The Best Firearm Instructors

If you’re looking for the best Firearm Instructors delivering the best Firearms Education, Gun For Hire is incomparable.
Since 1992, we have been the Gold Standard for Firearms Training. Our Instructors have over 375 combined years of Military and Police training.
NRA Fact: So many students have trusted us to train them that we are only second to the Boy Scouts of America.
If you have any questions regarding Gun For Hire Courses or you would like to schedule a private lesson, please send Tony Urena our Director of Training an email. We look forward to welcoming you to the family!
Tony - The Best Firearm Instructors

Tony Urena Director of Training

Tony is a United States Navy Veteran as well as a Veteran Law Enforcement Officer with over 25 years of experience. During his illustrious career he was the training officer for his department, and was responsible for their bi-annual qualifications and training for approximately 100 law enforcement officers. Tony was also state certified in all aspects of firearms training which included handguns, shotguns, sub-guns, semi and automatic rifles, as well as scoped rifles. In addition, Tony was qualified to testify as a firearms expert, as well as in the “Use of Force”. Tony is also a high level martial artist, with well over 30 years of training, and was a state certified Defensive Tactics Instructor.

Vlad - The Best Firearm Instructors

Vlad Vaval Chief Instructor

Vladimir is an active duty Law Enforcement Officer for over 20 years. Vlad has been assigned as a full time Law Enforcement Trainer since 2009, he works as a lead instructor, in service as well as academy level. Additionally, Vlad is the Range Master, lead armorer and defensive tactics coordinator for his department. Vlad is a state certified physical training, defensive tactics, pistol, shotgun, sub-gun, and rifle instructor.

Vladimir has been a Martial Arts practitioner for over 30 years, reaching a high level, competing particularly in sparring and full contact competitions, becoming successful in winning numerous tournaments and holding many titles nationally and internationally.

Vladimir’s experience includes being assigned to various law enforcement units such as anti-crime, emergency services, as well as counter-terrorism throughout the state. Vlad is also a trained HazMat tech, Rescue Diver, and instructs topics such as Use of Force and active shooter, to name a few, to Law Enforcement and civilians.

Wayne - The Best Firearm Instructors

Wayne Monico Instructor

Retired at the rank of sergeant in 2010 after serving 25 years with the Fort Lee police department in New Jersey. During his time with the police department he worked Patrol, Police K-9 Handler, Narcotics detective, Patrol supervisor and Narcotics supervisor. He is a graduate of the Drug Enforcement Agencies “Drug Unit Commander Academy”, the FBI’s SWAT School, FBI Sniper School and FBI Defensive Tactics Instructor School.

Wayne served on the agencies Emergency Services Unit from 1988 through 2010 and was Team Leader starting in 1991 and was responsible for team training and tactical operations. Wayne also served as the departments liaison to the Terrorism Task Force and taught law enforcement and civilian Terrorism Awareness courses in Bergen County. Wayne served in the U.S. Army Reserves with the 812th Military Police Company from 1983 to 1987.

Wayne is certified as a police instructor in the following disciplines: handgun, shotgun, sub-machine gun, rifle, FBI certified defensive tactics instructor, physical conditioning instructor, SWAT tactics, ballistic shield, distraction devices, OC spray, expandable baton, PR-24 and rappelling. Wayne is also a student of traditional martial arts and is currently an instructor in the Israeli system known as Krav Panim El Panim (KAPAP) which he has taught to both civilians and law enforcement.

musy - The Best Firearm Instructors

Musy Abraham Instructor

Musy “Moose” Abraham
Musy is an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor and Chief Range Safety Officer with over 28 years of experience in many firearm platforms and safety programs. Musy is also an Occupational Health and Safety Specialist and an Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainer specializing in the General Industry Standard for the workplace. He has traveled the country and abroad providing safety training and safeguarding systems to such industries as Law Enforcement, Military, Construction, Maritime, Manufacturing, Chemical, and Aviation.
Musy is a K9 trainer and handler involved in the rehabilitation of military and law enforcement dogs who suffer from PTSD due to overseas deployments and traumatic injuries. Musy believes in paying it forward and possesses a high level of respect for our first responders, the men and women of our armed forces, and veterans. He has devoted every aspect of his career to Safety and takes pride in patiently teaching all walks of life the safe handling and operation of firearms.
A good dear friend and retired Navy Seal once told him, “Indeed, practice makes perfect, but perfect practice seals the deal”. Musy lives by those words daily.
“Don’t just plan on Safety, practice it every day” M.A.

