I teach and recomend the NRA Basic Pistol and/or Personal Protection courses. They run (the way we teach them) about 9 ot 10 hours. We (BAYPROFS.org) have altered the courses slightly such that Basic Pistol is a prerequesit for Personal Protection (the NRA versions are stand alone and overlap somewhat). By doing them as a series, we can go into more depth in the PP course. I would recomend that you and your wife take both coures (even in standard NRA format). If you can only take one, take the NRA Personal Protection course.<br><br>There has been some good advice given in this forum, but you need to take the instruction there really *is* 8 to 10 hours of information that is persented. If you do find yourself in "The Gravest Exterme," being able to point to having taken a nationally sanctioned course shows that you are not just some gun nut.<br><br> larry<br>