Paladin Training, Inc.

I occasionally get the following questions:

1. Why is your CWP class longer than others’?  (12 hours v. 8 hrs or less)*
2. Why is your CWP class more expensive?  ($100 v. ?)
3. Why do we have to shoot so much?  (100 rds v. 50)

These are fair questions and appreciated because they give me an opportunity to distinguish a Paladin CWP Plus class from others.

The short answer:  Because we go far beyond the minimum requirements in what we teach and how we train.

These are the subjects that the state CWP regulations say an instructor must cover:

1. Statutory and case law regarding deadly force
2. SC laws governing firearms and concealed weapon permits
3. Proper firearm storage practices that deny access to children
4. Prohibited carry locations
5. Liability and responsibility issues relating to firearms
6. Proper interaction with Law Enforcement Officers
7. The four cardinal firearm safety rules
8. Handgun safety, manipulation and operation
9. Basic handgun marksmanship
10. Proper concealment techniques and drawing from concealment
11. Qualification on the range with the Instructor

A few years back an 8-hour requirement was rescinded and there is currently NO minimum time specified by the state for a CWP class.

These are the subjects we cover in addition to the above requirements:

1. Situational awareness and mind-setting toward a tactical lifestyle
2. Physiological issues — how stress affects our bodies during a critical incident
3. What to say when Law Enforcement arrives

These are the required subjects we go beyond the minimum in teaching:

1. The kinesiology of an efficient drawstroke followed by dry and live fire reps working on safety and speed
2. Supervised dry and live fire practice reps working on the marksmanship fundamentals and training for the qualification course

These two are where your 50 extra rounds are spent and add over an hour to the class.

A few words on quality of instruction:

On the range we have a self-imposed maximum student to instructor ratio of 4 : 1.  Most of our assisting instructors are certified firearm instructors in their own right. All of them are serious students of defensive pistol-craft who have trained under other nationally known trainers.

Our assisting instructor knowledge / experience base includes current and former LEO, current and former Private Security, and former military.

Finally, our instructors bring certifications from nationally recognized schools such as Force Science Institute (www.forcescience.org) in Illinois, Paul Howe’s Combat Shooting and Tactics (www.combatshootingandtactics.com) in Nacogdoches, TX, John Farnam’s Defense Training, Intl (www.defense-training.com) in Fort Collins, CO, and Tom Givens’ Rangemaster (www.rangemaster.com) in Plant City, FL.

We’re not just CWP instructors, we’re defensive firearm instructors who also teach a CWP class.

Haley Leach has a valid CWP issued by CO, her home state.  In January of this year she was arrested in Albany, NY when she tried to declare and check her handgun at the airport.  Leach claimed she thought her CO CWP was valid in all states.  CO’s CWP statute simply requires completion of a ‘handgun training course’ within the previous 10 years, and the curriculum for that course is not specified, so far as I can tell.  A ‘handgun training course’ could mean something as basic (and generic) as an NRA Basic Pistol course.  Now she faces a felony charge in NY.  Think all training is the same?

Our next SC CWP Plus class is 17 & 19 MAY.

If you’d like to know more, or if you’d like to sign up for one of our classes, contact me at either steve@paladintraining.com or 843-618-1381.

*12 hours is too long for one day.  Consequently the class is conducted over two days — usually Thursday evening from 6 pm to 10 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm.