How Does My Shooting Stack Up?
Many men walk off the range with the same question:
“How good am I—really?”
Not just “Can I hit a target?” but “Where do I rank? Would I be ready if it mattered?”
It’s the same question athletes and professionals ask in every discipline. In strength training, you know where you stand—bench 225 and you’re above average. Bench 315 and you’re elite.
But in the shooting world, most men have no way of knowing where they stand.
Most Gun Owners Never Compete
There are over 100 million gun owners in the U.S., and hundreds of millions worldwide.
But almost none ever enter a competitive shooting environment:
- USPSA: ~35,000 members
- IDPA: ~25,000 members
- IPSC: ~200,000 global competitors
- GSSF: ~100,000 members (far fewer active competitors)
That’s less than one-tenth of one percent of all gun owners.
Just showing up to a match puts you in an elite group.
Even the lowest classification in competition means you’re already performing at a level far beyond the average range shooter.
Even having a License to Carry sets you apart. In most states, only 3–15% of gun owners go that far—and most never train past that point.
Competition is One Way to Measure Skill
Competition is one of the best tools we have to objectively measure shooting skill.
But let’s be honest—competition shooters are the best of the best. They are specialists, athletes, and tacticians. Their classifications—like USPSA’s Grand Master or IDPA’s Master rank—represent years of training, reps, and testing.
Maybe you’re not interested in being the fastest gun in town.
Maybe your goal is more personal:
✅ Protect your family
✅ Carry with confidence
✅ Know you can handle yourself in a worst-case scenario
That’s where Strategic Defense Academy comes in.
We Help Shooters of All Levels Know Where They Stand
Whether you’re new to shooting, experienced but untested, or training for high-level defense, Strategic Defense Academy offers a clear, structured way to measure your performance.
We offer a comprehensive Skills Assessment that evaluates:
✅ Hard Skills – Shooting, reloads, movement, accuracy, holster work
✅ Tactics – Angles, cover, communication, threat prioritization
✅ Stress Performance – With our immersive simulator and electric shock pain penalty
✅ Decision-Making – Shoot/no-shoot calls, verbal de-escalation, judgment
✅ Legal & Policy Compliance – Real-world articulation of use-of-force
✅ Readiness – Not just technical skills—but total performance under stress
Our Standards Include the Best of Every World
We maintain a deep library of standards, including:
- Recognized law enforcement and military qualifications
- Simulated USPSA, IDPA, and GSSF classifier stages (we can even give you an estimated competition rank)
- Our own proprietary Apex Protector benchmarks for real-world defensive readiness
While our focus is on the totality of self-defense, we believe competition is a powerful tool for the Apex Protector to hone, refine, and stay sharp with hard skills.
We don’t just measure how fast or how accurately you shoot.
We measure how you perform when it matters—under stress, with consequences, in realistic scenarios.
Limited Time: Get Your Skills Assessed for Free
For a limited time, you can schedule a full-spectrum Skills Assessment for FREE at Strategic Defense Academy.
No gimmicks. No catch.
We want to help you stop guessing—and start growing.
Because confidence doesn’t come from assumption.
It comes from assessment.
From truth.
From training with people who know the way—and can walk you through it.
Contact Strategic Defense Academy today to schedule your FREE Skills Assessment.
Let us show you where you are—and how to get where you want to be.
Become more than armed.
Become capable. Become confident. Become an Apex Defender.
