I have just finished the close protection course at Pacific West Academy and I want to thank the…read moreinstructors for their help. The range days and the firearms course were quite strenuous but essential to the development of skills needed in an executive protection career. This school is indeed the best and I am ready to face any challenge in the area of close protection. I would recommend Pacific West Academy for anyone who wants to get their bodyguard certification.

Impartial two-star review as I never got a response from the company…read more Called last week as the CA BSIS changed their requirement for baton permits and now you need training every two years. Trying to find a security school that offers these classes more than once a month is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, so Google is it to find a trainer. These guys, like Covered 6, cater to GI Bill folks and EP programs that run around $10,000 so I called them to see if they offer stand alone baton training. Called on 4/8/24 at 10:29am, got John Gill's voicemail, left a message. As of this post on 4/14/24 at 5:48pm, I have yet to receive a callback. Appears that they only cater to those that want to enroll in one of their multi-week courses and looking to pursue a career in EP so if you're just a security guard, this is a no-go.

I've attended several CCW qualification classes, and this was by far the worst experience I've had…read more Instead of focusing on CCW laws and proper instruction, a large portion of the class was spent listening to the instructor talk about his personal life--his first wife passing away in a ski accident, meeting his current wife on a dating site, her proposing to him, his mother's cancer, not being able to share a bathroom with his wife, her job at Cedars, becoming a police officer at 18 but not being able to buy his own firearm, being a Taekwondo champion who lost to an Olympic medalist, owning over 30 Glocks, and on and on. Roughly half the class time was spent listening to stories about how great he believes he is, rather than learning the laws surrounding concealed carry. We didn't even get a proper lunch break because so much time was wasted waiting for him to take cigarette breaks. The remaining time was spent being told there is only one correct way to hold a firearm--his way. If you didn't comply exactly, you risked being disqualified. He openly bragged about how many students he disqualifies each session. In my opinion, if a student is disqualified, it reflects a failure in instruction--especially when the issue isn't safety, but not conforming to the instructor's personal preference. He also went off on tangents about not feeling comfortable shopping or spending time in his own neighborhood in Sylmar, saying he prefers to shop in Santa Clarita because he believes his area isn't safe. On top of that, he aggressively pushed Glock firearms, claiming they are the only worthwhile option--conveniently mentioning that he also sells a Glock cleaning course. Overall, this class was a waste of time and money. If you want to actually learn CCW laws and receive professional instruction, save your money and find a real instructor--not someone more interested in talking about himself than teaching. STAY WAY - FAR, FAR AWAY - SAVE YOUR MONEY AND LEARN FROM A REAL CCW QUAIFICATION INSTRUCTOR

I just finished my required 16 hours of training to obtain my CCW permit, and I can't say enough…read moregood things about Simon and the entire Double Tap team. Simon was an outstanding instructor -- not only did he connect with everyone in the class, but he also shared his personal life experiences and adventures in a way that tied perfectly into the lessons and information he was teaching. He went above and beyond explaining laws and regulations, incorporating role-playing scenarios that helped us better understand how to handle real-world situations. After the 8 hours in the classroom, we moved on to the firearms course, and that's where Simon's team really shined. The entire experience felt structured, professional, and focused on safety above all else. His team made everyone feel comfortable, offering encouragement and tips to correct small issues Simon pointed out along the way. I could go on, but I think you get the idea -- this was an incredible experience. Five stars for Simon and the Double Tap team!

WOW!!! Aris is such an awesome instructor!!! He is very nice and kind and easy-going! He made the…read moreprocess for me to get my guard card and was very re assuring and believed in me that I would do great in my testing! If you do not understand something, he easily takes his time to explain without any hesitation. You can tell he has passion for his job and teaching! Thank you so much for being a part of the process of opening a brand new door in my life that will benefit me in the future. Looking forward to come back and get my firearm permit. If you are thinking about getting your guard card , this is the perfect place to get it! Aris is the best! Anais :)

Chris is a very nice and informative guy, he helped me through all the process of becoming a guard…read more Would recommend it 100%

My husband and I worked with Mike solo and he was incredible. Patient, instructive and kind. He…read morewas so encouraging, especially since I had not shot in forever, and my husband had never shot a real firearm (only simulators) Not only are we encouraged to continue to shoot on our own, we are going to bring our son for training. We know that Mike will be the perfect person to help him learn gun safety. Thank you so much for making sure we learned proper safety, and hey, we were much better shots than we thought we'd be. I'll credit that to Mike, too.

