Testimonials

Brian was an excellent and patient instructor who is very dedicated to his students. The class was thorough and well done. The facilities were top notch. Everything about the class was five stars. I would recommend this to anyone interested in taking the course.

I would like to start out by saying thank you Brian for an excellent class and an amazing training experience.  

Before choosing a conceal and carry instructor, I conducted a lot of research to see who would be the best choice based on the experience, patience, and knowledge that would help me understand the true essence of conceal and carry practice; Brian Kossof of Concealed and Carry of Illinois stood out as the best instructor Illinois has to offer.  Brian’s rankings are excellent, his social media presence is strong, and he has put a lot of work into his training program.

Brian spent fifteen minutes answering my questions over the phone, he provided objective data regarding the clientele he has helped with conceal and carry and how they still come back to him for advice.  I was concerned about the right gun that I should carry to protect myself, my family, and the safety mechanisms’ to apply to protect our children from gaining access to the guns.  Brian made the process incredibly easy and took extra steps many other instructors usually don't which they should, such as get a firearms attorney, biometric gun safes, types of belts and much more.

Brian's instruction class blew me away, his hard work and knowledge of what it takes to be a conceal and carry holder really pays off, he makes you recognize the need to protect yourself but also the responsibility of conceal and carry.  I highly recommend Brian Kossof of Concealed and Carry of Illinois to any and everyone I know, Brian is a true professional and a genuinely amazing guy. Plus, he loves to eat great food; we had lunch at Jameson's Char House - excellent food and company.   Brian is very open minded, respectful of other cultures and religions, he can get along with anyone by finding their comfort zones.  I appreciate all the time and effort for the instructional conceal and carry class.

I signed up for the training to gain more understanding about firearm safe handling. I've only been a gun owner for about a year and though what I learned are from watching YouTube videos ( I know what other people think about learning from YouTube, and I am very selective as to which videos I referenced, but I did learned a lot). But of course nothing beats hands on experience. Our trainer Brian was very knowledgeable and was not afraid to share his experience on firearms. Class was fun and informative. The 2 days course went by very quick. Make sure you take notes though since a lot of information was presented. The class setting was great, I love the fact that its at a nice hotel conference room and the class wasn't very large, it gives you a chance to interact. The application for carry permit was a breeze, they pretty much did everything for you (if you're interested on applying for FL permit, make sure you take down note on how to do it, Brian will share that information also) I highly recommend Brian and CCWIL LLC to those who would like to acquire their carry permit or just to learn more about basic handling of firearms.

Everything about this ccw class was awesome. The class size was kept small in order to give each student individual attention both in the classroom as well as the range. Brian is an awesome instructor who teaches his students a lot about conceal carry as well as firearm safety. I would highly reccomend this course to anyone who is looking for a great class and great instructor. There are not many locations in the northern suburbs to take your ccw training but this was very convenient and the 2 days flew by.

I attended this past weekend’s 16-hour course with instructor Brian Kossof.  Brian keeps his class size small and offers a very casual and comfortable setting in a hotel conference room.  In addition to presenting the compulsory CCW coursework in an easy-to-digest manner, Brian differentiates himself by also spending time on each student’s specific firearm and shares his knowledge and experiences with a number of different firearm platforms.  Fingerprinting and permit filing services were also made available during the course, if you so choose.  Great experience.   

I thoroughly enjoyed taking Brian's class and I learned a lot more than I expected to. It was a great classroom environment and everybody received a personal teaching experience. I encourage anyone to take his class if they are looking for the best CCL class experience available. I will definitely be taking Brian's class for renewing my CCL as well as any additional training I ever decide on.

Brian is absolutely by far one of the best instructors I have ever had. He is very knowledgeable, informative, professional, thorough, down-to-earth, and overall genuinely wants firmarms users to succeed! "Safety awareness, law-abiding, and situational decision making" are some of the key takeaways under Brian's instruction. Additionally, Brian has an impeccable training style, which has gained him notoriety as "One of the best in the business"! He has a passion for his field and has impeccable credentials! I would highly recommend engaging Brian as an instructor and Concealed Carry of Illinois to everyone. 

As a firearms novice, I could not be more pleased with my experience with this course.  Brian was awesome.  First of all he has a set schedule of classes that make it easy to sign up and know your dates.  Most certified instructors tell you to find a few more people or wait until it makes financial sense for them to put something on the books.  Secondly, his training is appropriate for all interested, regardless of skill level.  I spent quite a bit of time trying to get used to using a firearm on my own and I learned more in 16 hours than I would have ever gotten on my own.  If you are looking into a firearm program, do not hesitate to sign up for this one.  You will not regret it and will come out a better firearm owner for having participated.  I will be in touch for long gun training next.  Thanks!  

