A New Haven reporter who had handled guns three times before in very casual ways with no serious instruction decided to actually take a class that would allow him to get a permit to carry. He wrote about his experience, and it turns out that it’s more detailed instruction than most people would get in boating or driving classes:
Despite the relatively short class time [8 hours], a lot of ground was covered. Imagine going to driving school and being taught not only how to drive, but all the parts of an engine and what makes it go. Pear taught us how to use firearms, but also what makes them tick.
He taught the anatomy of a cartridge — bullet, shell and the primer that ignites the gunpowder. We learned the different components of handguns, both revolvers and semiautomatics. We learned the difference between a single-action firearm and a double-action firearm. We learned how to line up the sight of a pistol and how to control breath when aiming.
“We did an entire chapter of what you have to do to fire a shot,†Pear said. “Tons of words — 20 pages of written verbiage, 15 slides in a PowerpPoint presentation — for you to do something mechanical that takes a second to do. We explain every part of that event.â€
The article is actually pretty long, and the reporter outlines what it was like shooting multiple calibers and an AR-15 in a private session he had with the instructor after class.
In the end, the reporter weighs the various reasons that men and women young and old took the class with him and debates whether or not to get a carry license. Ultimately, he decides that carrying is not for him, and the best decision is to put the fees for licensing toward buying his first gun to shoot at the range.
CT not NH. In NH we don’t have to take a class to get a carry license.
Error fixed. I started typing New Haven and somehow thought about New Hampshire.
Hmmm. He seems to lean toward the idea of making his own choices rather than taking that freedom away from the rest of us.
Interesting concept, person choice, personal freedom. Usually the Dem-Cong only favor choice if it involves the murder of infants.
My body, my choice. My gun, my choice.
“He seems to lean toward the idea of making his own choices rather than taking that freedom away from the rest of us.”
Yep. Which is largely my own point. I have never owned, and do not expect to ever own, a firearm – but I do not want to kill off ownership. Including the outside possibility that I may someday want one.
Rally has a quote from an anti:
“No one is trying to take your guns away. We’re just trying to get semi-automatics off the street and out of civilian hands.â€
which shows the depth of what we (yes, WE) are up against.