NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home and Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor Series

The goal of this program is to develop instructors to teach NRA Basic Firearm Training Courses according to the lesson plans and training standards of the National Rifle Association.

This is not an entry-level class. This class requires prior certification as an NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting Instructor and current renewal of that certification in good standing. We have the pre-requisite course being offered in February of 2025 . We will use your provided NRA number to confirm with NRA’s instructor verification system that you have this certification.

A complete NRA Instructor Training Course consists of three parts. The first is the basic class, which is required so that all instructor candidates have seen the class at least once before certifying to teach it. The second is basic instructor training, which consists of 6 hours of instruction on how to run the backend of firearms classes. The third part is discipline-specific instructor training, which for Personal Protection Inside the Home is an additional 8-10 hours of training.

During the NRA Instructor Training Course, you will receive from your Training Counselor the NRA Trainer’s Guide, the appropriate NRA Instructor Candidate Packet which includes the course outlines and lesson plans for the disciplines you wish to teach, the appropriate NRA basic course student packet which includes the handbook, certificates, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure and other materials used in NRA basic courses.

This program is not designed to prepare you to teach other firearm training courses (such as law enforcement, security, or hunter safety courses), nor to prepare you to develop firearm training courses of your own.

The NRA Training Counselor who conducts your course will make a recommendation to NRA concerning your certification based on an evaluation of your knowledge, skills, and attitude. You will be asked to demonstrate your organizational and teaching skills through participation in several practical exercises during the course of your training. You will also be asked to complete an instructor certification examination. A minimum score of 90 percent is required for certified instructor applicants (85 percent for assistant and apprentice instructor applicants). However, attendance at the course, or a passing grade on the examination, does not guarantee that you will receive the recommendation of the NRA Training Counselor.

This class meets the requirements in California Code Regs. Tit. 11, § 4410 describing the training required to become certified as a California DOJ CCW Program instructor. We will provide the needed forms to apply as a state CCW instructor for no additional charge.

Class Dates

This is a multi-day course. Expect each day to be “all day”. We will likely end around 5-6 each day, but the end time depends on how many questions we get.

Day 1: March 3rd, 2025, Starting at 10am –

Basic Instructor Training: This day covers how to run a class from a financial, legal, and ethical standpoint, NRA Policies and Procedures, and the handling portion of the evaluation. Basic Instructor Training is required of any instructor candidate that does not have proof that this has been completed in the two years prior to this date. There will be a written exam of the material on this day which must be passed in order to be recommended into the instructor program.

Day 2: March 4th, 2025 Starting at 9am –

NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home Student Class. This course covers defensive use of a firearm within the home, including legal, ethical, and moral consequences of such actions. There will be multiple live-fire exercises during the day on an outdoor range. The first two attempts at the shooting qualification for the class will be held on this day.

Day 3: March 5th, 2025 Starting at 9am –

Protection Inside the Home Instructor Discipline specific: This day has another attempt at the marksmanship qualification in the morning. The day continues into specifics on what is needed to run a NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home student course. There will be multiple in-class evaluations during the day where instructor candidates demonstrate their ability to teach the material to other instructor candidates.

Day 4: March 6th, 2025 Starting at 9am –

NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home Student Class – Day 1. This course covers defensive use of a firearm outside the home, including legal, ethical, and moral consequences of such actions. There will be multiple live-fire exercises during the day on an outdoor range.

Day 5: March 7th, 2025 Starting at 9am –

NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home Student Class – Day 2. This course covers defensive use of a firearm outside the home, including legal, ethical, and moral consequences of such actions. There will be multiple live-fire exercises during the day on an outdoor range.

Day 6: March 8th, 2025 Starting at 9am –

Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor Discipline Specific – Day 1. This day has the instructor candidates teaching the materials in the basic class to other instructor candidates.

There will be a low-light shoot on this day, so plan for the class to end several hours after dark. You will need a handheld flashlight for these exercises. We will end our day exercises in the early afternoon and regroup at dusk to complete the night shooting exercises.

