Help with TX CHL Test Prep

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LoneStarWings

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Hi,

I've owned a handgun for about 2 weeks and have decided that I'd like to try and obtain qualification for my CHL permit next saturday.

I've put 600 rounds through my M&P .40 so far, and have seen improvement. I now get about 4" groupings at 3 yards, 6" at 7 yards, and 10" at 15 yards and am still trying to improve that. Occasionally a stray shot in a 15 round magazine will go out a little further than that, mostly because I start to develop a flinch after a few dozen rounds, despite my efforts to correct this by dry firing.

From the research I've done, my accuracy should be OK for a passing score, but I don't really understand the timing requirements:

CHL SHOOTING TEST

3 yards, 20 rounds
1 shot, 2 seconds, 5 times
2 shots, 3 seconds, 5 times
5 shots, 10 seconds, 1 time

7 yards, 20 rounds
5 shots, 10 seconds, 1 time
2 shots, 4 seconds, 1 time
3 shots, 6 seconds, 1 time
1 shot, 3 seconds, 5 times
5 shots, 15 seconds, 1 time

15 yards, 10 rounds
2 shots, 6 seconds, 1 time
3 shots, 9 seconds, 1 time
5 shots, 15 seconds, 1 time


How does this work? For instance, to start the 3 yard shots: Does somone yell "FIRE!" and you have 2 seconds to get a shot off from low ready? Then do you return to the low ready, wait for them to say "FIRE!" again, and have another 2 seconds to get a shot off? (x5) Then for the 2 shots do you have 3 seconds to get off 2 rounds, then return to the low ready and wait for the signal again?

Is it OK range ettiquette to practice from the low ready at an indoor range? Also, I've hear that you can fire from a position with elbows bent and the gun pointed straight from the chest in lieu of the low ready, is this true?

Also, can I expect to use this target:

B27(green).gif

Or this one:

txpt.jpg


Thanks in advance.
 
First good luck.

I am kind of wondering if you out to drop down to a 9mm for practice and test with. Less recoil, less flinch.

Don't worry about the time. I have talked to a number of folk who have taken the test and always say the same thing. Don't worry about the time. Basically, the instructor will tell you to load 1 round and then when everyone is ready, you may hear fire. you should already be sighted in and then you have fired. You put the pistol down with the slide open.

This continues until 50 rounds have been fired. Goes faster than you might think.

Most folk worry about the written test, but if you pay attention, then you will be ok.

When I first took the test in 1999, I felt the same as you and asked the same questions, but you'll do fine.

Where you at?
 
First good luck.

I am kind of wondering if you out to drop down to a 9mm for practice and test with. Less recoil, less flinch.

Don't worry about the time. I have talked to a number of folk who have taken the test and always say the same thing. Don't worry about the time. Basically, the instructor will tell you to load 1 round and then when everyone is ready, you may hear fire. you should already be sighted in and then you have fired. You put the pistol down with the slide open.

This continues until 50 rounds have been fired. Goes faster than you might think.

Most folk worry about the written test, but if you pay attention, then you will be ok.

When I first took the test in 1999, I felt the same as you and asked the same questions, but you'll do fine.

Where you at?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'm in Austin. The reason I went with the .40 is that there is a pseudo-LEO type of certification that I'm looking to prepare for after the CHL. The agency issues a .40 cal for that, so I need to get used to the round. I'm using the CHL qual to prepare for that actually. My flinch isn't bad if I have a few seconds to concentrate on a smooth trigger pull. When I start doing controlled pairs from the low ready about 1 in 15 shots will end up going a little outside my normal groupings. I think I can work that out though.

Today I would do 5 double taps and then 5 rounds slow fire to get the groupings I mentioned above. It sounds like I'm going overboard trying to get controlled pair type speed (firing ASAP as soon as the muzzle drops down out of recoil and the sights are refocused) to prep for this test, but it almost seems like 2 shots in 3 seconds would require it.
 
If your gun doesn't jam excessively and as long as you are not a danger to yourself or others when you have a gun in your hand you will have no problems passing the shooting test.
 
It is a very easy test. I don't say that as someone who took the test with years of shooting experience, which I had, but as someone who stood next to 2 people who had fired a gun one time before the test.

You don't have to draw from the holster and get a shot off or anything. You load the gun, then you aim at the target, then you take the safety off if your gun has one. Then the instructor will probably say something like "raise your non gun hand if you are not ready. OK, everyone is ready. When I say fire you will have X seconds to fire X rounds. Ready? Fire!"

Here is a step by step description, along with a picture of the target.
http://www.dentoncountysports.com/target.htm
 
JohnKSa said:
If your gun doesn't jam excessively and as long as you are not a danger to yourself or others when you have a gun in your hand you will have no problems passing the shooting test.
Click to expand...

+1 on that. All you have to do is put a hole in the "bad guy" area of the target. This isn't a "trophy match" by any means.

If you can hit the broad side of a barn, without shooting yourself in the foot (or someone else), and are able to understand and follow simple verbal commands, you'll have no problem.
 
The written test is far tougher than the shooting, and it is fairly easy. Just remember it was written by government employees, so it will ask questions about aspects of the CHL that you probably didn't care about such as:

"If your license is revoked, you may reapply after_________ months."

