Where's Yours?
Small, private classes with a lot of individual attention, conveniently located in the Southwest suburbs, offering flexible timing, with your friends and family or privately at affordable rates make it easy.
Specializing in new shooters
Where Are Your Classes?
Where would it be best for you and your group? During Covid for the last few years, family and small groups (up to 8) classes have been conducted in our location near Frankfort. But classes can be conducted anywhere that makes it convenient for you and a group. We have done classes in office conference rooms, local community rooms, Church Community Rooms, in family homes or here in our "Home Base". All we need is a place to sit and take notes and a TV where we can hook to a laptop. E-mail us and we'll talk about the most convenient location for you.
What do I need? To get a Illinois Carry Permit or to use any shooting range in Illinois, all you need is a current Illinois FOID (Firearm Owners ID) Card, or have one applied for online ($10 for 5 years - apply on the Illinois State Police Website) The only other thing you'll need is a pad and pen to take notes. There are also plenty of hand out sheets for "homework" between classes. We supply everything else.
When Are Your classes?
When works best for you or your group? Everybody is pressed for time. We don't have "scheduled classes". We can work things out for after work on a week night? On the weekend? Every other weekend? The Basic Pistol class is 8-hours and can be completed on two Saturdays, Sundays or weeknights, plus a trip to a local range. Pick a time that works for you and your family or group.
We can do the complete Illinois Concealed Carry 15-hour classroom part in 3, 4 or even 5 sessions on different days, followed by a 1-hour session at the range to qualify. (Every student we've had has qualified on their first try) Whatever timing works best for you and your friends interested in the class.
Who Have You Trained? Since Concealed Carry became the law in 2013 we have trained over 400 people. We don't do large groups of 20 to 40 people at a time, or try to cram all 16 hours into only two hectic days. Large classes tend to inhibit new people from asking questions or discussing concerns openly. Our small class size and "Conversational approach" makes it easy to ask questions and discuss things as a group.
This subject is far too important for Cramming it all into 2 days.I always wonder how much of the material and laws can anyone retain after sitting for 8-hours a day for an entire weekend? Our small groups encourage discussion and questions.
Our students have included extended families, individuals, groups of friends, a women's book club, businesses, single moms, couples, people with disabilities and and three local church groups.
We have done classes with groups of office co-workers, U.S. Military just back from the Middle East, wives and daughters of State Troopers and Sheriff's deputies. We even had class made up exclusively of people working at the Apple Genius Bar!
So, whether you're a couple that wants to learn discreetly, a single parent considering a home defense gun and concerned about safe storage, or just a few interested people at work that want to set up some fun classes for a group, contact us and we can work something out for you. There are discounts for larger groups.
55% of our students have been women.
48% of all students have never fired a handgun before.
100% of our students have passed the shooting qualification on their first try.
None of our students that have completed the classes, has ever been rejected for a carry permit.
Do I Need A Gun For The Classes?
No. In fact, it's better to take the classes and learn to handle some of our guns safely and then try them at the range before making a major financial investment in your own gun. You'll make a much better choice with the knowledge and hands on experience you'll gain in the classes.
Note: Just because your best friend/father/brother/sister/co-worker "loves" their Glock, 1911, Springfield XD, Sig Sauer, etc.; doesn't mean it's the best gun for you and your situation. By the end of the class you'll know what you're comfortable with for your desired purpose from hands on experience and have a much better feel for what to look for in buying a new or used firearm. That way you won't make a $300 to $500+ "mistake".
Why Training?
- Some people are just curious about firearms and want to find out what shooting is all about ... the right way.
- Others may live alone or as single parents and want extra personal security.
- Some have been shooting for a while and just need that final CCW qualification.
- You might have inherited a gun and have it sitting in a drawer or on a shelf, not quite sure what to do with it, or if it's even legal to own?
- You may have family or friends involved in shooting and want to find out what their excitement is all about.
- Couples, families or groups want to do something new together as a group. Target shooting is a fun, safe sport.
- You might be thinking about getting an Illinois concealed carry permit and aren't quite sure where to start.
- If you own or plan to own a firearm, you need to know what the laws governing their use are, even if you don't ever plan on carrying outside your home.
A Word About Safety!
While you will be handling and learning to load, safely unload, clean and maintain guns, there is never any live ammunition in the room. We only use "Snap Caps" for in class exercises. (These are inert, solid aluminum "dummy" rounds that are the exact same size and shape as real ammunition, but with no powder, bullet or primer.)
Whatever your reasons, the most important step is to get professional training in safely handling, using, cleaning and storing a firearm!
Senior Instructor: Don Petersen; NRA Basic Pistol Instructor, Illinois State Police Certified Concealed Carry Instructor, Decorated US Army Veteran
Learn Gun Safety and Basic Marksmanship from Don Petersen and his team of NRA Certified Instructors. Don has been teaching Concealed Carry for over 10 years. He has one of the first Illinois Concealed Carry Permits issued and is NRA Certified to teach Basic Pistol and Illinois State Police Certified to teach Illinois Concealed Carry classes. He's a US Army Vietnam veteran, with over 50 years of firearms and shooting sports experience. You’ll learn the basics of firearm safety and marksmanship in a comfortable, non-threatening setting with an emphasis on safety, fun and hands-on learning.
- E-mail us for details on setting up a class schedule and location for your convenience
- Small classes are guaranteed with one-on-one coaching at the range
- Individuals with physical limitations and disabilities are always welcome
- The emphasis is always on safety
- Any Questions or Concerns? Just e-mail us at dpeter1946@aol.com © 2017
