I can't say enough good things about Patrick Russ and his CCW course. Patrick is extremely…read moreknowledgeable, professional, and clearly cares about making sure his students actually understand the material--not just pass the class. He does an excellent job explaining both the legal side and the practical, real-world considerations of carrying, and he takes the time to answer every question thoroughly. Nothing felt rushed, and no question was brushed off. You can tell he has real experience and knows how to teach in a clear, approachable way. The course was well organized, informative, and engaging from start to finish. Patrick creates a comfortable learning environment while still emphasizing safety and responsibility, which I really appreciated. If you're looking for a CCW instructor who is patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in his students, I highly recommend Patrick Russ. I'd absolutely take another course from him and would recommend him without hesitation.

Gunsmith Darren fixed my magwell from a reputable CA company that sent me a defective item…read more Friendly and professional. Hes awesome. Thanks Darren!!!

Great educational course. Affordable and informative to help you navigate through the California…read moreprocess. Worth taking to be a safer and proficient

My first weapon instructional class. There were two 8 hour days of training to complete the CCW…read morecertification. Bill and Tamara were the instructors and both were great. I couldn't believe how much I learned in these classes. I was the "newbie" in the classes and others were far more experienced. Both instructors gave me extra attention and other students gave me some advice too. Very comfortable environment. I can highly recommend Mclaren Defense if you need CCW certification training.

If you are a novice interested in learning about responsible use of self-defense on any level -…read moreIvan is your guy. As novices with minimal experience, my friend & I were seeking fundamentals + hands-on + overall education/update on ever-changing legal landscape here in CA if/when deciding pursue CCW. It's SO confusing! That said, learning about what responsible ownership looks like here in California was a top priority. We learned SO MUCH. In addition to learning the basics, ie. attitude for owning and operating a handgun safely, we got MANY rounds of practice, and in an outdoor setting (Ivan is a member of Rainbow shooting range), HUGE bonus - lots of fresh air, sunshine & no distractions (and no STINK ... if you've been to certain local indoor ranges here in N SD County, you know what I'm talking about!) While it took me a hot minute to get used to keeping my finger off the trigger, with practice and Ivan's "firm encouragement" by the end of our training, felt totally natural. Not two ways about it, Ivan's a strickler for safety, but that's exactly what we wanted. He's extremely thorough, covered everything including range etiquette, using sights, shooting from the holster, safely/quickly loading/unloading, how to clean (even offered to show me how to clean my shot gun, which I brought along to our training). He also educated us on CA laws & NRA certifications. Literally, everything we asked for, and then some. If you're a beginner, I strongly recommend personal vs. group/class training for something as important as this. Since just two of us with one instructor, we could move rapidly through the course work & interact real-time, asking questions as they came up vs. sharing time/attention among others in a group who may have slowed the pace and/or required extra attention. Especially if time is an issue for you, being able to learn so much in an accelerated format is such an advantage. For just slightly more than the cost of group/class training ... you get SO MUCH more with personal instruction. And in my opinion, for THIS kind of training ... you DON'T want to cut corners. Ivan is a confident, knowledgeable, very thorough instructor. I highly recommend him & plan to continue training with him while here visiting CA.

Prior to my appointment with Ivan, I had very little exposure/experience with firearms. I was…read moreexcited to gain more knowledge and experience, but also nervous as I'm generally an anxious person. In short: I cannot speak more highly of the experience that I had with Ivan at the range!! We made our appointment to visit a local range where I needed to read a safety binder and take a test prior to shooting. Ivan patiently waited while I read the manual thoroughly -- he didn't make me feel rushed nor did he pressure me to hurry through it. This was impactful because I am the kind of person that reads manuals and safety material cause I want to know the ins and outs; I don't like to use "I didn't know" as an excuse. Having the freedom to thoroughly read the materials really set the tone for the rest of the day. Before we stepped onto the floor, Ivan made sure to explain the what would be going on in a way that made things crystal clear for me as well as instilling me with a great deal of confidence. Not only that, but he reminded me that I could stop to ask questions any time or ask for further clarification. The entire experience from start to finish was top notch! We went through several rounds with a handgun then moved onto the rifle. The shooting experience itself was exhilarating and educational all thanks to Ivan! I walked away feeling empowered, confident, and with a new-found reverence for the sport. Cannot recommend Ivan and his services enough!

