FAQ

The Handgun Aptitude Test is a one-hour handgun skill test which will test your skills against other shooters and track your progress as a pistol practitioner.

It consists of 10 handgun skill drills to help you evaluate your progress as a shooter and your rank among other pistoleers. There are five drills which start from a holstered position, four which start from the low ready position and one which starts pointed in at the target. Seven of the skill drills are timed and three are untimed. The HAT tests on marksmanship, drawing, defensive shooting, reloads, support hand shooting, malfunction clearance, and more.

The Handgun Aptitude Target is an original design of the Personal Protection Academy. It is intended to be used for diversified handgun training or to take the Handgun Aptitude Test.

The Handgun Aptitude Class is firearms training class administered only by the Personal Protection Academy. It is designed to teach students how to perfect specific drills which will advance their handgun handling skills and concludes with the Handgun Aptitude Test.

Yes, Instructors and students are encouraged to purchase the targets and use them in their own handgun classes and training.

Yes, anyone can administer the Handgun Aptitude Test. We only ask you to send us your results so we can list you on our HAT Hall Of Fame.

To complete the test you need a holster, three magazines, a handgun, a magazine holder and 79 rounds of ammunition. You must have at least one magazine which holds eight rounds or more. If you do not wish to use a holster for the test you may start all holstered drills from the low ready position. However, if you do not use a holster for the test you start with -10 points. The official HAT target is not required for the test but is highly recommended.

The HAT can be completed in a class or private lesson administered by Personal Protection Academy (www.the-ppa.com) or it can administered on your own with one other witness willing to testify to your awesomeness.

If you receive a score of 80 or above email a copy of your score sheet and a picture of you with your completed target to info@the-ppa.com. Verified scores of 100 will be entered into our HAT Hall of Fame and will receive a unique award. Verified scores of 90 or 80 will also receive awards.

You can take the HAT as many times as you like. In fact, we encourage you to take it regularly to help chart your improvement and decline in various areas of your shooting ability.

All 10 drills must be completed in the same calendar day.

You may visit www.handgunaptitudetest.com to download free scoresheets and instructions and to purchase targets.

The HAT instructions and scoresheet are free and may be duplicated. The HAT targets are property of Personal Protection Academy and may not be reproduced.

The HAT test and the HAT targets are property of Personal Protection Academy. Both the HAT test and the HAT targets may be used for profit by prior written permission only.

Contact Personal Protection Academy, the owners of the Handgun Aptitude Test -

Call or text: 951-574-9009

Email: info@the-ppa.com

Mail: Personal Protection Academy

24046 Clinton Keith Rd., #111

Wildomar, CA 92595