List of quality trainers that you should listen to

[Tactically Fat]

(Edited the format a bit)

A) This is not an Exhaustive list.

B) These are more national-level, but I plan on including a few locals that I know about

C) These are men/companies that, when they speak or teach, we'd all be better off if we listened. They are seasoned. They are vetted. They are well respected in the industry. Their courses are vetted. Their courses are respected. These are not some fly-by-night outfits.


The list, in no particular order:

Paul Sharp / https://sharpdefense.blog/
Larry Lindenman / https://pointdriventraining.com/
Cecil Burch / Immediate Action Combatives | Jiu Jitsu | pugilism | edged weapons | contact pistol
Craig Douglas / Who is Southnarc? ? ShivWorks
Greg Ellifritz / https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/

Aaron Cowan / https://www.sagedynamics.org/
Tom Givens / https://rangemaster.com/about/tom-givens/
Erik "Trek" Utrecht / https://trainmdfi.com/
Gunsite / https://www.gunsite.com/
Suarez International / https://suarezinternational.com/suarez-firearms-training/ (Trainer Randy Harris is an INGOer: https://suarezinternational.com/randy-harris/)

Varg Freeborn / https://www.violenceofmind.com/schedule/
William Aprill https://aprillriskconsulting.com/
Chuck Haggard / Agile/Training & Consulting
Massad Ayoob / https://massadayoobgroup.com/
Sherman A House / https://civiliandefender.com/author/shermanahouse/

Dark Angel Medical / https://darkangelmedical.com/
MDTS / https://www.mdtstraining.com/
Chuck Pressburg / (short bio - can't find an actual business page) https://www.opdsource.com/Presscheck-s/178.htm
Bill Blowers / https://tap-rack.com/
Carry Trainer / Carry Trainer ? Concealed Carry Classes and Training

Claude Werner / https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/
Antifragile Training / https://antifragiletraining.com/
Pat McNamara / https://www.tmacsinc.com/
Gabe White / Gabe White Training ? High Performance Concealed Carry
Mike Pannone / https://www.ctt-solutions.com/

Dave Spaulding / https://www.handguncombatives.com/
William Petty / https://centrifugetraining.com/
John Lovell / https://warriorpoetsociety.us/
Rogers Shooting School / https://www.rogersshootingschool.com/
Larry Vickers / https://www.vickerstactical.com/2019-class-schedule.html

Rob Leatham / https://robleatham.com/training/
Thunder Ranch / https://thunderranchinc.com/
John McPhee / https://gunfighteru.com/classes
John Farnam / HOME | Defense Training International, Inc.
Don Edwards / Greenline Tactical / https://www.greenlinetactical.com/

Steve Fisher / https://sentinelconcepts.com/
John Johnston / https://citizensdefenseresearch.com/
Firearms Academy of Seattle / https://firearmsacademy.com/
TDI Ohio / https://www.tdiohio.com/ (This is one of the schools that the above-mentioned Greg Ellifritz teaches through)
Earnest Langdon / https://www.langdontactical.com/training/

Henk Iverson / https://www.campxtraining.com/courses/ (Says owner, but not listed in the instructor list)
Karl Rehn / https://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Classes/classes.html
Fortress Defense / Training Services ? Fortess Defense Consultants
Jerry Barnhart / Jerry Barnhart (May be difficult to find a class schedule)
Tiger McKee / Shootright Firearms Academy / Shootrite Courses

Frank Proctor / Frank Proctor Shooting
Kyle Lamb / Viking Tactics / http://www.vikingtactics.com/Articles.asp?ID=252 (no courses listed, may be difficult to train w/ him)
Robert Vogel / Robert Vogel ? World Champion Shooter
Sig Sauer Academy / https://www.sigsaueracademy.com/courses
Jeff Gonzales / Trident Concepts / https://www.tridentconcepts.com/weapons-training/

Panteao Productions / https://panteao.com/instructors/
Dave Harrington / CombatSpeed LLC / https://panteao.com/instructors/dave-harrington/ (Good luck finding his training schedule)
Combat Shooting Tactics / CSAT Calendar
Mike Seeklander / https://shooting-performance.coursestorm.com/browse?sort=date
Badlands Tactial / https://badlandstactical.org/

