Author Topic: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course  (Read 16887 times)

CzechMeOut

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A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« on: March 13, 2017, 03:21:03 AM »
Here is my review for Radnor's CCDW Course.
I've lurked on the forums for a bit and have been doing my research on classes in the area. The big issues for me were price, location, and class size. This is a long review, but a quick summary at the bottom can be found.

Contact:
After deciding to go with Radnor, I messaged him and got a very thorough response the following day. He gave me the details of the class which included dates, costs, and next steps. Radnor then told me who to contact in order to get registered for the class, this person was his co-instructor for the class.

Price:
Probably my only gripe, which of course was not a deal killer since I went ahead with the course, was the inconsistency with the price. I was initially quoted $225 which included a certificate and fingerprinting for an Arizona CCDW (though the Arizona application is optional, you could subtract $25 if you don't want it). After scheduling a date for the class I was told it would be $250, I did question the earlier quote but was told $250 was the actual price, fair enough, it was on par with most other classes.

Class, learning portion:
The class was located in New Castle County in the Bear area. I was told in the first e-mail that it would be a REALLY long day and I got exactly that, from 0900 to 2100. I really wanted a small class, mostly because that would limit how many people would waste time with crazy questions and/or lack of firearm experience. I was told when I registered there were a total of 6 others, but come class time, there was 6 total including myself, perfect, can't really do better than that.

Radnor seems to get many of his students from referrals, which once I arrived to the class made sense as it seemed everyone had a bit of repertoire with each other, no biggie, they were very welcoming and I didn't feel out of place at all.

The class was pretty straight forward, but Radnor and co-instructor decided to try something new and do their normal routine backwards. They decided to take fingerprints for the Arizona CCW process first, then the Delaware laws on CCDW, and then finally the basics of operating and firing a gun. This routine makes most sense if everyone has experience with firearms, which everyone did, because we didn't spend too much time on the concept of basics pistol knowledge (this is a trigger...this is the barrel). If there were new shooters, it'd be best to really nail the basics before moving on so that any future terminology made sense.

One of the most helpful topics that we went over was how to properly apply for the Delaware CCDW. Now, you can apply for the CCDW without having taken the course but I did all the items I needed to except for the final filing of the application. Radnor had a good incite on how to properly fill out the application and the types of answers they are looking for the THE QUESTION.

The class itself, though I have never taken any other courses, is probably as exciting as you'd think sitting and listening to someone (or two) speak for 8 hours is. It was very detailed and at any time anyone could speak up and ask questions. There was one student with a hearing impairment who had someone signing for her, Radnor and his co-instructor did a great job of involving her. We had numerous breaks throughout the course, lunch and drinks we're provided, don't expect lobster.

Most of the laws that we reviewed were in law jargon, sometimes being a bit too confusing. I believe what made learning much easier is that both instructors had stories and situations in which they conveyed the main purpose of the law. The real life applications also make the laws more memorable, which helps since there are plenty.

Class, shooting portion:
Finally, the fun part of the night. We all had to drive to the range which was 10 minutes away and no one had issues getting to it. Everyone was given instructions prior to shooting which everyone followed with no issues. We would load our magazines at the table and proceed to the line, we were told to bring 100 rounds. We then took turns shooting individually with the instructors right next to us at the targets from 5 yards.

The best part of the class was that once everyone fired a couple magazines and were deemed competent enough (to be honest, everyone put 20~ rounds into 2-inch groupings with 0 issues), the instructors decided to teach some defensive shooting as well as work on some shooting drills until everyone had shot their required allotment and then some. Both instructors were very helpful and I am sure that everyone in the class took home some new skill sets. The instructors we're very patient in teaching as well as just offering above and beyond the necessary requirements for the course for the shooting portion.

Certification and miscellaneous:
Right before shooting, Radnor took our photos for Delaware's application, that's a time and $7 save from Walgreens or the like.

We we're given the option of picking up the certificate the next day or setting up some other time to pick it up.

Summary:
It's an all day and very thorough class where you'll get all the information you could ever want with competent instructors in a small personable classroom setting where the safety of the shooters is top priority. I can only assume that you get more out of this class than most other packed public classes with non-experienced shooters. The class portion was a little dry during the verbatim reciting of the laws, but the friendly chatter made it bearable. The shooting portion was nothing less than what I expected and then some, it was more fun than it feeling like just some required duties. Most importantly, I never felt unsafe around other shooters and definitely learned some new skills. The pricing needs to be solidified for the course so there is no confusion. I will certainly recommend this course to anyone I know looking for a CCDW course. Overall score for those who just want the quick guide, A- or an 8.9 out of 10.


Radnor

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Re: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2017, 11:51:01 AM »
Thank you sir for the kind words.  It was a pleasure having you in the class.
If any questions should come up, please feel free to contact either John or I at any time.

John and I talked about an increase in price for the beginning of the year, which I forgot about.
I quoted you $225, I will stand by it.  Let me know VIA PM how I can get you the difference.

