What do yall think about the CHL shooting test?

[Texas42]

I was thinking back to my CHL shooting test, and I am not sure how I feel about it. Do yall think it was too easy? There was several people who had never fired a gun before. No one failed.

I know that most shootings happen at arms length and I don't want to infringe on people's right to carry. What do yall think?

 

[Texas42]

I guess I'd want people who get a CHL to want and act toward getting better on their own.

 

[iratollah]

I think the test is very fair as it enables the legally blind to obtain their CHLs.

 

[txinvestigator]

I think the test is very fair as it enables the legally blind to obtain their CHLs.

What is the defintion of "legally blind"?

 

[iratollah]

It means that I can see from 200 feet what you can see from 20 feet.

As it sounds like you're being coy, I'll simplify: It means, "Cain't hardly see nuthin lessin it's raht in front of mah face."

 

[Castrolr1]

i have seen an instructor actually tell a guy to leave his class because he had never shot a gun before.. But i do think they are too easy. you could actually point the gun at the target close your eyes squeeze the trigger and pass the shooting part of the test.

 

[kingofwylietx]

I thought it was a bit too easy. We had a lady in there that couldn't load her own magazine......she passed w/flying colors.

However, as easy as I think it is.........I don't recall hearing of any CHL holders accidentally shooting an innocent bystander while in defense of themselves........so I guess it serves it's intended purpose. By that, I mean it allows those who wish to have a CHL to get a CHL.

 

[txinvestigator]

It means that I can see from 200 feet what you can see from 20 feet.

As it sounds like you're being coy, I'll simplify: It means, "Cain't hardly see nuthin lessin it's raht in front of mah face."

I have about that vision without correction.

 

[JKTex]

There was several people who had never fired a gun before. No one failed.

We had a lady in there that couldn't load her own magazine......she passed w/flying colors.

I'm sure according to what's required of the instructors, those kind of folks can walk right through. However, I have a problem with it.

You have to pas a driving test before you get your drivers license. You have to know more that just how to start the car, put it in gear and move forward and stop.

In the class I took, there was this couple......he was next to me and I'm not sure what they did at the range, as they said they went to the range quite a bit together, but at 3 yards (whatever the short distance was) he would have been lucky if if actually hit a bad guy in the legs. Another lady who was a re-uping hers shot a group that looked like a shotgun with birdshot.

Hitting the target is good, but at that close if you shot a 12"-15" group, and not even around your POA, that's scary.

It seems that the state would require someone to show up knowing how to handle their weapon. Load, unload, clear etc. Many people struggled with that.

We can only hope that most people, like them, don't actually carry in public.

My answer, the "test" is more a breath on the mirror test and isn't sufficient.

 

[44Mo]

I'm sure according to what's required of the instructors, those kind of folks can walk right through. However, I have a problem with it.

You have to pas a driving test before you get your drivers license. You have to know more that just how to start the car, put it in gear and move forward and stop.

In the class I took, there was this couple......he was next to me and I'm not sure what they did at the range, as they said they went to the range quite a bit together, but at 3 yards (whatever the short distance was) he would have been lucky if if actually hit a bad guy in the legs. Another lady who was a re-uping hers shot a group that looked like a shotgun with birdshot.

Hitting the target is good, but at that close if you shot a 12"-15" group, and not even around your POA, that's scary.

It seems that the state would require someone to show up knowing how to handle their weapon. Load, unload, clear etc. Many people struggled with that.

We can only hope that most people, like them, don't actually carry in public.

My answer, the "test" is more a breath on the mirror test and isn't sufficient.

My class was taught by a LEO and he was really cool and worked real hard with the newbies. Those of us that had experience he had far less one on one instruction if any other than suggestion on stance or holding advise.
We were asked if we wanted to go 1st or wait on the newbies. Any experienced shooter that wanted went to the line, did their thing and was dismissed with paper work in hand.
Very scary to be on a range with people that don't know their head from a hole in the ground.
I hung back because of a skirt I had been talking too that was there taking her CHL test. The 10 hr class turned into 12.5 hr due to his one on one instruction.
I think a lot has to due with the instructor.
Just to add - I do feel there should be advanced classes and newbie classes.
Newbie should have to take a 10 hr safety and shooting class before taking the CHL test.

 

[txinvestigator]

I'm sure according to what's required of the instructors, those kind of folks can walk right through. However, I have a problem with it.

You have to pas a driving test before you get your drivers license. You have to know more that just how to start the car, put it in gear and move forward and stop.

