I had a great experience! Kevin and Alisha were wonderful instructors. As others have mentioned, there are a lot of sales pitches for upsells in the class, but this is a family-run business and they have 3 kids to feed, so this is understandable. I got a ton of useful information from the lawyer that presented the law side of things. Both Kevin's and Alisha's presentations were engaging, so they made the 6 hour classroom time pass by quickly. The range instructors were extremely helpful and attentive. I brought my own pistol, so I was part of the "intermediate" shooting group during the 2 hour range session. They had us drill an exercise that was just slightly higher paced than the beginner (safety and basic shooting skills) part of the class. I also got some helpful tips to help me improve my shooting. All in all, great experience. I highly recommend this business. read more

Your class for Concealed carry is simply awesome. I took it alone the first time, and have since sent many family and friends your way and even plan on returning again soon to take the class with my Fiance and for the NRA Instructor course. Keep up the great work!! read more

Excellent Concealed Carry Class for Women. Kevin and Alisha are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. Extremely thorough class. Topics which are often barely touched on in other similar classes were well presented such as legal issues and consideration of what happens after you are involved in a self defense event. Everyone had lots of questions and they were all addressed respectively and clearly. Great range instruction especially for beginners. Would highly recommend.​ read more

Fantastic staff of knowledgeable firearm experts that take their time to explain the ins and outs of basic gun and rifle functionality along with prescribed entry classes and advanced training courses too. Nice people that do the necessary steps to get your conceal n carry holder permits or whatever else tickles your fancy. read more

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THE ONLY CCW CLASS YOU SHOULD EVER CONSIDER ...!!! I am a lifelong shooter, hunter and firearm enthusiast. I'm also obsessive about gun safety, and have very proactively taught and reinforced the safe use of firearms to our children, as my father taught me, and my grandfather taught him, and my great-grandfather taught him, and so on. So... when it was time to consider a CCW class, I took the training and responsibility seriously and did a lot of research on different programs, instructors and courses available in Central Ohio. Some of what I found was really scary - some other programs are a joke - check the reviews for other programs carefully. A friend of my wife told her "in my CCW class, when we were on the range I pointed my gun at the entire class, and I still graduated". A friend of mine told me "although Ohio law requires 6 hours of classroom training and 2 hours of range time, we were in and out of my CCW class in 3 1/2 hours total, and they told us to say we'd been there for 8 hours". These are REALLY SCARY stories, because this is the only training required to submit for a concealed carry license. And we know these people personally. Not so with Armed2Defend - these folks take their responsibility, and their training, VERY seriously. This was a high quality course. The instructors (owner Kevin Sadeski, instructor and range master Stacy Duncan, attorney Ken Hansen) were excellent. All were clear, good teachers, and took things seriously. Ken Hansen literally wrote the book - "The Ohio Guide to Firearm Laws" - that is pretty much the definitive work on this subject. He taught more than 90 minutes on the laws and legalities of CCW. The other courses I researched didn't go to the expense of bringing in an attorney, but Armed2Defend brought in the best attorney and expert on the subject. I can't say that sitting in a classroom for 6 hours was fun, but these folks did a great job. I can't say I'm thrilled about some of our fellow classmates getting a CCW permit - I'm not. I believe the legal requirement to carry a concealed weapon should be significantly higher, and was disappointed that some of students didn't seem to take the training seriously in spite of the instructors best efforts. However, I can say that I was truly impressed with the professionalism of every single staff member I encountered both in the classroom and on the range. I was a little anxious about heading to the range because there were 90 people in our class, but when we got to the range, there were PLENTY of high-quality instructors that controlled the students, guns and range very effectively. The instructors, and the RSO (Range Safety Officer), ran the range like I would have run the range, and like I wanted the range to be run since my wife and I were there - standing around unarmed. Suggestion - if you're an experienced shooter and are bringing own gun, pay the extra $20 to take the Defensive Pistol Training for Home Defense course at the range instead of the legally required 50 rounds with a .22 caliber pistol. The upgrade to this course (with instructors Stacy Duncan & Jeff Scudder) was the best $20 I've ever spent. These are very serious firearms instructors and great guys - I've been shooting for 40+ years and I learned a lot. Armed2Defend is FIRST CLASS. Worth every penny. And it's no more expensive than the "joke" programs - especially with the discount available on Yelp. If you're going to take a CCW class, please take your responsibility seriously, and take the class with Armed2Defend - I promise you'd rather learn the CCW laws now from their instructors than to learn the laws later, while standing in front of a Grand Jury... Armed2Defend has my VERY, VERY, VERY strong recommendation. read more

