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Shooting Qualifications

The safety of our customers is of the utmost importance and guides all of our operations.  Certain range activities require qualification with an instructor before a customer is allowed to perform them on their own.  This policy ensures that shooters performing advanced drills are properly qualified to do so safely.  Qualifications enable you to develop your shooting skills while also giving you additional privileges at our range.

Qualifications must be completed in sequential order with a passing score.  Prerequisite qualifications may not be skipped to try for a more advanced qualification.

NOTE – these should be “cards” like the available classes.  We have tried to standardize the format here so we can make a generic format for them.  We will be adding to this list in the future.

Rapid Fire Pistol Qualification

Cost: $20 per attempt

Rounds required: 18

Minimum caliber: .380

Prerequisites: None

Purpose: Upon the successful completion of the Rapid Fire Qualification, the shooter may shoot rapid fire when shooting in our range.

Qualification requirements:

    1. 4 rounds to the Alpha and Charlie zones in 4 seconds at 7 yards
    2. 6 rounds to the Alpha and Charlie zones in 4 seconds at 7 yards
    3. 8 rounds to the Alpha and Charlie zones in 4 seconds at 7 yards

The shooter is allowed one miss in the three required stages.  If the shooter has a second miss or exceeds the allotted time at any stage, they will fail.  In the event of a failure, the shooter may pay to retake the qualification immediately if the instructor is available.

Holster Draw Qualification

Cost: $20 per attempt

Rounds required: 24

Minimum caliber:  .380

Prerequisites:  Rapid Fire Pistol Qualification

Purpose: Upon the successful completion of the Holster Draw Qualification, the shooter may draw from the holster to shoot when in our range.

Qualification requirements:

    1. 5 dry fire draws matching the instructor led requirements
    2. 10 draws shooting one round per draw to the Alpha zone at 5 yards
    3. 5 draws primary hand only, shooting one round per draw to the Alpha and Charlie zones at 5 yards
    4. 3 draws shooting three rounds each to the Alpha and Charlie zones at 7 yards

The shooter is not allowed any misses for this qualification. There are no timing constraints applied to the shooter to successfully pass this qualification.  In the event of a failed attempt, the shooter may pay to retake the qualification immediately if the instructor is available.

Please Note:  Certain holsters are excluded from our range.  The instructor will examine your holster for safety prior to beginning the qualification.  Only IWB and OWB holsters are allowed.  Appendix carry and strong side carry are the only holster positions allowed.  For everyone’s safety, there are no exceptions to this policy.

Dynamic Pistol Level I

Cost: $30 for 2 attempts on a single day

Pistol rounds required: 21

Equipment needed: Holster, two magazines, belt mounted magazine pouch, ammunition, eye and ear protection

Prerequisites:  Rapid Fire Pistol Qualification, Holster Draw Qualification

Purpose: Upon the successful completion of this qualification, the shooter has access to the advanced, dynamic shooting programs Apex offers.  Participation in weekly non-instructor-led moving and shooting drills as well as instructor-led advanced drill nights are just some of the benefits of this qualification.  Additional advanced classes such as low-light training also require this qualification to participate.

After successfully completing this qualification, the shooter will have access to Apex’s advanced dynamic shooting programs.  Some of the perks of this qualification include weekly non-instructor-led moving and shooting drills as well as instructor-led advanced drill sessions. This qualification is also required to enroll in advanced classes such as low-light training.

If desired, the shooter may enter a more engaging qualification program that will stack rank them against their peers to encourage a positive and challenging training environment.  Tournaments only offered to this level of shooter will help to keep the shooter’s skills sharp.

Qualification requirements:

    1. This is a timed evaluation in which the shooter must complete the course within 35 seconds.
    2. The shooter will stand 7 yards from two targets that are separated by 5 feet. Upon drawing the firearm the shooter must fire two rounds to the Alpha zone on target one then 2 rounds to the Alpha zone on target 2.
    3. The shooter transfers to the kneeling position and fires two rounds to the Alpha zone on target 2 then two rounds to the Alpha zone on target 1.
    4. The shooter transfers to the prone position and fires one round to the Alpha zone on target 1.
    5. The shooter transfers to the standing position and fires two rounds to the Alpha zone on Target 1.
    6. The shooter will turn 90 degrees to the right and fire two rounds to the Alpha zone on target 2 while walking.
    7. The shooter continues walking, reloads and fires two more rounds to the Alpha zone on target 2 before reaching cover.
    8. The shooter fires two rounds from the left side of cover, 2 rounds between two barriers of cover, and 2 rounds from the right side of cover all to the Alpha zone on target 2.
    9. The shooter will unload their firearm, show clear to the instructor and re-holster their firearm

The shooter is allowed one miss to the Charlie zone of each target for the entire qualification. The exercise must be performed within 35 seconds elapsed time.

Rifle to pistol transition range qualification

Cost: $20 per attempt

Pistol rounds required: 4

Rifle rounds required: 15

Equipment needed: Holster, rifle with one magazine, pistol with one magazine, properly-fitted rifle sling, ammunition, eye and ear protection

Prerequisites:  Rapid Fire Pistol Qualification, Holster Draw Qualification

Purpose: Upon the successful completion of this qualification, the shooter may sling their rifle and shoot in the Apex ranges.  They may also transition to draw and shoot their holstered pistol.  All stages in this drill require the rifle to be slung to the shooter with either a one or two-point sling.  The sling should be properly fitted to the shooter prior to this qualification.

Qualification requirements:

  1. The shooter will demonstrate the high ready position to shooting presentation for five repetitions with the firearm unloaded
  2. The shooter will demonstrate the correct procedure to transition from the rifle shooting position to pistol full presentation, then back to rifle and ending in the high ready position for five repetitions with firearms unloaded
  3. Starting from high ready, the shooter will be required to present the rifle for five repetitions taking two consecutive shots to the Alpha zone at 10 yards
  4. From the rifle shooting position, the shooter will fire two rounds to the Alpha zone at 10 yards, transition to pistol shooting two rounds to the Alpha zone on the same target, and transition back to rifle ending with two rounds to the Alpha zone.  This will be repeated twice, stopping between the two repetitions.

No misses are permitted for this qualification.  Rifle manual safety practices while transitioning to pistol will be strictly enforced.  Failure to follow this safety protocol is an automatic failure.