Gary and his wife Konnie are excellent instructors. The knowledge they possesses on gun laws are…read moremind blowing,when you leave their class, there was no confusion. They answered all the questions that you have it didn't matter if you thought it was a dumb question. when we arrive to the gun range. I was so nervous because I had never shot a pistol. There knowledge and understanding that. everyone there were novice.. they understood exactly what we needed to be shoot someone while you were getting your training at the shooting range. I would recommend their classes to anyone that wants to understand the gun laws and to be in a safe environment at a shooting range wire how to shoot and preparing for qualified cases with any pistol I will be registering for some of their other classes because. of the knowledge and their background, you couldn't find a better shooting class to attend.. I trusted them because Gary has a military background from Marine Corps and he understands weapons and safety. It is probably not necessary, but I'm leaving my name My name willie McCallie Former Marine

Gary was amazing! He was very informative and gave a great class. Made us all feel comfortable even…read morebefore stepping foot on the range. The range was great. He and the team made sure safety was #1. I would greatly recommend this class!

These guys are top notch…read more I had a blast working with these guys. It's simple calm instruction with some great people. You will learn the ins and outs of CQB in the classroom then get to deploy those movements on the "live fire" part of the building. Speaking of the building they have the perfect one. The old Escondido police station makes for the perfect venue. It's got elements of several environments. The fact that it's partly broken down (but safe) adds to the ambiance of the place. And the instructors are nice and knowledgeable. Dave, the lead instructor, has loads of real world experience that he has off loaded into his staff. Matt was the one who worked with our crew for the day. He was able to teach us how to conquer the rooms and be effective. You could tell he knew what he was talking about! All in all, it's a place we will return to!!!

Warfighter Academy has taken over the old Escondido Police HQ and is turning it in to a school…read morefocusing on the next level of weapons training. This academy is a new concept in firearm and security training. This facility IS NOT a shooting range. The instructors here teach people of all walks of life and skills the next level in firearms handling. You can target shoot most anywhere but Warfighter will teach you what to do if confronted with an armed person. The techniques and tactics that are taught here are something that had been previously available only to top level military and special forces personnel. They have classes for everyone from stay at home moms to experienced military. I believe you will be able to buy and attend single classes or multiple thru a membership program. Classes will range in skill level and difficulty and you can progress from one class to the next by completing each lower level. They will teach everything from basic firearms handling and techniques to low light, no light and urban warfare training. I was able to attend one of their pilot classes recently and had a great time. The class I attended was almost half women which is awesome. The instructors are all former military combat veterans or law enforcement. They all have experience in their respective fields and have all been taught by the best in the world when it comes to firearms handling and tactics. The class consisted of part classroom instruction and part hands on using tactical/military style paintball guns. The hands on portion is video taped to allow you to review what you learned with the instructors then improve from there. The point of the classes is to improve your chances of winning a gunfight in most any situation. The class selection, amenitiies and products offered will increase as they get going. When I attended there was still some amount of re-modeling going on, but look for big things very soon. I am excited to come back here for another class soon!

What an amazing and empowering class!!! Thank you Instructor Eric for your expert training…read more This was positively the best thing I could have done for myself. I decided to take this class (on my own ) to see how I would feel around a weapon. I got so much more out of it. I'm not gonna say that I'm no longer fearful but what I will tell you is im much more AWARE. I'm looking forward to more classes and eventually getting my concealed carry permit and a nice gun. I'm certain the folks at Aegis Academy will help me through this process. Thank You Patrick Henry and your entire staff. I look forward to advancing my training! May God bless each of you BIG!!!

Extremely talented instructors, I was a complete newbie going into Pistol 1 and finished the course…read morefeeling confident in my knowledge and shooting abilities. Will be back for more courses in the future

Phil is the man, I feel like this should be mandatory for…read moreCcw to be honest. You go through so many simulations in so many different things that can happen so that you can prepare. Phil is efficient super good guy. Great at communicating nothing but great review for this gentleman. I'm definitely gonna be bringing my daughters to come and train so that they can prepare for their Ccw's. Thanks, Phil.

One of the coolest things I've ever done... An absolute necessity for anybody who wants to carry a…read moreweapon. I will go back again for more training.

Lots of CCW trainers out there and it's hard to know which to choose. Glad I chose this one…read more Bill, Joe and Rocky were all awesome. A very comprehensive course packed with relevant information. I feel the range day coaching went FAR beyond just qualifying for the CCW license. My shooting greatly improved as a result of the required reading/viewing prior to range day and their hands-on personal coaching on the range. I will be continuing my training journey with them.

