Good first courses in NC, and other questions...

get your ccp first... that will cover basic SD guidelines as well as nc laws... plus it will be the cheapest course you can find... it will also eliminate your need for getting purchase permits...

as for carrying before you get it... locked in a case in the trunk, or in plain view are the only options.... but remember, plain view is a blurry line... if an officer cant see a firearm laying on the seat next to you when he walks to your window, its concealed...

I see your in the mountains, PM me and i`ll sent you the name & number of a good ccw instructor i used, he has a great S&W 22 revolver he will let you use for the qualification part.

Brenainn,

As a retiree I make most of my living now by investing. In the investment world there's a phrase you hear a lot: DO YOUR OWN DUE DILLIGENCE.

"Due dilligence" is shorthand for doing your homework. Now homework by its very name is WORK. Not a lot of people like to work, but if you don't do your homework before investing your money, pretty soon you won't have any money left.

I'm picking on you a little bit here because you said, "I guess it all depends on the laws... I just don't want to go digging around for them right now and was hoping someone could explain all this....

One of the good things about the web in general and places like THR in particular is that they can be helpful and save people a lot of work as well as a lot of learning things the hard way. That's all good.

Problem is, "on the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog." In other words, some advice you get on the 'net might actually be more harmful than helpful- especially legal advice. It's best to "do your own due dilligence" where that sort of thing is concerned- read what the NC General Statutes actually say, or talk to a trusted source- your attorney, for example- to be sure you get it right. If I give you bad information and you get in trouble because you followed my bad advice- it won't be me going downtown with the nice officer.

You can find a set of the NC General Statutes at your local library more than likely. Or online at http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/Statutes/Statutes.asp . You really do need to read the "black letter law" for yourself because you need to know how murky and confusing parts of it are. NC is an old state, it used to be a colony, and they've been piling new law on top of old law around here for hundreds and hundreds of years. It's nightmarish sometimes.

You'll get some good advice in your concealed carry class as to NC law and its application to the use of deadly force in self defense. You'll see that infamous videotape, the one they made at the NC Justice Academy that I saw in the very first class for concealed carry instructors that was taught in Salemburg years and years ago. That tape hasn't been changed since then (though I am told there are plans for a new one in the works).

When the legislature first passed the law allowing for concealed carry permits in NC in 1995, lawmakers were worried about what people would do when they were legally allowed to carry concealed handguns out in public. They apparently feared that the streets were going to run with blood. The tape you will see in your class reflects that concern. You'll get told over and over when you CAN'T use a gun legally.

You won't get taught much at all about HOW to use a gun, or WHEN you should use a gun, if your class is like most I am familiar with. And you won't get much information about the real difference in 'black letter law' and actual practice from jurisdiction to jurisdiction within the state. Another old quote: It isn't what you don't know that gets you in trouble, it's what you THINK you know that's WRONG that causes real problems.

Be sure you learn 'the right stuff' as well as the actual applications of the 'black letter law' that govern your conduct as a legally armed citizen. Your concealed carry class will get you started on that road, but the class alone isn't enough IMHO. You need to talk to someone in the legal profession- your county DA or an assistant DA, or a practicing criminal defense attorney- to inform yourself about local practice.

As to learning how to handle a handgun, start with the NRA classes. Go to http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/basictraining.asp to look for classes available near you. There are lots of opportunities available for professional training, but IMHO it's best to start with the basics.

Hope all this helps,

lpl/nc (Down East, not in the mountains)

Like I said, I don't really need to know how to handle/use a gun since I have grown up shooting them all my life. Like I said, I just haven't ever done anything with other people away from home that had anything to do with firearms. I just want to find a good course where I can learn more... what that would be, I don't know... that's kind of one of the reasons I was asking for information! Also meeting new people who like what I like and just have some fun is the other reasons for finding some sort of courses. I would eventually like to get into LE, so I am just interested in anything really.

Like I said, IMHO it's better to start with the basics before you spend big bucks on professional training, if indeed that's what you have in mind. That's why I suggested an NRA class before you went on to other things. Sometimes people who are pretty much self-taught or taught shooting by family members learn some less than stellar habits early along- I know that from experience, I came up that way too. Bad habits engrained by a lifetime of 'practice' can be hard to overcome later.

You seem to have an open mind and a good attitude about learning, and that will stand you in good stead. The best instructors I have ever known have always been perpetual students at heart, willing to learn things they didn't know. They realize that no one can ever know it all or master it all, but even so they never stop trying.

Ask around at your local FFL dealers' shops, and see if anyone locally is teaching the kind of course you'e looking for. Or go to the NRA training link I posted above, and see if anyone in your area is teaching any NRA classes you're interested in.

There are lots of itinerant (travelling) instructors out there, some of them among the best in the business, who might be teaching classes at established ranges in your area. That saves you money on travel, plus maybe lodging and meals away from home as well, if you're lucky. Take a look at the schedules at places like:

http://www.yfainc.com/schedule.html

http://www.guntactics.com/schedule.htm

http://www.defense-training.com/sched/schedform.html

There are lots more, but those will do for starters. If you want to get into LE, a good southeastern region single source for full-spectrum defensive training is Southnarc at http://www.shivworks.com/tutorials.asp . S'narc still has his 'day job' and isn't a full time trainer, but if he offers classes you can get to, I assure you it'll be well worth your while.

hth,

lpl/nc (btw, my wife teaches CJ at UNC- Pembroke...)

come on over to carolinashootersforum.com there are quite a few people on there that live out west... im sure some of them could give you some info too... heck, i know that some of them are even instructors themselves

I'd suggest an NRA Basic Pistol class. You can get more information and find a local class here:

http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/basictraining.asp

You'll learn the basics: safety, parts and operation, how ammunition works, basic shooting skills and cleaning and storing your firearm.

After that, consider more advanced training and perhaps a concealed license (which will also require another class).

Steve