Dry Fire Clinic & Fighting Handgun Concepts – Whitehall & Boulder, MT – May 22nd – 24th, 2026
Fighting Handgun Concepts: Speed, Accuracy, Movement, Unconventional Positions, Decisional Engagements & Defending Others
Trainer: Adam Winch
Location: Whitehall & Boulder, MT
Host: Lora Thorson
A 2.5-day training course for already safe, proficient handgun handlers and shooters.
Introduction
This is not a beginner’s course and is intended for those who are ready to move beyond basic shooting to build a fast, efficient draw stroke, put one to multiple rounds on target with either acceptable or precise accuracy at speed, and ultimately be able to do so under the movements common to defensive gun uses.
Beyond helping grow each person’s individual shooting skills, the primary goal of this training course is to help prepare those who might have to defend and fight for life itself when in compromised positions and situations.
This is not a course where each shooter stands static in one position with a perfect stance while shooting at immobile targets. Therefore, once it is verified that everyone can safely handle and shoot their handguns, and after some precision work, movement will be introduced on the first day, often in close quarters to others.
This is a fighting handgun course that comes directly from personal experience of being involved in multiple deadly force incidents and having witnessed multiple others.
Course Content
- impacts in relation to height over bore and bullet trajectory at varying distances
- acceptable accuracy to extreme precision shooting
- learning and growing realistic and legally-defensible fight speeds with a handgun
- gun handling and shooting on the move with accurate shooting
- building to the explosive movements needed in fights
- one-handed handgun use from an injured fighting perspective
- high-stress physical exertion shooting
- shooting from unconventional positions and moving up and down and at all points of the compass while safely handling a handgun
- shooting in defense of others, moving, controlling and/or shielding others while using a handgun
- close contact shooting, gun handling and engaging threats in close quarters with others nearby
- decisional engagements, vehicle use
and more.
Format
Saturday will start with safety, then handling and accuracy to find the skill of the group as a whole before moving to extreme precision, then into building or refining an efficient draw stroke with accuracy and recoil management, finding and stretching each attendees’ personal limits based on abilities. Movement and shooting will be introduced both at distance and up close to targets and in close quarters with others.
Sunday will expand on the work of Saturday, involving groundwork, unconventional positional shooting, dealing with and protecting others, and more, such as listed above.
1. Dry Fire Clinic (Friday evening):
The Dry Fire Clinic is Friday evening, 6 pm to 9 pm’ish in Whitehall, MT.
Location: 330 MT-2 East, Whitehall, MT
Also the same location for “Sage Wellness” if needed for online maps
2. Fighting Handgun Concepts (Sat. & Sunday / 8:30 am – 5 pm)
Last Chance Handgunners – High Ore Range:
230 Cattle Drive Rd.
Boulder, MT 59632
Range Fee:
There is a Range Fee of $10 per person per day that will be collected in cash before the beginning of the class, so please bring that range fee with you. The range is a non-profit so all range fees will be donated to the Semper Fi Fund.
- Friday Dry Fire Clinic: 6pm to 9:30pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 8:30am to 5:30pm
Please be 10 to 15 minutes early on Friday and Saturday to fill out range waivers and to have your gear ready.
There is a $10 per day Range Fee ($20 total for both days) so please bring that in cash.
It will be collected at the beginning of the course on Saturday.
Dry Fire is on Friday evening from 6 pm to 9:30 pm. This training is an essential part of the course at no extra cost for those attending the entire weekend.
Students may attend just the Dry Fire Clinic on Friday.
There is an option here to register for the Dry Fire only.
Once you arrive for this dry fire clinic, Please do not remove handguns from any holsters or bags until directed to by Defenders USA personnel or safety staff!
Everything will be checked multiple times over prior to starting the training in order to verify that NO live ammo could possibly be in any guns and that all live ammo is away from where we will be doing the training.
For Friday evening, we’ll start at 6 pm and end around 9:30 pm. Come ready to learn a ton and discover how well you’ll grow your own shooting skills by attending this clinic.
