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NRA Basic Personal Protection Outside The Home (PPOTH) Course

The world doesn’t stop at your front door. Neither should your training.

Protecting yourself at home is one thing. Protecting yourself and your family in a parking lot, on the road, or in a crowd — where you don’t control the ground, the lighting, or who’s around you — is another. The NRA Basics of Personal Protection Outside The Home course teaches the knowledge, skills, and attitude essential for avoiding dangerous confrontations and for the safe, effective, and responsible use of a concealed pistol for self-defense outside the home.

This is an intermediate-level course. It assumes you already shoot competently and are ready to train for the realities of carrying in public.

Who This Is For

Adult, law-abiding individuals who already possess defensive pistol skills and want to build real capability for carrying outside the home. The NRA requires that participants be adults not disqualified from possessing a firearm under applicable law, of good repute, possess the defensive pistol skills presented in the NRA Basics of Personal Protection In The Home course, understand the basic legal concepts relating to the use of firearms in self-defense, and know and observe both general gun safety rules and the safety principles specific to defensive situations.

You can demonstrate these prerequisites by presenting an NRA Basics of Personal Protection In The Home course certificate or by passing the pre-course evaluation. The most direct path is completing our NRA Basics of Personal Protection In The Home course first.

Course Structure

The course is divided into two levels:

Level One — 9 hours, approximately 100 rounds. The essential knowledge and skills that must be mastered to carry, store, and use a firearm safely and effectively for personal protection outside the home. Students spend several hours on the range.

Level Two — an additional 5 hours, approximately 115 rounds. Optional for students who complete Level One. Focused range time developing advanced shooting skills.

Time and ammunition figures are NRA minimums and may be exceeded.

What You Will Learn

  • Avoiding dangerous confrontations before they start

  • Carrying, storing, and using a firearm safely and effectively outside the home

  • Safety principles specific to defensive situations

  • Firearms and the law, and the legal aspects of self-defense

  • Presenting a pistol from concealment and reholstering

  • Defensive shooting techniques and positions

  • Advanced shooting skills (Level Two)

About the Legal Lesson

The lesson on Firearms and the Law and the Legal Aspects of Self-Defense is not taught by a firearms instructor acting as a firearms instructor. Under NRA requirements, it must be conducted by an attorney licensed in Texas and familiar with this area of law, a law enforcement officer holding an intermediate or higher Texas peace-officer certification, or an individual currently certified by the State of Texas to instruct in this area. You get legal instruction from someone qualified to give it.

What You Receive

  • The NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection Outside The Home handbook

  • The NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure

  • Level One and/or Level Two course completion certificate(s).

What to Bring

  • NRA Basics of Personal Protection In The Home certificate (Yasuke Arms or any NRA-certified provider), or arrive prepared for the pre-course evaluation

  • A reliable defensive handgun in good working condition

  • A quality belt holster suitable for concealed carry, sturdy belt, and cover garment

  • At least three magazines or speedloaders

  • Approximately 100 rounds (Level One); an additional 115 rounds if attending Level Two

  • Eye and ear protection

  • Closed-toe shoes, brimmed hat, closed-collar shirt

  • NO SIG P320’s ALLOWED – NO EXCEPTIONS

Pricing, Dates, and Location

Owner-confirmation fields — to be supplied before publishing.

Where This Course Leads

Elements of this course are built into our Defensive Pistol ladder. Graduates are well prepared for DP-2: Judicious Use of Force and Legal Aftermath.

Course Price

TBA