Todd

« Last Edit: March 13, 2017, 01:05:19 PM by Radnor »
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CRSO, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection In and Outside The Home, Home Firearm Safety, & Reloading.

Knowledge, skills, & experience have value. If you expect to profit from someone's you should expect to pay.

MarcWinkman

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Re: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2017, 06:28:32 PM »
Great review of Radnor's course.  I must say, I do feel bad for folks across the board in the class portion when listening to the legalese portion. 

topper

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Re: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2017, 07:37:46 PM »
Great review of Radnor's course.  I must say, I do feel bad for folks across the board in the class portion when listening to the legalese portion. 

MarcWinkman, I appreciate the fact that you as a lawyer understand what the rest of the world is going through when we try to read the legalese.

I can usually figure it out, but I may have to read it a few times and let it sink in a bit, and read it a couple more times. LOL
Laws that forbid the carrying of arms…disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes…

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MarcWinkman

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Re: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2017, 09:42:09 PM »
Great review of Radnor's course.  I must say, I do feel bad for folks across the board in the class portion when listening to the legalese portion. 

MarcWinkman, I appreciate the fact that you as a lawyer understand what the rest of the world is going through when we try to read the legalese.

I can usually figure it out, but I may have to read it a few times and let it sink in a bit, and read it a couple more times. LOL

It's not that long ago that I was in law school...and there's a reason that I don't delve into areas of practice like corporate litigation...I think I'd develop brain bleeds from all the overly conceptualized legal jargon.

GlocksAreFun

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Re: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2017, 01:27:34 PM »
Here is my review for Radnor's CCDW Course.
I've lurked on the forums for a bit and have been doing my research on classes in the area. The big issues for me were price, location, and class size. This is a long review, but a quick summary at the bottom can be found.

Contact:
After deciding to go with Radnor, I messaged him and got a very thorough response the following day. He gave me the details of the class which included dates, costs, and next steps. Radnor then told me who to contact in order to get registered for the class, this person was his co-instructor for the class.

Price:
Probably my only gripe, which of course was not a deal killer since I went ahead with the course, was the inconsistency with the price. I was initially quoted $225 which included a certificate and fingerprinting for an Arizona CCDW (though the Arizona application is optional, you could subtract $25 if you don't want it). After scheduling a date for the class I was told it would be $250, I did question the earlier quote but was told $250 was the actual price, fair enough, it was on par with most other classes.

Class, learning portion:
The class was located in New Castle County in the Bear area. I was told in the first e-mail that it would be a REALLY long day and I got exactly that, from 0900 to 2100. I really wanted a small class, mostly because that would limit how many people would waste time with crazy questions and/or lack of firearm experience. I was told when I registered there were a total of 6 others, but come class time, there was 6 total including myself, perfect, can't really do better than that.

Radnor seems to get many of his students from referrals, which once I arrived to the class made sense as it seemed everyone had a bit of repertoire with each other, no biggie, they were very welcoming and I didn't feel out of place at all.

The class was pretty straight forward, but Radnor and co-instructor decided to try something new and do their normal routine backwards. They decided to take fingerprints for the Arizona CCW process first, then the Delaware laws on CCDW, and then finally the basics of operating and firing a gun. This routine makes most sense if everyone has experience with firearms, which everyone did, because we didn't spend too much time on the concept of basics pistol knowledge (this is a trigger...this is the barrel). If there were new shooters, it'd be best to really nail the basics before moving on so that any future terminology made sense.

One of the most helpful topics that we went over was how to properly apply for the Delaware CCDW. Now, you can apply for the CCDW without having taken the course but I did all the items I needed to except for the final filing of the application. Radnor had a good incite on how to properly fill out the application and the types of answers they are looking for the THE QUESTION.

The class itself, though I have never taken any other courses, is probably as exciting as you'd think sitting and listening to someone (or two) speak for 8 hours is. It was very detailed and at any time anyone could speak up and ask questions. There was one student with a hearing impairment who had someone signing for her, Radnor and his co-instructor did a great job of involving her. We had numerous breaks throughout the course, lunch and drinks we're provided, don't expect lobster.

Most of the laws that we reviewed were in law jargon, sometimes being a bit too confusing. I believe what made learning much easier is that both instructors had stories and situations in which they conveyed the main purpose of the law. The real life applications also make the laws more memorable, which helps since there are plenty.

Class, shooting portion:
Finally, the fun part of the night. We all had to drive to the range which was 10 minutes away and no one had issues getting to it. Everyone was given instructions prior to shooting which everyone followed with no issues. We would load our magazines at the table and proceed to the line, we were told to bring 100 rounds. We then took turns shooting individually with the instructors right next to us at the targets from 5 yards.