Items needed for the Friday evening Dry Fire Clinic:
This clinic is intended for semi-automatic handguns from Appendix (AIWB) or strong side holsters from open or concealed carry, with the goal to build or refine a fast, efficient, and consistent draw stroke. We take a deep dive into technique and diagnosing of grip, stance, platform, appropriate use of various aiming systems and needs, trigger use and control, safe holstering, loading and magazine manipulations, etc.
A main goal of this is to help you learn how to keep growing your handgun skills and to train yourself long after this is over in order to maintain and grow skills on the range and in real life defensive situations far beyond this clinic.
NO live ammo!!
– Handgun, holster, at least one magazine.
– Any other items normally used in dry fire practice, such as a Mantis or other such similar systems.
Needed items for the FHC Sat. & Sun.:
- Handgun (or more in case the primary handgun goes down)
- Reliable, quality holster & three magazines
- ***Note on holsters: NO SERPA or similar holsters, NO purse holsters, NO pocket holsters, NO bra or cross draw holsters, NO ankle holsters, NO floppy or soft nylon holsters, etc.)
- At least 800 – 1,000 of ammo but feel free to bring more.
- Handgun cleaning supplies (you and your weapon will be getting dirty)
- Eye & ear protection
- Any wanted snacks & non-alcoholic beverages
- A brimmed hat
- Any wanted snacks and non-alcoholic beverages
- A lunch, as there will not be time to leave the range for lunch.
$20 range fee per day in cash
A durable mat or knee/elbow pads wanted (you will be working from the ground on concrete so you may want such items for comfort)
A camping type chair (one that that can take a small amount of abuse)
Those attending will also engage in decisional engagement situations, responding to complex threats and will also need to explain the physical and legal justification(s) for their actions or non-actions.
This course is considered moderately physical and will require thoughtfulness and constant mental and safety awareness; ultimately growing confidence and ability to defend life with a gun to even higher level.
Optional Items:
– Note taking materials
– Any snacks or non-alcoholic beverages you might want during the training. There will be snacks and water available but bring whatever else you might want.
No “Serpa” holsters, or any purse or off-body carry holsters, no cross-draw holsters, and no nylon, cloth or floppy holsters.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions with any gear or other questions.
This is a moderately physical course and, using the training involved, attendees need to be able to move up and down off the ground and from varying awkward positions multiple times while safely handling a loaded firearm and working through situations that will carefully grow in complexity. The course will requires thoughtfulness and constant mental and safety awareness; ultimately growing confidence and ability to defend life with a gun to even higher level.
This will be a thoughtful, safe approach in training, allowing everyone attending to safely experiment and work through the entire course, and grow an understanding of how dynamic a fight really is, and how to use their bodies and firearms to best defend themselves and those they love if unfortunately ever in the worst-case scenario.
Those attending will also engage in decisional engagement situations, responding to complex threats and will also need to explain the physical and legal justification(s) for their actions or non-actions.
If needing lodging & accommodations:
There is an incredible local family who has partnered with Defenders USA and worked hard to make these training events happen in southwest Montana.
They have 3 beautiful Cabins and 4 Glamping Tents available to rent, conveniently located near the training with beautiful mountain views on a family homestead farm experience.
They also offer farm-to-table delicious breakfast burritos and espresso, if you order in advance.
Go to:
https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/133734703
Scroll down to “Listings” to see the different lodging options available.
If you have any problems finding a place to stay, call Jenessa at 406-992-4480.
This course will be taught by Adam Winch, Defenders USA’s founder and Lead Instructor. Adam is a certified Master Instructor, with years as a highly sought after firearms coach in the military, law enforcement, and civilian sectors while teaching across the American West.
Certified Defenders USA handgun instructor Lora Thorson will also be assisting and teaching throughout the day.
Both Adam’s and Lora’s bios can be found at About on our website.
We look forward to training with you.
