Handgun basics
Course stresses safety
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FRANKSTOWN -- The key word at the Hollidaysburg Sportsmen's Club Saturday was "safety."
"They learn gun safety, the universal rules of firearms safety. We expect them to handle guns adhering to those rules," said Wayne Bush, owner and lead firearms instructor of White Horse Nation, which conducted a basic handgun course at the Frankstown Township facility.
"We teach gun safety and fundamentals," said Bush, who retired as a sergeant with the Pennsylvania State Police in 2012.
Participants in the basic handgun course learn the universal safety rules and their application to every-day handling of a firearm. In a self-defense oriented atmosphere, they learn the fundamentals of shooting, handgun terminology and nomenclature, various holster configurations and their uses, and ammunition configurations.
"They also get a brief overview on when they are allowed to use deadly force. All White Horse Nation courses stress avoiding a conflict if you can, only use force as a last resort," Bush said.
Seven people participated in the course, four men and three women.
"This course has people who have never fired a gun before to those who have some experience but never had a formal course. Taking a course like this is much more difficult than going with a buddy to the shooting range. We stress they follow the universal rules of gun safety," Bush said.
Bush said there is one major requirement to take his course.
"I insist before they show up they have a Pennsylvania license to carry a firearm because then you know they have been put through a criminal history check. I speak with everyone who registers before they show up," Bush said.
Bush said most people take the course for self defense purposes. He said they can bring their own gun or rent from White Horse Nation. The majority bring their own guns.
Dennis Clawson, 66, Saxton, a retired music teacher at Tussey Mountain High School, said he had hunted for years but never took a formal course.
"When I started today I was just trying to hit the target. I just hit two out of 10 and now I am hitting eight out of 10. They corrected my grip, it made a tremendous difference. It is a lot of fun and we are learning to do it safely," Clawson said.
The basic handgun course is required before you can take an advanced course.
Bush also offers Level I and Level II defensive use of handgun classes.
"At Level I, they learn to fight with a handgun and use tactics. Part of the class teaches what to expect from their mind and body in a stressful encounter. Level II goes further to shoot and fight with handguns. They shoot in dim light and no light," Bush said.
Dr. Jennifer Vasinda, 44, Hollidaysburg, a physician at SCI Huntingdon, took the course to qualify for the more advanced courses.
"If I need to use a gun for self defense I want to be competent. I've learned more than I thought I would. They showed me how to change my hand position to improve my accuracy, it has been a good investment in time," Vasinda said.
Bush said about 40 percent of the people who complete the basic handgun course go on to take advanced classes.
A certificate of completion on parchment is awarded upon successful completion of the course.
Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 946-7467.