Anthony Doukas - Spartan Tactical Training Group

Spartan Tactical Training Group operates out of Downers Grove, Illinois at 4340 Cross Street. The outfit runs the full spectrum of firearms instruction: concealed carry licensing, defensive handgun certification, rifle and shotgun tactics, and specialized instructor courses. They've been at it since 2004.

Their flagship is the 3-Day Defensive Handgun Certification Course (24 hours, $495). It covers the 2-day semi-auto pistol skills course plus a 1-day defensive pistol course merged into one intensive program. You walk out with formal training on firearms safety, nomenclature, defensive gun-handling, combat marksmanship, and use-of-force law.

They also offer:

• •2-Day Semi-Automatic Pistol Skills Course
• •1-Day Defensive Pistol Skills Course
• •2-Day Tactical Speed Shooting Pistol Course
• •2-Day Advanced Tactical Pistol Course
• •2-Day Handgun Fighting From Compromised Positions
• •2-Day Covert Carry Strategies & Tactics
• •2-Day Dynamic Handgun Combatives Course
• •2-Day Low Light Strategies & Tactics
• •2-Day Pistol Mounted Optics Defensive Handgun Course
• •2-Day Dynamic Room Entry Handgun Course
• •2-Day Team Tactics Handgun Combatives

Individual Handgun Skills Development (Course #IHSD.0120.2) is their one-on-one option. Minimum 4 hours at $50/hour. You design the session with an instructor—could be remedial fundamentals, advanced tactics, or competition drill prep for USPSA, IPSC, or IDPA shooters.

Rifle Training: - 2-Day Defensive Rifle Certification Course - 2-Day Basic Patrol Rifle Course - 2-Day Advanced Tactical Rifle Course - 2-Day Dynamic Rifle Combatives Course - 2-Day Dynamic Room Entry Rifle Course - 3-Day Tactical Rifle Instructor Course

Shotgun Training: - 1-Day Tactical Shotgun Deployment Course - 2-Day Advanced Tactical Shotgun Course - 3-Day Tactical Shotgun Instructor Course

They run Illinois Concealed Carry License Courses and Concealed Carry Renewal Courses. Both meet Wisconsin and Florida CCW permit requirements. Their defensive handgun certification course is also approved by Michigan MCOLES (Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards).

Specialized courses in Emergency Self-Aid/Buddy-Aid for Trauma Injuries and Emergency Medical Response for Firearms Instructors.

Depending on the course, expect to dive into:

• •Firearms safety and safe handling
• •Nomenclature and operation
• •Natural action stance and thumbs-forward grip
• •Sight alignment and flash sight picture
• •Trigger manipulation and "rolling through the link"
• •Ball & dummy drills (live rounds mixed with dummy rounds to catch flinching)
• •Malfunction clearance (Class 1, 2, and 3 jams)
• •Emergency, tactical, and speed reloads
• •Dry-practice program development
• •Combat mindset and situational awareness
• •Force science principles
• •Use of force law and personal defense statutes
• •Moving and shooting
• •Low-light tactics
• •Room entry and dynamic scenarios

Need a gun for the course? Spartan Tactical provides loaner semi-automatic pistols. Available loaner handguns include:

• •Glock 17 Gen 3, Gen 4, or Gen 5 (9mm)
• •Glock 19 Gen 3, Gen 4, or Gen 5 (9mm)
• •Glock 45 Gen 5 (9mm)

Loaner includes magazines and holster. Ammunition available for purchase if you don't bring your own.

Bring your own handgun (3+ standard capacity magazines, or 5 single-stack magazines), eye and ear protection, baseball cap, heavy-duty leather or nylon belt, holster, and magazine carriers.

Ammo requirements vary by course. The 3-day defensive handgun cert requires 450 rounds minimum. Individual sessions require 250 rounds minimum.

All targets and target repair materials are provided by Spartan Tactical for training sessions.

Curriculum materials, lesson plans, syllabi, student performance records, and instructor certifications are maintained for post-incident legal defense depositions and litigation discovery. This training meets ILETSB (Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board) standards.

• •Civilians wanting home defense and personal protection skills
• •Concealed carry permit holders looking to sharpen fundamentals
• •Law enforcement officers and armed professionals
• •Police struggling with firearms qualifications
• •Competition shooters (USPSA, IPSC, IDPA) seeking coaching
• •Aspiring firearms instructors

• •Phone: (708) 990-4367
• •Address: 4340 Cross Street, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515-1715
• •Email: [email protected]

Individual handgun training sessions are by appointment only. Check their 2026 training schedule for group course dates and class registration.