Online CCW classes?

[Buck Kramer]

Hello! I am working two jobs right now and I'm having trouble finding a CCW class near Cedar Rapids, IA that fits my schedule.

I found this site online http://www.concealed-carry.net/index.php it sounds too good to be true.

I just want to make sure when I take the certificate to the sheriffs office he doesn't laugh in my face and tell me I got ripped off. Has anyone had experience with this?

Thanks for the help!

 

[hso]

It all depends upon whether your state requires a shooting skills test as well as a written test and whether the state certifies trainers or not and if they're certified by the state to provide the training. It also appears that the sheriff has the sole decision making authority to accept the course or not.

Better to check with your sheriff first instead of asking us.

 

[Buck Kramer]

I just got off the phone with Linn county, and they said as of right now the online classes are not accepted (by this county at least)

Call your county first...

 

[Matthew Courtney]

One company offering on-line ccw classes tried to recruit NRA Certified Instructors to conduct live fire activities as required by many areas. NRA Instructors were advised not to conduct live fire excersizes with students who haad not undergone in-person classroom training.

Quality control is critical in firearms safety training and cannot always be effectively monitored via the internet.

 

[CoRoMo]

It looks like Iowa honors Florida's non-resident permit. And IIRC, you can take an online course to get the Florida non-resident permit. I can't find anything about an online CCW course for Florida's NR permit, so that might be wrong, but I thought that I've seen that somewhere.

 

[gunnutery]

Iowa does not require class attendiess to conduct range qualification. I've heard rumors that the NRA was setting something up online, but haven't confirmed it. It's good you looked into it with the sheriff first.

You don't have to take a class in the same county that you live in. So if another county has one that does fit more to your schedule, you could take that one.

 

[Rembrandt]

Just completed the course for renewal of an existing permit....here's what the instructor told our class.

Iowa does require first time applicants to qualify on the range....but if you are renewing an existing permit the qualification portion is not needed. CCW instructors and their course must be certified and accepted by the local sheriffs office to be valid for first timers or renewals. If you are renewing, applicant needs to present course completion certificate one month prior to expiration date of the old permit.

 

[iafirebuff]

with the new law in Iowa you do NOT have to shoot. Here is a link to an online class that is accepted. The sheriff has no say - the state has set the standards. Again you do NOT have to shoot. http://www.cedarvalleyfirearmstraining.com/

 

[Rembrandt]

It's not clear that all counties will honor the on-line classes despite the cedarvalley instructors claim they do. According to the Iowa DPS administrative rules committee the Instructor & course has to be approved by either the committee commissioner or his sub-commissioners, the Sheriffs. If the cedarvalley instructor has approval of the administrative rules commissioner then it should be OK....that approval would over-ride any sheriff.

The link to http://www.concealed-carry.net/index.php clearly states that their course may not be approved by some sheriffs. "ATTENTION IOWA RESIDENTS: Acceptance of our class is at the sole discretion of your county's Sheriff. Contact his office first to determine if our Certificate of Completion is acceptable for the non-professional Weapon Carry Permit. Be sure to let him know that this is an interactive class taught by a certified instructor."

 

[jonmerritt]

read the iowa law and check with Iowa department of pubic safety. Quit taking opinions as fact. get the facts.

 

[iafirebuff]

Cedar Valley Training is approved by the State DPS.

 

[vettman1]

Thanks, iafirebuff, for the plug! Yes, my online training course is the ONLY online course that is accepted by Iowa Department of Public Safety and Iowa's Sheriffs. Check it out at http://www.cedarvalleyfirearmstraining.com and if you have any doubts about taking an online training course, check out my course testimonials. http://www.cedarvalleyfirearmstraining.com/testimonials

Let me know if you have any questions.


Jason Vetter
Certified NRA Instructor
http://www.cedarvalleyfirearmstraining.com
[email protected]

 

[vettman1]

I just got off the phone with Linn county, and they said as of right now the online classes are not accepted (by this county at least)

Call your county first...

