About the School
De Oppresso Liber: To Free the Oppressed, the exact words that inspire the U.S. Army Special Forces...
Protecting and Preserving the American way of life. (Courtesy El Rushbo)
There is something about the outside of a firearm that is good for the inside of an American!
(Apologies to R. Reagan & W. Churchill)
“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.”
--Robert A. Heinlein
“Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.”
--Robert E. Howard (Conan the Barbarian)
"There is no comparison whatever between an armed and disarmed man; it is not reasonable to suppose that one who is armed will obey willingly one who is unarmed; or that any unarmed man will remain safe."
--Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince (1537)
“I would never wish for another 9/11, but I would give anything for a 9/12… people were proud of America.”
--Dakota Meyer: (USMC, Medal of Honor)
"[a] harmless man is not a good man. A good man is a very dangerous man who has that under voluntary control"
--Jordan Peterson
The uncertainty of life during the pandemic also played a role. “It was such an unpredictable time, and people were under a lot of stress,” she said. “I realized I was responsible for my own self-defense.”
--Jenny, a 44-year-old stay-at-home mother(and) A victim of domestic abuse
"Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest."
-- Mahatma Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)
"If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun."
-- Dalai Lama 14th Dalai Lama of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism,
when asked by a girl how to react when a shooter takes aim at a classmate
Everyone in a totalitarian state lies about everything, all the time, to everyone, to themselves, to their wife or husband, to their children, to the other members of their family, to their friends, to their colleagues. It’s the old Russian joke, They pretend to pay us, and we pretend to work.
--Jordan B. Peterson
“If I see a madman driving a car into a group of innocent bystanders ... I can’t simply wait for the catastrophe and then ... bury the dead. I must try to wrestle the steering wheel out of the hands of the driver.”
Anti-Nazi German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, witnessing world appeasement of the Nazis during the 1930s
Created by Tim Gwynn, Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army Special Forces (Retired), the Wolverine School of Personal Safety is intended to provide to private citizens, Law Enforcement Organizations and Officers (and others) the basic, intermediate, and advanced skills for the protection of self, loved ones, and other citizens, in firearms usage, unarmed skills proficiency, and intermediate tools.
MISSION: To provide the best instruction in firearms safe usage coupled with the best instruction in unarmed personal defense.
Adherence to the mission requires that the School offer terms of payment in order that the most of us are benefited by the instruction. In addition, any younger person judged by his parents to be responsible may also be enrolled as he may be required to use any tool available in the home in defense of self or other house hold members.
Registrations may be made using the "Sign Up Now" buttons (Note that the online registration lists only the one class date, i.e., the Basic def Pistol/CCW class is over 3 days but only the first of the three is scheduled here). Perusing the class pages is highly encouraged to ensure you are interested in an appropriate class. Please contact Tim at 970-749-3296 or at etgwynn@gmail.com with any questions or to sign up directly. Online signup closes several days prior to the class. Please CALL to make sure the class is full or to sign up directly with Tim.
Additionally, Red Dawn Range and the Wolverine School offer to those who have gained a Concealed Handgun Permit or a Certificate of Training through a class that did not include range and live fire time a 30% discount to acknowdge the "training fee" already paid. We will need to see the permit or receipt of your payment to the other "trainer". Your fee then is $122.50, plus your firearm and your ammunition.
Training Schedule Late registrations/payments MUST be arranged in advance---If your attendance is not nailed down the instructors may not be there!!! Additionally, a given class may not have any students signed up, the case in the Levels classes. Your phone call or email could well result in a class change to your benefit, or other arrangement.
NOTE: There is a maximum number of students for safety and timing reasons, for instance the Basic Defensive Pistol/CCW class (12 students). An additional class may be scheduled upon request for a minimum six person class.
AMMUNITION: Currently ammunition is in good supply
GUNS AVAILABLE: Goods for the Woods in the Centennial Shopping Center (think Office Depot);
Also at the Fouled Anchor - 463 Turner Dr 104B Durango, CO 81303 (also provdes excellent gunsmithing services).
The School Philosophy is based upon the performance-based-training model and depends on the student's drive to succeed, to be better at the end than at the beginning of instruction. Any gains in skill levels are counted as successes. SAFETY is the only formal standard against which a student is measured. Serious violations of SAFETY standards may result in an early student departure.