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This review is a bit late but still stands from my experience going through the Armed2Defend conceal carry course. I took the class in October 2013. It was about a 2 hour drive for me to get here but I chose these guys because at the time it was the only Monday class I could find. I was off work on Mondays and Tuesdays. We met at the Donato's Pizza in Reynoldsburg Ohio. They have a basement meeting area that was more than adequate for the size of my class. We were offered discounted lunch specials from the restaurant which I thought was very cool of them. The class in itself I thought was good. It was what I expected in that it is geared toward anyone. If you are brand new to guns or shooting you will not be left behind. Someone like me who was already very familiar with firearms safety did get a little bored but it was all good information. They had life size toy guns to teach you about how to properly handle a firearm. This I thought was a very good tool for the new shooters. Ken Hansen, who is a big time attorney for gun laws in Ohio was also called and we were given the opportunity to ask him some brief questions. We left the Donato's and went to an outdoor range area for our shooting qualification. We were given instruction about holsters and types of retention. Then given one on one instruction when a live firearm was given to us. It was a very safe environment and I believe the new shooters were made comfortable as well. As this is the only conceal carry type course I have personally taken I can not talk for others but I would recommend giving these guys a shot. read more

Armed2Defend - This is a photo of me that was posted on Armed2Defend's Facebook page after my class. We shot semi auto Smith & Wesson .22 LR handguns. - Firearm Training Near Me - Lithopolis, Ohio

Our entire family took the concealed carry course, it was excellent and we learned a lot. The instructors were knowledgeable and interesting they provided great information and resources. The range portion was very well managed as beginners our instructor was patient and taught us a lot. Overall is was a terrific course. read more

I attended the Armed2Defend carry class in March of '18. Signup and payment online was painless. Class availability was also plentiful with multiple dates open. Upon arrival the day got off to a good start. My personal folder was prepared with all of my class materials. Instructors took our "passport" photographs prior to class beginning and had them printed for us by the end of the day. Instructors were knowledgeable and did a nice job of keeping the class moving. The classroom material is basic and will be 2nd nature if you're at all familiar with handguns. The legal portion of the class was informative but unfortunately for us the lawyer was recovering from an injury and we watched a recording of a prior session. Good information also provided around USCCA, NRA, and handgun accessories (safes, holsters, etc). I had the pleasure of shooting at the range under the direction of Jeff Scudder and he was top notch!! Jeff's attn to detail and instruction was above and beyond. He led the "advanced" shooters and was intense, thorough, and extremely personable. I'd recommend these guys if you're in the market for getting your certificate for a concealed handgun permit. Painless process and well organized from beginning to end. read more

I took this CCW thru Armed2Defend a while ago. I thought it was time to say how great it was. I never owned a gun before signing up for the class. Neither had my friend. I took my own hand gun I purchased a couple weeks prior and my friend used one there. We both had a great experience. We took the class when it was the 12 hour required course. I learned a lot from the class and tell all my friend's and Facebook groups about it. The shooting part was very organized so no chance of any accidents occurring. Thinking of taking other courses they offer as well. read more

