What's your excuse?

[mawguy]

YEARS ago [actually decades] one of the important lessons I learned on the high school wrestling team was that how you were on the practice mat is how you would be in a real match. My brain learned the moves immediately, but I had to do them over and over until my muscles learned them too.

I would never quarrel with the idea that a citizen legally purchased a firearm, and even carried it concealed if he chose to. The reality is that if you expect to be able to use a tool, you have to practice using it until you can do it without thinking about how to do it.

Remember the scene from the movie The Godfather when Marlon Brando is being gunned down in the street and his son Fredo draws his gun at the end of the shooting, fumbles it and drops it on the ground? Guess Fredo never went to the range did he?

 

[HighStrung]

I was fortunate enough to be at the sherrif's dept the other day renewing my permit and met a nice lady who was applying for her permit as well. Living in the state of Indiana, there is no skill's test, no ccw class, just a backgroud check, fingerprints, and a few weeks wait and then you're good to go. I was asking this lady what guns she was accustomed to shooting and she mentioned that she had never even held a gun, but wanted to carry one so she was gonna go buy one later that day (we don't even have a waiting period to take the new gun home). I pray that she never has to actually use it after she said she was just going to buy one to stick in her purse in case she ever needs it with no plans of actually shooting it before then, after all she doesn't really like guns but doesn't feel safe without one. I purposfully drove away in the opposite direction.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

BarbC;
In the meantime, he can impress his friends with his conversation piece.

I am pretty sure that was his intention all along. Lot of hoops to jump through around here just for bragging rights though. We are still a "May Issue" state.



WG840

 

[Tracer_Bullet]

Unfortunately, those who don't take the time to learn about guns and practice with them can be a danger to everyone around them.
While my wife and I were taking the course for our concealed pistol licenses, one of the other students pointed a loaded gun down the firing line at the other shooters. Fortunately the instructor caught her before anyone got hurt. Unfortunately, he didn't boot her out of the class, so she was able to get her license and is probably an accident waiting to happen today...

 

[flop-shank]

I suppose muzzle awareness is a tough concept for many, if not most, people to grasp.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
What a average person considers is that a new firearm will fire and function as it comes from the factory or why else would it leave the factory?
I have always wondered that same question. Why should I have to fire several hundred rounds though a NEW weapon for it to function as it should? Quality Control should come from the factory.
I have yet to purchase a new Smith and Wesson Revolver that I had to "Break In".
Jimmy

 

[Evil One]

I even "break in" my revolvers.
I have heard and read about enough revolvers that were out of time, had light primer strikes, tight chambers that had to have the brass driven out with a hammer, etc.


Jim

 

[hobby-gunsmith]

As an instructor, I teach prospective applicants for CCW to be somewhat proficient in the gun they want to carry. I teach the NRA courses and suggest the applicant start with the first steps pistol course which is three hours. I have them shoot at least 25 rounds from the gun they want to carry. It is the very basic but at least they have the safety aspect covered and now the parts of the gun and ammo to use. The next step is the eight hour course on basic pistol. the course further instructs the applicant on the seven fundementals of shooting. Anyone who doesn't have some type of course is looking for a liability issue if a situation occurs. In Florida, the only requirement for CCW is firing only one round along with the safety course. At the present time, the nation is watching a case in progress on stand your ground law in Pasco County. It will be a precedent on the law and the jury should have their verdict on whether the individaul on trial is guilty or innocent of second degree murder. Training is the upmost importance of staying current. Remember, the cartridge leaving the gun has your name on it.

 

[The Big D]

As an instructor, I teach prospective applicants for CCW to be somewhat proficient in the gun they want to carry. I teach the NRA courses and suggest the applicant start with the first steps pistol course which is three hours. I have them shoot at least 25 rounds from the gun they want to carry. It is the very basic but at least they have the safety aspect covered and now the parts of the gun and ammo to use. The next step is the eight hour course on basic pistol. the course further instructs the applicant on the seven fundementals of shooting. Anyone who doesn't have some type of course is looking for a liability issue if a situation occurs. In Florida, the only requirement for CCW is firing only one round along with the safety course. At the present time, the nation is watching a case in progress on stand your ground law in Pasco County. It will be a precedent on the law and the jury should have their verdict on whether the individaul on trial is guilty or innocent of second degree murder. Training is the upmost importance of staying current. Remember, the cartridge leaving the gun has your name on it.

Good info; thank you. Any link for the Pasco County case? Want to check it out.

Thanks, again.

Be safe.

 

[Bratastic007]

These same people who buy a gun and don't fire it are the same people who will give up their still-unfired guns with barely a whimper of protest some day when the government gun-grabbers decides to round them up.

Every law-abiding citizen has their 2nd Amendment rights. But just because you have a right, doesn't mean you should exercise it. Or if you do exercise it, at least do it in an intelligent manner.

Some gun owners are better for the gun-control movement than most criminals.

