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Appendix "A" for Firearms Training and Qualification

Publication date: March 20, 2024

Section 1.0 – Use of Force
Sub Section 1.1 – Firearms
Subject 1.1.2 – Firearms Training and Qualification – Appendix "A"
BC Pistol Qualification Version 2.0

Effective: January 1, 2017
Revised: February 18, 2025

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BC Pistol Qualification overview

The BC Pistol Qualification consists of three parts:

Parts 1, 2 and 3, as well as the stages or skills within each part, can be administered in any order. The three parts do not have to be conducted on the same day. 

An officer must successfully complete/pass all aspects of the BC Pistol Qualification in order to be qualified to carry and use a pistol.

Records must be kept in accordance with Standard (8) of BCPPS 1.1.2 Firearms Training and Qualification.

Failing a stage or skill

An officer will have three attempts to pass each stage of Part 1 and each skill of Part 2 of the BC Pistol Qualification. If an officer does not pass on any stage or skill, the officer will receive remediation/coaching prior to the third attempt. Once a stage or skill is passed, it does not need to be repeated.

If an officer does not pass a stage after three attempts, the officer is not qualified to carry and use a pistol and must return on a subsequent day and re-test on all the stages.

Part 1 – Course of fire test

In order to pass

(1) Every round fired must be within the prescribed scoring area (i.e., 100% accuracy).
(2) Every round must be delivered within the time limit.
(3) There must be no violation of universal safe handling procedures.

Targets and scoring areas

(1) The target must be a human silhouette with a maximum of 30 inches (76 cm) long and 17 inches (43 cm) wide. Within the silhouette, the head should be a maximum of 10 inches (25 cm) long and 7 inches (18 cm) wide.
(2) For head shots the shots must be within the neck and head of the target.  The neck is defined as above the line of where body armour ends. 
(3) For all other stages a shot striking anywhere on the silhouette target and fully enclosed on the silhouette are considered successful hits.

Note: If the shooter encounters an unintentional stoppage during a stage and it is cleared appropriately, the shooter can be allowed to finish that stage.

Targets and scoring areas by stage

Stage

BC Pistol Course of Fire

Objective

Skills tested

1

Distance – minimum
15 metres.  Maximum time allowed is
30 seconds (no substantial time restraint). 

  • From holster 5 rounds.  Barricade, kneeling, or prone optional.

Without time constraint, the shooter must accurately hit a target a minimum of 15 metres away with all five shots.
  • Distance – sight alignment
  • Distance – trigger control
  • Marksmanship-aimed fire
  • Performance without time constraint pressure

2
  • Intermediate Distance – 9 metres.  From holster 1 round in maximum
    3 seconds.
  • From a ready position, 1 round in maximum 2 seconds.

With a moderate time constraint, the shooter must accurately hit a target a minimum of 9 metres away with one shot from the holster and one from the low ready position. 
  • Intermediate distance – sight alignment
  • Quick sight acquirement and shoot
  • Intermediate distance – trigger control
  • Strong hand draw
  • Firing from combat tuck position
  • Performance with only moderate time constraint pressure

 

3

Close Distance, strong hand only – 3 metres

  • From holster
    3 rounds in a maximum time of 
    3 seconds.

With a moderate time constraint, the shooter must accurately hit a target a minimum of
3 metres away. 
  • One hand shooting
  • Point shooting
  • Short distance – trigger control
  • Strong hand draw

 

4

Support Hand – 3 metres

  • Support hand only
    3 rounds from a ready position.  Maximum of
    5 seconds.

The shooter must shoot accurately with the support hand.
  • Ability to shoot in an emergency when unable to use strong hand

 

5

Fail to stop – 5 metres

  • From holster, 1 to the body and 1 to the head (maximum
    4 seconds)
  • From holster, 2 to the body and 1 to the head (maximum
    5 seconds)
  • From a ready position, 2 to the body and 2 to the head position (maximum
    5 seconds)

The shooter must accurately transition from the primary target area to a secondary target area.
  • Target transition
  • Performance under time constraint

6

Speed – 7 metres.  Draw and present (two-handed shooting).  Maximum 3 seconds

  • 1 round x 2 (conducted twice)

Under significant time constraint, the shooter must accurately draw, present, and fire one round. 
  • Flash sighting
  • Strong hand draw
  • Performance under significant time constraint

 

 

Challenge must be called at least once during the course of fire.

The officer must issue a verbal police challenge in a clear, confident manner, and the trigger finger must be indexed on the frame of the pistol.
  • Police challenge

Part 2 – Additional pistol handling skill testing

These skills can be tested separately from the Course of fire. Alternatively some of these skills can be incorporated into the Course of fire (e.g., Phase 1 stoppage and emergency reload).

These skills must be performed to the satisfaction of a police force firearms instructor.

Note: If the phase 1 stoppage and emergency reload is tested as part of the Course of fire, 2 additional seconds are added to the particular stage in which it is included.

The skill tests below can be conducted in any order:

(1) Pistol inspection and function test;
(2) Administrative loading/unloading;
(3) Speed reloading;
(4) Phase 1 stoppage;
(5) Phase 2 stoppage;
(6) Emergency reloading; and
(7) Support hand draw.

Part 3 – Practice firing

Each year every officer must complete practice firing of their pistol for a minimum of 100 rounds, including the rounds fired during the annual course of fire test.