Learn proper sight alignment, trigger squeeze, and firearm manipulation and other important marksmanship and safety lessons at the Handgun Safety Seminar.

Handgun Safety Seminar ($35.00)

The training comprising FAS’ six hour Handgun Safety Seminar is designed to teach the armed citizen how to safely handle guns, the laws regarding use of a handgun for self defense, and the laws regarding carrying and possessing handguns in Washington and Oregon. In addition, the seminar provides an opportunity for instructors to evaluate student's skills and recommend the best class for their continuing handgun and tactical training. Two students may share one handgun in this class (as in the handgun safety seminar). In addition to an extensive handout, students also receive a copy of Gila Hayes’ book "Effective Defense," as part of their $35 tuition ($16.95 value). For more information, please click here.

Fundamentals of Home Defense ($125.00)

FAS Instructors will teach you proven concealed carry methods and take the guess-work out of choosing the right equipment.

This one-day class is specifically designed for the Handgun Safety Seminar graduate who keeps a handgun at home for self-defense, but does not necessarily carry it in public. Classroom subject matters include safe storage of handguns, home security, bullet penetration in modern house construction, children and guns, interacting with home intruders and interacting with police.

The shooting component of this class will include introductions to use of cover shooting, strong hand only shooting, distances out to 10 yards, low light shooting and use of flashlight. Equipment requirements include your home-defense handgun and 150 rounds of full metal jacket ammunition, ear muffs, wrap-around eye protection and a flashlight. Two students may share one handgun in this class (as in the handgun safety seminar).

Prerequisites: Completion of the Handgun Safety Seminar, no exceptions. Students in this class will be required to sign a statement that they are legally entitled to own handguns prior to participation.

Learn how to draw your firearm quickly and effectively at the Defensive Handgun course taught by FAS.

Concealed Carry 101 ($125.00)

Concealed Carry 101 was born out of the need to quickly and efficiently get students "up and running" with self-defense and concealed carry handgun skills. Information covered in this class includes: holster selection and carry methods, drawing from concealment, concealed carry wardrobe options, reloading and malfunction clearing, ammunition selection, and a variety of marksmanship skill building drills.

FAS’ affordable Handgun Safety Seminar, a very popular program introduced in 2002, teaches the laws and Use of Force doctrine that is an inseparable part of the topic of carrying guns for self-defense. Thus, the Handgun Safety Seminar is a non-negotiable pre-requisite for Concealed Carry 101, even for registrants who have participated in other gun safety programs. We recommend that you to wait to enroll in Concealed Carry 101 (or any FAS classes!) until you have completed the Handgun Safety Seminar, so you can benefit from an instructor's guidance about which class will best meet your training needs as your skills may exceed the basics taught in this class.

One of the main blocks of instruction for this class is selection of a good quality concealed carry holster. For this class, you only need a safe holster for range work, and we would recommend you wait until after the class to purchase an expensive concealed carry holster, unless you already have one.

Students must provide their own handgun of .380 caliber or larger, two magazines or speed loaders, a range or concealment holster of good quality, a sturdy belt, 200 rounds of full-metal jacket ammunition, ear muffs for hearing protection, wrap-around eye protection and a billed baseball type cap. Please come to class wearing trousers with a waistband and belt loops. For full equipment requirements, please click here. Prerequisites: Completion of the Handgun Safety Seminar. Students in this class will be required to sign a statement that they are legally entitled to own handguns prior to participation.

Learn how to keep your family safe from home invasions with the Fundamentals of Home Defense Course.

Defensive Handgun ($275.00)

Two days of range instruction, teaching the armed citizen or entry-level police officer the techniques of defensive handgunning. Instruction covers the basics of grip, stance, sight picture and trigger squeeze, and continues into the gun handling mechanics of draw stroke, reloads and malfunction clearing.

Once these are mastered, the students learn low light shooting, point shooting skills, use of cover techniques, shooting at moving targets and shooting while moving. Classroom discussion covers gun safety, laws concerning use of deadly force, along with in-depth coverage of other use of deadly force concerns.

Prerequisite: Student should have a good working knowledge and familiarity of handguns, but no formal training is necessary. Student will be required to present a state-issued license to carry a concealed handgun, military or police identification or other form of background check prior to participation. For full equipment list, please click here.

Learn how to effectively stop someone from taking your gun from you in a close up attack, as well as how to deal with an armed attacker at close range in the Handgun Retention course.

Handgun Retention Seminar ($125.00)

Do you know how to defend your handgun against a large, aggressive attacker, or what to do if a street thug sticks a gun in your face during an assault and threatens to blow your head off? Once you complete this class, you will know exactly what to do.

One of the prevailing arguments against civilian armed defense is the notion that "you will just have the gun taken away from you," especially regarding women and firearms. This intensive eight-hour seminar teaches techniques that are the same as those taught to law enforcement personnel throughout the nation, techniques that allow you to control your weapon, even in a struggle with an adversary who is much bigger and stronger than you.

These techniques work, even for small people against large attackers, using leverage instead of strength to retain your handgun or disarm your attacker. Training exercises undertaken with inert castings of pistols, supplied for the class by the Academy. Due to the sensitive nature of the material learned, we must require a valid state-issued Concealed Weapons Permit, police or military ID or other background check prior to participation in this course. For equipment requirements click here. [hyperlink “here” to the following: http://www.firearmsacademy.com/r-equip.htm]

For more study…

For more advanced curriculum consider taking courses at the FAS Tactical Range located in Onalaska, Washington. The level of instruction and expansive range facility make it well worth the time to visit the Firearms Academy of Seattle’s main facility, where they are able to offer the student low light houses, moving target ranges, a search house, a combat course, steel target ranges, and of course, multiple short and long distance outdoor ranges. For more information, click here.