Do you feel your CCW training prepared you for using your weapon in self defense?

[tacman605]

For many the only training they have received in regards to using their firearm was/is from their states CCW class. Since those classes vary greatly from state to state I just wondered how many felt that was enough.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ANGLICO]

My training was refresher items on different laws of different states. Life has taught me common sense, which I pray that I will always use when dealing with others in life.

As for the 'range time', well, um, many decades in the USMC took care of my ability to put closely grouped holes in paper.

You can never have enough training! Re-Fresh-Er training is a must, no matter how old and Salty you are. Too bad that common sense is not something that an NRA or other qualified teacher can infuse into your brain housing group. That just comes from life and being raised right.

My .02 cents on this. Now I have to go finish my White Paper.

[Walden]

My Texas CHL class only addressed the legal side of defensive carry. The instructors offered a few tips (shooting at center of mass, shoot until the threat is stopped, etc.), but I would not consider the class to be a significant source of training.

[Hopyard]

"Enough" is an odd question. Enough for what?

The class is definitely enough for a conscientious person to learn the basics of our laws on CC and use of lethal force.
The range test was sufficient to weed out an obvious dufus or blind person.

The class was definitely not enough to help someone decide what gun to carry; how to conceal; what holsters to consider.
It was definitely not at all focused on defensive uses of a handgun, or on options short of retreat.
It covered nothing at all about FOPA and about reciprocity.

Here's the dilemma. You could make a course 40 hours or 80 hours and include H2H and weapons options. Would that be
"enough?" I don't know what "enough" is.

[JD]

I think I could check all of those...



Having lived in a couple of different states, I've had four separate processes.

The1st state's training was useless for me as I knew how to load and fire a pistol.

The 2nd state required no training

The third state had a wide range of items that would meet requirements, I used a cert. from a more elaborate class, but "Hunters Safety" would have met requirements.

The fourth state I was forced to take a class that did a flawed job on Iowa Code, but the firing portion was incredibly unrealistic and I had a better understanding of Iowa code than my instructor.... Thankfully things have changed in Iowa and people can choose from a wide range of classes, but some of them are very poor, while others are very good.

[dean1818]

For ccw you need to train on a range or area where you can move around


The ccw class here in texas didnt cover that

[MP9NewMexico]

Definitely NOT. My training was 20 hours of laws, assessing "opportunity, motive, ability" and situational awareness, 1/2 hour of shooting/qualification at 10, 7, 3 yards.
No practice drawing from concealment or hitting moving targets, or on how to use cover. That's on us. Either take a defensive weapons course, or just set up a run and gun range somewhere outdoors.

[Harryball]

No. Its not enough. It is a safety course, nothing more, nothing less. Its a state regulated course and has nothing to do with pistol dynamics or manipulations....That being said I do not think the states should do anything about it. Leave it to the individual, it is their life after all...

I new you were going to make a poll on this LOL

[Thunder71]

"Do you feel your CCW training prepared you for using your weapon in self defense?"

For one, my state is a carry state - open or concealed doesn't matter, it's up to the individual.

That out of the way, my 'training' gave me a good all around education of the state laws and some examples of what to do and what not to do. I was also required to put a magazine full of ammo into a paper target.

Did that make me feel prepared to use my weapon in self defense? Not really. But it did make me think a different way, and maybe I'll be more aware and be able to avoid such an incident, which would be the best outcome in my opinion.

[kg4ghn]

No training in GA just prints and pay the lady your money.

[BenGoodLuck]

Here's the dilemma. You could make a course 40 hours or 80 hours and include H2H and weapons options. Would that be
"enough?" I don't know what "enough" is.

+ 1

[packinnova]

I think mine was a bit of all of the above? Did the first class(back around 2000ish IIRC) fully prepare me? No not really. It helped with having a better understanding of some of the finer points of the local state laws in regards to the subject, but even then I went in with a bit more knowledge then I felt the instructors had (and the lead instructor was a recently retired CLEO). The range portion was pointless. It was basically a standard 300 point range test.

I look at it as a process of continual improvement. Keep taking courses and adding tools to your toolbag(ie brain).

[Spirit51]

My training for concealed carry and self defense started long before my state had passed the law.

My father started the training. Decade and a half on my job continued it. My husband did the most. This includes hands on training and piles of reading materials (which were all great). My "training" continues to this day. This is one subject I never think anyone can learn enough about.

The class I took fulfilled a requirement, but didn't "teach" me anything I hadn't already learned. From state laws to tactics.

[Gene83]

Nope. It familiarized me with state law and taught basic weapons safety. The actual shooting portion assessed that I could at least hit somewhere on the paper 70% of the time. That was about it. I don't know how much it varies from state to state, but I would say Tennessee is fairly typical. Sadly, for many firearm owners, that's all the training they have. Then something happens, and it always happens faster than they ever thought it would, they are unprepared and bad things happen.

Owning and especially carrying a firearm comes with some serious responsibilities. It shouldn't be the government's responsibility to train you or make sure that you are adequately trained, but if people don't shoulder the responsibility themselves, I'm afraid that's what it might come to and that would be a real nightmare of bureaucracy.

[wmhawth]

It's been awhile since I took CCW training but I remember it as mostly basic stuff for some and for others very beneficial basic training for brand new shooters.. As for sufficient training for a real self defense situation I guess it would depend on the individual. Who Knows? To quote Hopyard: "I don't know what enough is".