Welcome to Gottesritter!

I’m Kevin Ritter, owner and trainer. I’m a certified NRA Instructor, ICE Defensive Firearms Coach, Illinois Concealed Carry Instructor and Illinois Hunter Safety Instructor. I have used firearms for nearly my whole life. I was originally trained as a professional instructor and have taught on a variety of subjects over the last 45 years. I have over 20 years of experience specifically as a firearms instructor, training hundreds of students on firearm safety and operation.

My mission is to provide quality, practical firearm training, coaching and information to increase your skill and comfort in the use of firearms.

Visit the Courses page to view more information about available training options and scheduled classes.

“What courses should I take?” you might ask. Here are some suggestions

• If you are new to firearms, I recommend taking the NRA Basic Pistol class. This will train you on gun safety, gun maintenance, how to use different type of handguns, how to select a handgun, fundamentals of using a handgun and other topics.
• If you are wanting to get your Illinois Concealed Carry you will need to have 16 hours of training total. You can meet that requirement by taking the NRA Basic Pistol class and the 8 Hour Illinois Concealed Carry class. Or you can sign up for the 16 Hour Illinois Concealed Carry Class which includes both. In some cases, such those with a military or law enforcement background, prior firearms training may earn you credit towards meeting the 16 hour requirement. More details can be found in the Concealed Carry course listing.

Why take your training through me?

Simply because I do it better. I consistently receive top marks in feedback evaluations. Students who attended classes with other instructors before coming to my class have reported they learned much more in my class. I’ve received comments like “I learned more in the first 10 minutes than I learned in the whole other class.” So, get the best value for your investment in time and money by attending my classes.