Since I didn't plan or ever being stupid enough to have mine revoked, I had not paid particular attention to that part of the lecture. Even so, you should pass the test with no trouble.

I don't think anyone in the classes I have taken have ever failed the written test. I have heard of the instructor failing people on the shooting test. Generally this is not because of an inability to hit the target, but from demonstrating unsafe gun handling skills, or not knowing how to operate their weapon. Generally they are told to take lessons or practice and come back to a later class.
 
I've had the first-time and renewal CHL classes. In both, the instructor was very careful to point out details in the law that would be tested. In both classes (30+ people each), nobody failed.

The shooting test is relatively simple. If you can keep all your shots at 3yds and 7yds in center-mass on the silhouette, you can dang near miss paper at 15yds and still pass. In my qual tests, the RO told us how many to load and what sequence to shoot, one step at a time. The timing requirements are really easy; you just shoot the proscribed number of rounds in a cadence that equals one shot every 2 seconds or better. That's actually far slower than most people shoot in practice.

Do not double-tap. It is not needed, and it annoys the RO.

The target used for the qual is the TX-PT target; keep the shots inside the inner line and you're golden.
 
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It's a very easy test. If you can hit center of mass, you can pass the shooting test. The written test is slightly harder than a written test for a driver's license. Pay attention in class and you should pass it with flying colors.
 
Thanks for the help everyone. Sounds like I should be OK, but I'll still hit the range pretty hard this week. I tried to go today but have never seen so many people waitining in line....10 lanes with about 4 people in each and 20 people waiting in the shop, whoa. Anywhoo, I will buy a few txpt targets and shoot those this week. Any oline study guides available for the written test or should I just wait for the class?
 
i recently took my chl test jan 17 and was nervous i would not pass. the shooting is very easy,i had not been to the range in three years and used a brand new gun i had never shot before and passed.we used the first taget you posted and as long as you keep your first shots inside of the eight ring
at 3 & 7 yards you already passed min score is 175.the written test is what i was worried about (i really suck at tests) and i passed with ease i was surprised it was that simple. so i say to you fear not my friend as long as you dont shoot yourself or someone else and follow directions you will pass. oh and we graded our own written tests go figure that i guess that was our honesty test for the day
good luck and have fun
 
A lady in my class, who had never shot before, passed easy with a rental gun. Lol,one shot was in the head and the next in the boys...but after that she calmed down. Easy test.
 
"there is a pseudo-LEO type of certification that I'm looking to prepare for after the CHL"


????????????
 
If you've gone through 600 rounds of practice in 2 weeks you will pass no problem. Don't waste time worrying about it. The instructor will only expect you to be safe and attentive. They will give clear instructions and nothing is done under pressure, the time limits are very generous. The shooting portion would take some effort to fail. Bring a lunch.
 
"there is a pseudo-LEO type of certification that I'm looking to prepare for after the CHL"


????????????
Click to expand...

I'll just say it would allow me to carry where I work (a very security sensitive location) and that qualificaion requires a 1 week vacation in the desert southwest, supervised by some 3 letter federal agencies. I dont mean to imply that it would make me a LEO in any way, nor do I intend to sound overly clandestine, but I probably shouldn't get too specific. No prior handgun experience was required to be approved for the training, although it seemed smart to prepare thoroughly before I go.
 
If you live in the Austin area and want to carry a firearm for work or SD, then one should train at bit.

Thus, I recommend - www.krtraining.com - unpaid endorsement of my buddies Karl and Penny. Get beyond the CHL test!
 
One of the times I had to renew there was an old couple who were obviously drunk and they passed with flying colors. Never seen anyone fail. Just pay attention and don't point your weapon at anything except the target.
Good luck cowboy.
 
One of the times I had to renew there was an old couple who were obviously drunk and they passed with flying colors.
Click to expand...

I find that a bit worrisome that they were obviously drunk and the instructor didn't prevent them from taking the test. Isn't carrying while drunk a criminal offense?

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/ftp/forms/ls-16.pdf#page=76

Your point about the test being straightforward is taken, but this drunk thing seems like it could be a basis for revoking an instructor's license if he didn't prevent an obviously intoxicated person from taking the test. Not that I want any of these things to happen.
 
It was a couple of renewals ago and I just made sure I was at the other end of the line when we shot. Freaked me out pretty good(thus I remember it well)but I just wanted to pass and not cause a problem at that time. In hindsight I probably should have made it clear to the instructor that I had an issue with it. Hope they didn't go on to do anything stupid at a later date.
Dave
 
Well, just thought I'd finish this thread off with my CHL report.

I took my class today and scored a 241/250 (96%) on the range portion and 47/50 (94%) on the written portion.

I am kind of dissappointed with my range results, but I was about in the middle of the pack for scoring in my class. 8 applicants out of our 25 scored a perfect 250. I ended pulling my shots low and to the left on some of the 7 and 15 yard shots, because I wasn't really prepared to the way the time-pressure would affect my trigger pull. I think I had 5 shots out of 50 that ended up in the 7 ring, and 2 that hit the body but outside the target rings.

Our instructors had a prize of a nice wooden gun cleaning cabinet with supplies for anyone that scored perfectly on the range and written, but no one did it (there was one pretty tricky question on the test that almost everyone missed).

I still needs improvement my accuracy when I'm "on the clock", but it was good enough for government work I suppose.
 
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