I signed up to get my conceal handgun license and was incredibly impressed by this team. They held an on line class as well as an in person class. Armed2defend did not just give us the basic laws and requirements, they also explained how this was a life choice and what that means. They were truthful and honest about the liability of being able to protect oneself as well as family. They gave descriptive real life scenarios to show how serious it is to carry a concealed hand gun. My questions were answered efficiently and effectively. The most impressive part of this training for me actually happened on the ride home as my 22 years old son wanted to get his CCW as well. The conversation we had was powerful as he too was able to grasp the concept of not being a junior police person. We are so grateful to this family run business for their experience and expertise. After the class we went to the range to finish the qualifications for our certificate. They had awesome range experts who helped in every manner of getting our target practice perfect. We watched people who never handled a weapon to experienced shooters and I feel that everyone walk out of there a better person than they were when they entered. If you are thinking about obtaining a certificate please call this company. Typically in a class setting there are some people you hope will not pass, in this case because of our trainers, I feel confident in my classmates being as educated a d competent as I feel. read more

Fantastic instructors, very knowledgeable and patient. We are looking forward to more training in the near future.

I went through the course in September, 2016. I thought it was well run with attentive classroom and range instructors. It makes for a long day if you are not used to sitting through things for hours on end. Still, it was structured nicely and flowed well. I expected more one-on-one instruction at the range but I think that was a function of the coach I had because I saw others there who were much more engaged with their students that day. Finally, I'd highly recommend purchasing the sampler pack so you can shoot different calibers of ammunition. I'd say this is a must if you haven't have much experience and are looking to purchase a firearm. I'd recommend this to others without hesitation. read more

I took Armed2defend's conceal carry course and it was not only a great value, but the training (both classroom & range) was outstanding. Their instructors are thorough and took time to help each person get comfortable on the range while giving valuable feedback on shooting technique. They also have more training available than just the basic conceal carry course. If you're looking for a conceal-carry course, you need look no further than Armed2Defend. You simply can't go wrong with their service and the training they provide. read more

This course covers all the basics in the classroom for handguns by highly qualified instructors. It also covers the legal aspects of concealed carry which is incredibly important in this anti gun environment. All of the instructors are well qualified, many former and/or retired military. Range training is one-on-one and all skill levels are addressed. This is a quality program and well worth the money for many reasons. read more

The classroom on range instructors were very helpful and very knowledgeable about the different weapons. This was my first time shooting and they made me feel confident and comfortable although I was very nervous. read more

I was impressed with the class knowledge level (instructors), safety emphasis, legal guidance, the desire to help everyone in the class to learn and pass the testing, and the range monitors when time for discharging the firearm. What I felt was a negative was the sheer size of the class; special attention was minimized by the number of people present. read more

Great class to go to. I took the pistol and instructor course over a two day period. Great instructors and great course layout. Greatest thing they do is follow the standard. No left and right just straight forward truth about things. His staff is very experienced and very knowledgeable. You couldn't attend a better class for quality NRA instruction. Thank you for a great experience. read more

My wife and I traveled 2 hours to take the class this past weekend. We were both beginners when it came to guns so we were very pleased with the instructors and the help the provided us. The one thing that they stressed from start to finish was gun safety and to be just that a safe and responsible gun owner. My wife did not have her own gun she was allowed to use mine as well as purchase the sample package which allowed her to shoot 16 different guns to try. Another good aspect to the class is that if you didn't have a gun and didn't want to do the sampler package the provided you a 22 caliber pistol to use. I would definitely recommend them to a friend. They also offer other courses that I would consider going to down the road. Thanks Kevin and you staff. read more

As someone who I has never handled as gun I wanted to be educated plus have the opportunity to fire several different types under patient guidance, Conceal Carry is the goal and I now have three years to decide to get my license. I like the fact their facility is bare bones, no frills, I am there to learn. The course was upbeat, informative, straight instruction with levity and also caution built in. Stacy's military backgrounds was a plus for me and helped focus on the information, which could have easily been overwhelming. Once we got to the shooting range, the same care and knowledge was evident. They were patient and understanding..didn't rush the process. I was able to fire about 10 different models, I passed on some because I had already started to get an idea of what felt comfortable for a grip for my hand size. I was glad they offered a gun cleaning kit which far exceeds what you can find online. The cleaning was the only activity I opted into but didn't get to try or observe. It was unfortunate that the attorney became I'll and could not continue his presentation in person; however, they had a great video of a past presentation. Lots of good information, which I thought was well thought out to provide to the class. I bought his book when I registered for the class...glad I did. I am now at least informed enough to go buy my first handgun and continue to train in its use..safely. NRA membership offered and good advice on insurance coverage if you are ever involved in a life changing event. Wonderful family owned business, NRA awarded and I support small business. Looking forward to setting up more training classes. Highly recommend to women who have never touched or been around handguns. I was scared to death before this class, now I have a healthy respect and confident I can improve. read more

