Defensive Training Group

What Defensive Training Group does

Defensive Training Group, Inc. (DTG) is a privately held, founder-owned firearms training company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Gainesville, Florida. The company delivers in-person tactical firearms instruction across handgun, carbine, shotgun, low-light, close-quarters battle (CQB), night vision, and tactical medicine disciplines, following a proprietary "Combat Triad" methodology (Marksmanship, Manipulation, Mindset). DTG serves three primary customer segments: armed civilians seeking concealed carry and self-defense training, federal/state/local law enforcement officers pursuing advanced skill development, and military personnel; a fourth institutional segment (churches and businesses) is served through custom security team training. Courses are priced between $170 and $435 per student, with class sizes deliberately capped at 4-8 students to maintain low student-to-instructor ratios.

DTG's core product is a curated curriculum of 30+ courses delivered at two Florida ranges — Shoot GTR in Gainesville (where founder Bill Quirk serves as Range Master) and Talon Range in Midway — with mobile training available upon request. The company operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model, with students registering and paying through the company website. Revenue is generated entirely through professional services: open enrollment courses, private coaching ($75/hour), private classes ($250/person), consulting ($150/hour), and custom organizational training (CSTT). The company is led by president and director of training Bill Quirk (a retired 20+ year law enforcement veteran with US Marshals task force experience) and supported by adjunct instructors Robert Balbis (tactical medicine) and Stephen Roberts (joined 2025). DTG holds no patents, has no disclosed funding or external investors, and has no parent company; it is a lifestyle-scale professional services business with a strong reputation in the North Florida tactical training market but limited geographic and operational footprint.

Name

Defensive Training Group

Legal name

Defensive Training Group, Inc.

Website

https://defensivetraininggroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Defensive Training Group is a privately held Gainesville, Florida firearms training company founded in 2007 that delivers in-person tactical shooting courses to armed civilians, law enforcement, military personnel, and organizational clients across handgun, carbine, shotgun, and tactical medicine disciplines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Firearms Training Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Armed Security & Firearms Training & Qualification (BPAKAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Firearms, Range Safety & Less-Lethal Weapons Training (EDAOAMAN), Private Security, Guarding & Patrol Training (EDAOAMAF)

Keywords

• Tactical firearms training
• Concealed carry courses
• Handgun carbine shotgun
• Tactical medicine training
• Security team training

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Open Enrollment Courses: DTG generates primary revenue through open enrollment firearms training courses ranging from 4-18 hours, with fees between $170-$435 per student. Courses cover handgun, carbine, shotgun, and specialized topics like low-light, CQB, and night vision.
2. Private Coaching: One-on-one or small group instruction at $75/hour for individual coaching sessions covering handgun, carbine, shotgun, or custom curriculum.
3. Private Classes: Private instruction for individuals or small groups at $250 per person per session.
4. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for industry partners, businesses, and organizations at $150/hour. Covers product testing/development, home defense, and church/business security.
5. Church/Company Security Team Training (CSTT): Custom curriculum training for organizations including churches and businesses. Pricing quoted per student per session, adjusted based on number of attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Defensive Training Group is a tactical firearms training school that delivers in-person handgun, carbine, shotgun, low-light, night vision, CQB, tactical medicine, and security team courses at ranges in Florida. Offerings are sold a la carte as individual courses ($170-$435 per student), private coaching ($75/hour), private classes ($250/person), consulting ($150/hour), and custom curriculum for churches and businesses. Instruction is built around the proprietary Combat Triad framework (Marksmanship, Manipulation, Mindset) taught in deliberately small groups of 4-8 students.

