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ESSENTIAL PISTOL: CRITICAL RESPONSE
CRITICAL RESPONSE - The one-day advanced pistol class - $229
Critical Response is where the average gun owner stops, and the street-ready fighter begins. This class is built for folks who know how to shoot, but want to know how to fight. We’re not punching paper here. We’re pressure-testing your skills in real-world, violent encounter scenarios where hesitation gets you hurt. You’ll learn to move, think, and shoot like your life depends on it: because one day, it might. If you carry a gun for self-defense, you owe it to yourself to train like the threat is coming. Critical Response will help you figure out if you’re ready... or just playing the part.
Critical Response is about fighting with a pistol when everything goes sideways. You’ll be thrown into high-pressure scenarios that force real decisions, not rehearsed drills. Whether you're a competitor, cop, or seasoned civilian, this class will sharpen your tactics, stress-test your mindset, and forge the confidence to win when the threat is real and time isn’t on your side.
PREREQUISITES:
- A civilian defensive pistol class. Essential Pistol from Patriot Training or Defensive Pistol from Middle Tennessee Firearms Training or similar.
- Experienced and smooth handling. Specifically, the ability to: properly draw from a holster; load, reload, and unload safely; and marksmanship standard of being able to keep 5 shots in a 5 inch circle at 5 yards, in 5 seconds from concealment.
Calendar
August 3, 2025
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
TOPICS COVERED
- All Patriot Training live fire classes have a thorough safety briefing and medical plan.
- Proper sight picture
- Sight alignment
- Proper grip on the gun
- Good fighting stance
- Recoil control
- Legalities of defensive force
- Pistol marksmanship
- Pistol muzzle positions and applications in critical situations
- Active killer response
- Family protection in public
- Fighting indoors strategies and tactics
- Low light techniques
- Target discrimination and decision making
FAQ
- FAMILY DISCOUNTS
- CURRENT / FORMER MILITARY: Come learn the pistol stuff the military didn't teach you!
- CURRENT / FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT: This class contains the material you wish you had been taught!
- All PATRIOT TRAINING Class pricing includes any applicable range access charges - no surprise "gotcha" fees!
GUNS & GEAR
- Your carry handgun (9 mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .357 Sig suggested.)
- .380 / .32 ACP / .25 ACP / .22LR is not advised - they jam a LOT. The only ones that jam in class are the ones that "never had a problem before." BUT: if you have really had a good pistol class, you ALREADY know this!
- Quality holster (kydex or stiff leather - stays open for reholstering)
- OWB (outside waistband) is OK!
- IWB (Inside the Waistband) is OK!
- AIWB (appendix inside the waistband) is OK!
- No nylon holsters / no SERPA Holsters.
- Ability to fire 40 or more rounds prior to reloading: 3+ magazines for mid size guns. 6+ mags for compact guns.
- Sturdy Carry belt
- 250 rounds of factory loaded brass cased ammo
- notepad & pen
- eye protection & ear protection.
- Range appropriate clothing
- Food & Water
- Notepad and Pen
- Sunscreen & bug spray
- Hand warmers in cold weather months
- Medical kit / IFAK optional
- Lawn Chairs (optional)
- Shemagh (optional)
- If you wear prescription lenses / glasses - BRING THEM!
Patriot Training suggests holsters from:
DO NOT BRING TO CLASS:
- Steel cased ammo for pistols
- Hand loaded or remanufactured ammunition. Bring factory ammo only.
- Mixed brands/types of ammo - bring a single brand and type
- .22 LR Pistols, .25 ACP pistols, .32 ACP pistols (they jam too much - and the only ones that ever jam in class are the ones that "never had a problem before")
- Serpa Holsters forbidden unless required by your department / security firm.
- Nylon holsters forbidden.
- Revolvers forbidden for Essential Pistol
FAMILY DISCOUNT OPTION
Add a son / daughter / spouse / father / mother / sibling for a reduced price.
The family that shoots together... scoots together?
When registering, use the drop down to select family add.
Why does Patriot Training not allow Serpa Holsters?
Because they fail, and they get people shot. Please see our FAQ page for details and links!
Seriously, if you are considering an Advanced class, and don't know why...
LOCATION
This class will be held at Mountain Top Gun & Archery.
11564 Harrison Ferry Rd., McMinnville, TN 37110
STANDBY
Most Patriot Training classes sell out quickly. However, we frequently have participants who have schedule changes, and cannot make the class they bought for whatever reason. Therefore, we offer a "STANDBY" list. Of course, this does not guarantee you a spot. However, most classes get one or two reschedules - usually the last week right before class.
