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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

Bill does a fantastic job of walking through a broad range of critical topics during his CCW class! He is just as helpful and respectful l to beginners as he is to more experienced handgun owners. His approach in the classroom keeps the material relevant and relatable and his knowledge and helpful tips in the range are even more impressive. I would definitely recommend this class and will be taking more training from Bill in the future!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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

A lot of Firearm Safety schools are swamped right now but Bill the owner of McLaren Defense returned my call right away and accommodated my busy schedule. He was very patient with us first timers and did an excellent job teaching and communicating everything you need to know for firearm safety. I took a beginner class and I believe I have a great baseline to build off now and feel comfortable with the two firearms I recently purchased. Thanks Bill!

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 !

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Bill Mclaren is a fantastic instructor. I didn't know what to expect as I have always been nervous about guns. I did the basic pistol shooting course primarily to gain understanding about guns and safety. Bill was patient and really took his time to talk about the safety especially around kids which was important to me.
For a novice like myself, I had no idea what to expect and I am amazed at how much I learned including how to posture oneself, and use the correct eye to focus and understand the full process form start to finish.
From a nervous and unsure girl around a gun, I feel fairly confident and aware now and respecting the responsibilities of guns.
Thank you Bill for explaining everything in detail and making sure I was calm and understood all the way. Can't wait to practice more! I highly recommend a session with him.
And as a bonus, he has a special women on target course coming up in October which I can't wait for!

Bill McLaren is a consummate professional firearms instructor/trainer. From the beginner to experienced shooters Bill meets the student where he/she is and expands from there. I wholeheartedly recommend Bill. I am an NRA Certified instructor and experienced shooter--this is the place and gentleman that I train with and go to for lessons. I send my family to him--that kinda says it all.

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!

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.

Bill McLaren is a great instructor. He is patient and really cares that his students learn the correct way to use a firearm. He is excited about what he does and his enthusiasm is contagious! He is knowledgeable and concerned that you get it right, no matter how long it takes and that was good for me. I would recommend him to an individual or group that is interested in training with a competent and experienced firearms instructor.

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!

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.