CHL-Texas With Ross Bransford in Austin, Tx

[TexasRedneck]

I agree DA - like I said, a GOOD instructor will use the "war stories" to highlight points - a bad one will use 'em to show you how "good" he is. Had a few of 'em myself years back - includin' a TO that was constantly on me....until I saved his ass after a rookie mistake he made in front of other units - NO way he could lay the blame back on me (and he tried)!!

 

[riverara]

Ill throw Ross and Dottie a bone. I agree, while he used his personal experiences to highlight points being made, I think he did it in a way that helped me understand things better. Not just to "show off". I do think that he focuses a LOT on the responsibilities of carrying and the ramifications of having to use it. But I think thats a good thing. He also made it a point that we need to KNOW what the law says...not just think we know.

As for test material type stuff...he went over everything. He might have glossed over some of the small stuff but he touched on what was really needed to be touched on (not just test questions). In particular, I felt very informed as to where I was and wasnt allowed to carry and what signs allowed or prohibited me from doing so.

Maybe he went over some of that while you were out getting fingerprinted of your photo taken? I know I missed part of the class where he was talking about displaying ID to an LEO because of that. So I just read my book after class.

They have also been very helpful in answering any questions I have had after the class passed. I emailed him once about a generic law type question and called him once to clarify something with the paper work.

Of course I took my class about a year ago.

 

[cyber]

I'm new to this forum, but will post my two cents...

I took the CHL class with Ross and Dottie a couple of years ago and found it extremely informative and helpful in understanding the law and the possible consequences of choosing concealed carry.

My wife recently took the CHL class with Ross. She said she felt the class was clear and thorough, and understood the requirements and commitment of concealed carry after her training.

Ross is a no-nonsense kind of guy. I found his style refreshing. Some individuals don't appreciate that approach.

If you're the kind of person who doesn't pay attention and repeatedly asks inane and redundant questions, you won't like Ross or Dottie.

All in all, Ross is my first recommendation when people ask me for a CHL class referral.

 

[txinvestigator]

Welcome to the forum cyber. You signed up just to promote "Ross and Dottie"?

 

[les]

Has anyone on this fourm been to this class
I went in March and took the class. I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't entertaining......but I feel really Ill informed. He told fabulious stories about his childhood, the wars he had taken part in, times when carrying a firearm saved his life.
But as far as where you can and can't carry and for what reasons he only spent 10 min on tops.

While he yaked on and on about his storys he really didn't give us any real information untill the last hour or so of the class. The bulk of that in the last 15 min before the class. I passed with a 96 but I literally had just been given all of the answers mere moments before the test. He did spend a fair amount of time trying to scare the crap out of us as far as the legal ramifications of what happens when and if you do have to pull that trigger. Which is good I think But as far as defining a sign that says "No guns" from a legal sign that prevents a licensed CHL holder from carrying his firearm in is extreamly grey to me.

Are all of the Chl Classes that vague? I have read through my texas department of public safety CHL manual but, in there it is written with such difficult language that I have to spend some time decifering it.

Has anyone else had an experience like this? Or do I just need to do a crap load of research before I go out in public packin'? Oh yea' and to top it all off at the end of his class as if i threat he says something to the effect of If you report to the state that you found this class insuffecent then they will take my licnse to teach this class and I would have to go take another class and spend the money for the class and the 140 to the state all over again.

If nothing else does anyone have any good suggestions on places to do research online?[/QU



I just finished the class yesterday with Ross and Dottie I also had my 26yr old daughter with me. Upon completion of the class my daughter and I had a long and frank conversation about the course ...I am 57 so we had a wide background of approach to the class, my daughter has been shooting for about a year and I have shot all my life. That being said we both agreed that we came out of the class feeling very well informed about both the technical aspects of the law and the responsibilities and possible consequences of using a handgun in need. This from 2 very different points of view. We ESPECIALLY reviewed the " war stories " as each and every one had a very distinct and serious purpose in giving a real life context to the very laws and information that he was trying VERY hard to impart to each and everyone of the students in the class. A class that very obviously included everything from very experienced shooters to several people who clearly stated that they had NEVER EVEN HELD A HANDGUN!!!!

 

[Bithabus]

Bad CHL instructors are a pet peeve of mine. I am continually amazed at the BS some of these people will tell their students. I agree with TX Investigator that you should report this guy to DPS.

 

[kurt]

He seemed open to communication, why not let him know what you felt was lacking? As I recall, he openly sought out communication via e-mail if you thought of additional questions later.

 

[Chickenwing]

My as I have spent numerous occasions dealing with Mr. and Mrs. Bransford.

