Learn on our FATS III Simulator

Beginner class signup

$50/person, maximum 4 students. Never done when a CCW class is being held.

Learn the basic gun safety rules in a relaxed environment and then get a chance to put them into practice firing a REAL gun, but with NO ammunition. The slide will cycle and the gun will recoil when you hear the shot just like in real life but there is NO bullet. Instead, the computer displays your hit (or miss) on the target on a screen. This is the state of the art in handgun training on the same type of simulator the police and the military use to save money on ammo while training their personnel. It also offers realistic live fire without any danger of a mistake while you are learning. After you are comfortable firing a gun on the simulator, you get to shoot some live ammo on the range.

Our CCW class includes an intro to defensive handgun.

Train with a qualified firearms instructor who has 20 years experience helping people improve their defensive shooting skills. Qualify in one day for a Concealed Carry License from Missouri, Utah, Florida or Maine.

Start learning skills you'll need to STOP a threat, which is NOT like target shooting. Get concealed carry training from a firearms instructor certified since 1989 by the NRA and 1995 by Law Enforcement Training Institute. We're 40 minutes west of St. Louis out Hwy 30 in Franklin County, or 10 minutes east of the Hwy 44 St. Clair exit (map sent when you sign-up). Most classes are 8 to 4. You will be our guest for the day. We provide our guests with soft drinks and a good lunch. We shoot the qualification from a building so rain is not a problem

Cost

The fee for the Carry Concealed licensing class is $125/person. Bring an additional $10 to class if you need to use our guns (FREE if you have taken the Handgun Intro). Your CCW class will include lunch, soft drinks and eye and ear protection if you need them. The guns we provide are self-defense type handguns, NOT target pistols, or you may bring your own handguns and ammo. New to guns? Make an appointment to come out ahead of time and learn the basics ($50 + ammo). You will learn even MORE in the class if you do. One-on-one training is also available for next level students.

Signing up

Just check out all the classes posted on the left, click on the one you want to attend, fill out the form and sign up. We'll send you an email confirming your seat with a map attached. If the one you want is full, you may ask for standby seating in case we get a cancellation. Need a different day? Ask. THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY CLASSES.

* * * * * * * * * Bring some 9mm if you want to shoot a full auto. * * * * * * * * *

Why train with Us?

There are a lot of reasons, let's look at a couple.

A student just last week told me about comparing notes with his friend who took the class at a local range. He remarked that his friend got very little out of it but the certificate he needed to apply (he already KNEW how to target shoot). Our smaller classes teach you how to deal with a target that is trying to kill you. We go way beyond the state requirements and into tactical awareness, mindset, pistolcraft as a martial art, and how to survive the court system later. If you want good training, come be our guest for the day. From the lunch you are served right down to the quality of the chair you sit on for 8 hours, the experience we offer is a cut above the rest. People come from all over Missouri and Illinois to train here. They are so pleased that some even return and sit through it again.

In most CCW classes, you don't build self-defense skills, you target shoot, which reinforces all the bad habits and bad muscle memory you have from recreational shooting. These won't win a lethal force encounter. The most important skill you need on the street is to acquire the threat in your sights quickly and get two shots off NOW. The way we do handgun training you have 4 targets to choose from and an instructor by your side. There is nothing in front of you to get in the way of coming up on the target from the low ready or retention position, so we can show you the best way to quickly acquire and fire.

We've been firearms instructors for almost 20 years and we don't just teach the basic class the state requires, so we have a depth of knowledge that new instructors who only teach the class required for a permit just don't have. People who already have their permit come here because we can take them beyond the basics. We do more classes than anybody because ours are HALF the size of the others. We would rather hold a small class every few days than a couple large ones a month like most others do. You can take the time to be taught shooting drills from the low ready when you qualify here. We're so serious about defensive handgun training that if you have a few people, we'll set up a class for you on almost any day. Sometimes we don't post these. If you would like to host a class we can even come to you! We travel Iowa and conduct Iowa CCW classes. We travel in Illinois and put on non-resident Utah concealed carry permit classes for groups.

One final thing to consider when interviewing instructors:
Do they re-schedule if only one or two people show up?
We don't cancel it if you're the only one to show up here, we just give you our full attention and thus even better training.

WHAT'S IN THE CONCEALED CARRY CLASS

NO LIVE AMMO ALLOWED IN CLASSROOM. NO EXCEPTIONS. First we exensively review proper handgun safety. Then the good and bad points of both semi-autos and revolvers, including the differing reloading drills. The Weaver stance vs. isosceles, proper grip, marksmanship fundamentals for target work and then as applied on the street. Cleaning and safe storage are touched on as well. After we are satisfied that everyone has a firm grasp of safe gun handling, you get your handgun and ammo from your car and shoot. Bring any handgun you want to shoot, ammo and eye and ear protection if you have them. The law requires a student to demonstrate proficiency with both a revolver and a semi-auto. If you have only one (or none) we can supply guns. I like to see people shoot what they intend to carry, but not if it means buying your first gun to take the class. If you're new to handguns, shoot some of ours first so you can make a more informed decision about what to buy. We do not sell guns, so we have NO conflict of interest when we recommend one for you.
The course of fire for the basic class is 50 rounds practice shooting both types of gun and a 20 round qualification with the gun of your choice. We will supply enough .22 ammo to get it done. Bring your own center-fire ammo (no reloads). The afternoon session covers use of force and firearms laws, mindset and some tactics.

Where should I apply for my Concealed Carry License?

At one time, many of our students got a non-resident license to carry from Florida or Utah. They WERE honored in more places. Missouri's concealed weapon permit is now accepted in more states. Go to the Missouri Attorney General's Concealed Carry Reciprocity page to see not only what states accept Missouri's license but also to find out what the laws of each state are.
Some of the states that now deny conceal and carry privileges to holders of NON-RESIDENT PERMITS are: CO, FL, MI, NH, SC.

You must apply for a Missouri concealed carry license in the county where you live. Permit fees vary in the St. Louis area. We list some here; St. Louis County$76 City of St. Louis$100 St Charles$100.00 Jefferson$100 Franklin$63.25 Washington$100 Warren$100 Phelps$ Crawford$100 Iron$ St. Genevieve$ Perry$ Montgomery$78.25

Shoot scenarios on the Simulator!

Scenarios that force shoot/no shoot decisions in a split second

Designed for those who want to develop more skill than we can offer in the basic class.

Advanced 1 class signup

$90 Includes at least a half hour live fire with your gun and ammo to assess your stance, your grip and allow you to try defensive shooting using courses of fire not ever done at target ranges. Then an hour of simulator time to shoot scenarios and see how you actualy perform when caught by surprise and need to react quickly to a threat. (Never done while a CCW class is being held.)

So many of our students have asked for more that we now offer a range session to hone your defensive shooting skills. Work closely with an instructor and learn to perform drills that will build skill and safety discipline and help you to react quickly and effectively to a threat. Save your ammo and do these drills on our FATS III simulator just like the military and police do! Time on the simulator is $60/person for the first hour (included in Advanced 1). Additional hours are $40/person.

Shoot hundreds of rounds in simulated confrontations while eliminating ammo cost! Stop training yourself to fire at a target and start learning to ACQUIRE and fire on a threat! The operator will play a scenario out on a screen in front of you. The person you see may become life threatening....or not. Think fast, draw and shoot...or not. Find out where your shots go. We replay the situation in slow motion and every shot you fired displays on the screen exactly where and when it hit (or missed).