Jimmy - The Best Firearm Instructors

James Minnella Instructor

James “Jim” Minnella
Jim retired from the Little Falls Police department in 2020. While with the Department jim served as a firearms instructor then supervising firearms instructor. He served  as a patrol officer, School Resource Officer, Detective, Sergeant and finally as a Lieutenant Commander of Patrol and the Detective Bureau. He was certified as a firearms instructor at the Passaic County Police academy in 2000 and began teaching basic firearms to recruits at the academy. Jim continued his training with advanced tactical handgun courses, Active shooter training and Basic rifle instructor training. In 2020, Jim received his NRA basic pistol, shotgun and rifle certifications. Jim began working at Gun for Hire in October 2020 as a instructor and RSO.

Mo - The Best Firearm Instructors

Mohamed Lostan Instructor

Mohamed is a United States Army Veteran as well as a Veteran Law Enforcement Officer with 25 years of experience. He was a state certified firearms instructor since 1993. He was a member of the Passaic County Special Weapons Team for 21 years and was commander of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team. He retired at the rank of captain in 2010. Since than he has worked as a staff instructor and County Range Master for the Passaic County Police Academy. He also worked as an adjunct instructor for FNHUSA and has taught various courses throughout the country.

Manalo - The Best Firearm Instructors

Leo Manalo Instructor

Leo Manalo holds the rank of Guro and is the highest Full Instructor in Atienza Kali.
As the highest ranking instructor, Guro Leo travels throughout the US & internationally to teach and promote the numerous Atienza Training groups.

Guro Leo has been involved in martial arts for over three decades – from Tae Kwon Do, Tai-chi, kickboxing, & FMA.
However, his true passion lies with Atienza Kali where he has been training with the Tuhons (Chief Instructors) of the system for over 20 years.
He has competed at several Sayoc Sama Sama Head Hunter competitions & is the winner of the Cold Steel Sword Competition 2005.

Atienza Kali practitioners are a varied group – parents, business owners, Law-Enforcement, military, lawyers, and so on. Guro Leo is proud to teach Atienza Kali’s brand of weapon-oriented martial arts to the Gun-For-Hire community.

Chuck - The Best Firearm Instructors

Chuck Lehnert Instructor

Charles Lehnert is the Master Trainer and Owner of Personal Protection Institute, an NRA Certified Instructor and NRA Appointed Training Counselor. He is certified to train in Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, CRSO, NMLRA Muzzle Loading, Personal Protection In & Out of The Home and was appointed as one of the first NRA Advanced Defensive Pistol Instructors in 2011. He is also a Regional Counselor for NRA Refuse To Be a Victim®.

As an NRA Shows and Event Recruiter he has been in the top ten in the NorthEast Region since becoming an NRA Recruiter.

Chuck is ranked as a Rifle Master Marksman with iron sights on the classic M-1 Garand and the AR-15 at distances of 200, 300 & 600 yards. He a Combat Master with the 1911 .45 ACP . He is also a Law Enforcement Armorer for Colt Model ‘O’ 1911, AR-15, M16/M4 Series Rifles, Carbines & Sub-Machine Guns.

Chuck is considered to be an expert on Defensive Handgun Tactics & Techniques and Protective Specialist Training. He is the proud father of two boys, both NRA members and splits his time between Upper Mount Bethel, PA and Sarasota, FL with his bride of 47 years, NRA Life Member and fellow NRA Certified Trainer Luann. Chuck is a Benefactor Life Member of NRA and a member of the NRA Ring of Freedom!

GFH Drop - The Best Firearm Instructors

John Gurriell Instructor

John Gurriell is a New Jersey certified Paramedic. He has been working as a medic since 2002, mostly in an urban setting. John is also a tactical medic who has been involved with the Passaic County S.W.A.T. team since 2010. Along with his medical experience, John has volunteered for his local fire department for over 15 years, serving in multiple positions which included Assistant Chief. He served on the New Jersey Urban Search and Rescue team as a Rescue Specialist and deployed to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Prior to becoming a medic, John spent time volunteering as an EMT with his local emergency medical services squad. John worked in aquatics for 17 years before becoming a Paramedic. He has been conducting American Heart Association and American Red Cross courses for the past 25 years to include Advanced Cardiac Life Support, CPR, First Aid, and Lifeguarding.
John earned his Paramedic Certificate from Rockland Community College in 2002. He is in the process of pursuing his bachelor’s degree.
John Gurriell lives in northern New Jersey.

You will not find a more loyal and passionate group of instructors that are so committed to ensuring you feel safe, comfortable and excited. Not only do they have the decades of on the job training they also have decades of teaching and interacting with every level of student.
Let’s get started! Make the call, stop in or shoot us email! We are looking forward to welcoming you to the family.