Is 3 hours enough to save your life?
In Virginia you are only required to have gun safety training to obtain your CCW permit. A hunter safety class and a DD-214 all qualify for a CCW permit. How many hunter safety classes or veterans are taught how to draw from concealment, the legal, ethical, moral implications about use of force or what to say on the 911 call or to police when they show up? I never got that when I took my hunter safety class or served in the Navy. The bar is very low to meet the CCW permit training requirement and organizations are making money off that.
If you want a concealed carry license you can find that most commercial ranges and training centers offer a 3 hour class anywhere from $90 to $180. Do you really think that 3 hours will be enough to save your life (or your loved ones) and keep you out of jail? In my opinion the answer is emphatic NO.
While these classes may have some good content, there is no way to cover everything you need to know. It is just not enough time. While we live in a world where instant gratification is king, I offer to you that when it comes to preserving your way of life, taking short cuts is not recommended.
So what is a good class length? Like anything it depends on how much experience you may already have. Let’s explore what you might want to include to become self-defense ready.
- Basic Handgun Marksmanship – If you have never had any handgun training, you need to get a good foundation before you decide you want advanced training. Most advanced handgun course will require you to have some level of competence prior to attending. If you don’t have this any advanced training will be almost useless.
- Defensive handgun operations – This is a class where you learn how to draw from concealment, how to do emergency/tactical reloads, how to clear malfunctions, defensive accuracy, and where to shoot. You may want to consider movement and protecting your family (how do you control your family if they are with you) or you how to shoot in a crowded area. Without this these aspects you will not know how to effectively get your gun out and keep it running. You also may not know what to do in a defensive situation or possibly shoot someone you don’t intend to.
- Self Defense Incidents – You need to learn how your body will react in a self-defense situation, the legal aspects of when you can and cannot shoot, how long to shoot, what to say on the 911 call, what to say (or not say) to police), how find a lawyer, what to tell your family if you are involved in a self-defense encounter. In addition, they need to tell you what you should do ahead of time to make it easier, smoother, God forbid something happens. Without this more than likely you will end up in prison.
- Refuse to Be a Victim – The best fight you will ever be in, is one you avoid. This means that when carrying you really do want to avoid the fight. How do you de-escalate, avoid, or escape. Understand where to park, walk, how to avoid being put in bad situations. Without this training you run a higher risk of being involved in an attack.
- Emergency Medical class – just because you are wounded or a family member is wounded doesn’t mean you are done for. Consider classes like stop the bleed, emergency first aid, or American Red Cross First Aid. Without this you may run the risk of dying.
- Simulation – Just because you have the classroom lectures and some range time, does not mean that you will be successful. You need to put it into practice. How many times have you practiced verbal challenges (ie even know what to say), conducted the shoot and then practiced a 911 call or what you say when police show up? Without this training you will not be as ready as you possibly can. It is kind of like practicing batting, catching and throwing a ball but never had played a baseball game – how well do you think you will do?
The Refuse To Be a Victim and Emergency Medical classes are not required to be successful in carrying, they are an additional aspect that you should consider. The others are a minimum that will help give you a good chance for surviving a deadly encounter and staying out of jail.
The above is what I would recommend to someone that I cared about if they wanted to get a Concealed Carry Permit. The above is not a 3 hour wonder class. You might be able to break this up into 3 hours sessions, but someone that takes a 3 hour class in my opinion is woefully unprepared for dealing with a threat on their lives. As always consider what training you take and how it really helps you get what you need to be successful.