I had a great experience taking this class, both the classroom and the range sessions were…read moreeducational, imformative and not at all boring. I would highly recommend Bill and his Team for taking your CCW class. I look forward to more training from Bill and his team going forward.

First off, what a unique, fun, and memorable experience! Highly recommended if you want to improve…read moreyour overall knowledge and skills of how to effectively use firearms in any capacity. From seasoned shooters to people just starting out, I think you'll come away from this having learned something new. Recently, my husband and I were visiting family in San Diego, and while we were there, his brother organized a half day firearms and range training session for us with Wraith Defense Group (myself, my husband, his brother, and his brother's fiancé). Prior to the training session, we received an email asking what our experience level and goals for the session were, as well as an extensive list of what to bring (pistols, ammo, holsters, eye and ear protection, notebook, water, etc.). When we arrived at the private outdoor range, our instructor Rob (a Marine Veteran with many years of experience shooting and training others to shoot) met us, and we got to work. Rob went over general range safety, the basics of aiming using iron sights or red dot optics, proper posture and stance, how to hold a pistol for accuracy, the repeatable process he uses when drawing from a holster, aiming, firing and holstering again, and more. We practiced drawing our weapons using his 4-step method, smoothly taking aim, and dry firing to get accustomed to the process. Once everyone felt fairly comfortable with that we added ammo, and began aiming for smaller targets from a shorter distance (5m), which is comparable to what you might encounter in a home invasion type of scenario, then backed up to 10m and aimed for slightly larger targets. We also practiced reloading mid-session when one magazine ran out of ammo, and then we practiced moving while shooting targets (harder than it sounds!). Envision trying to remember all the good shooting form you've just been taught while walking towards (or perpendicular to) a target (and then throw in swapping out magazines on top of it all). I think moving while shooting was the most enjoyable of all the exercises we did with our group. We ended our session with a competition between iron sights and optics to see who could score the most points for hitting certain areas on our targets. All the while, Rob was checking form, reminding us of the steps we'd gone over earlier, and making suggestions as to how to improve our accuracy: take the slack out of the trigger as you're aiming, don't lock out the arms fully, relax the shoulders, don't anticipate the shot, etc. Not only was he extremely skilled himself, demoing every exercise for us before we did it without missing a shot, but he was very professional, encouraging, and great at communicating why we were doing things a certain way, as well as how to do it better the next time. By the end of the afternoon, everyone was hot, sweaty, and pumped from the experience we'd just had. Personally, I came away with a much more thorough understanding of how to repeatedly and systematically take aim each and every time I draw a pistol, steps I'll be able to practice the next time I'm at the shooting range at home. It was a great experience both from a learning standpoint and from a fun, team building activity standpoint - with everyone cheering each other on as we practiced. After the session I have a few tips I'd pass along for future attendees: bring lots of cold water, sunscreen, hats with brims, eye protection with dark tinted or polarized lenses, and wear a long sleeved, light colored shirt. The range is fully outdoors and once the sun starts to climb, there's very little shade so staying well hydrated and doing your best to protect yourself from the sun's rays is a must. Overall, Wraith Defense Group has a very valuable, unique offering, and I would encourage anyone to take a training session with them. It's well worth it.

Is there a 10 star rating option on here? Wraith deserves it. I may be a bit biased, being a…read moreMarine, and knowing the owner/operator for quite some time both personally and professionally, however, those facts make me much more critical of everything that takes place during our training sessions. The proverb "Empty your cup" comes to mind every time I set foot on the range, and every time (without fail), we revisit the fundamentals, and establish the goals for the day in order to maximize our time and efforts while together. We jut met for our second session, and even though I shoot fairly frequently, I have improved leaps and bounds thanks to Rob's patience and understanding not only as a phenomenal shooter, but his concise, effective ability to identify and correct discrepancies. Safety is paramount at this range, and although it is outdoors and well off the beaten path, it is well kept, clean, and organized. At the end of each session, you "police" (clean up) your area and conduct a debrief of the goals, drills and performance for the day, and establish a plan for the next one. Whether you're a seasoned shooter, or simply interested in learning about handling a firearm for home or self-defense, Wraith Defense Group can get you to the next level, enhancing your understanding, confidence, and capability. 10/10 Recommend!!!

Ralph is a fantastic instructor. He is very knowledgeable, experienced and patient. I always learn…read moreso much when training with him. Thank you, Ralph!

Ralph's a great instructor. My husband enjoyed his 4hr session with him. Definitely recommend…read moretaking lessons from Ralph.