In-Person Firearm Training Located just outside Minneapolis, MN
All classes are given at our private training facility and full tactical range in New Hope, in the western suburbs of Minneapolis , Minnesota, and available to residents from:
● Hennepin County, MN
● Plymouth, MN
● Maple Grove, MN
● Minnetonka, MN
● Minneapolis, MN
● St. Paul, MN
The Types of Small Group Class Firearm Lessons We Offer:
Click calendar to enlarge
Weekly Classes
These 1.5-hour-long classes are offered every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. These are the best choice for ongoing handgun lessons, and they’re also the best place to start.
There are weekly classes in Introduction to DMT Methodology, Foundations Handgun, Intermediate Handgun, Advanced Handgun, Combatives, and Defensive Rifle. See descriptions of these weekly classes at the bottom of this page!
There are NO prerequisites to start Foundations Handgun or Defensive Rifle, once you've attended the one-time Introduction to DMT Methodology class.[1] You don’t even need to own a firearm!
To sign up for classes or any other training, click the schedule appointment button.
Seminars
These periodic multi-hour weekend training opportunities are focused on a single topic like Permit to Carry, Low-Light Handgun, Rifle, Draw and Deterrence, or Home Defense.
If you already have a Permit to Carry, join any seminar that doesn’t have prerequisites and sparks your interest. Contact the DMT team to learn more about our exclusive seminars and how they'll help in the journey to learning proper self-defense.
Private Training
Private training is the ultimate in personalized development. Join a DMT instructor for a personal training lesson on the topic of your choice. This could be the development of a specific technique, fixing a problem, or simply getting the one-on-one attention you need. To learn more, reach out to Defensive Mindset Training for more information on available courses and availability times.
These sessions take place at our exclusive training facility, or with proper coordination, we can accommodate the remote training facility of your choosing. (Prior discussion of costs must occur before the session.)
In-Person Handgun & Rifle Training Programs
HANDGUN CLASS LEVELS
Our classes are designed to help you grow and develop all the skills you must have to safely and effectively utilize a handgun for personal defense. Whether you have never shot a gun before, just acquired your Permit to Carry, or have been shooting for years, these classes are designed for you.
As with martial arts training, skills are developed through regular practice over a series of months or even years. The ongoing focus on growing your skill through DMT classes will help you develop effective neural pathways so you'll perform well under stress in defense of your life or those you care about.
At DMT, we break down our training into 4 levels: Introduction, Foundations, Intermediate, and Advanced.
Introduction to DMT Methodology With In-Person Firearm Classes
Every student, regardless of experience, should begin weekly small group firearm training in the Twin Cities, MN, with The Introduction to DMT Methodology class. This lets you assess your understanding of using a handgun for self-defense (rather than simply shooting a target accurately) and allows our instructors to introduce you to DMT’s method for handgun training.
Intro is a one-time class where you will learn:
● How you physically, neurologically, and mentally respond to a lethal threat.
● How to build skills that will survive the chaos of self-defense situations.
● Rules of Safety that work even when your brain shuts down under extreme stress.
● A method of loading and unloading a handgun that will prepare you for future advanced skills.
After completing the Intro class, most students will be invited to attend the Foundations Class. From this point forward, our firearm training in the Twin Cities, MN, will include either live fire on the range or simulation training in the scenario room.
You do not need to own your own firearm for our firearm courses, but you will be required to provide your own ammunition. All DMT handguns for use by clients are either 22LR or 9mm. Please bring brass-cased ammo. Upon request, we can provide recommendations for where to purchase this ammo before attending our in-person firearm course.
Small Group Firearm Classes
FOUNDATIONS LEVEL HANDGUN
A Foundations student will learn:
● High-level shooting fundamentals, including placing rounds on target accurately and without common handgun shooting errors like flinching or crushing.
● How to manipulate shot split speed to maximize shots on target in critical situations.
● The initial system of situational awareness and post fight actions.
● And you’ll take your first shots on our elite full tactical range.
The average student attends 3-5 Foundations level classes before they are invited to Intermediate level classes. DMT recognizes that some students will have more experience, and if you have a solid set of skills, you may only need one Foundations class before advancing to other handgun training sessions. Instructors will make this determination as they work with you in the class. Other students may take more than 5 classes before moving on, so no worries! Remember, you learn skills at a different pace than everyone else. DMT is uniquely set up to move at your pace to make sure you have a complete understanding and get great results from our firearm training programs in the Twin Cities, MN.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL HANDGUN
The DMT Intermediate class is what other firearms training academies would call Advanced. It goes well beyond firearms skills and addresses all the critical parts of self-defense. An Intermediate student will learn:
● Concealment draws on targets in live fire and sim scenarios.
● Dynamic weapon positions to move with the firearm out of the holster while maintaining proper muzzle and trigger finger awareness.
● Immediate actions to get a stopped firearm up and running as quickly as possible while maintaining 100% defense, including emergency reloads, soft malfunctions, and hard malfunctions.
● A complete system of deterrence to communicate to threats that you are a potentially lethal threat, possibly preventing further engagement and improving your legal defensive position.
