Disappointed in CCW Course

Being an instructor, let me voice in on the other side. In Florida, the CCW course is about safe firearm handling. That is why they will accept any type of firearms training, including such things as hunter safety courses. It has nothing to do with teaching the law. I use the NRA basic handgun guidelines and teach safe shooting and gun handling.

Trying to teach concealed weapon laws opens the instructor to all kinds of liabilities. We are not lawyers and should not be offering legal advice.
 
WOW! I would think an instructor would want to add some legal issues into the class. As an instructor myself, I find that is where most lack info. Most people that I have found to take My CCW courses are very knowledgeable in gun handling, just lacking info on the legalities in firearms!

I know every state has different requirements, but if an instructor actually makes his course exceed the basic requirements it will go a long way in getting more business and keep negative comments down to a minimun or none at all.

John Hansen
www.blackwolfccw.com
 
As for going to the BBB, Not sure I can agree with that one. If the instructor was meeting minimun guidelines then there is nothing to complain about.

Not sure where you are from, but in AZ everyone can contact the department that regulates the CCW program and they will look into your complaint. It is just one way to keep instructors honest and make them follow what your state has approved. I hate seeing people not getting the info they need to carry a gun, this is what makes all CCW people look bad.

You can voice your opinion, as you did, I have no problem with that. I do that too. As most of us do!!!!
 
Additional training

It is very typical training that you describe. Most courses are bare bones.
There are some really good schools out there but most only do what is necessary .Dont waste time being upset about it, spend the time looking for a quality school that can provide the training you require.
The list in this forum is quite extensive and as a personal recommendation try Front Sight .com
Good luck.
 
WOW! I would think an instructor would want to add some legal issues into the class.
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Then I hope you either have a law license or liability insurance. All it takes is one student to stand up in court, "But judge, my instructor told me I could shoot the guy if he....".

I leave the legal stuff to the experts. I recommend to students and everyone else in Florida to purchase Florida Firearms: Law, Use & Ownership and study it themselves.
 
The course in KY (as described by XD Gunner above) is taught by instructors who are certified by the state and use supplied materials including a video and handbook. This results in a great deal of uniformity. I remember the course being very heavily weighted towards the law, especially justification of deadly force. The handbook contains a reprint of the Kentucky Statutes relevant to carry and use of a weapon and has proved to be a very useful resource. All in all, I feel that this state has done very well with its CCDW program.

One black mark though, involved a sheriff's deputy who taught the course, and was found to be distributing the course certificates without any classroom instruction whatsoever. I believe that classes were subjected to greater scrutiny after that.
 
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My CCDW was an overall good experience. There was a brief portion where the instructor showed off several different types of handguns and went over the basics of firearms, then had a discussion of safe shooting and handling practices. Then it was a LOOOOOONG and boring, but very informative, session of videos (had to be like the three most boring people in the state) reading over the CCW laws, etc. Then we had a Q&A session, then the live fire test. Had to score 11/20 rds from about 20 to 22ft at a man-sized target. Then it was back inside for gun cleaning and the exam portion. Overall, the instructor was very knowledgable and easy to get along with.

Like XD Gunner, I'd agree in that Kentucky has a very good program. I think my fee was $75, and the instructor actually gave a discount of $25 for couples ($50 each person), and used some of the funds for snacks and drinks for everyone there. I'm pushing to try and get my mom and uncle to get their CCDWs soon. I'm deffinately feeling a lot better now that I've got my permit.
 
WOW! I would think an instructor would want to add some legal issues into the class.

Then I hope you either have a law license or liability insurance. All it takes is one student to stand up in court, "But judge, my instructor told me I could shoot the guy if he....".

I leave the legal stuff to the experts. I recommend to students and everyone else in Florida to purchase Florida Firearms: Law, Use & Ownership and study it themselves.
Today 07:32 AM
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I consider myself VERY knowledgable in this area. Plus I NEVER tell them what they can do, only an idiot would do that. I give them options they could use. I also let them know that every incident has its own characteristics, and they change from one person to another. I go over examples of how this could happen.

If I am sure of something I will put it on the table, if I am not I will tell them I am not sure.

I don't let the "Liability" word dictate what I do, only because I am sure and confident of what I say and do. Personally, I don't see anymore Liability in teaching someone how to handle agun anymore that how to use it. Ethier way all it takes is one person to say "I was told by ***** to do it this way"....

I am not complaining just stating how I see it.

John
 
I should add that AZ gives us a 100 page book of the AZ deadly force laws to teach from. The book was written for use by the AZ CCW instructors. It was also written by a Lawyer that wrote the AZ CCW program.

We have good backing here in AZ...
 
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