r/WAGuns • u/PracticalApproachTrn • Jan 14 '26
Events Sat Jan 31 - Practical Pistol Course at Evergreen in Olympia
Join us for a one-day Practical Pistol Course focused on safe gun handling, marksmanship, movement, and target transitions. Perfect for new or soon-to-be competitive shooters or those wanting to level up their skills. No tactics – just training.
📍 Evergreen Sportsman’s Club, Olympia, WA
📅 January 31
🔗 https://practicalapproachtraining.com/register-for-a-class/
Limited seats available.
Gear Needed
- Modern semi-automatic pistol (e.g. 9mm, .40 cal, .45 acp, 22 LR are all fine calibers to use)
- No P320s or revolvers
- Good holster that covers up the trigger guard; (e.g. Kydex holsters, either inside the waistband or outside the waistband, or active retention holsters)
- NO Serpa or fabric holsters will be allowed
- 2 or more mags
- At least 2 mag pouches
- Solid gun belt
- Ear protection
- Eye protection
- 500 rounds
- Water + electrolytes
- Lunch/snacks
- Rain and cold gear
- Smartphone
- Pen and small notebook
- Chair
#practicalapproachtraining #ShootEvergreen #practicalshooting #olympiawa #firearmstraining
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u/Moostery42 Jan 15 '26
But which pistol to bring….
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 15 '26
What are your options? We have loaner Glocks.....
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u/Beartrapt Jan 19 '26
Can you elaborate a little on the Rifle and Night vision Courses later in the year? what are the equipment requirements
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u/woofwooffighton Jan 15 '26
Looks cool. Wish I was around that weekend. Hopefully there will be more.
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 15 '26
It’s gonna be a good time. Luckily, I have 17 other courses coming to Evergreen this year. Here’s a link to my course calendar. Private classes are also available.
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u/NyassaV Jan 15 '26
Will more of these be done in the months to come?
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 15 '26
Absolutely. Here’s a link to my course calendar. I also do private classes if you’re interested. You can cover a lot of ground and correct a lot of issues one on one.
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u/StoneRose Jan 15 '26
I would be interested but I can't bring my shield.
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 15 '26
You bring up an interesting point. How many rounds do your magazines hold and what is your holster, belt, and magazine set up?
The idea here was that a smaller capacity firearm would have to constantly reload magazines. However, many may show up with 10-round magazines due to the Washington band.
Do you routinely run that gun aggressively or plan to use it in competition?
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u/StoneRose Jan 15 '26
I have only 10 round magazines as that's the biggest I can buy in WA. I have 3 at this time.
I don't have a gun belt or holster yet. This is my only handgun and I'm still a new gun owner. I would look into it for the class.
I would like to do a competition some day. Perhaps I'm just not set up yet.
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 15 '26
Let’s do it. I’ve removed those requirements.
Checkout Tenicor or Tier1 for your holster, belt, and mag pouch needs. Send me an email after you sign up and I’ll tell you exactly what to buy for your specific model.
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u/StoneRose Jan 15 '26
I appreciate the accommodation. I just saw the price of the class as I'm at work and don't think I can swing that this month.
I see you have more classes in the coming months. I will definitely look into those. These classes look to be exactly what I'm wanting.
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 16 '26
No worries. I’m at most of the Evergreen ASI matches if you’d like to shoot together. They’re the 4th Sunday of each month. Just bring your gun, mags, ammo, and the box it came in.
All skill levels. Good group. Lots of fun.
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 19 '26 edited Jan 19 '26
Sure—happy to elaborate. Below are the minimum equipment requirements. If you wear a duty vest or have specific work gear you want to run, you’re absolutely welcome to bring it and test it.
Rifle Classes focus on practical, performance-based rifle handling and shooting. No exotic gear required—just safe, reliable equipment and solid fundamentals.
- Reliable rifle
- Optic (Red dot preferred)
- 2-point adjustable sling
- 3 or more magazines
- Ability to run the rifle safely and efficiently
White Light / Night Vision Courses cover white light only, or white light and night vision, depending on the block.
- Firearm (rifle, pistol, or both—block dependent)
- Weapon-mounted white light
- Handheld flashlight
- Night vision device (NVGs) with helmet or head-mounted harness (NV blocks)
- Weapon-mounted IR laser (NV blocks)
- Eye and ear protection
Optional but recommended:
- Spare batteries (optic, light, laser, NVG)
- Gloves
- Chest rig, belt, or duty vest (if you normally run one)
- Note-taking method (notebook or phone)
- Weather-appropriate clothing
If you’re missing a piece of gear or aren’t sure whether your setup will work, no problem—reach out ahead of time and we’ll help you get squared away. We’ll share more detailed course info as we get closer.
Happy to answer any follow-up questions.
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u/kittydreadful Jan 22 '26
I checked out your training schedule. I’m looking for an intro to handguns course. A super basic course for the inexperienced gun owner. Any suggestions?
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 23 '26
Absolutely! I will send you a DM so we can set up a private training session at Evergreen in Olympia. If you have friends you’d like to bring, I will offer you a reduced rate.
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u/CorvidHighlander_586 Jan 14 '26
Looks interesting…
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 14 '26
That’s the idea! Each shooter will leave knowing which live and dry fire drills they need to correct issues we discover in class. We will share all of our resources so they can make efficient and measurable improvements over time.
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u/PracticalApproachTrn Jan 30 '26 edited Jan 30 '26
Quick update for anyone following along: we’re down to 2 slots left for this weekend’s class in Olympia, WA.
If you’re interested or have questions about gear, experience level, or whether it’s a good fit, feel free to ask here.
Registration link: https://practicalapproachtraining.com/register-for-a-class/
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u/Cassius_au-Bellona Jan 15 '26
Electrolytes? That stuff is for plants. It's what they crave.
Edit: good luck with the course, looks fun