I have recommended Kevin Armed 2 Defend several times and it is his class that made me eligible to teach CCW classes in Ohio. If I am not able to teach, I send people to Kevin. The program is very specific and focuses on safety more than anything. Instruction is high quality and appropriate for all age, skill and experience levels. Kevin knows his stuff and cares about the people who attend the class. This is not a permit farm. Don't come if you are looking for an easy way to meet the requirements. He is there to teach and equip responsible gun owners. The only negative is the some selling of products and additional services during the course, but for most people, this isn't a problem. You have to figure that most people will only experience one or two days with Armed 2 Defend so the sales window is small. Don't be surprised to be asked to support the NRA, or to have chances to purchase books, cleaning kits and other items as these are quality products in their own right and for those who don't have these items, it is a good deal to pick them up at the class. The range is a bit remote and hard to get in and out of, but it meets the needs of the class and the instructors on the range are top notch. Many are current or former military or law enforcement. Expect strict rules on the range. You need to prove competence as a gun owner! read more

A great group of instructors who will teach you everything you could want to know about conceal carry and more. Their conceal carry class was by far top notch and I strive to teach my classes as effectively as they do since I got certified to teach conceal carry through them, can't thank them enough nor can I praise them enough! If you're in the Columbus area and you've thought about Conceal Carry then look no further because they go above and beyond to make sure you leave satisfied and confident in your own ability to carry a firearm to protect yourself in these crazy times! read more

Attended 4/1/17. Let's start with the venue...what a sh*t hole. It was held in the basement of an Elks Lodge or something. It was less than inviting and the men's bathroom was disgusting. Now for the class...to begin with, almost the entire first hour was nothing but sales and promoting their business...award for this...award for that...none of which were impressive. Their biggest gloat was being the top NRA recruiter in the country. Well, that's not hard when they give you a basic membership just for prepaying for the class. Besides, who cares? I'm not there to join the NRA or hear about them in any way. I already had my concealed carry permit from Virginia, which is valid in Ohio. I'm also retired military so in no way did I need to take this class, however I thought I would take a class to learn more about the law (which was the ONLY good part of this course). This was the most basic class, which is fine if you're new to the gun world, but if you've ever shot a gun before, 90% of the content here was useless. The instructor was all over the place. Couldn't stick to the topics. Made references that were not only silly, but downright wrong. It seemed like most of the instructors were ex-marines and they ran this class a little too much like a mini boot camp for me. At one point the instructor literally SCREAMED at the top of his voice at everyone in the class to be quiet. No warning, didn't ask nicely...just screamed at everyone. I dint' pay $90 to get screamed at by some assclown that thinks he's still training Marine recruits. GFY. Last, the range portion was a huge waste of time. Sure, everyone got to shoot 50 rounds, but Ohio law requires you to have 2 hours of range time...guess how long it takes to shoot 50 rounds for most people (hint...not even close to two hours). My wife and I were in the intermediate group and got through the range briefing and the shooting portion in less than thirty minutes. Then we sat there in the cold for an hour and a half...just waiting out the two hour clock. Once all of the intermediate students were done, our range instructor disappeared. Would have been nice to shoot some more rounds (we brought our own) instead of just sitting there freezing our butts off. I'm sure all of the instructors are nice guys, but they run this show like a mini boot camp. That's fine if that's what you've paid for and what you want. These guys are over-the-top gung ho (even wearing tactical gear and vests on the range...gimme a break). And for what it's worth...this class is NOT approved by the NRA. Not sure how big of a deal that is, but I'm guessing that an NRA approved class is better. Can't be any worse than this one. read more

