Image 1 of 1
Night Pistol
Night Pistol – Low-Light Handgun Fundamentals
Night Pistol is a focused low-light handgun course designed to help you run your pistol safely and confidently when the sun goes down. You’ll learn how darkness changes what you see, how you move, and how you make decisions—and how to use handheld or weapon-mounted lights to your advantage without giving up safety or accuracy.
This course takes the skills you already have from daylight shooting and applies them to realistic, reduced-light conditions on the range.
Course Objectives
By the end of this class, students will:
Reinforce universal firearm safety rules in low-light environments
Understand how human vision and perception change in the dark
Learn “light discipline” and when to use—or not use—white light
Practice identifying and confirming targets before pressing the trigger
Build confidence making accurate hits with limited or intermittent light
Practical Skills Covered
Students will work through:
Safe draw, presentation, and handling of a handgun in low light
Use of handheld lights and/or weapon-mounted lights with a pistol
Fundamental low-light shooting positions and movement
Light techniques for searching and visually clearing areas (on/off, momentary use, etc.)
Engaging targets while managing light, sights, and trigger control
Reloads and basic malfunction clearing when visibility is reduced
Class Format
Classroom / briefing: safety considerations, low-light concepts, equipment selection, and light techniques
Range time: progressive live-fire drills as light diminishes, moving into full dark as conditions allow
Total duration: approximately 3–4 hours (varies seasonally with sunset time)
Required Equipment
Personal handgun
Eye and ear protection
Clear or light-tinted eye protection strongly recommended for night use
Rigid gun belt (1.5" or wider)
Strong-side outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster
Holster restrictions:
No inside-the-waistband (IWB)
No cross-draw, appendix, or shoulder rigs
No nylon/cloth “floppy” holsters
No SERPA-style or similar trigger-finger-release holsters
2–3 reliable magazines
Magazine pouch(es) to hold at least two magazines
450–500 rounds of range-safe ammunition
Handheld white light (required; momentary/tailcap switch highly recommended)
Weapon-mounted light (optional but encouraged if your handgun is equipped)
Prerequisite
Successful completion of a basic handgun safety and marksmanship course (such as Practical Pistol 1) or equivalent experience, or instructor approval prior to class.
Night Pistol – Low-Light Handgun Fundamentals
Night Pistol is a focused low-light handgun course designed to help you run your pistol safely and confidently when the sun goes down. You’ll learn how darkness changes what you see, how you move, and how you make decisions—and how to use handheld or weapon-mounted lights to your advantage without giving up safety or accuracy.
This course takes the skills you already have from daylight shooting and applies them to realistic, reduced-light conditions on the range.
Course Objectives
By the end of this class, students will:
Reinforce universal firearm safety rules in low-light environments
Understand how human vision and perception change in the dark
Learn “light discipline” and when to use—or not use—white light
Practice identifying and confirming targets before pressing the trigger
Build confidence making accurate hits with limited or intermittent light
Practical Skills Covered
Students will work through:
Safe draw, presentation, and handling of a handgun in low light
Use of handheld lights and/or weapon-mounted lights with a pistol
Fundamental low-light shooting positions and movement
Light techniques for searching and visually clearing areas (on/off, momentary use, etc.)
Engaging targets while managing light, sights, and trigger control
Reloads and basic malfunction clearing when visibility is reduced
Class Format
Classroom / briefing: safety considerations, low-light concepts, equipment selection, and light techniques
Range time: progressive live-fire drills as light diminishes, moving into full dark as conditions allow
Total duration: approximately 3–4 hours (varies seasonally with sunset time)
Required Equipment
Personal handgun
Eye and ear protection
Clear or light-tinted eye protection strongly recommended for night use
Rigid gun belt (1.5" or wider)
Strong-side outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster
Holster restrictions:
No inside-the-waistband (IWB)
No cross-draw, appendix, or shoulder rigs
No nylon/cloth “floppy” holsters
No SERPA-style or similar trigger-finger-release holsters
2–3 reliable magazines
Magazine pouch(es) to hold at least two magazines
450–500 rounds of range-safe ammunition
Handheld white light (required; momentary/tailcap switch highly recommended)
Weapon-mounted light (optional but encouraged if your handgun is equipped)
Prerequisite
Successful completion of a basic handgun safety and marksmanship course (such as Practical Pistol 1) or equivalent experience, or instructor approval prior to class.