CCW class--what is it like?

[CalamityJane]

Hello again. You all have been so helpful with my first question, and I appreciate it. I'll post again on that thread when I make up my mind what to get. Anyway, I'm scheduled for a CCW class in a couple of weeks; I just wondered what all does this entail? Mostly lecture, some shooting? Do you have to pass some kind of test?

Looking forward to it.
Thanks,
CJ

[BullfrogKen]

It depends . . . .

What state and who's offering the class?

[thorazine]

Hello again. You all have been so helpful with my first question, and I appreciate it. I'll post again on that thread when I make up my mind what to get. Anyway, I'm scheduled for a CCW class in a couple of weeks; I just wondered what all does this entail? Mostly lecture, some shooting? Do you have to pass some kind of test?

Looking forward to it.
Thanks,
CJ

Florida here (law, safe gun handling and basic operation).

I had a one on one course.

4 hours (might have ran a little under).

Mostly lecture.
Basic gun handling and safety (on range)
Demonstrate you can fire fifty rounds downrange safely (on range)

Get your certificate and go.

[trickyasafox]

mine in upstate NY was 4 hours, and very boring. very basic.

[BBBS]

Ohio, 2 five hour classes. Boring but mandatory.

[P95Carry]

CJ - I teach NRA Personal Protection and that course has some classroom time but plenty of range time too. No actual ''qualification'' as such tho at end is a written test. It does tho get folks beyond basic pistol and into a more defensive mindset.

Hard to tell what yours will be as a specific, without knowing more about it. Good on ya tho for taking a course. I would expect it will be very straightforward with no catches.

[CalamityJane]

Thanks all of you for your replies. It sounds like it is not exactly the same everywhere, like the SAT or something like that. I'm looking forward to it.

[Shmackey]

In Colorado, it was two multi-hour classes for me. It was one-on-one but I think that would vary with the place giving the course.

One class was very sit-down, legal + reg stuff. The other was practical. I had to shoot for a score at distances from 5 to 25 yards, lefty, righty, barrier, no barrier, the whole nine yards. I was a little surprised by that, but it wasn't particularly difficult, even for a target shooter. My certificate actually states my score in big text, but I kind of doubt the clerk who took my paperwork was even looking for anything like that.

[Standing Wolf]

All classes are about the same: the greater your willingness to learn, the more you'll get out of it.

I expected my Colorado CCW class to be completely boring: after all, I'd been a shooter nearly three decades at that point. It turned out to be very informative.

[cavman]

Virginia: My class was delivered by an 50ish seasoned instrutor (my first, and only,but genuine in intent of talking to all as good honest citizens). It was only all class with instruction, some law, ethics, some anecdotal, some 1980s video on shooting, no range.

For us a stepping stone, required, for the carrying permit. Here, a means to the end, to a permit (as it is required). The rest is left to the individual for continuing practice and mastery of the weapon, as well as "real life" situations of what the burden of having a weapon means. As burden, I mean, there are many that are initially uncomfortable with the information that there are those that are familiar with firearms. You may find, however, that after a little discussion, many lose a prepregrammed negativity, and will engage in an honest.

In addition, you will find conditions and places and people that are unwelcoming to your possesion of a firearm, and choice of being comfortable with your choice to do so.

I, however, salute you in your decision to do what you find most comfortable.

[slicers63]

The class depends on who is teaching it and where. The first 16 hour ccw class I took covered the laws, what your rights and responsiblities where when carring a gun. We shot 10 rounds, the minimun required to qualify. Four years later I had to repeat the 16 hour course as I did not renew my license in time. This class was giving by Gunsite. It had 4 hours of class work and 12 hours of shooting including night shooting. A much better class on gun handling. My wife's class was somewhere in between. 12 +/- hours of class work and 25-50 rounds of shooting.

Renewal classes have been a review of the laws and shoot to qualify. Qualifying is 5 round at 5 yards and 5 rounds at 10 yards. The target area is large and you need 70% to qualify

Now that Arizona has went to an 8 hour ccw class I do not know what they will be like other than qualifying is the same.

I would recommend a Gunsite ccw class without hesitation. I am sure they will give you a better bases for ccw.

