I really enjoyed the CCW class at McLaren Defense. I'll admit, I wasn't exactly looking forward to sitting through a 16-hour course, but Bill and his team kept it interesting and the time went by surprisingly fast. Everyone was professional, knowledgeable, and went well beyond simply teaching the required material. If you're new to firearms or concealed carry, you'll obviously want to continue training beyond the CCW course, but McLaren Defense gives you a really solid foundation to build on. I got through the class and qualification just fine and had a great experience overall. Highly recommend them. My only complaint: no free tamales. read more

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

My first weapon instructional class. There were two 8 hour days of training to complete the CCW certification. 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. read more

My husband and I took our CCW class which was two days, one with Bill and the second day with Tamara. Both instructors were excellent, informative and learned so much from both. Both instructors keep us engaged and made most would think a daunting class fun. Would definitely recommend McLaren Defense. read more

My wife and I just moved to San Diego county and once we were approved by the Sheriff's office, we scheduled our initial 16 hour course with McLaren Defense. Our first 8 hour class was with Bill. While he is a no none sense instructor, he was very detailed and exceptional in his instruction in class and at the range. Our second 8 hour class was with Tamara. Tamara was extremely knowledgeable in providing technique on safety pistol handling and was patient and had a calm and professional demeanor. Her instruction was very specific and easy to understand. We tested at the range with Moose to quality. Moose was patient, knowledgeable and provided excellent shooting tips to improve shooting accuracy. This is a great company if you are wanting to obtain your CCW. Highly recommended. Great people who provide great instruction. 5 Stars! read more

I went to Mclaren Defense for my CCW training and found it to be very informative. Bill is a great guy to learn from. Even when I ran into a scheduling conflict and needed to change my second class, Bill was gracious and helped me change it without any problem. If anything that made me even happier I chose his school. If you need handgun training or are applying for your CCW, you would be wise to choose Mclaren Defense. read more

What a terrific experience! Be prepared, so much great information. Can feel like you're drinking out of a fire hose! Lol! Bill's certification classes were recommended to me by a good friend and a local business. My experience surpassed all expectations. Keep up the great work. I'll be back in 2 years for my renewal! read more

Bill is a great instructor with a ton of knowledge. His classes walk you through real world situations and help prepare you for reality. If you are looking for required training for your CCW or continuing your skill building to maintain your proficiency, this is the place to do it. read more

I did a basic handgun course that was conducted by the female instructor and she was AMAZING. She was very thorough and there was never a point were I felt like I was unsure about anything before moving on. I did have some butterflies when we got into the actual range but they instruction was so on point that I was pretty confident going in. As a matter of fact, my very first shot was a bullseye! Overall just really an amazing experience. read more

Just finished taking the two lesson course with my 13 year old daughter. While talking one night, we both realized that learning to shoot was something we've both always wanted to do. Why not do it?!?!? I looked through Yelp and McLaren Defense has great reviews so we decided to try it and bring my sister along. He was very flexible with scheduling so that we could take the class in the evening after work. Bill is very nice and not intimidating at all, which is a plus so that you can ask for help without being self conscious. He is so professional and the class is well organized with explaining safety, how to handle a gun, and maintenance. We had a great time and learned so much. I highly recommend the classes for anyone wanting to learn how to shoot and protect yourself. read more

Mclaren Defense - My daughter shooting for the first time! - Firearm Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

Tamera is an amazing instructor. We took the gun safety course at Iron Sights and learned a lot. With limited/no experience, we were able to learn the fundamentals and did practicals on the range. We also passed the Firearm Safety Cert on after the class. Tamera is truly amazing and I highly recommend going to this course read more

I recently completed the initial CCW training class with Bill McLaren. As a retired Fire Battalion Chief and state Certified Instructor, I can wholeheartedly without reservation tell you that Bill is an excellent instructor. You are not simply "checking the box" when you attend one of his classes. You are buying his experience, expertise and excellent advice on self defense. I look forward to attending additional training that he offers. Money well spent and an excellent experience. read more

I cannot recommend this place enough. My husband and I did a beginner class with Moose. We were both nervous since it was out first time at a shooting range. Moose was extremely knowledgeable and encouraged us to take out time and get comfortable with it. We both throughly enjoyed our first experience. I would encourage anyone who wants to learn how to shoot safely to call McLaren and ask for a lesson with Moose. read more

I enjoyed the friendly atmosphere. The class was very informative regarding the safety, use and handling of firearms. Tamara was very thorough and helpful in training and answering the questions. Other instructors were very cool during the shooting range practice. Highly recommend Mclaren for all your firearms and safety trainings. read more