Tiger Valley / Tiger Valley Courses - Level I Pistol
Rifles Only / https://www.riflesonly.com/
Lone Star Medics / https://www.lonestarmedics.com/

Honorable mention:

Practically Tactical / Practically Tactical
Scott Jedlinski / Home
Rob Pincus / https://www.icetraining.us/robpincus.html
Matt Landfair / https://primaryandsecondary.com/author/riafdnal/
Travis Haley / https://haleystrategic.com/train
John Murphy / FPF Training / https://www.fpftraining.com/
Citizen's Safety Academy / https://citizenssafety.com/
First Person Safety / https://firstpersonsafety.com/
Practical Firearms Training / https://pgpft.com/
Green Ops / https://www.green-ops.com/
Justified Defensive Concepts / https://www.justifieddefensiveconcepts.com/
Advantage Group Training / Advantage Group - Modern Combatives Training - Louisiana Tactical Firearms Training

"Local companies that really seem to have their ish together"

Aron Bright / Home Page (INGOer)
ACT / Adaptive Consulting & Training: Welcome to Adaptive Consulting & Training (INGOers)
Guy Relford / https://www.indyarms.com/guy-relford/
Infinity Solutions / https://infinitysolutionsusa.com/ (INGOer)

Almost all of the above have a social media presence. I suggest looking up their YouTube channels or searching out other channel's videos that feature them. Look up their FaceBook pages and follow them. Look up their Podcasts - and the podcasts that feature them. Look up their blogs and read them. This is all no BS / no nonsense GOOD information.

 

[JollyMon]

A) This is not an Exhaustive list.

B) These are more national-level, but I plan on including a few locals that I know about

C) These are men/companies that, when they speak or teach, we'd all be better off if we listened. They are seasoned. They are vetted. They are well respected in the industry. Their courses are vetted. Their courses are respected. These are not some fly-by-night outfits.

...

Where did this list come from... did you create it? Have you trained with all these trainers.

I have specifically excluded some of these individuals from instructors I would train with (Pat McNamara) because the large class size and lack of one on one instructions.

That being said, there are others on the list that I have and would train with again

 

[Tactically Fat]

Just something that I've put together.

I've had training from more than 1 on the list, yes. That I can remember quickly: Steve Fisher, Rob Pincus, William Aprill, Claude Werner, Chris Frye, ACT.

Not mentioned on the list because it doesn't appear they're actively training any more: Paladin Combatives / INGOer Cedartop, and a very small company called Praetorian Concepts

 

[bwframe]

 

[JollyMon]

Can we add Rockwell Tactical to the list

 

[CampingJosh]

Can we add Rockwell to the list

Purple or not?

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/tactics-training/472794-serious-training-incident.html

One incident shouldn't necessarily end a company, but it's not nothing. I'm not familiar enough with Rockwell to know if that was one incident in 20,000 classes or in 65 classes. And that would make a difference to me.

 

[Trapper Jim]

Just something that I've put together.

I've had training from more than 1 on the list, yes. That I can remember quickly: Steve Fisher, Rob Pincus, William Aprill, Claude Werner, Chris Frye, ACT.

Not mentioned on the list because it doesn't appear they're actively training any more: Paladin Combatives / INGOer Cedartop, and a very small company called Praetorian Concepts

Nice list. Thanks for the work you put into it. I wish I had time to create the list of trainers of yesteryear. We have lost a lot of experienced gun handlers in my time. However even though there are a lot of solid great trainers on your list and some that I know are selling fear and to be a waste of time, the true test for ones self after all the classes, can he safely and accurately handle and hit anything with his firearm? Only hisself knows it unless he gets out and plays the games in competition and or commits to the material with several thousand rounds a year to put in place and use what he paid for.

 

[Vigilant]

Can we add Rockwell Tactical to the list

Tremis Dynamics as well. Full’o purple.

FYI: Chuck Pressburg runs Presscheck Consulting, And is not free from firearms faux pax himself. I would still take his classes though.

