Build Skills With Purpose: The A Girl & A Gun Marksmanship Programs

If you’ve ever left the range feeling like you shot a lot but didn’t actually improve, you’re not alone.

Many shooters head to the range with the best intentions, fire a few magazines, admire a good target, pack up, and head home. While there’s certainly value in spending time behind the gun, consistent improvement requires something more than simply sending rounds downrange. It requires purpose, progression, and measurable goals.

That’s exactly why A Girl & A Gun developed two of its most popular member resources: the Pistol Marksmanship Program (PMP) and the Defensive Marksmanship Program (DMP). Together, these structured training programs provide a roadmap that helps shooters build confidence, improve performance, and develop practical defensive skills through guided practice.

Whether you’re just beginning your shooting journey or looking for your next challenge, these programs offer a proven path to continued growth.

What Is the A Girl & A Gun Pistol Marksmanship Program?

The Pistol Marksmanship Program (PMP) is a progressive training system designed to build the core fundamentals of pistol shooting. Instead of wondering what to practice each time you visit the range, the program provides ten increasingly challenging levels that systematically develop the skills every successful shooter needs.

Each level introduces carefully designed courses of fire that reinforce the fundamentals while adding new challenges along the way. Members work on essential skills including:

• Accuracy
• Trigger control
• Sight alignment and sight picture
• Recoil management
• Consistency
• Confidence under increasing difficulty

The beauty of the program is that it meets every shooter where they are. New shooters appreciate having a clear plan instead of guessing what to practice, while experienced shooters enjoy the challenge of refining their skills to meet increasingly demanding performance standards.

Rather than comparing yourself to other shooters, you’re simply competing against your previous performance. Every completed level represents another milestone on your own journey.

What Is the Defensive Marksmanship Program?

Once you’ve established strong fundamentals, the Defensive Marksmanship Program (DMP) helps you take those skills to the next level.

While accurate shooting will always be the foundation, defensive firearm use involves much more than precision alone. Defensive encounters demand efficient gun handling, rapid decision-making, time management, and the ability to perform under pressure and holster skills.

The Defensive Marksmanship Program introduces these additional layers of complexity through carefully designed drills that challenge members to apply their marksmanship skills in a more realistic context.

Throughout the program, members develop:

• Faster and more efficient gun handling from the holster
• Improved defensive shooting skills
• Better performance under time constraints
• Greater confidence solving shooting problems
• Practical application of marksmanship fundamentals

Rather than replacing the Pistol Marksmanship Program, the DMP builds upon it, allowing members to continue advancing long after the basics become second nature.

Why Structured Practice Matters

One of the biggest obstacles shooters face isn’t motivation. It’s direction.

Without a plan, practice often becomes repetitive. Many shooters spend months, or even years, shooting the same drills at the same distance without ever challenging themselves to improve.

Structured practice changes everything.

Both the Pistol Marksmanship Program and Defensive Marksmanship Program provide measurable goals that transform every range trip into an opportunity for meaningful improvement. Instead of asking, “What should I work on today?” you’ll know exactly what skill you’re developing and how success is measured.

This intentional progression helps prevent training plateaus while keeping practice engaging and rewarding.

Learn at Your Own Pace

One of the reasons members love these programs is their flexibility.

There are no deadlines.

No pressure.

No competition with anyone else.

Members complete each level when they’re ready. Some progress quickly while others enjoy spending additional time mastering each stage before moving on. The pace is entirely up to you.

As each level is successfully completed, members earn colorful recognition beads that are added to their bracelet. These beads become a visual reminder of the work invested, the skills gained, and the confidence earned through dedicated practice.

They’re more than awards. They’re milestones.

Which Program Should You Start With?

If you’re new to structured shooting practice, begin with the Pistol Marksmanship Program.

It establishes the foundation that every skilled shooter relies upon and develops the consistency needed for long-term success.

Once you’ve completed the PMP or are comfortable with those core skills, the Defensive Marksmanship Program becomes the natural next step. It expands upon those fundamentals by introducing defensive concepts and more advanced shooting challenges.

Together, the two programs create a comprehensive pathway that supports shooters throughout every stage of their development.

How to Get Started

Getting started is simple.

Purchase your program materials through the A Girl & A Gun Pro Shop, then connect with your local Chapter Facilitator to begin working through the levels during chapter events and practice sessions.

Along the way, certified instructors and facilitators provide coaching, encouragement, and support as you progress through each challenge. Every completed level is another opportunity to celebrate your hard work and recognize your growth as a shooter.

Train With Purpose

Every shooter wants to improve.

The question is whether your practice has a destination.

The Pistol Marksmanship Program and Defensive Marksmanship Program give members more than drills to complete. They provide structure, accountability, measurable progress, and a community that celebrates every milestone along the way.

If you’re ready to turn ordinary range trips into meaningful training sessions, there’s never been a better time to begin.

Start Your Marksmanship Journey Today

Pistol Marksmanship Program
https://www.agirlandagun.org/s/store/books-workbooks/pmpbook/

Defensive Marksmanship Program
https://www.agirlandagun.org/s/store/books-workbooks/defensive-marksmanship-program1/