 

[The Highlander]

At a local range about 6 months ago, I was nearly through practicing when two retired-age gentlemen pulled up.

As I was packing up, I glanced over and to see the first guy instructing the second, who was now seated, with the Ruger P90 butt hard on top of the bench.

Buddy #1 says to me, "I'm showing him the ropes, he bought that for home defense and asked me to help him out since I've been a shooter for years."

It was then I noticed Buddy #2 is apparently just getting ready to squeeze off a round...

...with both thumbs wrapped around the back of the slide, and attempting to pull the trigger with the middle finger of his right hand!

 

[randomoutburst]

Anyone who owns a gun should:

1. Know how to use it
2. Practice firing it at the range regularly
3. Know the local, state, and federal laws regarding firearms, and
4. Act with common sense by making sure his firearm is well-maintained and in working order.

I was just speaking with a mildly anti-gun couple today (they don't own guns, don't want to own guns, but don't mind that other people do) and they were amazed at how both my husband and I could rattle off the Texas firearms laws and how they applied to regular citizens as well as CCW/CHL holders. I simply told her, "If we are responsible enough to own and carry firearms, we are responsible enough to know how to shoot them and what the law says about them."

The OP's encounter with a CCWer who hasn't even fired his carry weapon makes me sick. I barely trust a semi-auto even once I've fired hundreds of rounds through it, and I only trust my revolver when I've double- and triple-checked it daily, and have fired it at the range at least once a month.

 

[ENGINE18]

I subscribe to the "practice, practice, practice, " club. I was such a terrible shot as first, and I'm not all that good now. But I'm better by far. It's amazing how much better one gets with practice. I've got to the point that I know what rounds work the best in what firearm. I now experiment with different grips and find that helps improve accuracy as well. Thanks to this forum!

 

[rpbcab]

I have read all of the entries in this thread and I am thinking of why do I choose to carry my 9mm. I am old enough that I am retired and not willing to be a victim, we adopted two little girls a couple of years ago and I will not allow them to be harmed. I have had a lot of experience with firearms, mostly long guns. When I decided to buy a handgun I contacted the local gun store and signed up for a handgun safety course. I even payed the extra money to have an individual class. My instructor was also my concealed carry instructor. I have a responsibility to my family and my community to be as efficient and accurate as possible if I ever have to lay a hand on my gun in a stressful situation. I am like many of you, it scares me to think of the bumbling goofballs out there carrying a gun. I have fired hundreds of rounds through my carry gun and I am still learning something new everytime I go to the range......

 

[A10]

Both the first and the second amendments a pivotal for our freedom. Neither should be exercised irresponsibly.

 

[Knightrider03m]

In my autos, I have to 100 at least rounds just to see if my gun work, 100 rounds to see if I can shoot well with the gun (I'm also doing this with in the 1st 100 rounds of the gun as well) then about 50 rounds of my carry ammo to see if the gun and feed it and also if I can shoot it. After those test are done, then I will carry my autos

For my wheel guns, I would have to shoot 5 rounds to see if it works, 100 rounds to see if I can shoot well with it and another 50 rounds of my carry ammo to see if I can shoot well with that ammo. Then I will carry it.

 

[gearchecker]

I've read every word of this post so far, and I agree with most everybody's comments.
The scary part of the opening thread are the comments seem to indicate that 2nd party carries only because he can. But with his careless attitude, it seems that if he ever pulled it out thinking he is acting in defense of himself or sombody else, he probably wouldn't be aware of the real consequences of his actions.

I met a young man late last year that said he can pull his gun on anybody that is "breaking the law", just to stop them.
I tried to explain what brandishing a weapon is, and what the consequences may be if he was to ever pull his pistol on anybody.
He said that I was crazy and that his carry permit gave him the right to use his gun in defense of anybody, as long as he was stopping a bad guy from breaking the law.
I never could convince him otherwise. I told him he needed to take a concealed firearms course at the local gun range and learn what the laws are about carrying, and what his responsibilities are as a person carrying a gun. He laughed and said he knew everything he needed to know about carrying a gun.
The last thing I told him was that he needed to grow up and become a responsible adult, and that he needed to quit carrying a gun before somebody gets killed by mistake or because of his stupidity.
Sometimes it scares me with the rights some people abuse concerning firearms.
Again, somebody that will probably end up on the local news shortly.

 

[flop-shank]

He laughed and said he knew everything he needed to know about carrying a gun.

.........and fools shine on.

There's not one of us here on this forum, and there's no shortage of those who really know their stuff, that couldn't benefit by learning more. One can always know the law better and there is also the hardware end (belts, holster, ammo, ect.).

 

[Dueeast]

Also, there are plenty of people who carry autos, without practicing shooting. If you limpwrist (especially with a "snappy" round I.E. .380 .357 sig .40 S&W) your asking for a problem.

 

[Mickey D]

hallelujah,hallelujah...hallelujah hallelujah