This class was Amazing!! The teachers (Mike and Craig), are Great!! They took their time to explain…read morethe basics and were very patient. They answered all our questions and felt very SAFE and comfortable. They provide all the Safety equipment (Safety glass, hearing protection), and have an array of guns to choose from and test.This class definitely made me feel more confident and careful. I believe everyone needs to take a Basic Gun Safety course and these are the guys to help.

I took their "combat" (i.e. home defense) shotgun class yesterday. It was an awesome and grueling…read moreexperience. They really put us through the paces and I learned a lot of stuff I didn't know, even though I have been shooting for many years. Their classes aren't for lighweights.

As a self defense instructor, I'm constantly looking for new training for myself and my students…read more I've now taken two pistol training courses with the SERT Group and I can't recommend them enough. So much so that not only do I recommend them to my students, but I've even had my wife trained by these guys. One of the things I love the most is the amazing group of instructors. All of their firearms instructors have either a Military or Law Enforcement background (some come from both), and their level of professionalism shows. Most of their firearms training is geared towards Military or Law Enforcement, but they have recently added several Civilian pistol and shotgun courses. We're all only as good as our training. If you're going to own a firearm for home protection or even just target practice, get trained! The SERT Group is extremely affordable and the level of training is second to none!

I'm really happy I found this place. I recently needed a DROS done on a firearm being shipped in…read morefrom an online retailer. Had it sent to VC Armory. A lot of dealers these days arent keen on doing that these days. I called them, and they said no problem. They notified me less than an hour after I got the UPS notice that the package arrived at their location. I showed up just a short while later to start the process. Its a nice small shop in a quiet part of town. I really appreciated how chill the atmosphere was. I think it took all of 10 minutes to get the paperwork done, and off I went. 10 days wrapped, and I went for my pickup today. Again, the shop was super chill. Took less than 10 minutes to wrap everything up. Start to finish, the process was painless. Most gun shops are typically not places I'm super comfortable at. They tend to have semi aggressive staff, customers, or both. And they also tend to be very vocal about their political affiliations. VC Armory had none of those things. That alone is going to make them my go to LGS from here on out.

I see a lot of good reviews. And I understand why. My issue was a technicality in their wrong…read moreinterpretation of the law. Here is the real problem I have with them. They do not understand all gun laws and there for make their customer jump through more legal hoops than need be. I don't expect every customer to know the laws so they are unaware VC is slightly incompetent. I even pointed out their error but they just raised their voices and yelled at me. In California , when buying a rifle, it is NOT necessary to show two forms of ID. If you have a California True ID (Golden Bear in corner with no restrictions) that is all you need. They insisted I needed more. Here's the law: Only if you have restrictions or are purchasing a hand gun or it's a PO box address etc... is a secondary ID proving address required). But they are so arrogant and elitist blow-hards they wouldn't even turn the page on the form that they used as their proof showing me. I said on the first page it states NO secondary ID required for rifles. But he refused to even look at the 1st page and read where it clearly states the secondary ID rule is ONLY for hand gun sales. So lazy. So every single rifle purchaser that had a California DL True ID with no restrictions and their address correct on the iD was and is made to show a secondary ID. Completely unnecessary so I asked them to send my "receiver(rifle) to their competitor down the street who is up on the law. And they're cheaper too (and very friendly with no attitude. VC waste their customer's time making them jump through hoops needlessly and are very argumentative when you show them the law. Shame. By the way...I had lost my registration for my car and was in the process of renewing my registration so I didn't have it as secondary proof handy and I wasn't going to stand in line at the DMV just to get a copy when they would send me my new one a couple weeks later. Nope. I rather deal with the competent FFL guys down the street. My history: Gun collector of 50 years with over 350 purchases over a lifetime. I was an FFL myself and I am very familiar with the laws. Most gun buyers will assume their FFL knows the laws. Fact: Not all ffl's understand things they read and need it explained to them. We're all human. But when they get arrogant, loud and insistent by refusing to acknowledge they misread their own DOJ documents in front of them....that's just a ignorance and incompetence. These are guys I would think should not be doing their own Taxes let alone filling out gun transfers.