I took my concealed carry class and a defensive handgun class both taught by Stacy. Both classes gave me practical information that I could use lawfully. I signed up for emails and received a significant discount for one of the classes. It was a good value. read more

This is an excellent course, the instructors are well informed and understand up to date laws and are excellent with people. The classroom course I designed to teach everything you should know when beginning to concealed carry. There is a practicing attorney who instructs on Ohio gun laws, he was a consultant on writing of them, and has a very good knowledge of what you should do if you are ever involved in a shooting situation. The shooters are NRA "qualified" instructors. Eye and ear protection are included in the price of the course. as is a .22 caliber handgun. They offer a few items, books, eye and hearing you can purchase, the prices are about what you can find them for on the open market, no huge markup because you are a captive audience and wrapped up in the moment, they are not pushy. They even recommend insurance and offer the forms you can use to order it. They do not offer their own insurance. The only drawback is the course is not taught at a range, their range is about 10-15 minutes away and you provide your own transportation to the range. It is a good range and the instructors are nonjudgmental on your shooting skills and offer their assistance in making sure you understand your weapon. Overall a very good experience, I was surprisingly pleased to learn a few things about improving my own shooting skills. read more

Professional, organized, comfortable, fun. The class is mixed gender and diverse, the class size is bearable, and your voice is heard. You learn the knowledge and skill, and hear from experts in the field. Great experience. read more

I recently completed the Armed2Defend course in Canal Winchester. I was dissatisfied with the course for a number of reasons and quite frankly do not understand why it ranks so highly. 1. The husband and wife team seem very disorganized as I did not receive the email with the details about lunch and the itinerary for the day (small potatoes, but still annoying). 2. The entire first hour of the course was Kevin explaining all of the benefits of the course and all the extra add-ons you could purchase to improve your experience. I paid $90 to not receive a book, have repeated sales pitches, and not have lunch provided. I would have rather paid more to not feel nickel and dimed about the entire experience. I understand that a business needs to make a profit, but this is ridiculous. 3. Although in the notes at the beginning of the course, they list that their will be no discussion of politics Kevin will proceed to go into the benefits of the NRA (another sales pitch) and that "EVERYONE IS TRYING TO TAKE OUR GUNS." I understand that I am not the standard clientele, however this was very alienating and made me very uncomfortable. (Liberals believe in their Second Amendment rights, too) 4. The only saving grace was the actual shooting; which after the classroom experience was a relief. All of Armed2Defend's helpers are family and friends are the shooting instructors, but I had a good experience with them. Sonya was very patient and made me feel very comfortable. I left feeling good about my shooting abilities. Overall, I am disappointed with the classroom experience- I have no knowledge of how to safely store a firearm and they mentioned nothing about being judicious about the decision to shoot another person. They need to focus more on the NRA handbook, give them to their students, and stop all of the sales bulls*&t. This course needs a lot of improvement for me to EVER recommend it to anyone. read more

Armed 2defend is ran by qualified instructors through the NRA (National Rifle Association). I can't say enough about how good the instructors are at teaching the fundamentals of shooting the way it should be done. You even get a seminar bye someone who helped write the gun laws in ohio .Its a 12 hour course. 10 hours of class 2 hours of actual shooting at a range with qualified instructors to help you out. You can bring a gun or use one of there's to qualify. They also have advanced courses and programs for any shooter. Everyone is so nice and good at what they do. You won't believe how fast the day goes by. It was so worth the 90 bucks. You'll have the time of your life if you've never done anything like this and if you have it's always nice to brush up. I would highly recommend armed 2defend to any friend or family member that wanted to learn how to handle a gun or get there CCW. read more

Got it done last year it was well worth it. The shooting range is right around the corner about 10 mins away. Only downfall was that we had to wait till everyone got done shooting at the range till we could leave. read more