IF this class sells out, email us and we will put you on standby for the class at no charge. Of course, if a spot opens up, then you will need to act quickly to buy that spot!
ESSENTIAL PISTOL: CHURCH RESPONSE
CHURCH RESPONSE TEAM - $229
From natural disasters to medical emergencies to active shooters, the modern church faces unprecedented risks. To mitigate these risks, many churches are forming response teams.
Class Times
8:30 am - 5:30 pm
The CHURCH RESPONSE TEAM is comprised of men and women with the GIFT of of SERVING by way of protecting the flock. Most churches select response team members who have backgrounds in the military, law enforcement, as well as civilians who have special skills and/or interests.
Regardless of your team's prior expertise, the protection of the flock at your church has unique needs that might not have been properly addressed in your Response Team's prior training. That's where Patriot Training can help. We offer a few basic training classes that help everyone get trained up to a common level of skill for the most likely risks they might respond to.
Calendar:
Coming Soon!.
PATRIOT TRAINING Offers life-saving instructional segments for your response team.
All Church Response Team training classes start with the Fundamentals of Church Response. This portion of the class introduces needed roles, fundamentals of responsibilities, needed knowledge for team members, team member selection, how to handle natural disasters and other emergencies, and more.
Topics Taught:
- Church Response Fundamentals
- Verbal De-Escalation
- Defensive Pistol
VERBAL DE-ESCALATION
More and more frequently, churches face the difficult situation of having to deal with agitated individuals. Being able to verbally de-escalate the situation is absolutely critical - one wrong step and your church and members of the response team may face criminal charges or civil suits.
Military and Police de-escalation techniques are very good - for military or police application. De-escalation in the civilian world is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT skill set. Where military and police force compliance through acknowledgement of vested authority, civilians CANNOT use this methodology without serious risk of disastrous consequence.
PATRIOT TRAINING teaches your Response Team members the hands-on methodology of how to open lines of communication with an agitated individual in this segment. Using techniques from corporate conflict resolution, hostage negotiation, and real world experience de-escalating agitated individuals in a church setting, you will learn how to create a dialogue, and how to handle if that is absolutely impossible.
USE OF DEFENSIVE FORCE
The sad fact is that active killers exist. Equally as unfortunate is that sometimes, these persons target places of worship as their battleground.
This class touches on:
- The legalities of the use of force.
- Considerations for the use of force.
- What to say to police after a use of force
- When not to use force
- And much, much more!
Defensive Pistol segment will cover:
- All Patriot Training live fire classes have a thorough safety briefing and medical plan.
- Proper sight picture
- Sight alignment
- Proper grip on the gun
- Good fighting stance
- Recoil control
- Marksmanship
- Presentation
- What to do after the fight
- Ambushes
- Pistol Positioning within a dynamic environment.
REGISTER FOR CLASS
FAQ:
- All denominations welcome.
- All religions welcome.
- Patriot Training is of the Christian faith, and also firmly believes that Jews, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and others should all be able to worship without worry.
- All PATRIOT TRAINING Class pricing includes any applicable range access charges - no surprise "gotcha" fees!
BRING GUNS N GEAR
- Your carry handgun
- Quality holster (leather or kydex - stays open for reholstering - NO SERPA, NO NYLON)
- 3+ magazines
- Sturdy Carry belt
- 200 rounds of factory loaded brass cased ammo
- notepad & pen
- eye protection & ear protection.
- The standard items listed at the bottom of the page
- Don't have the right equipment? We have a limited number of free loaner guns you may reserve!
OWB is ok!
IWB is ok!
AIWB is ok!
GEAR
- Range appropriate clothing
- Food & Water
- Notepad and Pen
- Sunscreen & bug spray
- Hand warmers in cold weather months
- Medical kit / IFAK
- Lawn Chairs (optional)
- Shemagh (optional)
- If you wear prescription lenses / glasses - BRING THEM!
DO NOT BRING TO CLASS:
- Steel cased ammo for pistols
- Hand loaded or remanufactured ammunition. Bring factory ammo only.
- Mixed brands/types of ammo - bring a single brand and type
- Serpa Holsters. Nylon holsters.
- Revolvers
Class Times
8:30 am - 5:30 pm
LOCATION
This class will be held at Mountain Top Gun & Archery.
11564 Harrison Ferry Rd., McMinnville, TN 37110