About The Carry Institute
Serious training. Genuine patience. No judgment.
We started The Carry Institute to give DuPage County residents a place to learn firearms safety and concealed carry the right way — from instructors who take teaching as seriously as they take safety.
Our approach
Firearms training can feel intimidating — especially if you've never held a gun before, or if past experiences left you feeling talked down to. We built The Carry Institute around the opposite experience: small classes, real coaching, and instructors who explain the "why" behind every rule, not just the rule itself.
We teach adults of every gender, background, and experience level side by side. There's no assumed starting point and no wrong questions — just a clear path from wherever you're starting to real, tested competence.
Instruction
Who's teaching you
Shaun Crawford
Founder & Lead Instructor · NRA Certified Handgun Instructor · USCCA Certified Instructor
USCCA Certified Instructor
Shaun Crawford is the founder and lead instructor of The Carry Institute. An NRA Certified Handgun Instructor and USCCA Certified Instructor, he has spent 15 years teaching firearms safety and defensive skills to students of every background and experience level — from first-time gun owners to experienced concealed carriers sharpening their skills.
His curriculum spans Illinois Concealed Carry License instruction, home defense fundamentals, AR-15 rifle fundamentals, and dynamic/defensive pistol training for students ready to go beyond the basics. Shaun founded The Carry Institute to bring that same patient, judgment-free teaching approach to DuPage County — built on the belief that responsible gun ownership starts with real, tested competence, not just a certificate.
ISP-Approved CCL Instruction
NRA Certified Handgun Instructor and USCCA Certified Instructor, approved to teach the Illinois 16-hour Concealed Carry License curriculum in full.
Defensive & Dynamic Pistol Training
Beyond CCL instruction: AR-15 fundamentals, home defense, and dynamic/defensive pistol skills-building for students ready to go beyond the basics.
Small-Group, Hands-On Teaching
Class sizes are deliberately capped so every student gets real coaching on grip, stance, and decision-making — not just a seat in a lecture hall.
Our facility
“A calm, professional range environment — not an intimidating one.”Classroom sessions are held in a dedicated training space, with live-fire instruction conducted at our range partner, Article 2 Range in Lombard, IL. We coordinate all range logistics for you — you'll get exact location and timing details when you book.
Where we serve
The Carry Institute is based in Carol Stream, Illinois, and trains students throughout DuPage County and the surrounding western Chicago suburbs.
Train with an instructor who takes teaching seriously.
Book your class and see the difference patient, hands-on instruction makes.