● A comprehensive system of situational awareness to help you identify threats early and avoid unnecessary and dangerous conflicts.
● A thorough approach to post-fight actions to help you survive the aftereffects of a lethal force encounter.
● A complete legal framework of what defense is and what it isn’t, so you can avoid mistakes and misconceptions that could land you behind bars.
The average DMT student is in the Intermediate level class for 1 to 1.5 years. Some students progress through the material faster, some take longer, and DMT is here to help you grow at your pace.
When you’ve demonstrated mastery of Intermediate material, DMT will invite you to test into Advanced Handgun, the most exclusive firearm training at our facility in the Twin Cities, MN. The test consists of a check on your situational awareness, post-fight, and legal knowledge.
ADVANCED LEVEL HANDGUN
You won't find in-person gun training like Advanced Handgun anywhere else. The Advanced Class works through complicated skills and tactical applications that Defenders may encounter. The training opportunities in this firearm course never end, with an unlimited number of topics, skills, and drills to help you as a Defender join the elite of handgun operators.
Advanced Students gain the skills to:
● Engage in retention shooting from contact to 15 feet.
● Utilize flashlights and night sights for low-light encounters.
● Deploy and utilize multiple defensive tools such as edged and impact weapons.
● Conduct tactical movements such as room clearing, cover/concealment, and working with a partner.
● Engage in precision pistol work up to 60 yards.
● Engage multiple threats and the transitions between them.
● Flow between shooting positions, depending upon the range of the threat to the Defender.
● Utilize primary or support hand-only shooting techniques if one limb has been disabled.
● Engage in security techniques for protecting family in lethal encounters.
● And much, much more!
ENTRANCE TO ADVANCED HANDGUN IS BY INVITATION ONLY
In-Person Permit to Carry Lessons
Permit to Carry training is a popular choice for those looking to increase their knowledge of proper firearm safety and use. This 6-hour seminar will give you all the foundational aspects of firearms and satisfy the legal requirement to carry a gun.
The Defensive Mindset Training’s Permit to Carry course is unlike any other small group class gun training. It’s not just about checking the box for the legal requirement. It's about actually learning to defend yourself and use a firearm safely. If you want to legally and confidently exercise your constitutional rights, this is the class you need.
The team at Defensive Mindset Training is committed to offering law-abiding citizens the classes they need to properly defend themselves. This includes firearm lessons that cover all you’ll need to know when you have a permit to carry. From proper carrying techniques to how to respond to law enforcement regarding your firearm, DMT provides the tools needed to legally carry a gun in MN. Our firearm training is available in the Twin Cities, MN, and open to anyone from Hennepin, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, St. Paul, and the greater Minneapolis area.
In-Person Defensive Rifle Training
DEFENSIVE RIFLE - AR15 STYLE OR EQUIVALENT
Our primary home defense tool is the AR15 Modern Sporting Rifle. We're so sure about the effectiveness and reliability of our small group rifle lessons that we made a 10-hour movie about it: Home Defense Rifle. You can purchase this video series or access the content FREE online when you sign up for Defender University.
The Defensive Rifle class develops beginner defensive rifle skills to a highly proficient level. Students can jump into a small group rifle lesson at any time. Whether[1] you have never operated an AR15 before or are ready to develop serious defensive skills, this is the class for you.
The ongoing focus of our in-person rifle training is to develop effective neural pathways so you'll perform well under stress in defense of your life.
As with martial arts training, rifle training is developed through regular instruction over a series of months or even years. A Defensive Rifle student will learn:
● High-level shooting fundamentals, including placing rounds on target accurately and without common rifle shooting errors like flinching.
● Mounting and deployment on targets in live fire and sim scenarios.
● Dynamic weapon positions to move with the rifle while maintaining proper muzzle and trigger finger awareness.
● Immediate actions to get a stopped rifle up and running as quickly as possible while maintaining 100% defense, including emergency reloads, soft malfunctions, and hard malfunctions.
● A complete system of deterrence to communicate to threats that you are a potentially lethal adversary, possibly preventing further engagement.
Defensive Mindset Training is a premier provider of firearm classes and self-defense courses. We offer a range of services that will help you handle any type of situation where the welfare of you or your loved ones is at risk. Contact us today to learn more about our private training programs or enroll in our exclusive Defender University courses.
FOR CURRENT AND IN-TRAINING LAW ENFORCEMENT, CURRENT ROTC, CURRENT U.S. MILITARY, MN POST ELIGIBLE, AND U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS:
We want to help you to safely and effectively defend our country and yourselves.
Contact us online or call (612) 516-5619 for a discount code for weekly classes, private training, and seminars.
Can’t make it our location?
DMT brings elite online tactical firearms training to you through Defender University!
“Amazing training program! Beau and Kevin do a great job of meeting you where your skills are at and helping build them up. I’ve progressed a lot since starting classes in 2020. I came in with very limited abilities and now have a level of proficiency my buddies have noticed at the range. I cannot recommend them enough and do not say that lightly. Taking the Introductory class was one of my better choices! Thanks, DMT!!”