumes zero experience. The first three hours are spent on safety, handling and dry drills before any live fire.
Do I need my own gun?
No. A pistol, holster, magazines and 200 rounds of ammunition are included in the course fee. If you bring your own legally owned firearm, the ammunition cost is deducted.
Will I get a certificate?
Yes — every participant who completes the course receives a certificate of attendance signed by the lead instructor.
What is the next step after Level 1?
Most participants progress to Dynamic Pistol — Level 2 within 1–3 months. Some take a private 1:1 follow-up before joining the group L2 course.
HRT-001FILE · CLASSIFIED
Lead Instructor

Trained by someone who has actually been there.

Former military instructor with Special Forces background and 15+ years of operational experience. Specialised in CQB, low-light and dynamic shooting. 100+ students trained — civilians and law enforcement.

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