When I teach home-defense courses, I’m always asked, “What is the best gun for home defense?” And I always answer with a definitive "That all depends."

This vagueness belies the truism that there really is no perfect home-defense gun. While there are three firearm platforms that most would argue are “standard” home-defense firearms — the AR-15 style rifle, the handgun, and the modern pump or semi-auto shotgun — could any be considered perfect? READ MORE

During a lethal-force encounter inside your home with home defense weapons, you don’t want to hit a family member or other innocent people. It’s important to learn which objects in your home make safe backstops and which will not stop a round that’s been fired. Rob Pincus fires a pistol, carbine and shotgun at a stack of books to help evaluate their effectiveness as backstops. WATCH NOW

Clamp, Orient, Ram, Retract. Chris Fry of Modern Defense Training System, LLC takes a step-by-step look at employing this principle with a long gun. It’s designed to prevent takeaways and engage an aggressor at close quarters without using lethal force. Chris also presents options for lethal force should that become necessary. WATCH NOW

Members of a Vicksburg, Miss., family found themselves in a grave situation last week, but the father owning a firearm and knowing how to use it likely saved all of their lives.

According to police, Rafael McCloud escaped from a jail in Warren County, Miss., last week, where he was being held on charges of rape and capital murder. On Thursday, he approached a man starting his car and forced the man into the house. Inside, McCloud tied up the homeowner and his wife, then stabbed the man.

At some time during the hostage situation, the homeowner managed to free himself, retrieve his gun and shoot McCloud, killing him on the spot. Local media reports indicate that the homeowner was taken to the hospital, and his wife and two children were unharmed.

The NRA is excited to announce the NEW Basics of Pistol Shooting Online Course. Firearms enthusiasts may now learn pistol safety, handling and shooting techniques in their own homes, at their own convenience. Moving to an online course format allows basics of pistol shooting and firearm safety to reach even more households across the country.

Designed and developed by experts to accommodate busy schedules, the web-based course takes a blended learning approach to firearms training with both online and physical components. Students have 90 days to work through 11 online lessons at their own pace before registering for an NRA Certified Instructor-led phase at a local range to demonstrate their level of understanding and retention of course material.

"America has more first time gun owners than ever and the NRA remains dedicated to being the number one provider of firearm training,” said Executive Director of NRA General Operations, Kyle Weaver. “Thanks to our online courses and network of more than 125,000 NRA Certified Instructors, it has never been easier to learn basic firearm skills."

Click Here to Enroll Today!