About Us
FreeState Firearms Training
Our main objectives are to educate our student base and followers with information that will make themselves and their families/friends safer, with our main focus being concealed carry and defensive handgun training, personal defense is about much more then firearms, it's about a mindset and a lifestyle.
We subscribe to and follow the Professional Code of Defensive Shooting Instructors.
1. I am committed to the safety of my students, and hold that the expected benefit of any training activity must significantly outweigh any known or perceived risk of that activity.
2. I believe that it is my responsibility to understand not just what I’m teaching, but WHY I’m teaching any technique or concept, or offering specific advice.
3. I recognize that defensive shooting skills, along with the drills and gear used, are inherently specialized and usually distinct from those of target shooting, competition and hunting endeavors.
4. I will encourage my students to ask questions about course material, and I will answer them with thorough and objective explanations.
5. I understand that Integrity and Professionalism are subjective traits and I strive to maintain high levels of both. I am capable of, and willing to, articulate the reasons for the way I conduct my courses and how I interact with students & peers.
6. I believe that it is valuable to engage my peers in constructive conversation about differences in technique and concept, with the goal of mutual education and evolution.
7. I believe that the best instructor is an avid student, and I will strive to continually upgrade my own skills and knowledge. As part of this belief, I understand that my own teachings need to be subject to critique and open to evolution.
Industry-Leading Curriculums
All our courses utilize the USCCA Curriculum. The USCCA curriculum is the industry leader in Concealed Carry and Home Defense Instruction. We pride ourselves in keeping up-to-date with local personal defense laws and regulations and proven personal defense techniques. We are constantly learning and collaborating with some of the leading industry experts so we can offer the best defensive training in the area.
Dedicated Instructors
Dave Ritchie
Founder and Lead Instructor
Mr. Ritchie has been a certified firearms instructor since 2013, when he started instructing as an adjunct instructor for Innovative Defensive Solutions in VA until 2018, when he decided to branch off on his own and open FreeState Firearms Training.
Dave has a passion for teaching and developing the firearm skills of students and instructors. Dave has extensive experience teaching new students the confidence, skills and responsibility required to own and safely use a firearm.
Credentials:
USCCA Training Counselor
USCCA Certified Instructor
NRA Chief Range Safety Officer
NRA Range Safety Officer
NRA Pistol Instructor
Concealed Carry Scenario, Force-on-Force Instructor
Maryland State Police Certified Handgun Instructor
Holds Concealed Carry Permits in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and Utah.
Our Motto
Personal protection should be a mindset, not just a skillset.