 

[VERT]

Interesting List. Individuals mixed with schools like GunSite. GunSite has several instructors, I am impressed with all who I have met. Bill Jeans, Bob Whaley, Steve Tarani all are GunSite instructors and all over the internet. You mentioned Tom Givens and RangeMaster. Keep in mind Tom pairs up with other instructors to offer RangeMaster’s courses. For example John Hearn and Jim Higginbotham, both of which are people who I would listen to.

What about Randy Cain, a disciple of the late Louis Awerbuck?

Don’t forget that Clint Smith is a national treasure. Ken Hackathorn is one of the old guard and still going.

 

[SmileDocHill]

Larry Vickers?

 

[Vigilant]

Interesting List. Individuals mixed with schools like GunSite. GunSite has several instructors, I am impressed with all who I have met. Bill Jeans, Bob Whaley, Steve Tarani all are GunSite instructors and all over the internet. You mentioned Tom Givens and RangeMaster. Keep in mind Tom pairs up with other instructors to offer RangeMaster’s courses. For example John Hearn and Jim Higginbotham, both of which are people who I would listen to.

What about Randy Cain, a disciple of the late Louis Awerbuck?

Don’t forget that Clint Smith is a national treasure. Ken Hackathorn is one of the old guard and still going.

Louis Awerbuck was one of the greats, I’ll check out Randy Cain for that alone. I’ll add John Lovell to the list of gtg trainers. SoB John “Shrek” McPhee, John Farnham, etc.

 

[VERT]

Louis Awerbuck was one of the greats, I’ll check out Randy Cain for that alone. I’ll add John Lovell to the list of gtg trainers. SoB John “Shrek” McPhee, John Farnham, etc.

How could I forget Farnham?!!

Randy Cain - Cumberland Tactics.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I chose to add a school like Gunsite and Rangemaster because, simply, they're squared away. They're NOT going to have someone in to teach a class who is ... less than desirable (at the time of the class). So - if someone's teaching through or at Gunsite, Rangemaster, or Surarez (whatever you may think of Gabe himself) - chances are good that the individual or their school is good to go.

 

[gregkl]

Nice list TF! I have only trained with a couple of them. I'd like to train with some more. I had an opportunity to train with Bob Whaley (Gunsite) this year but I missed the basic class and he really preferred I attend that before I did the more advanced class. Hopefully he will be back next year and I can hit both.

I do watch videos and read some stuff with others like John Lovell. He is easy to listen to, has a good sense of humor, and his view on firearms lines up with my views pretty well.

 

[SmileDocHill]

I've only "trained" with him via videos so I have no idea on the "no BS" side of things but I would think Travis Haley would be on the list.
https://haleystrategic.com/intel

 

[JollyMon]

In all honesty I really enjoy training with Don Edwards — greenline tactical (I have 6 classsed under my belt with him) . I have posted his bio before but him and Lovell run together. He was one of aimpoints experts at the last Nra convention. Tnvc lead instructor for a while. Classes are more laid back, but his room clearing courses are on point

 

[cedartop]

I have trained with everyone on that list that I care to except Bill Blowers and Aaron Cowan. I think the elite Rogers Shooting School should be on there as well.p

 

[Tactically Fat]

Hi Mike!

I've done some additions and a re-format. I did move the local companies out of the "honorable mention" category. And I put Yeti into the main list as opposed to honorable mention. Not that he cares, or would ever see this (As he hasn't been active on INGO in years) - but it wasn't anything at all to do with his courses.

Anyhow - why have the honorable mention category at all? Simply due to their still up and coming status. Scott Jedlinski is probably teetering on the edge of still being small time vs big time. He's been getting a LOT of exposure in the last few years due to his red dot classes.

 

[rhino]

John Farnam has no "h" in Farnam. His wife Vicki should be on the list as well.

List is missing:

• Marty Hayes and his team - Firearms Academy of Seattle
  
• https://www.tdiohio.com/

 

[nakinate]

I may be a fan boy since I'm a Beretta guy, but I've trained with Ernest Langdon and he belongs on that list: www.langdontactical.com