• A handgun is defined as a firearm that has a short stock and is designed to be fired by the use of a single hand.

What is the difference between a pistol and revolver? 

• A pistol is commonly used in place of the word handgun but is actually the word for a semi-auto handgun that uses a magazine to hold the cartridges and the chamber is part of the barrel.
• A revolver is a handgun that has a revolving cylinder that contains the chambers that hold the cartridges.

What is single action vs. double action?

• Single action means that the trigger is used for one action – releasing the hammer to fire the handgun.
• Double action means that the trigger is used for two actions – cocking and releasing the hammer to fire the handgun.

How often should I clean my gun & why?

• Your gun should be cleaned at least four times a year and after each use to ensure proper operation if you need it for protection. Dirt and gunpowder will be attracted to the lubricants used to reduce wear in the gun and a proper cleaning will ensure that dirt does not affect the operation of your gun.

How much oil and grease should I use on my gun?

• Following the gun manufacturers lubrication guidelines is best, but you can usually get by with very lightly oiling any moving parts at their contact points (hammer pins, cylinder crane, slide channels, etc.)

What is recoil?  Will it knock me down?

• Recoil is the result of the pistol firing the bullet through the barrel. (for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction) Many factors go into the amount of recoil that is felt by the shooter but you can easily control the recoil of most handguns by utilizing the proper stance and grip on your gun.

What does caliber refer to?

• Simply put caliber is the barrel size of the gun. It refers to the overall inside diameter of the barrel and is typically measured in either millimeters (9mm, 10mm) or fractions of an inch (.380, .38, .40, 357 magnum.)

What is a round of ammo?

• A round of ammunition is a single cartridge. The typical box of ammunition for a handgun is 50 rounds. For a rifle a typical box of ammunition is 20 rounds and for a shotgun a typical box is 25 rounds.

What does the trigger pull weight mean?

• Trigger pull is the amount of pressure in pounds it takes to fire the handgun. A single action trigger pull is about five pounds and a double action trigger pull is about ten pounds.

What is the difference in ammo and bullets?

• Ammo, or ammunition, is the complete cartridge consisting of a Case, Primer, Powder Charge and Bullet.
• A bullet is the projectile that is discharged from the end of the barrel when the gun is fired.

Why is the way that I grip the gun so important?

• A proper grip on the gun will allow you to best control the recoil from each shot.

Why do I need a hat when I shoot for practice?

• You should wear a hat to keep the hot ammunition cases from hitting you in the face after being ejected from the pistol. I once had a case fall between my safety glasses and my face and I received a painful burn on my cheek.

Why is a .22 good for learning to shoot when I will be carrying a .380 or 9mm?

• Due to the minimal recoil and less noise, using a .22 for practice allows you to concentrate on marksmanship fundamentals instead of adding bad habits for controlling recoil like tightening your grip or flinching prior to the pistol firing.

Why should I memorize the NRA three rules of gun safety?

• These three rules (Always point the gun in a safe direction, Always keep you finger off of the trigger until ready to shoot and Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use), when followed, will always ensure that you are safely handling your gun and that there will never be an injury due to an accidental discharge of your gun.

What do you mean by “presentation” and why is it important to practice?

• Presentation is the act of drawing a handgun from you method of concealment.

Why should I leave all ammunition lock away in another area while cleaning my gun?

• To eliminate the possibility of an accidental discharge while cleaning your gun.

What is an “Accidental Discharge”?

• The act of firing a gun when it was assumed to be empty or firing a gun when it is not expected.

What is a “Negligent Discharge”?

• The act of firing a gun, by not following the three rules of gun safety, when it is not necessary or expected.

Will a .22 kill someone?

• Yes it will, a .22 will tumble when it hits a solid object and can cause much trauma from the tumble effect.

Why should I use hollow-point ammunition in my carry handgun?

• Hollow-point ammunition will expand when it hits a solid object. This will decrease the possibility of penetrating the object and injuring someone downrange.