Training is what is done at Red Dawn Range. The basics of the Defensive Pistol is a must for anyone owning a pistol and for whom its use in self defense is even remotely contemplated. The follow-on pistol training and the related rifle and shot gun are absolutely required to maintain and improve basic skills through advancing skills in each. Owning a firearm does not confer skills or competence. Your training outcome is the result of the effort you expend and the willingness to follow through.
Each class page sets a fee for class materials and range and instructor maintenance. The student is encouraged to inquire about terms to allay the immediate cost in keeping with the Wolverine Mission to ensuring that anyone desiring to acquire defensive skills will be accommodated.
OTHER TERMS OF PAYMENT: Generally payment in full is requested prior to a class. We are however, truly interested in your development of self-reliance with regard to the Concealed Handgun Permit (CCW) and are agreeable to accepting full payment in installments and awarding the Certificate when payment is complete. This provides the student with the full application of defensive information and practical pistol training for all the places wherein no concealment permission is required.
In discussions with students from the Pagosa Springs area it appears that there may be an opportunity to offer training in that area, at least for classroom portions. We are willing to make the drive meaning you do not have to especially during game migration seasons, for the two evenings of the Basic Defensive Pistol/CCW (Concealed Handgun Permit) class. That leaves the daylight trip to Red Dawn Range up to you. There would have to be a minimum number of students required to make it worthwhile for us, perhaps six or more. Our contact information is on this page and each class page. This applies to Silverton and Cortez as well.
Constitutional Carry laws have been offered several times in Colorado, so far unsuccessfully. Wolverine School knows that in order for a citizen to carry legally in other states that reciprocate with CO, our citizen must have a CCW Permit (Concealed Handgun Permit). Coupled with responsible firearms owners and users the school will be busy for a long time. FYI: The Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit is recognized in 34 states.
NOTE WELL: Red Dawn Range is a female friendly facility! A recent student was so frightened by firearms that she thought she needed private instruction. And it turned out that she was correct. Slowly she gained confidence in the safety requirements, the firearms, and herself that she was able to enroll in the Basic Defensive Pistol/CCW (Concealed Handgun Permit) class and successfully and, virtually stress free, complete the course.
Another woman approached the class with great trepidation as well. There were tears rolling down her face as she approached the firing line for the first time. She also successfully, though not so stress free, completed the course of instruction.
P.S. We emphatically discourage any gun-related conversation between our ladies and their drivers! One or two instructors is PLENTY!
Twin Olympic Biathletes Tracy & Lanny Barnes visit with Tim and Duke after a Rimfire Challenge at Red Dawn Range
Traditional Pamela Montana Memorial Shoot House Vehicle Operations 
Red Dawn Range & The Wolverine School of Personal Safety
Created by Tim Gwynn – 26 years U.S. Army Special Forces “Green Berets” (Retired) – Qualified U.S. Army Ranger – Special Forces Combat Diver - NRA Certified Instructor - Manager of Security Operations, Iraq - D.E.A. Training Officer - Security Manager for Energy Exploration Operations, Algeria - Asst Trainer Federal Air Marshalls – Arrest Control Instructor
Owner of Animas Security, LLC (armed and unarmed Security Services and Training)
Basic Defensive Pistol/CCW Training 2 Levels Tactical Pistol 2 Levels Tactical Carbine
Ladies’ Basic Pistol/CCW Key Defender (non-lethal ) Ladies’ Day
Close Quarters Survival (1&2) Sporting Shotgun 2 Levels Defensive Shotgun Force-on-Force Training Vehicular Defense Instinctive Shooting
Intro to 3 Gun Match Advanced 3 Gun Match Intro to Long Range Rifle Long Range Rifle Tactical Applications Classes
Call/Sign up on line to Reserve Your Seat: 970-749-3296///Email etgwynn@gmail.com
Private Web Site: www.reddawnrange.com Gift
lessons For Additional Information call Tim at 970-749-3296 Certiicates
GROUP Basic and Advanced Firearms Skills Training
DISCOUNTS Safety is Always First
- Instruction in Firearms Safety and Use - Weapons Retention
- Exercises in CLEAR THINKING and SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
- Force on Force Training - Shoot House Training
- Your Legal Rights as a Free Citizen of the United States
Basic and Advanced Less-Lethal Skills Training
Safety is Always First
- Organizing Your Environment for your Physical Safety (home, workplace, vehicle)
- Soft and Hard Empty Hand - Soft and Hard Intermediate Weapons
- Pressure Point Compliance and Control - Stun (get away) Techniques