Guns Save Life has partnered with GSL Defense Training and DeWitt County Sportsman’s Club (DCSC) to offer a FREE 16-hour Illinois Concealed Carry course this summer in Clinton.

It will take place on June 22 & 23 at DCSC facility six miles east of Clinton on Rt. 10.

Open to anyone working in any capacity in schools from pre-schools to universities, the class came about from seeing successes with similar courses in other states. By taking school employees out of their comfort zones and immersing them in a two-day, hands-on class with lots of live fire under the watchful eyes of plentiful experienced instructors, we watch participants’ nervousness relating to guns disappear. In its place, we see confidence and empowerment grow among the participants. We show them how firearms aren’t for killing, but for living.

While participants won’t become Navy SEALS after the weekend, they will become experts in firearm safety.

They’ll also have a solid foundation for the fundamentals of defensive gun use and the legal considerations relating to using force in self-defense. Over the weekend, we’ll also cover strategies for conflict avoidance, situational awareness, de-escalation and much, much more.

GSL Defense Training has trained thousands young and old over the past 25+ years. Again, the class is completely free to those working in education, public or private. This includes bus drivers, cooks and other support staff. Participants will need to bring themselves, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed along with 250 rounds of ammunition. No FOID cards are necessary. If securing ammo ahead of the class is a problem (because of a lack of FOID cards, for instance), we’ll have some available for purchase at our replacement cost. Loaner firearms and gear, including safety gear, is provided free. You don’t even have to clean the loaner guns at the end of the day!

Those education professionals who would like to bring a friend or family member to share the experience (and so they don’t have to be the Lone Ranger while out of their comfort zones) can bring a non-education professional, but non-educators will have to pay the standard course fee… $180 (and you can bring a second non-education person for half-price, or $270 for the two). The June class is primarily for educators and they will get first priority for course registrations.

For more information, or to sign up, visit GSLDefenseTraining.com.

We currently have about six registrations so far, with probably another half-dozen coming. Folks, share this with your friends. Don’t wait until May to decide you want to come out and join us. About 50 participants is our upper limit for the class.

Here’s more about the course:

Learn safe defensive gun handling skills

Whether you’re a new gun owner or an experienced shooter, GSL Defense Training can help you stay safer and protect your family. Our emphasis is on learning the skills and mindset to avoid conflicts. If that fails, we teach you how to use your handgun safely and effectively. We want you to stay safe and teach strategies to do just that!

Our friendly, extensively-trained instructors, both male and female, bring diverse backgrounds and years of experience to your benefit. They’ll give you a broad, solid foundation so that you can confidently use your firearm for recreation or to defend yourself and your family. GSL Defense Training is also one of the few companies that excels at working with people with disabilities.

Lawyers and Legal Experts teaching the law

We do NOT read the law on Power Point Slides in our classes. Instead, we have practiced lawyers and court-certified expert witnesses presenting lethal force discussions. You can get answers to your legal questions and clarification of the laws.

Over the past two decades, we’ve trained well over 4000 people to shoot and carry firearms safely and efficiently. Our classes are for anyone who wants to feel safe at home or out and about in public.

GSL Defense Training’s Essential Carry

NRA gun safety rules
How to avoid becoming a victim
Gun ownership laws
Judicious use of deadly force
Strategies for home safety
Defensive shooting tactics
Drawing from the holster & concealment
Gun cleaning
Safe storage of firearms
Use of firearms responsibly, ethically & legally and more

HIGH QUALITY TRAINING AT A VALUE PRICE

Training days with GSL Defense Training include:

High instructor to student ratios (lots of individual attention… look at all those red shirt instructors!)
A safe experience. We run a safe and enjoyable training environment
No Range fees
Approximately 250 rounds live-fire to learn new skills like shooting one-handed, barricades, movement, discrimination targets, malfunction clearance and communication.
LOANER FIREARMS & gear as needed (a wide array to choose from at no charge)
Safety equipment as needed
Drinks and snacks
Extensive bonus GSL Defense Training materials
Lectures, not Power Point slides(!)
Real lawyers teaching legal considerations
Experienced instructors who will help you gain new skills, refine old skills and gain confidence.

So while your friends sat around trying not to doze off watching power point slides for 16 hours and then shooting a 30-round qualification course at their class, you can be learning from experienced instructors who teach you instead of read to you.

That’s right: instead of sitting in a chair all day, you’ll be out on the range handling your handgun(s), shooting real exercises and doing things like shooting around barricades, movement exercises, malfunction clearing, communicating, moving off the axis of attack, one-handed shooting (both strong and support side), target discrimination and a whole lot more.