I participated in my conceal carry course with Armed2defend October of 2016 and couldn't be happier with the decision. They accommodated all levels of knowledge with a great instructor to student ratio at the range. The classroom training was also well organized and engaging as well as included expert information from an attorney that could field legal questions about the State of Ohio laws and regulations. I would recommend Armed2Defend to anyone looking for their CCW training based on my experience. I hope to go back for more defense training in the future. read more

Great class. I recommend to everyone. I already had my concealed carry and still learned a lot.

this was a very professional and customer oriented company ...the instructors were great and I like the hybrid class setup online and in person for range time...Thank Eric read more

If you're looking to have personalized gun safety training with a great sense of humor then Kevin is your perfect instructor! Armed2Defend is a professional company that trains on details and gives personal and exact shooting assistance. My personal range instructor, George (Kevin's Dad) was awesome! He gave me some advise that helped me grip my gun in a new and more effective way. Out of 50 rounds I was able to hit the in the bullseye 15 times and the other 35 rounds were all within the 6" circle!!! Not to mention I was shooting a gun I've never shot before. Thank you for all the instruction, tips and personal assistance. What a fantastic and educational day!!! Go to Armed2Defend to make sure you get your carry conceal instruction from the absolute best!!!! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed the class. It was packed with information, the atmosphere was comfortable and relaxed. The course and range instructors were helpful and knowledgeable. Ken the gentleman who gave the legal presentation was informative and entertaining. I purchased his book which is a must read for the knowledge and clarification of the law. Ken has also helped me with some questions in regard to Conceal Cary insurance. I have recommended Armed2defend to all my friends considering taking a CCW class. I hope to go back next year to hear Ken speak again. Great Class. read more

Kevin's training was very well done. Very knowledgeable instructors and done at a pace that kept things moving. Highly recommend this instructor read more

This was an awesome class! Had different speakers, was very engaging and dumbed it down so even someone who ya no idea about guns could understand in a safe environment . I have gone to a range plenty of times and I was still intrigued by the information given! Also has an attorney come in and speak and you can ask questions. Fake guns to show you how to grip a gun without the fear of holding a gun for the first time! Over 100 percent and the price is way better than anyone else . I don't know why you would go anywhere else! read more

By far, the best concealed carry instruction in the state. Kevin Sadeski has this process down to a science. The presentation by Ken Hanson is worth the cost of the class alone. The instructors; Stan, Mike, Lenny, Dave, and all the rest of the staff and range officers are top notch. There is NO better program in Ohio. Regardless of where you live, it is definitely worth the drive to Columbus to join one of Kevin's classes. Armed2Defend is not one of the best, they are THE best! read more

This was definitely the quickest and easiest way to get your CCW training completed. The information was good and the addition of the lawyer was a great extra source of information. Although, the lawyer would have been a bit more credible had he not had such a casual demeanor and outfit. They definitely pump as many people as possible through the class, so don't go expecting a lot of personal attention. The outdoor training was on a nice, private range with well trained instructors. It does blow my mind, however, that someone can be certified to conceal carry after shooting a few 22 rounds, but that's a problem with Ohio and not Armed2defend. Overall it was a solid experience, but with a few minor tweaks it can be a great one. I'll be considering them for some advanced courses in the future. read more

Women need not fear about attending a CCW class here. Everyone is treated with respect even if you've never handled a gun before. If you are motivated, you will get the knowledge and experience to be confident shooting and purchasing your own gun. They also have additional opportunities beyond CCW for women to learn more about guns, gun safety and range practice. read more

My experience was very good. The information was delivered very nicely and the instructors answered every question that was asked. The only downside was that the class was crowded but nobody had to stand. Perhaps if the tuition were more expensive we would have had lavish accommodations but I believe I got more than I bargained for. I came to learn gun safety and learn about carrying a concealed weapon in Ohio. That's exactly what I got. read more

CCW class today with this group - great class, very informative, excellent instruction. Really appreciated the instruction and coaching at the shooting range. Everyone who wants to lawfully and knowledgeably protect themselves should take this class with Kevin S. Highly recommended. read more