I highly reccomend using CCOI for obtaing your CCW permit or any other firearms training in IL.   Brian is a very knowledgable instructor.  After each section of the 16-hour course, he paused to ask questions to make sure we understood the information and inquired if anyone had any questions.  When it cam to hands-on practice, Brian helped my shooting a significant amount.  He dempnstrated proper grip, draw techniques and sight picture.  These were very important and helped me become more confident in my shooting ability.  This was a great weekend and I look forward to working with Brian in the future.

I very much enjoyed the concealed carry course and left feeling confident in handling a handgun. Brian is a professional with true passion for his work. I was impressed by his enthusiasm and his personalized attention. His knowledge and skill make him a valuable resource. The small class size was nice, the onsite fingerprinting option expedited the permit process, and the hotel location made for a comfortable day.

Private Training - I couldn't have asked for a better and more thorough instruction. I took my time researching private instruction due to my demanding professional schedule and Concealed Carry of Illinois immediately became my choice. Brian was beyond accommodating offering the fabulous flexibility I required meeting me at different locations tailored to my convenience. More than the ease of getting together for instruction and Brian's understanding of an occasional interruption for my handling of quick business he was an unparalleled expert on everything I needed to know. His general coursework is so refined and to the important points it truly becomes interesting instead of the nauseating boredom I anticipated. Beyond the comprehensive standard instruction with the private instruction Brian really took time to not just go into great detail on questions I posed but also really analized my personal circumstances and offered so much great advice and more detailed explanations of legal circumstances and examples. He also was incredible with his technical expertise regarding everything from carry methods, specialty holsters, and general concealment and comfort tactics. This was far beyond even that I think he could do in the classroom because of the time he had to understand not just my firearm selection but how I normally dress, what I do for work, where I go, and how I generally live day to day. It's sounds like silly stuff until you start carrying and realize how many steps were saved in trying different methods and such. The private instruction may not be for everyone but I would honestly say that for how fair he actually was with his fees if you think it sounds even remotely appealing PLEASE consider it seriously and spend the extra couple bucks because you will be so comfortable, informed, and ready to go you'll think you can start instructing. This is serious stuff and I don't think there's another company or instructor in Illinois that can prepare you better than Brian and concealed carry of Illinois.

Brian took what could have been a VERY dry course and livened it up with anedotal stories of real life situations... some good, others bad. GREAT job, Brian, I'd definitely recommend you!

Brian was a great instructor.  The 2 day class went by pretty quickly and I learned quite a bit.  I would recommend this class for anyone looking to get their CCOL.

This class was perfect.  I feel very knowledgeable about the laws and what to do as a conceal and carry license holder both to protect myself physically and legally.  While I'm sure you can learn these things anywhere, Brian made it very enjoyable and filled with discussion versus didactic and boring training.  The two days flew by.  Also, some simple corrections to my grip, stance and aim led to significant improvement in accuracy.  Thanks Brian.

Brian was absolutely great. I learned a great deal in the class. Brian was very patient with our questions and he was very knowledgeable. I definitely would  tell anyone to take the course as well as the firearms training. 

Brian did a terrific job in the 2 day concealed carry class I took in Northbook. The Classroom was very comfortable, and the materials Brian used were helpful and educational.  I had no experience with pistols before the concealed carry class, and was a bit intimidated at the beginning (there was a wide range of expeirience in the class).  Brian took the time to get me comfortable handling, and respecting,  pistols in the classroom.  At the range, Brian was very helpful in recommending an appropriate pistol for me, and ensuring I understood all aspects of handling, and shooting, the pistol.  Brian did a great job with increasing my level of confidence and accuracy . I highly recommend the class to all levels (including my spouse).   Thank you!

Brian Was an outstanding instructor.  The course was concise and was extremely detailed.  The 16 hours class is perfect for beginners and experts alike.  Brian was attentive to all students and he was very patient.  I feel very comfortable with the knowledge that I learned.  Fantastic Job Thanks Brian I will definetly take more of your upcoming advanced classes.

This course was absolutely amazing. Paul was an awesome instructor who thoroughly explained and taught, both 8hour days, in such a comfortable manner. He's definitely the guy I'd call if I needed any tips. I highly recommend the Concealed Carry of Illinois to anyone who is looking to take theirs.

Brian runs a great course. I took the 16 hour weekend course in November 2015 to obtain my concealed carry license. As promised, I recieved my CCL in a little over a month. The classes were easy, fun, convenient and informative. Brian gave me a number of tips at the range and within a few weeks, using his instructions, I'm shooting 3 inch groups at 10 yards 80% of the time. Prior to his course, the last time I had fired a gun was over 30 years ago. In short, I highly recommend his course if you are wanting to obtain your CCL or just get a refresher on handgun use and safety.

Our instructor, Brian, helped  my wife and me throughly enjoy this engaging and most informative concealed carry 16 hour class. Despite our limited background with firearms, Brian instilled our confidence and removed any intimidation we had about handling a firearm. We had fun and learned alot and were stimulated to  advance our understanding of the many issues involved with gun safety and concealed carry. Brian's excellent professionalism and personal concern for helping us while shooting on the range convinced us that we had the best training possible.