Please call or email me if you have any questions or concerns after reading this page.

Location of the NRA Basic Pistol Class

The address is 10201 Plano Rd, just north of LBJ. For a map, click on the “Location” link just above this paragraph. When you arrive, you need to check in at the office, where you will be asked to sign a release form. You will then be directed to the proper classroom. When you get to the classroom, you will check in with me.

Parking should not be a problem for a Sunday class, since there is not usually much going on around there on Sundays. However, things have been picking up lately, so if the parking lot in front of the range is full, you can park in the lot of the business on the north side, which is closed on Sundays. There is also some parking across the street on the south side of the range. There may be someone in the parking lot directing traffic, although this is not usually the case on Sundays.

Arrival Time

Please arrive at 8:15 a.m. for check-in. I plan to be there a little earlier than that to set up.

Classroom Attire

Dress comfy, in layers; the A/C unit tends to be either too warm or too cold, or alternating between both. The outside weather has cooled off, so that is less of a problem than it was in the summer. Plus, the range owner has put a lot of money into upgrading the A/C.

Range Appropriate Attire

The range is ventilated, but not air-conditioned, so the temperature in there will be within ten to fifteen degrees of whatever it is outside. That means it’s going to be cool in there. We will be spending at least a couple of hours in the range (with some breaks). You might want to bring some shooting gloves. Or maybe some thin cotton utility gloves.

Make sure your shirt or blouse buttons up high enough to prevent hot brass from going down your front. If you have an open-neck shirt/blouse, bring a crew-neck T-shirt to wear in the range, either over, under, or instead of, the shirt/blouse. Or wear a scarf, or whatever it takes to keep hot brass out of your shirt. Wear CLOSED-TOED shoes. Sandals, flip-flops, etc, which expose any part of the foot are not allowed in the range (ok for the classroom). Hot brass hurts your feet, too!

The range provides eye and ear protection, but if you have your own, it’s probably in better shape. If you wear glasses, that is considered adequate eye protection, but additional safety glasses may prevent your glasses from getting scratched by berm backsplash or flying brass. Bring a brimmed hat to wear in the range (baseball cap recommended, but any hat or visor that has a brim over the forehead will do). It helps keep hot brass from getting behind your eye protection or in your hair.

Please bear in mind that the range procedures are primarily for safety. Your 100% cooperation is vital.

Handguns, Ammo

You do not have to bring your own handgun to this class, but we encourage you to bring it if you have one, both for NRA training and CHL range test. If you bring your own, you will receive individualized training on your make and model — including how to properly clean it. You will also need to bring your own ammunition (50 rounds for the CHL test plus a box or two for the NRA portion of the class). Be SURE(!!!!) you bring the correct caliber of ammo for your gun.

If you bring your own, bring it UNLOADED in a case, and leave it in your car until range time, even if you have a current CHL (this is a requirement of the range owner, and NRA rules). If you are being dropped off (or riding a motorcycle or any vehicle without a trunk) and unable to leave your handgun in a car, bring it to me and I will keep it in a locker for you.

If you plan to take the CHL range test, please note the following: Minimum caliber allowed for CHL qualification is a .32. The range berm is adequate for a .357 magnum or .45, but please do NOT bring any caliber of handgun larger than a .45. If all you have is a 50-cal hand-cannon, please leave it at home.

Please do NOT bring reloaded ammunition. The ammunition shortage has passed (for now, at least), so you should be able to obtain factory-new ammo at relatively reasonable prices.

Whether or not you bring your own handgun, you will get to shoot several different types and calibers of handgun during this course. We will supply ammo for our handguns, which is already covered in your course fee.

Lunch, snacks

I will supply a couple of cases of bottled water and a light lunch (sandwiches & chips).

You are welcome (encouraged!) to bring drinks and snacks to consume in class. There is a soft-drink machine in the building, which sometimes actually works, but don’t count on it having your favorite beverage. I ask that you carefully clean up afterward. The range doesn’t have any coffee, so if you are a coffee drinker, you will probably want to stop at your favorite coffee shop on the way to class. Or bring a thermos. Last time I was there, I saw a refrigerator and a microwave, but my experience with the range is that those things tend to come and go, so don’t rely on either of them being there (or working).

I think that covers everything. If not, give me a call or email. Thank you for your cooperation. I look forward to meeting all of you on this weekend.

–Howard