CCW/Self Defense
Paladin provides the highest-caliber CCW instruction in the Bay Area. Classes are taught by a retired FBI Agent and a retired Deputy District Attorney. They have real-world experience in firearms, tactics, and self-defense law. With 8 CCW courses to choose from, our program goes far beyond the basic permit class.
We offer private and small group options for all of the classes listed below. Book a class for family and friends. Email dan@paladin-tactical-us.com for pricing and availability.
Paladin is certified by the California Department of Justice and approved by several agencies. Click on your issuing authority for your specific training requirements:
MULTI-STATE PERMIT
CCW 1: Foundations
This 8-hour class is required for all initial permit holders (Many counties also require CCW 2 in addition to CCW 1, see your jurisdictions requirements for details).
This class is also accepted by the State of Arizona for a non-resident CCW permit which will allow you to carry in multiple states. See the current reciprocity list at the USCCA website. Click here to apply for the Arizona permit.
CCW 1 covers the following topics:
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Firearm safety rules
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Laws concerning firearms possession, storage, and self-defense
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Post-shooting procedures
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Fundamentals of shooting
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Loading and unloading procedures
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Discussion of terminal ballistics and ammunition selection
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Firearm and holster selection
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Live-fire qualification
Required equipment:
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Handgun with holster
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2+ magazines
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100 rounds of ammunition for each pistol
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Eye and ear protection
CCW 1R: Renewals
This 4-hour class is required for all renewal permit holders. The class covers the following topics:
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Firearm safety rules
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Laws concerning firearms possession, storage, and self-defense
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Post-shooting procedures
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Fundamentals of shooting
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Live-fire qualification
Required equipment:
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Handgun with holster
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2+ magazines
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100 rounds of ammunition for each pistol
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Eye and ear protection
CCW 2: On the Move
CCW 2, along with CCW 1, is also a required course for the Initial Permit for the City of Concord and the Counties of Napa, Sonoma, Sacramento, and Yolo. This 8-hour class is a supplemental course for CCW holders in other counties or anyone interested in self-defense training.
You won't find too many courses out there like this! We review the basics and then work our way up to scenario training in a professional shoot-house. Realistic scenario training is an opportunity to learn how to address violence in a safe and professional environment. NO LIVE FIRE IN THIS COURSE.
CCW 2 covers the following topics:
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Review of legal considerations in self-defense
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Decision-making
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Drawing from concealment
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Tactical movement
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Extreme close-quarters shooting
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Self-defense scenarios using AirSoft pistols against adversarial role players
Required Equipment:
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AirSoft Protection
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Long sleeve sweatshirt, preferably with a hood
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Recommended, but not required:
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Glock 17/19/22/23 holster
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Tactical Flashlight\
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Gloves
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CCW 3: Basic Pistol
Anybody can carry a pistol with minimal knowledge, but not everyone has the skills to accurately use the gun in a stressful self-defense situation. The goal of this course is to improve your ability to defend yourself and to improve your confidence.
This 8-hour class is applicable for three groups of people:
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Those who own a pistol and just want to increase their proficiency and confidence
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Those seeking to obtain a CCW and wish to make their CCW qualification a fun day instead of a dreaded one
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Those who have already obtained their CCW permit, but wish to improve their skill level.
CCW 3 covers the following topics:
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Grip, stance, sights and trigger control
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Reloading with efficiency and speed
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Clearing stoppages in minimal time with two hands, strong hand only and weak hand only
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Carrying and drawing from concealment with maximum efficiency and minimal time
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Tools to confidently pass CCW qualification without fear or worry
Required equipment:
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Handgun with quality holster
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2+ magazines
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350 rounds of ammunition
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Eye and ear protection
Class does NOT satisfy state-mandated CCW curriculum in some jurisdictions.
CCW 4: Interior Tactics
The world is not a flat range - you need to learn how to defend yourself within structures. We will show you how to safely move through buildings with one-man and two-man clearing techniques. The day culminates with force-on-force training to test your skills and decision-making abilities. Bring a friend or spouse to work together as a team. NO LIVE FIRE IN THIS COURSE.
