From CCW to Advanced Defensive Shooting: The Real Training Journey with Viking 6 Tactical

Indoor Range CCW Training - The Gun Shop in Leesburg

At Viking 6 Tactical, we hear this all the time:

“I got my CCW—so I’m good now, right?”

It’s a fair question.

• After all, you took the class.

• You passed the test.

• You got the permit.

• Shouldn’t you be ready?

Here’s the truth: Owning a firearm, and even having the legal right to carry it, doesn’t automatically make you skilled, prepared, or truly capable of using it to defend yourself and your family.

The CCW permit is a starting line, not a finish line.

If you’re serious about protecting your life and the lives of those you love, you need to see training as an ongoing journey. At Viking 6 Tactical, that journey has a progression: from learning safe fundamentals to advanced, realistic defensive shooting under stress.

The Instrument Analogy: Buying a Gun vs. Learning to Use It

Let’s start with a simple comparison: buying a firearm is like buying a musical instrument.

Imagine walking into a store and buying a beautiful guitar. Maybe you even watch a couple YouTube videos about chords. But that doesn’t mean you’re ready to walk on stage and perform a complex classical piece in front of an audience.

Musical skill doesn’t come from owning the instrument, it comes from consistent, guided practice. It takes hours of disciplined work to build muscle memory, understand theory, and perform confidently.

Sure, there are a few rare people who are naturals. Some people can pick up an instrument and teach themselves to a high level. Similarly, some shooters seem to have an innate gift and become great marksmen on their own.

But for most of us? That’s not reality.

Most of us need instruction to:

✅ Learn proper fundamentals

✅ Avoid bad habits

✅ Build a path to advanced skills

✅ Train for real-world situations under stress

Because when the stakes are highest, when you’re facing a threat, you don’t want your skills to fall apart. You want them automated, so you can focus on making good decisions.

Why Training Matters: You Don’t Rise to the Occasion, You Fall to Your Training

A lot of people have the mistaken belief that when the chips are down, they’ll just "rise to the occasion." That they’ll suddenly become John Wick or Chuck Norris in the moment they need it most.

But that’s a dangerous myth.

In reality, under stress, our bodies react in predictable ways.

• Heart rate spikes.

• Adrenaline surges.

• Fine motor skills deteriorate.

• Tunnel vision sets in.

You don’t get better when you’re terrified, you default to your level of training.

If you haven’t trained enough to make your draw, your grip, your trigger press, and your threat assessment automatic? You’re at real risk of fumbling, hesitating, or making tragic mistakes.

That’s why real training isn’t about playing “pretend hero.” It’s about preparing yourself to meet the challenge of the worst day of your life.

Our Philosophy: Responsibility Over Ego

At Viking 6 Tactical, we believe carrying a firearm is about accepting personal responsibility.

• It’s not about looking tough.

• It’s not about gear or brands.

• It’s not about arguments on social media.

• It’s about making sure you, and the people who count on you, make it home safe.

You are your family’s first responder. That’s a role to take seriously. And that means committing to training that is:

• Consistent

• Progressive

• Realistic

• Ethical

Stage One: CCW and Beginner Training

Every journey starts with a first step. For most people, that’s the Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) class.

Our approach to CCW isn’t just to check the box so you can get your permit. It’s about laying the foundation for everything that comes next.

In our CCW class, you’ll learn:

✅ The fundamentals of safe firearm handling

✅ Range etiquette and shooting basics

✅ Florida self-defense laws, when you’re legally authorized to draw and use deadly force

✅ How to avoid and de-escalate dangerous encounters

✅ What to do legally and emotionally after a defensive incident

We spend time on the range ensuring you can confidently handle your firearm safely.

But we’re honest with you: This isn’t enough to prepare you for a violent encounter.

That’s why from the very beginning, we emphasize real-world defensive skills:

• Issuing clear verbal commands

• Developing situational awareness

• Preparing for multiple threats

• Making rapid, ethical decisions under stress

We also teach you how to train at home:

✅ Dry-fire practice

✅ Laser systems

✅ Safe manipulation drills

Because real skill isn’t built in a single class. It’s built over time, with focused, consistent practice.

We strongly encourage our students to master the basics before moving on. For those who want more time, we offer additional sessions to refine those fundamentals until you’re truly ready for the next step.

Defensive Shooting - Ares Training Facility, Leesburg

Stage Two: Basic Defensive Shooting

Once you’re comfortable with the fundamentals, it’s time to move to Basic Defensive Shooting.

This is where we start introducing defensive concepts that go far beyond CCW-level training:

✅ Drawing from a holster: Safely and reliably accessing your firearm under pressure

✅ Weapons retention: Keeping your gun secure in a struggle

✅ Rhythm firing: Delivering controlled, accurate strings of fire

We don’t just focus on hitting the bullseye at leisure. We train you to succeed under realistic conditions. For example, one of our benchmark drills is:

Draw and fire 5 accurate rounds into the high-center-mass box in under 3 seconds at 3 yards, the average distance for defensive shootings.

This isn’t a competition. It’s about building functional skills that actually hold up when your life depends on them.

Stage Three: Advanced Defensive Shooting

After mastering the basics, you’re ready for Advanced Defensive Shooting.

Here, the training truly simulates the complexity of a violent encounter.

✅ Shoot to stop the threat: We don’t train you to fire a set number of rounds, but to keep shooting until the threat ends.

✅ Dynamic targets: We use balloons placed in critical zones, requiring you to deliver effective hits, not just holes in paper.

✅ Positive target identification: No-shoot targets in front of and behind threats force you to think about angles and innocent bystanders.

✅ Stress drills: Reloads and malfunctions under time pressure help you operate effectively even when things go wrong.

✅ Verbal commands and scenario planning: Because real encounters aren’t just about shooting, they’re about making decisions.

This level of training builds stress inoculation. As you repeat drills under pressure, your body and mind learn to function effectively, even when adrenaline is surging.

VIP Program: Continuing the Journey

Even Advanced Defensive Shooting isn’t the end.

At Viking 6 Tactical, we believe skill fades without practice. That’s why we created our VIP Program for graduates of our advanced courses.

VIP members get access to:

✅ Special range sessions at discounted prices

✅ New, challenging drills to keep skills sharp

✅ A community of committed safety-minded shooters

✅ Ongoing coaching and support

The goal is simple: Continue growing, learning, and staying prepared.

Why This Matters

We don’t offer training to make you feel cool or tactical. We do it because we know what’s at stake.

Your firearm isn’t a magic talisman that wards off evil. It’s a tool. And like any tool, it’s only as effective as the person using it.

You are your family’s first line of defense. When seconds count, police are minutes away. Law enforcement officers are incredible professionals, but with fewer than 0.1% of the population on duty at any given time, they can’t be everywhere.

That means the responsibility is yours.

Your goal shouldn’t be to play action hero. Your goal is to make sure your family is safe. To make sure you make it home. To ensure you can make decisions you can live with.

Our Commitment

At Viking 6 Tactical, we’re here to help you train with purpose.

We take every student seriously, whether they’re brand new to firearms or an experienced shooter looking to advance. We offer a clear, realistic progression from CCW basics to Advanced Defensive Shooting, always with the goal of making you safe, confident, and prepared.

Because when the moment comes, and we hope it never does, you won’t rise to the occasion.... You’ll fall to your level of training.

Let’s make sure that level is where it needs to be.

Ready to begin your journey?

Contact Viking 6 Tactical today to learn more about our classes and training progression.