[ezypikns]

Our instructor made the old statement at the beginning of class that there was no such thing as a stupid question. I seem to remember about 10 or 11 hours of classroom work and testing, and only about an hours time on the range (for actual qualification). I do believe you should be thoroughly familiar with your weapon before you come to class. I don't know about other states, but range qualification in Texas seems to be fairly easy.

[Scarface]

Hi CalamityJane,

Our class, in North Carolina, was 12 hours, presented by the guy who trains our State Police. It included legal issues (6 hours) weapon safety and range (6 hours) and a 50 round qualification shoot at different distances and times. My wife used our Makarov and passed with high marks. I learned to shoot in the Marine Corps, have been shooting for almost 50 years and still learned things in our class. I was impressed at the quantity and quality of information presented.

Be Well,

Scarface

[boofus]

In Texas it's 10 hours of boredom unless you are renewing. Then it's only 4 hours of boredom. Then you shoot 50 rounds at targets placed at 3, 7, 15 yards at a michael moore sized silhouette.

:D

[Peter M. Eick]

I found the Texas original and the renewals to be interesting. Mostly just to hear what has changed since the last time we took them. I guess my advice is to read up on the law and have an open mind about the realities of what you are trying to obtain.

The hardest thing I found was figuring which gun to qualify with. One time it was a Baer 45acp, another time it was the Sig210-6. Next time I am thinking about a P7PSP (since that is my carry gun).

[Technosavant]

I doubt you are in Missouri, but here's what we must endure:

8 hours of class:
~6 hours: lecture over firearm safety, legal justification of deadly force, liability issues, etc.
~2 hours: range session: demonstrate ability to safely handle and shoot semiautos and revolvers, practice round of 50 rounds, qualifying string of 20 rounds; must hit with 15 of 20 at 7 yards on a silhouette target (how do you NOT do this?).

Personally, I think more could be done on tactics and legal issues, but precious few trained lawyers do these classes and the state isn't interested in you learning tactics.

[Lennyjoe]

If your in Arizona then its an 8 hour class.

6 hours of lecture going over laws, carry issues as well as liability issues.

2 hours on the range shooting a practice round and then a qualification round.

If your around Tucson and need some help getting used to firearms then PM me and I'd gladly meet you at a range. I have several semi auto's to shoot.

[Matthew748]

Man, I love Indiana. $ 10.00 in cash, a $ 15.00 money order payable to the State, 30 minutes at the police station, and about 2 or 3 weeks of watching the mail. No formal training required, but they did give me an informative brochure advising me, among other things, not to pull my gun in public and wave it around.

[TexasRifleman]

All the above is good info for you.

The bottom line as you can tell is that the CCW class is not handgun training, it's merely a legal requirement to get a permit.

I'd recommend finding a true defensive handgun class as soon as you can.

That's not the job of a CCW class at all, and you would really enjoy a true defensive class if you can find the time and resources to attend one.

[SheepDog68]

I have been licensed in both Tennessee and West Virginia and found both classes very similar. A husband wife team that kept your attention with a well put on program taught both classes I took. The class in Tennessee was offered double or nothing to any one that could out shoot the lady instructor with your own gun. No one was that foolish in my class.
Our hours were divided between learning state regulations, gun handling, safety and range time. We did more shooting in West Virginia but shot at a grater distance in Tennessee. The video was an amateurish production by the state police but that was the worst of it the rest you should hear every once in a while any way.

[jeepmor]

I'm seeing about what I expected for course work versus range work.

Has anyone been through Oregon's courses? Can you recommend anyone in particular, have a favorite, etc.?

I'd like to take mine with my wife. We do a lot of camping and would both feel much better if we were allowed to conceal. Oregon is chock full of liberal zealots in the Portland area, so I don't like the idea of open carry, makes people nervous. I'm not even sure if open carry is legal in Oregon, I doubt it. But we do stop occasionally and hike a little bit with plinker in hand enroute to a safe place to shoot. Sometimes it's raining, and I like to keep my gun in my pocket, out of the elements. Should a LEO pop out from behind a tree all of a sudden, I don't think he'd appreciate me having a concealed weapon, raining like heck or not.

There was a story of two ex-marines committing a nasty crime to a man and his wife in the general vicinity of where we do a lot of our summer camping. This is one of the primary reasons I purchased a handgun in the first place.

Any input appreciated,

jeepmor