Essential Skills Classes
+ Essential Handgun Skills
This is a single day (8 hour) class designed to pick up where most concealed weapons permit classes end. Topics covered include:
- Safe manipulation of the handgun;
- Drawing the handgun;
- Concealed Draw;
- Malfunction Reduction;
- Weapon Manipulation Under Stress;
- Ballistic Realities
- Self-Improvement Drills
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Essential-Handgun-Skills-and-Ladies-Only-Handgun-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
Required Equipment
Hard shell ear protection, eye protection, strong side belt holster ONLY (No Appendix Inside the Waistband [AIWB] or “belly” holsters or Blackhawk Inc. Serpa holsters), 3 magazines/speed-loaders, magazine pouch, brimmed hat, lunch/ water.
Round Count
300 rounds. No Incendiary/armor piercing.
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
-Bruce Lee
+ Essential Revolver Skills
This is a single day (8 hour) class designed to enhance shooter’s skills with double action revolvers. Topics covered include:
- Safe manipulation of the revolver;
- Drawing the revolver;
- Concealed Draw;
- Speed-loading techniques;
- Weapon Manipulation Under Stress;
- Ballistic Realities
- Self-Improvement Drills
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Model-19-2.5.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
Required Equipment
Hard shell ear protection, eye protection, double action revolver of at least .38 caliber, strong side belt holster ONLY (No Appendix Inside the Waistband [AIWB] or “belly” holsters or Blackhawk Inc. Serpa holsters), 3 magazines/speed-loaders, magazine pouch, brimmed hat, lunch/ water.
Round Count
300 rounds. No Incendiary/armor piercing.
+ Essential Carbine Skills
This is a single day (8 hour) course that provides attendees with a solid understanding of the use of a defensive carbine similar the AR-15/M16 family of weapons (Other weapons welcome though). Topics focused on include:
- Safe manipulation of the carbine;
- Use of tactical slings;
- Transition to handgun;
- Weapon manipulation under stress;
- Malfunction reduction;
- Diagnostic skill drills for continual improvement.
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Tactical-Defense-Carbine.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
Required Equipment
Hard shell ear protection, eye protection, semi-automatic M4 carbine, centerfire (9mm or larger) handgun, minimum of 3 high capacity magazines for each, tactical sling, strong side belt holster ONLY (No Appendix Inside the Waistband [AIWB] or “belly” holsters or Blackhawk Inc. Serpa holsters), magazine pouch, for each, brimmed hat, lunch/ water. You MUST bring a “Zeroed” carbine!!!
Round Count
400 rounds carbine/50 rounds handgun ammunition. No Incendiary/ armor piercing.
+ Essential Shotgun Skills
This is a single day (8 hour) course that provides attendees with a solid understanding of the use of a defensive shotgun. Topics focused on include:
- Safe manipulation of the shotgun;
- Use of tactical slings;
- Transition to handgun;
- Weapon manipulation under stress;
- Malfunction reduction;
- Diagnostic skill drills for continual improvement.
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Photo-for-Shotgun-Class-Updated.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
Required Equipment
Hard shell ear protection, eye protection, defensive shotgun, tactical sling, centerfire handgun, strong side holster (No Appendix Inside the Waistband [stomach] or Blackhawk Serpa), 2 magazines/speed-loaders, magazine pouch, brimmed hat, lunch/ water.
Round Count
200 rounds of birdshot, 25 rounds of slugs, 25 rounds of buckshot. 50 rounds of handgun. No Incendiary/armor piercing.
“Failure is the key to success. Each mistake teaches us something.”
-Morehei Ueshiba-O’Sensei
Founder of Aikido
+ Essential Pistol Caliber Carbine Skills
This 8 hour class covers the safe and effective use of a defensive carbine chambered in typical pistol calibers for the responsibly armed civilian. Topics include:
• Fighting techniques for PCCs
• Proper techniques for loading/unloading
• Use of tactical slings
• Transition to the handgun
• Weapon manipulation under stress
• Malfunction reduction
• Diagnostic skill drills for continual improvement and much more
• Significant use of steel targets.
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Pistol-Caliber-Carbine-Course-Photo-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
Required Equipment
Hard shell ear & eye protection, semiauto carbine in 9mm/40S&W/45 ACP cartridges only, centerfire handgun, 3+ high capacity magazines for each, tactical sling, strong side belt holster ONLY (No Appendix Inside the Waistband, “belly”, or Blackhawk Serpa holsters), magazine pouch for each, brimmed hat, lunch/ water. You MUST bring a “Zeroed” carbine!!!
Round Count
400 carbine/50 handgun rounds. No Incendiary/armor piercing.
+ Essential Backup Gun Skills
This 8 hour class covers the safe and effective use of small concealed carry defensive handgun (Glock 43, Sig P365, S&W Shield) for the currently licensed civilian handgun carrier. This class is the “Next Step” after obtaining your concealed weapons license. Topics include:
• The Safety Check
• Proper Sequence for loading/unloading
• Proper concealed carry draw
• Fighting techniques for the small handgun
• Weapon manipulation under stress
• Malfunction reduction
• Diagnostic skill drills
• Primarily shot on steel targets
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Backup-Gun-Course-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
Required Equipment
Hard shell ear protection, eye protection, strong side belt holster ONLY (No Appendix Inside the Waistband [AIWB] or “belly” holsters or Blackhawk Inc. Serpa holsters), 3 magazines/speed-loaders, magazine pouch, brimmed hat, lunch/water.
