If you carry a gun for personal protection, it’s important to get good training. Here are five great firearms instructors that will help you become a more capable and safer shooter. There are lots of trainers and groups out there, the reason I recommend these five great firearms instructors is because I have personally trained with them.
This isn’t presented in any order, number five isn’t worse than number one, rather it’s a list of five people who have specific skills and competencies in areas I think are important for a well-rounded concealed carrier to have. Starting the list at number five is InSights Training Center, located in Seattle, Washington area. If you’re reading this in the future, right now we’re in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, so traveling to Washington state might not be a great idea right now, but once we get a handle on this, definitely head to Seattle and train with InSights. They have classes that cover everything from the basics all the way to some pretty advanced shooting classes.
Next is Citizens Defense Research, and specifically their Armed Parent/Guardian class. TAP/G, as it’s called, is an excellent class that covers the nuanced aspects of carrying a firearm for personal protection around your family members, including children. There is some unique course material in here that I strongly recommend to any parent who carries.
Third on our list we have Craig Douglas, who runs Shivworks. The class we’re specifically talking about is Extreme Close Quarter Concepts, which deals with the unique problem of gunfighting in close contact. Through ECQC Craig covers everything from how to manage strange people in the street, all the way up to grappling with a gun. The shooting techniques are focused on solving this unique problem, and make sure to check your ego at the door!
Coming in at second is my friend, Scott Jedlinski. Scott, aka Jedi, runs Modern Samurai Project, and is an absolute wizard at two concepts dominating the firearms space right now: appendix carry, and red dot pistols. Scott is also a lifelong practitioner of Brazilian jujitsu, and uses that athletic approach when he teaches shooting. In fact, a minor tweak Scott made to my stance helped me win the coveted FAST Coin in the next person’s class, Ernest Langdon.
Ernest runs Langdon Tactical, and his classes also administer the FAST Drill, a tough challenge of pistol skill. He’s a great instructor, who is well thought of by other instructors and industry professionals. He’s also a former IDPA and USPSA National champion, and a technical consultant for Beretta.
Any one of these five great firearms instructors would be an outstanding choice to seek training from. I can’t be complimentary enough, and if you’re looking for a place to take your next class, all of them are an awesome place to start.
