My wife and I completed the Low Light/Home Defense and Urban Defense Concepts with CWS this past weekend. The gun range (UPTEX) was a very nice facility tucked away in the center of ranch in Smithville, TX it was like an oasis of a gun range. If you own a handgun and intend to use it for self defense you have and just training at the range shooting paper you are training wrong. Lee, Chris and Rom are rock star instructors with an amazing amount of knowledge. They helped us with all of the tactics of defense with a weapon and not just hitting the bullseye, which was the only experience I had prior to this training. I want to point out how professional and patient this team is. All instruction was delivered in a positive way, never talking down or criticizing your skill level. The CWS team also maintained a safe learning environment, ensuring that others were cognizant of handling their weapons. The classes consisted of instruction and demo, followed by live fire drills and then a final putting it all together in a live fire simulation. These were designed to and accomplished stressing your mind, decision making and operation in a realistic situation. This training was an excellent experience and I look forward to learning even more from CWS in future classes. Learned a lot and also realized that I could use more training on the fundamentals. You have to master these fundamentals because when the stressful real scenarios happen those fundamentals have to be automatic. Equipment choices are also important. I found a few challenges with equipment and will be fixing them asap. If you are considering training, sign up with CWS you will not be disappointed, but you have to humble yourself and learn. Be honest with yourself and the instructors, you are there to learn. read more

To be honest, this was the fist handgun training course I had taken outside the Navy. I am a retired Naval Aviator and though we had pistol qualifications, it was not of the caliber required to become proficient and prepare yourself for the responsibilities of concealed carry. So to start out, I did not know what to expect but as a retired military officer, I do expect certain qualities in any course or class I take; professionalism, subject matter experts, instructor leadership, confidence, etc. I can honestly say CWS, led by Lee Vernon, exceeded all my expectations. They were professional, great personalities, able to relate to the students and push the students to limit without going over into a grey area where safety is compromised. There was a lot to learn in two days but again, the instructors all did a fantastic job of communicating the days lesson, demonstrating the drills, keeping stress on to aid training all the while keeping a safe environment in which to train. I absolutely recommend CWS for the novice to expert, to either learn or fine tune their skills as there is always room to grow, learn from others who have been there done that. Outstanding class of people and company. The course I took was the Urban Defense/Low Light handgun course. read more

As a CHL holder there are certain responsibilities I must take,and one of those responsibilities is the proper real life scenario training.In saying that I started training last year with CWS.Ive taken there pistol 1 and pistol 2 class and what an eye opener.These classes are real life stress induced training with no holding back.The pistol classes exceeded my expectations so much I decided to continue my training with CWS and took the two day Urban defensive tactics/Low light no light class.The things that you learn in these classes include clearing rooms(under high stress)in response to a home invasion or a active shooter with low to no light.You will learn these tactics alone and with a two man team,That's just day one.Day two is a whole other animal.You will train in car jacking tactics(alone and with a passenger).Train from the ground in many different positions.Train in taking cover in different environments using the different positions you have trained in.In the end I would like to thank the highly educated and extremely skilled instructors(Lee,Chris and Rom)at CWS.I highly recommend CWS for new shooters...women or advanced shooters.check out their website and give a look at upcoming classes. read more

I attended the Urban Defense Concepts training 3/1-3/2. This was a great class! I really enjoyed it from beginning to end in spite of the weather conditions. What a great opportunity to train on a sunny 75 degree day then train in the rain at around 35 degrees the next day!! Chris is a talented facilitator delivering the subject matter in a clear and concise manner easy for adults to grasp. Lee and ROM helped keep things going smoothly and added great value by attending to individual student needs for clarity and guidance. We were using live ammo in stressful scenarios and I always felt safe but challenged during every evolution. In the world of tactical training you often get stuck with testosterone driven over opinionated individuals that unfortunately give this type of training a bad rap but this is not the case at CWS in any way. Lee, Chris and ROM are normal guys with high level skills that are humble and willing to share their knowledge with individuals seeking this type of training. I will be back for more training with CWS for sure and would recommend these guys to anybody interested in tactical training. I look forward to the carbine class next!!!! read more