The instructors were extremely professional and they make sure that you are safe at all times. I feel More confident and less intimidated about guns since I took the training and I got certified with the Basic Firearms Safety And Handling Class. Thank you such much to all you at McLaren Defense. read more

I have used Mclaren for my initial CCW training and now for my renewal. They are fantastic! Bill was my instructor initially and Dave gave me my certification for my renewal. Both were fantastic and went above and beyond to not only get you trained well enough to be safe and responsible with your firearm for your CCW but also gave additional education, training, or information to allow you to further enhance your skills and knowledge. They care about their students being safe and well trained in order to protect themselves as well as anybody else they may be around with their firearm. They take it very seriously and it is fantastic to know they are helping to make sure those that decide to carry are adequately trained to be able to do so as safely as possible. Keep up the great work! read more

Just took the initial CCW class with Bill, and was very pleased with both the classroom and shooting portions. He gives every day situations and how to deal with them. He also helps with improving your shooting during the range portion. read more

Did a renewal course with Bill @ McLaren defense. Useful, knowledgeful good experience all around

This guy knows what he is talking about and teaching about inside and out and forwards and backwards. He also has the ability to teach the 'boring' legal sections in a very captivating way, with real life stories and examples to make it crystal clear. He also teaches the psychological aspect of having a CCW permit and the heavy responsibility that comes with that. That's the classroom. In the range he is equally as competent, because he can very quickly assess what key techniques and drills you need to work on without wasting time or ammo, while simultaneously instructing you in a calm, non-intimidating manner. I plan to take some of his advanced classes at Rainbow range. read more

Excellent teacher! Excellent class. Super knowledgeable, teaches in a way that keeps your attention and makes the class fly by. Was my first time at a range and I was super nervous and he made me feel comfortable and was very patient and gave such great tips that made the biggest difference in such a short time. Highly recommend his class and will be back here. Thank you! read more

Bill has a teaching style that takes what could be a boring day of drudgery and makes it interesting and keeps your attention. The required full day CCW class was enjoyable, informative and easy to get through. The range portion was done Iron Sights, and was handled by Moose, who knows what he's doing. Enjoyed it enough, I've already signed up for the next recommended class. read more

Found Bill through the SD County CCW permit process. He charged $200.00 for the 8 hour course. Bill was professional, thoughtful, and thorough. He has 16 years of military service and trains all kinds of people in handgun safety. The course went smoothly and he did a great job of explaining various situations a person could be involved with using your CCW. He was also gave me great advice on how to shoot better and more quickly by using proper technique. Lastly, I will be utilizing his services for two additional courses over the next month and he will be teaching my 13 year old son handgun safety. If you are looking for a professional experience with and experienced instructor who knows their craft, then look no further. read more

It was refreshing to interact with Bill during his 8 hr CCW class a few weekends ago. As everyone's firearm experience is different, I found Bill was patient, and respectful during his interactions with the class. Bill was thorough, answered everyones questions with direct answers and respect, and overall, it was a pretty great experience. I did have a small typo on my certificate that I did not catch during the final check of the document. It was noted by SDSO and they contacted Bill for clarification. He immediately contacted me for clarification, and went so far as to re-do the certificate, send it directly to the Sheriff POC and had everything squared away in time for me to pick up my license on time and without problems. Thanks Bill for a pleasant experience. R. read more

I'm very happy happy with the CCW training I recieved from Bill McLaren. It's an informal class at his office, then the shooting qualification at Iron Sights range. He teaches the required material, and not a lot of extra BS. I like his easy going style, and will be getting additional training from him soon. read more

I took the Women on Target Beginners Pistol Class and it was fun, informative and safe! I have had experience over the years with rifles but always avoided pistols because I felt they were more difficult to shoot. My experience, however, was few and far between with no real education on the firearms. Which lead me to wanting to find a class to teach me the basics of pistols, safety and how to handle one without fearing it. They went above and beyond on this. I didn't know what to expect but it ended up being a great balance of education and hands on experience. Most of the women in the class had never even held a gun more than once or at all. Nerves were high in the beginning with them but at the end you can tell everyone leaves with confidence instead of fear. The personal instructors were beyond amazing coaching you through everything and never making you feel silly for your lack of knowledge. I am going to seek out the next level of class after this because with anything, practice makes perfect! If You are unsure if this class is right for you, talk to Bill or Tina they will tell you all about the class without pressuring you to take it. Even if you leave the class and don't find a deep passion in firearms training, then at least you can handle a gun without being a danger to yourself or those around you and you aren't ignorant! read more