Buck,
The Linn county sheriff IS accepting my training. I've got several people that have taken my course without issue. As a matter of fact, check out my blog about this. http://cvftblog.blogspot.com/ It includes an interview with the Linn county sheriff in which he states he'd accept an online course IF the student has the opportunity to interact with the instructor. My course does!

 

[BlkHawk73]

Online CCW class... LOL That's freakin sadly hilarious. How about we get or driver's licenses the same manner. Seriosuly, if it's THAT important you find time and find a GOOD course. If it's THAT important, you don't settle and stop with just the minimum basic course the local guy provides. Get GOOD training and instruction.

 

[Gouranga]

Buck I understand the crunch for time. but you got to understand, CCW classes value is not really in reading the book. I got a packet with mine that I would have read and passed the classes easily.

The value in my CCW classes came from the interactive part of the course. The Q&A. We have 40 folks in my class and we peppered him with practical questions on application of the state laws in relation to CCW and many other areas. Now before taking my CCW I ran 700+ rounds through what was going to be my carry weapon. I knew it WELL. I knew how to use it, stance, and I had read the NC General Statutes regarding firearms, use of deadly force, and concealed carry regulations.

I still learned a TON from the instructor. Now I am a computer geek, I build websites, and pride myself on making them very valuable for end users. That being said nothing is going to ever fully take the place of an interactive flesh and blood human being.

 

[iafirebuff]

I have a comment I would like to make about taking a class in person vs online. With the old system in Iowa, each county had its own rules for the Permit To Carry. Here in Black Hawk County, you had to take a class that was ran by a retired deputy. This is the ONLY class that would be accepted by the Sheriff. It was about 3 hours of classroom and then a range test. In the classroom portion, there was no instruction on gun handling, etc as they expected you to already know this. One of the very first things the instructor said was "in all of my years teaching this class, only ONE person has failed the written test". The class covered nomenclature of revolvers/semi autos, some (not many) legal views and not much of anything else.

Now the shooting test..... you could use any standard round from .22lr to .45acp. YOu had to shoot from 60' at a standard LE target. You had to score 60% to pass. If you failed they stayed with you until you passed.

Now I have no problem with this set up, as they were not out to fail people so as they could get their PTC. My wife took the Cedar Valley Training online class, and would say that it was not any easier than the old class that you had to go in person.

My last thing I would like to say is if I was in charge (bash me all you want), I would make it so that a person would have to demonstrate that they can safely handle a gun and can safely hit their intended target - but, here in Iowa the way our law is set up that is not required. So why not take an online class - especially if you have some previous gun handling experience? For those that are complete newbies to guns I would suggest a one on one class so that they can safely handle and shoot a gun. I believe Cedar Valley Training offers that too

 

[Reneage Riot]

I just spoke with the Hamilton County sheriff and send him a link to http://www.cedarvalleyfirearmstraining.com/ asking if he would accept that course. He said he does not accept online training even with the email and phone conversations. He said that he thought it was important to have face to face contact. He seemed like a really nice guy and wanted people to fully understand the law and the responsibilities of carrying a weapon.

 

[GoWolfpack]

The requirements I must satisfy in order to legally arm myself in defense should be minimal (shall not be infringed and all that you know). Online CHL courses area step in this direction and I like them.


Every gun owner and carrier should get more training beyond the most basic four rules and legalities taught in most CHL classes. This training should not be compulsory or a prerequisite to owning or carrying a gun.

 

[somerandomguy]

Online CCW class... LOL That's freakin sadly hilarious. How about we get or driver's licenses the same manner. Seriosuly, if it's THAT important you find time and find a GOOD course. If it's THAT important, you don't settle and stop with just the minimum basic course the local guy provides. Get GOOD training and instruction.

Why stop there? Let's let people get their pilot licenses online! That won't cause any problems or anything!