If you're trying to decide whether or not to take a class with Combative Weapon Solutions, sign up! They have a great group of instructors and offer tremendous classes at a VERY competitive price point. I took Low Light-Night Time 1/Home Defense and Urban Defense Concepts with Combative Weapon Solutions and I was completely satisfied with the training I received! The instructors were knowledgeable, attentive, patient, and humorous. They didn't hold our hands through easy drills all day. They challenged us and pushed us to a failure point. Which I thought made the training more valuable because you can't get better without first knowing where your failure points are. They also made it a point to explain WHY we were doing certain drills and the context in which the tactics they were teaching applied. Overall I had a great experience. I learned a lot of things that have made me a better shooter and more mentally prepared for a violent encounter. I can really tell that the instructors truly care about their students' growth and development. Take a weekend of classes with them. Trust me, you will not regret it. read more

I just got done taking Urban Defensive Concepts from Combative Weapon Solutions this past weekend. This class was amazing. The instructors (Lee, Chris, and Rom) were fantastic. The were all extremely knowledgeable and questions were encouraged and answered with clarity. The amount of information that was given over was awesome. They level of instruction was truly top notch. The best classes that I have been to are the ones that don't let you simply shoot in a relaxed atmosphere like at a shooting range. That is not the reality of a life and death situation. You will not be relaxed, just plinking away at the bad guy. You will be stressed, and your shooting will suffer. Even though you can't reproduce the life and death of a real fight in a classroom, you can have induced stress where you need to blank out everything around you and focus on the task at hand. CWS was very good at adding as much stress as possible to give you a small taste of the pressure you will be under. I simply can't recommend Lee and his crew enough. I will definitely be back for more. read more

I recently took up shooting a couple of years ago. I got as good as I could get by being self taught. I decided I need better training and have taken multiple classes throughout Texas. I took my first class from CWS this past weekend. I was very impressed. They know their stuff. I took a critical care / low light / urban defense three day class and it was awesome. The scenarios they run you through are pretty amazing. I signed up to take another class with them in a couple of months. I am just an average dude. I am a dentist by profession. But I am a father and husband. I am the one in charge of protecting my family. When seconds count, cops are minutes away. I look forward to training with CWS again. I live in Houston but made the drive to shoot with CWS. It was well worth the drive! Stay safe. Dr. Michael Nugent read more

I recently took their CHL class and it was amazing. Very informative and a lot of fun. Not only did we cover the standard curriculum, but we also learned important shooting technique. If your going to be a gun owner its important to have sound knowledge and accurate training with your weapon and this company provided both. I was nervous going into the class and was made to feel right at ease from the beginning. Lee was our instructor and was very open and accommodating to the different learning styles of the participants. I will continue to take classes from these guys because they know what they are doing, and they care about your overall experience in their class. Learned a lot and feel a ton more comfortable being a responsible gun owner now; plus they are a lot of fun and had me smiling & laughing all day. read more

I just completed the 2 day course of low light and urban defensive training, a must for everyone regardless of their CHL status. The skills provide are thought provoking and useful for all family members. The team at CWS is professional and humble. It was clear during the training that this was not just a job or a paycheck for the staff, but a passion. I was also very pleased when I heard the instructors reference THEIR continuing education, even to the point of taking beginner level classes as it indicated that they do not feel that they know all there is to know about firearms and their use... thus the relevance of instructions remain cutting edge with the industry with a desire to continuously improve. I look forward to many more classes with CWS and have NO reservations in recommending them to other. read more

Just recently attended the low-light/night-light shooting class. I can't say enough about this training. Owning a firearm for self-defense, I feel it is imperative to have practical training in how to use it. When I first began to consider training, of course, I went to an indoor range to practice. But it became evident fairly early on that this would not be enough. I knew that I wanted to be able to train in practical scenarios so that should I ever need to draw my firearm, I could do so responsibly. CWS hits the ball out of the park in terms of providing this kind of training. Every firearm owner should take their classes. This was my first class with CWS but it definitely will not be my last!! Thank you CWS for providing this kind of training, it's truly a service to those of us who own firearms! read more