Day 7: March 9th, 2025 Starting at 9am –

Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor Discipline Specific – Day 2. This day has the instructor candidates teaching the materials in the basic class to other instructor candidates.

The “package” price is for all 7 days of training. If you are exempt from any portion, such as if you already have Personal Protection Inside the Home and only want Outside the Home, then contact us. We can discount off the parts you don’t need.

Expect an email from us about 2 weeks before the class with information and homework for the class. We will be sending you the course books via USPS priority mail about 2 weeks before the class.

Expectations of students in order to pass:

  • You must participate in the entire course
  • You must display the knowledge, skills, and attitude as required in the NRA national curriculum in order to be a firearms instructor
  • You must pass all marksmanship, firearms handling, written, and in class examinations
  • Personal Protection Inside the Home must be fully completed to be able to be admitted into Personal Protection Outside the Home

Students are required to bring the following materials to class:

  1. You will need to fill out and return the pre-class questionnaire. This document will be emailed to you about 2 weeks before class. Responsibly bringing the form to class or returning it by email with your answers are a part of your evaluation for the class, so please take it seriously.
  2. For days 2 & 3: You must bring an electronic device (e.g. Laptop/tablet) that is able to view the presenter notes in a powerpoint presentation. NRA no longer uses paper training materials for this class. You will need to bring a power cord or batteries for your device in order to keep it running all day. Note: there is limited/no internet access in the classroom. I’ll email out the materials about a week before the class and you will need to have them pre-loaded on the first day.
  3. For days 2-7: A pistol or revolver in a defensive caliber (.380ACP -> .45ACP, no rimfire). You will not need your pistol on BIT day, but you are welcome to bring it.
  4. At least 4 magazines or speed loaders for your firearm. More is better.
  5. You will need to have 300 rounds of ammunition for Personal Protection Inside the Home and an additional 450 rounds for Personal Protection Outside the Home (750 rounds total for the week). It is likely we won’t use it all, but that is the max round count based on needing the maximum number of retries for the course qualification. The ammunition must be packed separately from your pistol. We will have an area that is not in the classroom to store your ammunition during the class.
  6. You will need a quality strong side, outside the waistband leather or kydex holster for the class. The holster must be made specifically for this make and model of firearm, fully enclose the trigger guard of the firearm, and not interfere with any safety devices on the firearm. Note that our insurance company does not allow any holsters with a retention device that is released with the trigger finger (E.g. Serpas). Those holsters will not be allowed. Retention devices released with other fingers, such as the thumb (E.g. Safariland ALS) are highly encouraged. You may optionally use a inside the waistband holster for the Personal Protection Outside the Home class. Everyone must have an outside the waistband strong side holster as a backup.
  7. You will need a shirt, vest, or jacket that can cover the holster Personal Protection Outside the Home. I am OK with “fishing vest” type covers. It does not need to be concealed “well”, but you’ll learn more in the class if you bring a rig designed for actual concealed carry.
  8. You will need a way to carry 4 magazines or speed loaders on your person. Pockets are OK for the Personal Protection Inside the Home Class.
  9. Electronic hearing protection. You must be able to understand instructions on the range while other people are firing.
  10. Eye protection
  11. Range appropriate clothing. The range is outdoors. Be ready for hot or cold, rain or shine. Don’t forget sunscreen/hats/etc. We will only cancel due to weather if the range forces us to.
  12. Consider bringing knee-pads for the exercises where we drop to kneeling. Please let us know in the medical question at the end if you are unable to kneel and we will provide an alternative exercise.
  13. Water. Bring at least a gallon per day. Remember that you will need much more water when outdoors training than on a normal low-intensity day.
  14. Pens/Pencil/paper for notes, filling out forms, and taking the test
  15. Please bring a packed lunch. We won’t have time to go off-site for lunch. If you are camping then you will need to bring all of your own food.

Note: Please register here with *exactly* the same name and address the NRA has on file for you. If the database does not find your information then it will significantly delay processing your course completion. You can look up your NRA information here: https://www.nramemberservices.org/

NRA membership is not required in order to attend and pass the class. It is recommended, however, as the NRA is the curriculum standards body for this material.

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