What Should You Do After Getting Your Michigan CPL?
· Chase Coughlin
Passing a Michigan CPL class should be the beginning of your training, not the end of it.
A CPL course provides an important foundation. It introduces safety, legal responsibilities, shooting fundamentals, and the requirements necessary to qualify for the license. But it does not make someone a fully trained defensive shooter in a single day.
Schedule Your Next Training While the Skills Are Fresh
My recommendation is simple: decide what your next training event will be before the skills from the CPL course begin to fade. That might be another basic handgun class, defensive-pistol training, or eventually scenario-based or force-on-force training.
Learn to Work From the Holster
Most basic range training begins with the handgun already in the shooter’s hands. Defensive carry usually does not. Anyone who carries concealed should eventually learn how to safely access the firearm from the actual carry position they use.
Train Beyond Basic Marksmanship
Standing still and shooting a paper target is valuable, but it is only part of the skill set. Defensive handgun training can introduce emergency reloads, malfunction management, movement, shooting from different positions, and decision-making under pressure.
Scenario-based and force-on-force training can take that even further by forcing the shooter to make decisions rather than simply react to a target appearing on command.
Keep Studying the Law
The legal side of concealed carry does not end when the license arrives. Laws can change, and responsible CPL holders should periodically review current Michigan firearm law. If a legal question comes up, rely on current official sources or qualified legal counsel instead of something someone remembers hearing years ago.
Add Medical Training
Personal protection is broader than firearms. CPR, first aid, and bleeding-control training are all valuable skills. In reality, most people are more likely to encounter a medical emergency than a defensive shooting.
Make Training a Habit
You do not need to live at the range. What matters is consistency: dry fire, regular live fire, professional instruction, periodic scenario training, and continued education all contribute to long-term competence.
Related: Michigan CPL Class Guide, Defensive Handgun, and the Sentry Personal Defense Program.
About Chase Coughlin
Chase Coughlin is the founder of Sentry Concepts, a firearms and personal-safety instructor, author, and former law-enforcement officer with more than 10 years of law-enforcement experience. His background includes SWAT and advanced tactical training, firearms and defensive-tactics instruction, use-of-force training, and scenario-based instruction.
Through Sentry Concepts, Chase trains civilians and professionals with an emphasis on practical capability, responsible decision-making, and realistic preparation—not simply completing a class.