Concealed weapons class!

They are old enough to take the class. Its a shame that they screwed up the system. At a minimum you should show proficiency with the weapon but they got that part wrong. Hopefully they stress the importance in the class that it is a huge responsibility to carry and there is a even greater liability to carrying. I am not trying to poo poo on your excitement, this is coming from someone who has carried for 10 years and know what I am talking about. Ask yourselves how comfortable do you feel walking around knowing there are people carrying who don't even know how to use it properly. Proficiency comes from hours of shooting and training not a 3 hour class.

Good Luck and safe shooting.

 

Im not saying im gonna carry it when i go to walmart... i want to learn as i go. I think its important to start young so i can get as much practice in as possible.

 

Kimber 1911 45 , .460 S&W 83/8 MAGNUM, 380 S&W Body Guard! BOOM!
I got mine last year... Not a big deal... I don't even carry... Too many rules and regulations that just make the **** not worth the trouble... just dont break into my house /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif I am a crack shot, promise /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/tongue.gif

 

Being i have both a professional permit, aka i work for the state, wink wink, and non-professional.  I total agree with this law except there should be a range test and it should be down by sherriffs dept or someone in LawE.  When you pay someone to take a class your going to pass the class no matter what.  And i carry no matter where i go. SW M&P

 

I have been a permit holder sense I was 18. I have carried professional for the last 11 yrs. (I to work for the state as a Law enforcement Officer) I have been teaching gun safety in Hunter Education for the last 20 years & I have been teaching Conceal Carry classes for about a year now and have to agree there is a whole lot of difference from one class to another class. I wish there was a standardized class outline so each class was providing the same information and also there was at least a standard course of fire for requalification. I have heard that some of the out of state instructors that were here in the beginning were only spending 45min. on the class and handing out certificates. I have also heard that some instructors are having their students shoot 200 rounds in some sort of a tactical urban warfare scenario were the student must score 85% to pass, were the some other guy has the student shoot 6 time at a paper plate and as long as the student does not shot themselves then they pass.

I believe that this class should be the foundation on which you build your skills upon. Just because you have taken a CCW class does not make you any more prepared to use that firearm then Drivers Ed makes you ready to drive in the Daytona 500. If you want to be proficient with a firearm you must practice and train with it on a regular basis. I can attest to this, when the crap hits the fan most people will only use 50% of their training.

My CCW class is about 2.5 hrs., which is sadly what is what most people are willing or able to commit to a class. I could spend 8 hrs. teaching the class with a live fire exercise but that would cost the students a lot more money and I would only be able to teach no more than 4-6 student at a time. I would recommend that type of class as the next step in building your firearms skills.
If anyone in the Des Moines/ Central Iowa area is interested in a class or other firearms training let me know. I am very flexible and always willing to help anyone out with their firearms. I am a NRA/USA/CMP Level 1 Shotgun coach in trap, skeet & sporting clays, & a NRA Basic Pistol Instructor. You can pm for more information.

Thanks Allen

 

You don't need to have a permit to carry to go to the range do you? I sure hope you don't need them to buy a hand gun ether. Just a permit to buy right. I bought mine pre 2000. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif I like my 9mm Rugger and my colt 45....

 

Just curious but, does anybody have a cheap hand gun they'd wanna sell once i got my permit of course. Just thought id ask before i spend $150-200 online or a pawn shop... just let me know what u have.

 

Coming from a former special warfare operator this is what I have to say about the new concealed carry permit laws......hahahahaah it's pathetic and the best part is 90% of you guys who take this class would never effectively use ur weapon to protect yourself as a a good majority of people in a high stress situation like someone threading your life presents wouldn't even be able to get it out of your holster let alone put a round in your first soft target at 5ft away.

 

Ur right. The only problem is nobody will never know who the 10% is until the day comes which 99% of the time it never does. Most people are just taking it so they can say hey, i can carry a gun. So now days its easy for cops, feds, military, old rednecks, yada yads yada to sit back and be mad because its so easy to carry a gun. I believe 100% that most people arent doing this for the purpose intended but its thier right to do so, so i guess ill just follow society and get labeled as another gun totting moron that doesnt know the first thing about guns or self-defense but in reality nobody but me and my fiance will know why i actually done it...

 

But, at least we are taking SOME type of safety course. Lol

 

You don't need a permit to carry at the range, but you  need to keep your weapon in the trunk and unloaded(mags empty too) while in transit otherwise you can get fined and lose your chance at ever getting your permit to carry.  Backseat is not good enough. 

 

I don't know about everyone else...but I don't like the idea of all the "gun totting morons" out there now. Not being trained/proficient on how to handle a weapon is a good way to get yourself, a loved one, or a stranger killed! Also just like anything else, cheaper is not always the best idea, that goes both for the class and a gun. My understanding of the Iowa law was that a person must be 21 to legally be licensed to carry or purchase a handgun (unless it changed). Just a thought...

 

TravisG your idea of a cheap gun is a bad one. You only carry a weapon to defend yourself or another human from lethal harm. If this situation ever does arise I hope you value your life or that of your family at a little more than $200. If you are smart there is almost zero chance that you will ever need to carry. Most all situations that would require you to carry a weapon are easily avoidable with careful thought. BUT if that time ever does arise do you want your life to depend on the cheapest gun you could find??? This may not be the case with you travis and I admit this is a blanket statement but that kind of mentality just suggest that you and more than likely most of the people with this permit are just getting it for the "cool" factor. Again this may not be the case so i apologize in advance. I would also like to say that I agree eraky1. Your ability to carry a lethal weapon without proper training doesnt make you safer. In all reality if probably makes you more dangerous and not to the people you would stop but to your family and other innocent people

 

Like ive already stated, there will only be a few times when i will carry. The only reason im getting a cheap gun is because i dont want to shell out $1000 for a gun that i might not ever carry or use if i dont feel comfortable with one. Im starting with a cheap gun to take to the range and out some rounds through till i feel comfortable enough to carry and handle a nicer gun. I just got off the phone with a friend of mine that has an extra glock that hes not using. He said he would hook me uo with it if i want it. I told him id like to have it but i want to learn as i go to and he said hed take me out and properly train me on a widw array of weapons so that i have a better understanding of all of them. I trust him over most people when it comes to guns.

 

Not really

 

Not really

 

Wow! I was thinking the same thing Kyro and eraky1, but just didn't know how to say it. Thought you guys did a great job. I got mine before 2000 and didn't even have to do any training or class to get my permit to buy. I had to just go to jail and ask for a permit and waited the time they asked and got it. I didn't keep it up so I am sure I would have to go take a class now, but that is ok with me. I have been around guns a lot in my life, but when I first got my hand gun I was out of my element. I took it out to range a lot that year and got use to it. I took it apart and put it back together so many times I could put it together blind. lol  It became a part of me and I was much more welcome to it and at ease. They are not toys and not for playing around with and I was young when i got mine and new that, but many don't. I mean no disrespect to no one, but this is what you have to do. Safety courses are great. Take them if you can no matter what the cost.
To TravisG
 I tip my hat off to you for going and taking a course.  Good luck to you. If your looking for a nice hand gun look at the Rugers. A lot of lawmen carry them, because they are reliable and on the lower end of the price scale. I think mine is a model P90.

 

The Ruger .380 LCP is a nice little piece to start with. You should be able to find one around $300.

I know it seems like some people are dumping on you but they are only trying to impart years of experience and knowledge. Good luck and hope all works out for you. The time spent at the range with you buddy would be more beneficial than the majority of these CCW classes that have popped up.

 

Glock! Springfield M!