Description

Holster Fundamentals

Safe, Responsible Holster Use for Everyday Carry and Defensive Training

The Holster Fundamentals course is designed for students who want to build safe, consistent, and responsible holster skills in a professional training environment. This class focuses on the core mechanics of safe draw stroke development, reholstering awareness, garment clearing, carry-position considerations, and proper carry-system setup.

Whether you are preparing for concealed carry, improving your range safety habits, or building confidence with your everyday carry equipment, this course provides structured instruction focused on safety, control, and responsible firearm handling.

Course Overview

Holster use is one of the most important skills for anyone who carries or trains with a handgun. Poor equipment choices, unsafe draw habits, rushed reholstering, or improper garment management can create serious safety concerns. This class helps students understand how to safely work from a holster while developing repeatable habits and a safety-first mindset.

Students will learn how to evaluate their holster, belt, carry position, and clothing setup, while practicing safe movement patterns under instructor supervision.

What You Will Learn

Core topics include:

• Safe holster selection and carry-system setup
• Proper belt, holster, and retention considerations
• Safe draw stroke fundamentals
• Muzzle awareness during the draw process
• Trigger finger discipline and safety indexing
• Reholstering awareness and risk reduction
• Garment clearing for concealed carry
• Open carry vs. concealed carry considerations
• Strong-side, appendix, and alternative carry-position discussion
• Common holster mistakes and how to avoid them
• Safe dry-practice habits at home
• Range commands, safety rules, and instructor expectations

Who This Class Is For

This course is ideal for:

• New concealed carry students
• Delaware CCDW students who want additional holster training
• Permit-to-Purchase students preparing for future defensive training
• Responsible gun owners who want safer equipment handling
• Shooters transitioning from bench/range shooting to holster work
• Students preparing for Defensive Handgun I or II
• Anyone who carries or plans to carry a handgun

No advanced shooting experience is required, but students should already understand basic firearm safety and safe handgun handling.

Course Goals

By the end of this course, students should have a better understanding of how to safely set up and use a holster, how to avoid common carry-related safety problems, and how to build disciplined draw and reholstering habits.

The goal is not speed. The goal is safe, consistent, responsible technique that can be developed further through continued practice and professional instruction.

Required Equipment

Students should bring:

• Handgun in safe working condition
• Quality belt designed to support a holster
• Outside-the-waistband or approved inside-the-waistband holster
• Magazine pouch if available
• Minimum of 2 magazines
• Eye and ear protection
• Weather-appropriate clothing if range time is included
• Closed-toe shoes
• Notebook and pen

Important: Holsters must fully cover the trigger guard and securely retain the firearm. Soft, collapsible, pocket-only, or unsafe holsters may not be permitted for live-fire or practical exercises.

Safety Requirements

Safety is the foundation of this course. All students are expected to follow instructor commands at all times. Unsafe firearm handling, failure to follow range rules, or use of unsafe equipment may result in removal from class without refund.

Students should arrive with all firearms unloaded and secured unless otherwise instructed.

Course Format

This course may include a combination of classroom discussion, equipment review, dry-practice drills, and supervised range training depending on the scheduled class format.

Training is conducted in a controlled, safety-focused environment with an emphasis on proper habits, responsible carry, and confidence-building.

Recommended Next Classes

After completing Holster Fundamentals, students may continue into:

• Basic Defensive Handgun I
• Delaware CCDW / Concealed Carry Prep
• Defensive Handgun II
• Defensive Mindset
• Home Defense Fundamentals