That is fine for a priviledge that involves a motor vehicle that you will use daily. How does not apply to a right already protected by the constitution?

It seems that the state would require someone to show up knowing how to handle their weapon. Load, unload, clear etc. Many people struggled with that.

Why? I had a woman in class who can fire her weapon, but arthritis prevents her from loading the magazines. Her husband loads the weapon for her, and she shoots it. Should she not have the same right to carrya means to defend herself as you?

We can only hope that most people, like them, don't actually carry in public.

Maybe we can hope that our lawmakers continue to realize that the right does just not extend to those with YOUR abilities.

 

[Skyjunky]

In the class I was in the guy in the lane next to me had never fired a gun before. Older guy with coke bottle glasses. He had just bought the gun recently, the range master showed him how to load it.

I stood there amazed just shaking my head...at the end of the shooting test almost every round was in the 10 ring...

 

[dtalley]

Yes it is an easy shoot but we shouldn't have to shoot it at all because of the 2nd Amendment. When I originally took my class we had several in the class that also were not real familiar with their weapon. When the instructor questioned them, most said they didn't plan on actually carrying a weapon but wanted the option.

just my 2 centavos worth.

 

[Charley]

It sort of weeds out the absolutely hopeless incompetents... don't expect much more.

 

[kashton]

My first thoughts were that it was TOO EASY. I would not want some of the people from my class that passed, to be firing at an assailant anywhere within a mile of where I am.

 

[Renegade]

The shooting portion is not a problem, but I think the written test is too easy as a lot of people seem to be able to pass it but are still clueless on CHL laws.

 

[Kerbouchard]

The thing about any class environment where the student is paying the teacher, is that the teacher teaches to the lowest common denominator.

If you ever find a review of a CHL instructor who kicked a student out, let me know...that's the one I would recommend from here on out.

The test is more, a 'breath on a mirror' test. I've never heard of anyone who failed, but then again, IMO, its unconstitutional for there to even be a test.

The only reason I would recommend the tougher course is so that they get there moneys worth out of the course. The applicable laws are mailed to you when you submit your application(also unconstitutional), and are free for download so learning the law isn't even a valid reason.

The only valid reason for there to be a class is reciprocity, and IMO, that's not constitutional, either.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I recently took a CHL class a few weekends ago. You want to know the funny thing? The cute chicks in the class out shot everyone there except for one guy that knew what he was doing. I thought that was pretty funny. Since it was a big class and we had to do separate groups at the firing line, one after the other, I got to see how some of the other people were doing. I'll say this much, I think lots of people really need to learn what remedial action drills are (tap, rack, bang) and they need to learn not to be afraid to man handle the gun. I saw several FTE's, and everyone was very slow clearing them, almost like they were afraid to break the gun. One guy was shooting a friend's 1911, but didn't even know what type of gun it was or who the manufacturer was when the instructor asked him. The 1911 guy had quite a few FTE's and had to have the instructor clear them every time. Thinking back on it now, I wish I had thought to let him use my P220 so I could have used that 1911. I don't know why but, for some reason I love doing remedial action drills!

 

[Kerbouchard]

I recently took a CHL class a few weekends ago. You want to know the funny thing? The cute chicks in the class out shot everyone there except for one guy that knew what he was doing. I thought that was pretty funny. Since it was a big class and we had to do separate groups at the firing line, one after the other, I got to see how some of the other people were doing. I'll say this much, I think lots of people really need to learn what remedial action drills are (tap, rack, bang) and they need to learn not to be afraid to man handle the gun. I saw several FTE's, and everyone was very slow clearing them, almost like they were afraid to break the gun. One guy was shooting a friend's 1911, but didn't even know what type of gun it was or who the manufacturer was when the instructor asked him. The 1911 guy had quite a few FTE's and had to have the instructor clear them every time. Thinking back on it now, I wish I had thought to let him use my P220 so I could have used that 1911. I don't know why but, for some reason I love doing remedial action drills!

If you have guys doing remedial action drills during their CHL course, they need to find a new gun to carry. If you saw that many malfunctions during your class, I would be down right scared.

A carry weapon is supposed to be reliable, and what you describe is downright incomprehensible.

 

[lonewolf23c]

The CHL class I went to was geared towards laws, safe handling, correct concealment methods, drawing from a concealed carry position. We didn't even go do a live fire course. Would have been fun though, I enjoy target shooting, so I just go out once every weekend and do some plinking.