Very professional and they know what they're doing . Staff is amazing and well trained in fixing…read moreany issues.

I took my first CCW class with Cobra Tactical. It had been years since I last shot a handgun so I…read moreconsidered myself a beginner. But by the end of the class, I felt very confident in shooting and handling my gun. Dave was my instructor and he was awesome! We also received some great knowledge from instructor Gene : ) I chose this class because I knew I wanted to get premium service. The class was small so there was a lot of personal attention. I did not only want to check the boxes for CCW requirements but also wanted to get some real-world training. I will definitely go back to Cobra Tactical for additional classes and to renew my CCW.

Purchased my first gun here. Ed was very helpful explaining the gun I chose and walking me through…read morethe entire process.

I have thought long and hard about posting this review. I truly am a huge supporter of any local…read morebusiness, but the end result was too disappointing. I have to leave this review. I try to support small local businesses whenever I can, especially ones in my own neighborhood. In early January I stopped into Addax Tactical while I was out riding my e-bike with my dog. The staff were friendly, they were cool about my dog being there, and they even let me bring my bike inside. My first impression was positive. A little later I went back to order a rifle. I wanted a Henry Big Boy .357 Lever Action Rifle. They didn't have it in stock, and I was told it would take about two to three weeks to arrive because the SHOT Show convention was coming up. While doing the paperwork, I also decided to purchase a Ruger 10/22 so I could complete both purchases with a single background check. I left a deposit of about $1,200 toward roughly $2,000 total for the two rifles. Both rifles are very standard models that most gun stores typically have available or can obtain quickly. I could have easily purchased them elsewhere, but I made a deliberate choice to support a smaller shop in my neighborhood and was willing to wait the extra couple of weeks. Based on the timeline I was given, I expected the rifles to arrive by late January and to have them in my possession by mid-February after the required 10-day waiting period. That didn't happen. After three weeks I called to check on the order. Nothing had arrived yet. I waited another week and called again. Still nothing. The responses were always very casual, with little explanation other than that the rifles had been ordered. Around six weeks into the process, I was told the Ruger had arrived but they hadn't called because they assumed I wanted to pick up both rifles at the same time. I went in immediately and started the paperwork to take possession of the Ruger. During that visit I learned something that had never been mentioned before: the Henry rifle had not actually shipped yet, and the shop generally places firearm orders in batches rather than ordering individual rifles. This was the first time I had heard that, even though the original estimate had been two to three weeks. At that point I agreed to upgrade to the octagonal-barrel version of the Henry since I had always wanted that model anyway, and I was told the change would not affect the delivery timeline. After the 10-day waiting period I picked up the Ruger and again asked about the Henry. The answer was still that it had not arrived yet. By this point we were about eight weeks into the process, with no clear timeline. About a week later I called again and received the same answer. At that point I decided to cancel the Henry order and request a refund. I was told the refund would come from accounting and that I should expect a check in two to three weeks. After two weeks I called again and was told it could take up to 30 days. I eventually went to the shop in person to check on the refund. This time I was told I could not bring my bike or dog inside, even though I had been there several times before with both and it had never been an issue. Eventually I received a call saying the refund check had arrived. For the sake of transparency, I'm writing this from memory without the receipts directly in front of me, so the dollar amounts may be off by a few dollars either way, but the numbers below are very close to what was paid and refunded. When I picked up the check, the amount returned was about $370 out of the roughly $1,200 deposit I had paid. That means that after roughly 12 weeks, the final outcome of this transaction is that I effectively ended up with a $830 Ruger 10/22 -- a rifle that typically sells for a few hundred dollars at most gun shops. Even assuming some type of restocking fee, it's difficult to understand how that result makes sense, particularly for a rifle that, according to the shop, had not even shipped yet when I cancelled the order. I went into this purchase specifically because I wanted to support a small neighborhood business like Addax Tactical and was willing to wait longer than usual to do so. Unfortunately, after the delays, the lack of clear communication about how orders were handled, and the final refund outcome, the entire experience ended up being extremely frustrating. If you're considering ordering a firearm here, my advice would simply be to make sure you clearly understand the ordering process, timeline expectations, and refund policies before leaving a deposit. Posting this simply to document my experience so other customers know what to expect when placing a special order here.