Qualifications for Concealed Carry

I would agree that the CCW laws are an infringement upon the 2nd amendment. However, we train troops and police on how to handle and shoot their weapons as well as educating them about laws. So it is a double edged sword as we want our front line citizens who desire to defend themselves and family to be competent and knowledgeable about where their rights stand. I was willing to pay the price and felt the information I got was valuable and worth the price ($175) just for the class.

 

I've been a firearms instructor and officer of 20 years. I have taught ccw training classes since it began in 2004 here in Ohio. Not only do people need the training...they need much more. Police officers included. As far as the ccw goes, I'm only with them for two hours on the range. Yet I feel we should be with them for days. (very few have the necessary skills or knowledge). Ohio has now done away with any continued education for ccw licensee's and it completely baffles me. And it's not the shooting part that I feel is needed. Safety of course should be included but the number one thing is that folks will not keep up with the current law changes and such that could very easily result in a lot of trouble with the law. It's a shame Ohio has done that. They're are way too many of these folks, officers included that will be affected negatively.

 

In FL, at the range, I met a guy who had no idea about basic gun safety. He was swinging his gun around with the action closed and making me really nervous. I would hate for him to be carrying. I do think that everyone should go through some basic safety training before they can carry. It is a conundrum.

 

My first time at range, first tome shooting a gun, my friend was surprised I knew all the safety practices. I watched lot of videos on gun range safety before I went. Now I go to range and see the stupidest people doing the stupidest stuff with their firearms. I agree with you, people def. Need some basic training. I haven't had any training yet but I am totally confident in myself when I go shooting. I will however go for training soon.

 

Agreed. Lots of people are ignorant of proper gun handling.

 

In PA in order to get a hunting license you must pass a basic safety course. You get your hunter safety card and then you can buy your license. I think people should be required to pass a basic safety course in order to purchase a gun. To me a 4 hour course that teaches knuckle heads how to handle a firearm safely is not an infringement on my 2nd amendment. I would suggest a minimal requirement for obtaining a CCW as well. I know some will argue against, but how often do you go to the range and see bad safety practices?

 

Last visit to the range there was a guy that rented a Beretta, didn't even know how to load mags, told clerk he knew nothing about guns. A lady with a loaded revolver standing behind me playing with the hammer, I almost crapped my pants

 

I hate to say it but frankly, having a clean record isn't enough for gun ownership. People need training. I have seen some really stupid people at gun stores. If you start with, "I need a gun" then they shouldn't sell you one. And my state requires nothing but a few bucks, clean history, and time, to get your carry license. This is the same as selling a guy a top fuel dragster and providing zero training on how it works. It's an accident waiting to happen. Many of us love guns. We study them. We read. We dive neck deep into the shooting hobby and take classes and tactical training. Then there are those that buy a gun and do nothing more. It's their right, glad they have it, but it's a disservice and dangerous.

 

I'm sure that I sound preachy when I get on my responsibility rant about laws not solving anything. It's up to US to change the gun culture in this country where people think that just having a gun is enough. My opinion is responsibility in handling firearms, responsibility in storing firearms when not in use and responsibility in use of defense by knowing the laws is paramount. It is the same type of responsibility our parents hopefully tried to teach when we were learning about firearms as kids. To me it's just like motorcycles. In Ohio it really takes very little to get a motorcycle license and there is no restriction on the type or size of bike a learner can buy. So a learner who takes the written test (temps) can hop on a 1400 cc sport bike and kill themselves real easy. As motorcyclists we try to get everyone to seek training like the Motorcycle Safety Foundation classes or other accredited sources. But you can still find folks on bikes they can't control, with no safety gear driving like they are the only people on the road. Compare this to the person who has never handled a gun but buys a Glock (any caliber or size) and 50 rounds and off they go. Their chances are real good to hurt themselves or someone else before they ever have the chance to use that gun for it's intended purpose.
To change this I offer anyone with no experience the opportunity to come with me and learn for free. I'm not a professional, but when I'm done whether it's a motorcycle or a gun they understand why more training is necessary and have good basic understanding of the controls, dangers and what to look out for from others who claim to be safe people with no training. I would ask anyone else who knows someone getting into firearms to offer them the same thing. That hour or two of information may be the start of a course of thought and action that saves their life or yours. Moreover you have added another responsible owner to the country and increased the ability for us to argue for laws that respect owners.

 

Plus one on that... When I take a new shooter out, I insist on giving them the basic training lecture on the way to the range, and then give them practical training before I will even let them shoot one of my guns without me over their shoulder. They quickly understand why....

 

Any of my students, even "Established" students get a safety lecture before we step foot in the range. It's for my protection and theirs. How many times have you heard stories (some relayed on here) of an "Experienced" shooter being extremely unsafe.

As for training being a "requirement", PA doesn't require any training to obtain your CCW. Politically, I like this. On the flip side, I believe it's a double edged sword as you now have a lot of folks who don't know what they don't know running around with carry pieces.

Some folks will be responsible and not carry unless they get some sort of training. These are the folks that end up calling me or other trainers in PA. Unfortunately, most folks won't take that opportunity since they can learn it all on the Internet.

(notice the Concealed Carry Fanny pack...)

So I guess I fall in the camp that it should not be a requirement to purchase or own a firearm, but a basic safety course should be required for a CCW permit.

D

 

Funny how in most states you need to take extensive training and pass an exam and practical test in order to get a drivers license....no such training requirement to buy a firearm and not much more to get a concealed carry permit in most jurisdictions...but, then again, despite all the driver training,we still have too many auto related deaths

 

I live in pa and trust me wen I tell u ppl are stupid round here.must be.the tap water I don't drink it they should throw and I.Q test in there lol

 

Hmmm, I learned gun safety from my dad and the fact that I have half a brain. Anyone swinging a gun around should be slapped. What happened to basic sense?