QSD Consulting, LLC’s Defensive and Firearms Training Division began operations in 2009. From its inception we had one goal in mind – to provide our customers the highest level of training while adhering to the highest levels of safety. The vast majority of people taking handgun instruction in the State of Colorado do so in order to obtain their concealed handgun permits. Unfortunately, the statutory requirements to do so are minimal, whch is reflected in the quality of training which is available on the market.
The upsurge in demand for instructors has resulted in a multitude of people who have become certified solely with a financial interest – to cash in. We limit our classes to no more than 6 students, and do so with the explicit aim of providing individual training. Whereas most instructors train large groups in the span of 8 hours, we split our class into 2 days so we can address all of the theoretical training and dry practice on the first day, and continue with live fire on the second day without time limitation. Instead of having the student shoot a qualification target of 15 rounds, we instruct each student individually through the entire practical process and progress from retention, static shooting to dynamic shooting, shooting on the move, clearing weapon malfunctions, and introduce them into proper tactical planning to defend themselves both inside the home and outside. Additionally, we are available to our students as a source of information going forward, whether they continue to take more advanced training with us or not. The last thing we want is a student who is ill prepared and overconfident, who will end up hurting himself and others in the event that he needs to put his skills into play in the defense of his loved ones.
Our methodology begins with theoretical instruction followed by dry practice of all of the skills using the best training equipment we have found on the market – the SIRT Training Pistol from Next Level Training. Once the student has demonstrated his ability to perform the skills safely, we proceed to the use of live ammunition. Utilizing the SIRT also allows to safely instruct our students in advanced tactical scenarios using force-on-force, target recognition, and close quarters engagements, without the possibility of injury due to a negligent discharge.
We abide by two mottos:
- Safety First and Foremost – all of our training is formulated to maintain the highest degree of safety. Many instructors claim to be “high speed, low drag”, and one such instructor discharged his firearm inside a dark shoot house, injuring his assistant instructor. It is only by God’s grace that the assistant instructor survived. The main instructor failed to follow the most elemental rules of firearms safety.
- Always Student, Sometimes Teacher – Although we are instructors, we are in a never ending quest to improve ourselves. We continuously train with different instructors and review the latest methodologies. We, however, do not take anything for granted until we analyze the why’s and how’s of the methodologies. I cannot tell you how many times an instructor will tell a student to perform a skill in a certain manner, but is unable to articulate why it is such. Failing to understand the principle behind a technique will render the technique useless in a dynamic confrontation. Additionally, there is always something to be learned from our students, and not a single class goes by where we do not learn something new.
In addition to instructing individuals, together with Major Nardia we have trained instructors from abroad in advanced techniques. In the realm of unarmed self defense, we host self defense seminars for organizations in order to empower their members with abilities which may mean the difference between being a victim and escaping without harm.