The best part of the class was that once everyone fired a couple magazines and were deemed competent enough (to be honest, everyone put 20~ rounds into 2-inch groupings with 0 issues), the instructors decided to teach some defensive shooting as well as work on some shooting drills until everyone had shot their required allotment and then some. Both instructors were very helpful and I am sure that everyone in the class took home some new skill sets. The instructors we're very patient in teaching as well as just offering above and beyond the necessary requirements for the course for the shooting portion.

Certification and miscellaneous:
Right before shooting, Radnor took our photos for Delaware's application, that's a time and $7 save from Walgreens or the like.

We we're given the option of picking up the certificate the next day or setting up some other time to pick it up.

Summary:
It's an all day and very thorough class where you'll get all the information you could ever want with competent instructors in a small personable classroom setting where the safety of the shooters is top priority. I can only assume that you get more out of this class than most other packed public classes with non-experienced shooters. The class portion was a little dry during the verbatim reciting of the laws, but the friendly chatter made it bearable. The shooting portion was nothing less than what I expected and then some, it was more fun than it feeling like just some required duties. Most importantly, I never felt unsafe around other shooters and definitely learned some new skills. The pricing needs to be solidified for the course so there is no confusion. I will certainly recommend this course to anyone I know looking for a CCDW course. Overall score for those who just want the quick guide, A- or an 8.9 out of 10.


I wanted to receive my permit (took less than two months to receive!) before I gave my review. I agree with most of the OP. Both instructors are very informative and were always willing to answer any questions. The laws portion can be a little confusing but they did a very good job applying scenarios to make it easier to understand. I've been around firearms my whole life so the functions portions was a little slow for me but again not everyone is the same so no fault for the instructors. The class is a very long but you definitely get your monies worth. The actual shooting portion was very fun and an awesome learning experience. Other instructors I heard just make you qualify where as in this class both instructors are with you and focus on bettering your shooting skills. It almost like I was taking a separate class for defensive skills. I would recommend this class for anyone who is interested.

SturmRugerSR9

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Re: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2017, 01:37:31 PM »
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Since 2007.

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Book 1 person reg. price,
GET 2ND person for $50.
DE/Utah Combo. Classes avail.
1 Day Class incl. range time.

We also offer advanced CCDW
Tactical Rifle/Shotgun 
& NRA classes.

302-542-3755.
www.trainforthefight.com

 Down State. Better price and great training. I received mine there many years ago.
I'D RATHER HAVE A GUN IN MY HANDS, THAN A COP ON THE PHONE!

I reserve the right to not be perfect.

PROTECT THE 1ST AND 2ND AMENDMENT!

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Radnor

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Re: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2017, 01:56:57 PM »
Here is my review for Radnor's CCDW Course.

SNIP.  No need to include it again.

I wanted to receive my permit (took less than two months to receive!) before I gave my review. I agree with most of the OP. Both instructors are very informative and were always willing to answer any questions. The laws portion can be a little confusing but they did a very good job applying scenarios to make it easier to understand. I've been around firearms my whole life so the functions portions was a little slow for me but again not everyone is the same so no fault for the instructors. The class is a very long but you definitely get your monies worth. The actual shooting portion was very fun and an awesome learning experience. Other instructors I heard just make you qualify where as in this class both instructors are with you and focus on bettering your shooting skills. It almost like I was taking a separate class for defensive skills. I would recommend this class for anyone who is interested.

Thank you for the kind words.  A pleasure having you in the class.

If you should have any questions in the future, please feel free to contact either of us at any time.
You have our email addresses and phone numbers.

Be safe,

Todd
NRA Certified Instructor and Training Counselor
CRSO, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection In and Outside The Home, Home Firearm Safety, & Reloading.

Knowledge, skills, & experience have value. If you expect to profit from someone's you should expect to pay.

mhatche3

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Review of Radnor’s CCDW Course
« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2018, 11:04:19 PM »
I am going to make this review short and sweet. I liked the class a lot. The review of the Delaware state and federal gun laws portion of the class are very long, approximately 8 hours, but it’s very informative. It’s hard to retain all the information so the instructors make sure they send each student a copy of the state and federal law. After the review of the laws, we headed to the range to shoot. At the range, the instructors coach each student on their shot and give great feedback on each students shooting going forward, whether that’s recommending another gun for their hand size or more coaching. The instructors are very hospitable and have great senses of humor. The course is expensive. It cost me $250. They’ll also help you receive your Arizona license which allows you to conceal carry in even more states. I would recommend this course to those who have the money because it’s a very good experience and the instructors are extremely supportive even after your done with the course. You can always contact them with questions. The course is also good because it’s held on the weekends.

Radnor

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Re: A Review of Radnor's CCDW Course
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2018, 11:56:08 AM »
Thank you for the kind words.  It was a pleasure having you in the class.

If you should have any question in the future, please feel free to contact either of us ant any time.

Be safe.

Todd

I've merged this with the other one Todd
NRA Certified Instructor and Training Counselor
CRSO, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection In and Outside The Home, Home Firearm Safety, & Reloading.

Knowledge, skills, & experience have value. If you expect to profit from someone's you should expect to pay.