Question: Do I have to shoot the same gun in class that I will carry?
Answer: Technically no, you can bring any handgun you like to the permit class. But, why would you want to qualify with a gun you aren't going to carry? Lot's of people want to bring a gun that has less recoil to qualify as if the recoil won't be an issue if they ever have to use their gun in self-defense. After all why should you give yourself a false sense of security by using a different handgun in class? I recommend using your carry weapon whenever possible, and especially in the permit class. Also, legally, you will fair better in court should you ever have to use your firearm in self-defense because you would have actually trained with it as opposed to another gun. Question: How long does the permit class last? Answer: We are required by the state of TN to provide 4 hrs of classroom education and 4 hrs of firing range time. Question: Should I use a .22 caliber handgun in class? Answer: No you shouldn't unless that is your actual carry gun. Again, if you are only using a .22 or other small caliber handgun to give yourself a better range score you are missing the point. If you can't handle the recoil of a real gun that shoots an actual self-defense round and be accurate enough to qualify with it, then you should practice until you can. Don't give yourself a false sense of security by using a smaller caliber gun during the course. Question: How far away do we have to shoot? Answer: The state exam requires that you fire a total of 50 rounds. You will fire 20 rounds from 3 yards, 20 rounds from 5 yards, and 10 rounds from 7 yards. Question: Do you furnish the handguns and ammunition? Answer: Not at this time. Again, I believe that you should use your own personal sidearm that you will actually carry for self-defense. Question: Why do some schools furnish .22 handguns for the students to use during the class? Answer: They do this to simply get you in the door and collect your money. I feel that this is a disservice to you the students as it in no way prepares them for a real world self-defense scenario. Again I feel that each student should qualify at least with a gun chambered in the same caliber as they intend to carry if not the exact gun. Question: What caliber handgun should I use for self-defense? Answer: In my opinion I would not carry a handgun chambered in anything less than a 9mm. While there are arguably more effective rounds, I have found that most people can shoot a 9mm very well. Since under duress most people will miss the first round fired anyway, the lighter recoil of the 9mm will allow them to get back on target much faster than if they are shooting something like a .40, or .45 caliber. Also 9mm ammo is much less expensive than other calibers therefore making practice more affordable. Since shot placement is the key no matter what caliber you carry, being able to shoot more and become proficient at it is a good thing. Question: Do you like a .38 snubnosed revolver for self-defense? Answer: No, not unless you want to be seriously "out-gunned" by everybody else! While revolvers have been around and proven reliable for a long time, they are no longer the only alternative. If the police and others who rely on a gun daily no longer carry revolvers, why should you? They only hold 5-6 rounds, are slow to reload, and are not very accurate. Plus the .38 special round isn't nearly as powerful as the 9mm and is more expensive to shoot. See the article on www.ballistics101.com on .38 verses 9mm for more into. Question: How do you feel about all the little .380's? Answer: While I don't want to be shot with any caliber gun, I don't feel that the .380 is enough of a round for self-defense. They are tiny, but you can find small 9mm's in almost the same sized package. And again, the .380 is not the cheapest round you can find which makes practice prohibitive for some. Look at it this way: The .380 is allowed in countries that won't allow it's citizens to carry REAL guns. Enough said. |
Question: What brand of handgun do you prefer for concealed carry?
Answer: Since I feel that reliability is the first thing to consider when choosing a handgun, I prefer a Glock. There are more expensive brands, and there are cheaper brands, but I feel that you get more bang for your buck with Glock than any other brand. When choosing a gun that you will risk your life on, you should not consider the cheapest one on the shelf or the one you think is the most pretty. Get the safest, most reliable, easy to use gun you can buy. For me that's a Glock. Question: Do you sell guns or ammo? Answer: Not at this time. |