Product overview

Defensive Training Group is a firearms training company offering a comprehensive curriculum of tactical shooting courses. The core offerings span three weapon platforms: Handgun courses (Reactive Handgun Fundamentals, Red Dot Reactive Handgun, Lo-Vis Reactive Handgun, Advanced Reactive Handgun, EDC Applications, Reactive Handgun Applications, Low Light Reactive Handgun, Extreme Reactive Handgun, Vehicle Environments, Concealed Carry Environments, Home Defense Applications); Carbine courses (Reactive Carbine Fundamentals, Mid-Range Reactive Carbine, Reactive Carbine Applications, Low Light Reactive Carbine, NVG Seminar, Stress Drills/CQB, All CQB, Low Light CQB); and Shotgun courses (Reactive Shotgun Fundamentals, Reactive Shotgun Applications). Supporting offerings include Medical Bag/IFAK Builder for tactical medicine training, Private Coaching and Private Class for personalized instruction, Consulting Services for industry partners, and Church/Company Security Team Training for organizational security needs. The company follows a progression from fundamentals through advanced applications, emphasizing the Combat Triad of Marksmanship, Manipulation, and Mindset.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reactive Handgun Fundamentals A 9-hour beginning-level course covering the fundamentals of fighting with a handgun, meeting Florida Concealed Weapons Permit requirements.
• Red Dot Reactive Handgun A 9-hour course focused on the rapid and accurate use of red-dot-equipped pistols or revolvers.
• Lo-Vis Reactive Handgun A 9-hour class teaching how to carry, draw, and shoot the concealed handgun, including alternative carry systems such as fanny and chest packs.
• Advanced Reactive Handgun A 9-hour high-intensity course based on Bill Rogers' principles of human response time, with time-controlled targets and heavy emphasis on one-handed shooting.
• EDC (Everyday Carry) Applications A 9-hour class covering fundamentals of carrying and fighting with a concealed handgun plus basics of tactical medical care and tourniquet use.
• Reactive Handgun Applications A 9-hour intensive course continuing education from Reactive Handgun Fundamentals, covering skills required to win a gunfight with emphasis on speed and accuracy.
• Low Light Reactive Handgun A 5-hour evening course introducing concepts and tactics of shooting in the dark with and without artificial light sources.
• Extreme Reactive Handgun A 9-hour intensive course covering the use of the defensive handgun from extreme close quarters out to distances outside the normal six-foot window.
• Vehicle Environments A 9-hour course covering concepts and tactics of operating within and around vehicles, including egress and use of vehicles as cover.
• Concealed Carry Environments An intensive 2-day (18-hour) course exposing students to techniques and strategies for everyday concealed carry with realistic scenario training.
• Home Defense Applications A 9-hour course introducing concepts and tactics of home defense and movement within structures, conducted inside an actual home using blue (dummy) guns.
• Reactive Carbine Fundamentals A 9-hour beginning-level class focusing on fighting with the 5.56mm carbine, covering close-quarters combat and longer-range engagements.
• Mid-Range Reactive Carbine A 9-hour course on fighting with the 5.56mm carbine from close quarters out to 100 yards, exploring use of a Low-Powered Variable Optic (LPVO).
• Reactive Carbine Applications A 9-hour course designed to enhance carbine ability, focusing on a gunfighting mindset and increasing shooter speed while maintaining accuracy.
• Low Light Reactive Carbine A 5-hour evening course introducing concepts and tactics of shooting in the dark with carbine-mounted lights and handheld lights.
• NVG (Night Vision) Seminar A 4-hour course exploring techniques utilizing night vision devices and related equipment with live-fire practice under NVGs.
• Stress Drills / CQB A 1-day class focusing on dealing with stress responses, combining physical exertion and shooting drills and transitioning to a live-fire shoothouse environment.
• All CQB A 1-day class building on Stress Drills/CQB lessons with one- and two-person live-fire drills in a shoothouse environment.
• Low Light CQB A 5-hour class building on All CQB lessons with live-fire drills in a shoothouse environment under low-light conditions.
• Reactive Shotgun Fundamentals A 9-hour beginning-level course introducing the fighting shotgun with focus on tactical deployment at close-quarter distances.
• Reactive Shotgun Applications A 2-day (18-hour) course designed to enhance shotgun ability, teaching weapon operation while moving and in unconventional positions.