My wife and I took Defensive Handgun 1 yesterday in Bastrop, TX. I was very impressed by well they were organized and were able to make the most of our time there. Lee and Chris and all the instructors are very knowledgeable when I comes to their craft and it shows that the genuinely care about making sure that you leave that day having learned more than you did when you came. Safety is their foremost concern on the range, as it should be. At no time did I feel uneasy or unsafe during the class. We had a full class but they split us into smaller groups which gave everyone the ability to work one to one with them. This is a must for anyone that carriers a gun or owns one for that matter. We already signed up for another class this June. Great class!!! Two thumbs way up! read more

I have participated in three classes through CWS, and enjoyed them all immensely. Lee, Chris, and all the instructors know their stuff, are personable, and make it a ton of fun. But beyond being fun, I have learned a heck of a lot from these guys. The content is applicable to real-world situations, and expressed clearly and concisely. I'm new to shooting, so these classes have been invaluable to me. If you're going to own a gun, you better know how and when to use it, and it's a lot more complicated than point-and-shoot, I've learned. But these classes aren't just for new shooters; many of the students in the classes I have been to have been much more experienced than I, and they got every bit as much out of it as I did. Check CWS out, you won't regret it. read more

I recently took the Carbine 1 class through CWS and I couldn't be more pleased with the training and knowledge we were given. The instructors were highly experienced, professional and very easy to talk to. We were taught weapon manipulation, clearing multiple types of jams, different shooting positions from various ranges and most importantly they put extra extra emphasis on safety throughout the whole class! Lee, Rom, Kacy, Chris and Paul were outstanding instructors! If you own a carbine or pistol and especially if you haven't had any proper training with your weapon, I definitely recommend CWS. Their classes are for all skill levels wanting to expand their knowledge with their weapon. You will be glad you chose CWS! read more

I took the CHL class today and it was definitely eye opening. I didn't expect to walk out with all of the knowledge that I received today. It is definitely not as easy as one might think. It's not just shooting a target. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go to become well trained and I will continue to take classes that this company offers. Lee Vernon was our tactical instructor and I was very impressed by what he had to teach us. Matt taught us about Texas law and that really changed my way of thinking. I will definitely be taking more classes through this group of guys. Highly recommend them to anyone who is looking to become more knowledgeable about owning and handling a handgun. read more

I recently took the 1 day Critical Care concepts class from CWS. To sum it all up - it was great! The day was jam packed with great info and it was all extremely relevant stuff. We would cover a section in detail, ask/answer questions, and then get hands on practicing. At the end of the day there was sort of capstone exercise to put everything your learned to work. Lee (the instructor) is full of experiences from the course of his career which meant that he could provide actual scenarios he has been in for just about any topic we were talking about. I highly recommend the training with CWS and am planning on taking future classes with them. read more

Low light / Active Shooter Response - This is the first advanced firearm course I have taken and the bar has been raised ... Chris and Lee are confident in their ability and knowledge as well as patient in addressing questions or concerns fielded by the class. They are thoughtful in how they teach the content with safety in mind at all times. Their approach is very interactive and makes you realize that standing in front of a paper target does not get you prepared for real-world scenarios. If you have your CHL, you owe it to yourself and others to take a course from Combative Weapon Solutions. read more

Completed the 1 Day Critical Care Concepts Class today. There was a TON of good information given and opportunities to put the information into practice. Lee knows his stuff and has years of hands on experience to draw from. The class was laid back and as a female I did not once feel out of place or unwelcome. This is not one of those crappy chauvinist businesses that you hear about. After today I honestly feel like I would be able to help in a trauma situation rather then standing around and being in the way. I am really looking forward to future classes with them. read more

Attended the Trauma and First Aid training last Saturday, it was extremely helpful. It was packed with concepts and first hand experience by both instructors, not to mentioned they brought in all the "tools" possible so you could handle and familiarize with the items. Even though I hope never to encounter situations that require trauma care, at least now I know how to provide some assistance and hopefully assist until professional emergency arrives. I definitely recommend the class and already planning for future training read more

I took my first pistol training class with these guys last weekend. I had gotten my CHL last fall and have been looking for a class to prepare me for real world scenarios. This place is it. The guys teach a very informative, exciting, practical and fun course. I took the Urban Defense Concepts / Low Light Night Time Concepts course. I was challenged the entire time we were training. I fully plan to take more courses from them and would recommend any one looking for weapons training to look into these courses. read more