I took the class with them personally as did my girlfriend who has never submitted her paperwork. It is a lot of very dense, legally complicated, and often boring material covered in a very short amount of time however I have yet to see Ross ever not cover any of the material that should be presented in the class which is something I cannot say for every instructor I've seen teach and I have seen several. I have heard the comment Ross makes about reporting to DPS if you feel the class was insufficient and it is never presented as a threat, but if anything it is more information for the students letting them know if they feel they were shorted in any way that there is recourse through DPS should they feel the need. It is made in a light-hearted manner which I can see some people taking the wrong way, but Ross has never run a class short in my experience. If anything I have seen them stay past the scheduled end time for as long as a couple hours because things got behind schedule (usually people interrupting with a bunch of "what if" questions) and they still had material to cover.

The class material is dense, but I know without a doubt it is covered. Because it is covered in one day it is covered quickly. Each student is made aware at the beginning of the class that they are being given the information they need to know, and then are told to go research it in addition to the instruction. The CHL course info is not the end all be all of everything you should know. Coming to a forum like this is a great source of information for furthering your understanding of the rules/laws/implications of carrying a firearm. The course was never meant to be an all inclusive "Here's how". If so it would run much, much longer. If the instructor cannot spend an hour explaining one rule just because one person just can't grasp the concept or has a dozen "what if" questions. "What if" questions are for later, and for forums. They have to cover the material and move on. That is why several instructors ask you to write your questions down so they can go over them in more detail later with you personally to insure your understanding. Did you write these questions down and ask him after the class? Did you send him an e-mail or call asking for clarification over the 30.06?

Any good instructor will tell you that relating personal experience and stories/examples to otherwise boring information is one of the best ways to get the info to stick and further understanding. Ross uses several good examples but they are always to back up information. I agree with DoubleAction that examples which only pertain to the instructor are of no use to the students, any example that is followed with "but don't do that because you're not a ______" is a poor example. You may hear the "you don't live in my world" example from time to time, but that is not the same thing. That is to illustrate the difference in mindset between someone who goes day to day not concerning themselves with the realities of the world we live in (many of which take this class) and those who have their heads out of their posteriors and their eyes up. It is an often shocking but valuable illustration for many of those "eyes down" type people"

I have heard both good and bad about Ross's class. Most of the bad had to do with Ross being rough around the edges sometimes. To a point it is understandable, he comes from a no-nonsense, to the point, military background just like Kurt said and some people are way too soft to deal with that. For them I have no sympathy. I have often heard the class described as thorough and eye opening as I hope most CHL classes are, and if they have good instructors it should be. From what I've read I'm sure TXI's and DACHL's courses are just as informative and eye opening. I would encourage anyone who has taken the CHL course if they have the time (and the instructors are willing and have space) to audit other CHL courses like I have. It never hurts to hear the info again, especially out of a different mouth from a different viewpoint. If you get the time take up gpeloq on that offer and request the same from other instructors.

What I would not do, however, is base judgments like "Guys like him are a disservice to his students, the CHL program, other instructors and the general public" and "you should report this guy to DPS" on one person's inability to grasp the difference between 30.06 and the "Gun and Ghostbuster sign."

By no means am I saying don't report if you feel legitimately uninformed. But I'm 110% certain even if DPS sent a investigator they would be more than pleased with the course. There are less than stellar CHL instructors out there. Ross is not among them.

Now maybe that was 25 cents, but I stand by it.

 

[txinvestigator]

Haahaaaa, this thread is over a year old.

 

[Chickenwing]

Well I'll be, it sure is. Guess it got bumped when Les posted and I almost never look at the date stamps (will now lol).

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Personally, I think our (Texas) CHL classes would be considerably more effective if instructors split them over 2 days. Usually you have about ~4-5hrs of people being seated in a classroom before their minds turn to mush and are unable to process much. 2 5hr blocks would be much easier, and it would help people understand the boring subject of laws and regulations a heck of a lot better since they would be more alert each day.

 

[Chickenwing]

SigF I agree. If anything I think it should be more or less the length of the Level III commission class, maybe not a full 30hrs. However 8 hours over law in the classroom, 8 hours over non-violent DR/Carry tactics, and 8 hours range time would benefit WAY more people than the current State curriculum. However I think you would also see a steep drop in licensees. Even in 2 day classes I've seen too many people show up for one day but not the other. Or not sign up at all because they can't get 2 days off, or some other such excuse. More training better licensees, or less training more licensees. I know which one will happen more often than the other, unfortunately. Plus I don't see the state putting their heads together (see: pulling their heads far enough out) to construct a better more informative class. Perhaps it is ideal that they don't, the state deciding which tactics to teach may very well benefit no one.

 

[txinvestigator]

One of the ranges where I teach offers the multi day class. It seldom has more than 3 people. Every Saturday and Sunday the one day classes are full. 15-20 people each

 

[Bithabus]

I wouldn't go to a multiple day class. Get it over at once, like removing a band-aid. Most people feel this way I think.

 

[kurt]

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