• Medical Bag / IFAK Builder A 3-hour classroom-based course covering construction of medical kits from small pouches to facility resupply bags, taught by a medical professional and including a complimentary EDC IFAK with tourniquet.
• Private Coaching Hourly private instruction available for individuals or small groups covering handgun, carbine, shotgun, or custom curriculum at $75 per hour.
• Private Class Private instruction for individuals or small groups at $250 per person covering handgun, carbine, shotgun, or custom curriculum.
• Consulting Services Professional consulting services at $150/hour covering product testing/development, home defense, and church/business security.
• Church / Company Security Team Training (CSTT) Custom curriculum for businesses and places of worship covering team composition, threat continuum, de-escalation, active shooter tactics, and tactical medicine, with pricing quoted per student per session and a required deposit.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students develop unconscious competence - ability to perform necessary actions under dynamic stress without conscious thought
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Sentinel ConceptsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBill Quirk served as an adjunct instructor for Sentinel Concepts during his law enforcement career. This represents a historical training relationship with the tactical training company founded by Craig W. Smith.
• Morrigan ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBill Quirk served as an adjunct instructor for Morrigan Consulting. The Combat Triad concept taught by DTG was originally introduced to Bill Quirk by Bill Jeans of Morrigan Consulting in the mid-1990s.
• Shoot GTR (Gainesville Target Range)coreOthersPrimary training facility for DTG courses. Located at 1610 NW 65th Pl, Gainesville FL 32653. Bill Quirk serves as Range Master and Lead Instructor for Shoot GTR.
• Talon RangeminorOthersSecondary training facility partner. Located at 550 Commerce Blvd, Midway FL 32343. Used for select courses.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thunder Ranch: Oregon-based tactical firearms training school founded by Clint Smith offering handgun, rifle, and shotgun courses for civilians, law enforcement, and military — directly comparable course lineup and instructor-led delivery to DTG.
• Gunsite Academy: Long-established Arizona-based firearms training school offering multi-day handgun, rifle, shotgun, and defensive tactics courses for civilians, law enforcement, and military — closely comparable curriculum depth and target segments to DTG.
• Magpul Dynamics: Tactical firearms training brand owned by Magpul Industries, offering carbine, handgun, and scenario-based courses taught by former military/LE instructors — overlapping instructor pedigree, curriculum structure, and customer base with DTG.
• Sentinel Concepts: Tactical firearms training company founded by Craig W. Smith offering carbine, handgun, and CQB courses; DTG founder Bill Quirk previously served as adjunct instructor — comparable curriculum and customer profile.
• SIG Sauer Academy: Manufacturer-backed tactical firearms training academy in New Hampshire offering handgun, carbine, and shotgun courses for civilians, law enforcement, and military — directly comparable course catalog, customer base, and instructor-led model to DTG.
• Front Sight Firearms Training Institute: Nevada-based firearms training resort offering multi-day handgun, rifle, shotgun, and defensive tactics courses for civilians — comparable curriculum depth, civilian-focused customer base, and structured progression model to DTG.
• Costa Ludus: Tactical carbine and handgun training company offering CQB and weapons manipulation courses — comparable course content, instructor-led format, and civilian/LE customer mix to DTG.
• Centrifuge Training: Multi-state tactical firearms training provider offering handgun, rifle, and CQB courses for civilians, law enforcement, and military — closely comparable curriculum breadth and instructor-led delivery to DTG.
• Vickers Tactical: Tactical training company founded by Larry Vickers (former Delta Force) offering handgun, carbine, and CQB courses — comparable instructor-led model, LE/military customer base, and progression-based curriculum to DTG.
• EAG Tactical (European American Tactical): Florida-based tactical firearms training school offering carbine, handgun, and CQB courses for civilians, law enforcement, and military — directly comparable Florida-based footprint and curriculum overlap with DTG.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Defensive Training Group