Brian R. Kowalczyk

Owner & Lead Instructor, Connecticut Firearms Training Academy LLC

Brian R. Kowalczyk is the Owner and Lead Instructor of Connecticut Firearms Training Academy LLC in Berlin, Connecticut. He has been an active firearms instructor in Connecticut since 1996 and brings more than 40 years of experience as a recreational and former competitive shooter to his instruction.

Over the past three decades, Brian has taught hundreds of firearms training classes and has helped thousands of Connecticut residents develop the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to safely handle and responsibly carry firearms. His instruction emphasizes safe gun handling, practical skills, responsible firearm ownership and an understanding of the laws and responsibilities that accompany the possession and carrying of firearms.

Brian is a National Rifle Association Certified Instructor and Chief Range Safety Officer, with NRA instructor credentials covering multiple disciplines, including Basic and Defensive Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection Inside and Outside the Home, Metallic Cartridge Reloading, Shotgun Shell Reloading and Range Safety Officer.He is also a United States Concealed Carry Association Certified Instructor, with credentials in Basic Handgun, Concealed Carry, Home Defense, Countering the Mass Shooter and Defensive Shooting Fundamentals. Brian is additionally certified as a Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification Concealed Carry Instructor.

His background extends beyond firearms instruction. Brian has extensive experience in the criminal justice, public safety and security fields and has held leadership positions, including serving as President, Vice President, Secretary and Trustee of a Connecticut firearms club. He has also been actively involved in Connecticut firearms education and public policy for many years, providing testimony and professional perspectives on firearms-related legislation before the Connecticut General Assembly.

In 2017, Brian founded Connecticut Firearms Training Academy with the goal of providing high-quality, practical firearms education in a professional and welcoming environment. Today, CTFTA provides Connecticut pistol permit and firearms training, additional state qualification services, instructor education and virtual firearms training through its facility in Berlin.

Brian's philosophy is straightforward: owning a firearm is a serious responsibility, and good training should go well beyond simply learning how to fire a gun. Students should leave class understanding how their firearm works, how to handle it safely, how to store it responsibly, the legal responsibilities associated with carrying it, and where to continue their education as their skills develop.

Whether teaching someone who has never handled a firearm or working with an experienced shooter looking to expand their knowledge, Brian's goal is the same: provide accurate information, practical instruction and a solid foundation for responsible firearms ownership.

Professional Credentials

NRA Certified Instructor
NRA Chief Range Safety Officer
USCCA Certified Instructor
Utah BCI Certified Concealed Carry Instructor
Former competitive shooter
Firearms instructor since 1996
Owner & Lead Instructor, Connecticut Firearms Training Academy LLC

Associate Instructors

Instructor Gary Belanger is a retired Law Enforcement Officer at both the Local and Federal level, he brings his decades of experience and skill set to certify former Law Enforcement Officers under LEOSA (HR218). Gary has decades of experience training both civilian and law enforcement personnel. He is CT Post Certified and runs Performance Tactical and is part of the Sabre Tactical training program.

Instructor John Moody joins us several times a year to instruct a Basic Handgun Class. He is an avid firearm enthusiast and civilian firearm trainer. Through the years John has acquired the skills needed to properly train civilians in the defensive use of firearms.

National Rifle Association Certified Instructor and Training Counselor, he is certified by the NRA to instruct numerous classes and disciplines including Basic Pistol, Defensive Pistol, Basic Rifle, Basic Shotgun, Personal Protection Inside the Home, Personal Protection Outside the Home, Metallic Cartridge Reloading, Shotgun Shell Reloading and Range Safety Officer.

United States Concealed Carry Association Certified Instructor, he is certified by the USCCA to instruct Basic Handgun, Concealed Carry, Home Defense.

Utah BCI Certified Concealed Carry Instructor.