Round Count
300 + rounds handgun ammunition. No armor piercing/reloads./etc.
+ Essential Lowlight Handgun Skills
This is a single day (8 hour) class designed to teach the fundamentals of fighting in low or reduced light with a defensive handgun. Topics that are focused on are:
- Safety Concerns in lowlight environments.
- Demonstration of various flashlights and weapon mounted lights.
- Use of typical tactical, handheld flashlights in conjunction with defensive handguns.
- Search techniques using handheld flashlights.
- Realities of fighting at night.
- Live Fire skill drills using tactical flashlights.
- Ballistic realities in the lowlight environment.
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Lowlight-Training-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Lowlight-Handgun-Kila-MT-20-May-2020-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
Required Equipment
Will be addressed upon Registration.
Round Count
400 rounds. No Incendiary/armor piercing. Plus 5 rounds of student’s defensive carry ammunition.
Follow On Essential Handgun, Revolver, Carbine, and Shotgun classes:
These classes are typically one day long (8 hours) and are a continuation of the pre-cursor course. These classes can be combined into two day formats or mix and match type (One Day Handgun and One Day Carbine etc.)
Signature Classes
+ Handgun Skills & Movement
This course is SAC Tactical’s signature course. It is a two-day, 16 hour long course. It provides the student with the essential elements of tactical shooting and movement and focuses on the following:
- Realistic, reflexive gun handling and shooting;
- Weapon manipulation under stress;
- Use of Cover;
- Shooting on the move;
- Target Assessment and discrimination
- Responsible Use of Force
- Interior movements;
- Room entries
- Malfunction Reduction
- Ballistic Realities
- Team work (Time permitting)
- Diagnostic skill drills for continual improvement.
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Photo-for-Handgun-Class.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
This is NOT a beginner level course. Prerequisites are SAC Tactical Introduction to Defensive Handgun class or similar. Please confirm your eligibility by contacting SAC Tactical.
Required Equipment
Hard shell ear protection, eye protection, strong side belt holster ONLY (No Appendix Inside the Waistband [AIWB] or “belly” holsters or Blackhawk Inc. Serpa holsters), 3 magazines/speed-loaders, magazine pouch, brimmed hat, lunch/ water.
Round Count
650 rounds. No Incendiary/armor piercing.
+ Practical Applications
This course is typically a follow on to SAC Tactical’s Tactical Skills and Movement Course. It is a two-day, 16-hour long course that refines attendees skills on a live fire range on Training Day 1 and then tests those skills in a realistic setting using simunition (paint marking) type weapons on Training Day 2. Prerequisite: Tactical Shooting and Movement Course.
“Survival is a byproduct of winning.”
-Patrick A. Rogers
Sustainment Classes
+ Handgun Skills Enhancement
This is a one-day (8 hour) class that focuses solely on developing a shooter’s skill with a handgun. This class is typically shot on steel targets for the vast majority of the class. There is little legal/ballistic/medical/movement training. Rather this class refines a shooter’s skills with his or her concealed handgun. This class can be combined with a Carbine Skills Enhancement Class for a two-day class. This class is range dependent due to the use of steel targetry.
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Photo-for-Handgun-Enhancement-Class-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C738&ssl=1)
“Watch the sights, stroke the trigger”.
-Dan Smith
My early mentor
+ Carbine Skills Enhancement
This is a one-day (8 hour) class that focuses solely on developing a shooter’s skill with a carbine similar to the AR-15/M-16 family of weapons. This class is typically shot on steel targets for the vast majority of the class. There is little legal/ballistic/medical/movement training. Rather this class refines a shooter’s skills with his or her defensive carbine. This class can be combined with a Handgun Skills Enhancement Class for a two-day class. This class is range dependent due to the use of steel targetry. I teach a version of this class using pistol caliber carbines as well.
+ Invitation Only Classes
SAC Tactical offers advanced classes to former SAC Tactical students of demonstrated competence in a variety of topics. These classes are typically one-day (8 hours) in length. I am able to conduct more training because safety fundamentals have already been taught and students have demonstrated a mastery of those skills. Topics cover: advanced Movement drills, unusual positions, single hand, support hand only training, vehicular tactics and other topics of interest.
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1911-and-Invitation-Cropped.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
+ Customized Training Courses
SAC Tactical can offer customized training in a variety of areas including Revolver, 1911 Women’s Only, Tactical Medical etc. Additional Courses are under development. Please contact SAC Tactical at info@saconsco.com to discuss your training needs/desires.
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Model-19-2.5.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/saconsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Photos-for-Custom-Classes.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1)
+ Individual Coaching
This type of training is available on a case by case basis and is typically conducted in western Montana. Please contact SAC Tactical at info@saconsco.com for additional details.
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