Took basic pistol class. Great instructor took time to help me fix technical errors I spent years building :) and dialed in my shots. Range is at iron sights which is good too. Will be returning for more instruction! read more

I tried calling all the popular gun shops in North County for training courses and none of them called back until I called McLaren Defense. Bill called right back and got me in the rotation. Bill teaches an excellent course for us beginners. He has a ton of patience and show you everything you need to know to get started in Home Defense. We brought our own firearms we had purchased and he gave us one on one training at the gun range. Great work Bill, we had a blast! read more

Bill Mclaren is awesome. I took NRA Pistol Instructor Certification and BIT from Bill Mclaren. He was a great teacher, super skillful, experienced, and an instructor of instructors many times over. I liked his first class so much, I'm taking his multi-state CCW class as well. Bill is always prepared, makes you feel comfortable with what you're working with, and makes you a better, wiser, shooter, the more time you spend with him. I recommend taking classes with him 100%. The important concepts are hammered in over and over and over so it sticks. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.. Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. -Caleb C, 15-year shooter, NRA Pistol Instructor, NRA Ranger Safety Officer. read more

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I took Bill McLaren's pistol course a couple of months ago. He is an excellent instructor, properly emphasizing gun safety above all else. I was qualified on the M-14, M-16 and M-1911 .45 ACP pistol during my time in the US Army many years ago. I knew that I needed instruction for my new 9mm pistol and Bill was the right choice. I recommend Bill McLaren highly. read more

Great class for basic pistol instructions, CCW and all other courses given here. Thank you to Bill for the great instructions! Highly recommended for beginners and those who just need to brush up on their skills. read more

I had the privilege of working with Bill today. I wanted to take an opportunity to work with a firearms expert to enhance my mechanics and give me a thorough review. Bill was on time. He had the shooting bay already set up and ready for us. Bill took the time to understand what I was trying to accomplish before we started. He put me through various drills to better evaluate my mechanics. Each drill was relevant to accomplishing my goal. Bill was an absolute pleasure. He did a great job of communicating and helping me understand what we were doing and attempting to learn about my shooting ability. I was able to obtain the pertinent information to better my proficiency. I greatly benefited from his knowledge and experience. He is well worth spending the time and resources. You and your family will be safer for the investment. read more

Whether you're looking to take the 8 hour class required for your initial CCW, 4 hour class for your CCW renewal or simply looking for some training, look no further than Mclaren Defense for all of your needs. Bill is extremely knowledgeable and offers quality courses at an affordable cost. read more

bill is the best. end of story. if you want to safely learn everything about laws, and firearms, this is your guy!

Bill McLaren is thorough and has hundreds of great tips to help you with safety and marksmanship. Ive been shooting off and on for over 50yrs, and attended a 3day tactical training session, but he picked up on and pointed out two major mistakes I was making. Bad habits no more ! read more

I completed several range training sessions and my CCW training and certification with Bill. He is very professional and very thorough. I would recommend his company for all firearm training and classes. I am looking forward to my future classes. Thank you Bill! read more

Bill at Mclaren is a great instructor. His whole team was patient and really went above and beyond for our group. We learned so much in one day and left feeling very confident. I highly recommend them! read more

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Wow, I cannot recommend Bill highly enough! He is a natural born teacher and perhaps more importantly, he has limitless patience and zero ego. Whether you are learning to shoot for the first time or a seasoned veteran, Bill is your guy! We did a family pistol 1/2 class and some range shooting and will definitely be returning for a home defense class and maybe even CCW class if the current zombie apocalypse continues. Owning a firearm is a big responsibility and it's critical to learn weapon safety, so if you are on the fence about taking a class, just DO IT! read more

Bill at Mclaren Defense went above and beyond to give our group of women a wonderful experience while learning lots about firearms and safety in the home! Here are some things he covered: *Gun Safety Rules *Safe Gun Handling *Safe Storage *Common Firearm Types *Purchasing a Firearm *Kids and Firearms We had an amazing time on the range and all of us felt safe and comfortable with the weapons after his in-depth training. It was a blast! read more

Mclaren Defense - Firearm Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

Bill is very calm, knowledgeable, and thorough in his instruction. He had everything organized and prepared so our lessons and practice time went very smoothly. I would highly recommend him. Top-notch! read more

Mr. McLaren is a patient, knowledgeable, non-intimidating instructor. I felt that his main goal was for me to learn firearm handling CORRECTLY and carefully, not just to cram students in and shuffle them along. I walked into that course feeling uneasy, a little out of place, and walked out feeling confident and excited to learn more. Highly recommended for men and women, adults and teens. read more