Topics to be covered:
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Strategies to protector your home
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Solo room clearing techniques
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2-man room clearing
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Use of a flashlight in low-light environments
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Self-defense scenarios using AirSoft pistols against adversarial role players
Required Equipment:
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AirSoft Protection
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Long sleeve sweatshirt, preferably with a hood
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Recommended, but not required:
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Glock 17/19/22/23 holster
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Tactical Flashlight
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Gloves
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Class does NOT satisfy state-mandated CCW curriculum.
CCW 5: Intermediate Pistol
Take your performance to the next level with our 8-hour Intermediate Pistol. Our goal is to train CCW holders to defend themselves at gunfight speeds. Learn how to draw quickly from concealment and make fast hits. You will learn how to address multiple targets while you are on the move. Get ready for a lot of shooting!
Topics to be covered:
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Mechanics of the draw
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Decreasing split times
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Target transitions
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Shooting while moving
Required equipment:
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Handgun with quality holster (OWB or IWB)
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2+ magazines
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400 rounds of ammunition
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Eye and ear protection
Prerequisite: CCW 3 or equivalent class/experience
Class does NOT satisfy state-mandated CCW curriculum.
CCW 6: Close Quarters Pistol
Since gunfights can occur at arms length, specialized techniques are needed to survive these close-quarters encounters. In this 4-hour class, you will learn how these attacks manifest and how to manage the first blows. We will show you various firing positions and how to move off the line of attack. We conduct both live-fire and AirSoft drills to instill the skills you need to deal with an aggressor at close range.
Topics to be covered:
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Pectoral index and shooting from the "Compressed Ready"
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Pre-attack indicators
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Blocking/covering to survive the "sucker punch"
Required equipment:
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Handgun with quality holster
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2+ magazines
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200 rounds of ammunition
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Eye and ear protection
Prerequisite: CCW 3 or equivalent class/experience
Class does NOT satisfy state-mandated CCW curriculum.
CCW 7: Low-Light Pistol
Many deadly force encounters occur under low-light conditions. Do you have the skills to win these fights? In this 4-hour course, we expand on the low-light curriculum in CCW 4 with live-fire drills. We will demonstrate multiple flashlight holds and how to move/shoot while using the light. We integrate "FlashFight" system techniques into the drills to transition from a non-lethal to a deadly-force option.
Topics to be covered:
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Choosing the right flashlight
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Various flashlight holds
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One-handed shooting
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Low-light techniques
Required equipment:
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Handgun with quality holster
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2+ magazines
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200 rounds of ammunition
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Eye and ear protection
Prerequisite: CCW 4 and CCW 3/5 or equivalent class/experience
Class does NOT satisfy state-mandated CCW curriculum.
CCW 8: Keep Fighting!
You need to keep fighting while injured. Don't give up when you get hit! We start with a tactical medical block of instruction. You will learn how to apply tourniquets, chest seals, and keep an airway open. We move onto the range to shoot, reload, and clear stoppages with one-hand. As we progress, we will work in pairs to eliminate threats while you and your buddy are injured. After this class, typical range days will seem easy!
Topics to be covered:
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TCCC-based curriculum
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One-handed shooting
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Reloading and clearing stoppages with one hand
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Casualty care under fire
Required equipment:
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Handgun with quality holster
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2+ magazines
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200 rounds of ammunition
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Eye and ear protection
Prerequisite: CCW 5 or equivalent class/experience
Class does NOT satisfy state-mandated CCW curriculum.
Carbine 1: Foundations
Learn from the professionals how to run a carbine. Our instructors currently provide carbine training to SWAT teams. In this 8-hour class, we start with the fundamentals and then move to techniques to efficiently load/unload, clear stoppages, and transition to the pistol. We end the day addressing multiple targets and hitting targets on the move.
Topics to be covered:
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Fundamentals
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Loading/unloading procedures
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Clearing stoppages
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Transitions to pistol
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Decrease split times and multiple targets
Required equipment:
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Pistol with quality holster and 2+ magazines
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Carbine with quality sling and 2+ magazines
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400 rounds of carbine and 100 rounds of pistol ammunition
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Eye and ear protection
TESTIMONIALS
CCW 1: "The awesome knowledge, skill, and patience of the instructors made me feel
safe, welcomed, and encouraged."
SARAH
CCW 1: Competent and thorough training from guys with tons of real-world experience. They made state required and entry level material relevant and engaging. I will be training with them in the future.
GEOFF
Basic Pistol: "I would 100% (recommend this course). This is definitely the way to go to be more knowledgeable and skillful."
NORMA