canoeguy
US Veteran
Just finished teaching a pistol class for my club, "First Steps" class, an introduction to gun safety and safe operation of a handgun. A basic class, but one that is accepted here in Virginia as the training requirement for obtaining a concealed handgun permit, so over half of our students are taking the class to get thier permit.
We had a class of 20 students, at the beginning of class, I asked each student why they were there and what they hoped to get out of the class. One older gentleman, probably 85 years old, said he was there because a Judge had ordered him to attend! Apparently, he had been stopped for speeding or some other infraction, at some point during the traffic stop the police officer discovered he was carrying a revolver in his back pocket. He confiscated the revolver, and charged him with carrying a concealed weapon. The old gentleman appeared in court, told the judge he had been carrying the revolver for thirty years in his back pocket, and was unaware he had to have a license to carry concealed.
The Judge dismissed the CCW charge, and told him to attend a training class, return with a concealed carry permit, and he would return the revolver to him. So, we loaned him several handguns to shoot during the class, .22 pistol and revolver, .38 Special revolver, etc. He had a good time, got his training completion certificate, and was heading down to the courthouse Monday to start the application process to get his carry permit. Virginia is a "Must Issue" state, so he should have his permit and revolver back in a few weeks.
Justice isn't always blind, and it was fortunate this occured in the State of Virginia. If it had been New York City or New Jersey, the old guy may have been sharing a jail cell with Plaxico Burris....
We had a class of 20 students, at the beginning of class, I asked each student why they were there and what they hoped to get out of the class. One older gentleman, probably 85 years old, said he was there because a Judge had ordered him to attend! Apparently, he had been stopped for speeding or some other infraction, at some point during the traffic stop the police officer discovered he was carrying a revolver in his back pocket. He confiscated the revolver, and charged him with carrying a concealed weapon. The old gentleman appeared in court, told the judge he had been carrying the revolver for thirty years in his back pocket, and was unaware he had to have a license to carry concealed.
The Judge dismissed the CCW charge, and told him to attend a training class, return with a concealed carry permit, and he would return the revolver to him. So, we loaned him several handguns to shoot during the class, .22 pistol and revolver, .38 Special revolver, etc. He had a good time, got his training completion certificate, and was heading down to the courthouse Monday to start the application process to get his carry permit. Virginia is a "Must Issue" state, so he should have his permit and revolver back in a few weeks.
Justice isn't always blind, and it was fortunate this occured in the State of Virginia. If it had been New York City or New Jersey, the old guy may have been sharing a jail cell with Plaxico Burris....