ma6907

As for a handgun class, Gunsite is now offering classes at PRI near Bucksnort.  Many consider Gunsite the BEST and PRI is considered by some to be one of the best local training facilities.  Now you get both in one place.  I would advise a novice to take the Handgun 150 class.  It will NOT satisfy the state requirement to get a permit.   http://www.gunsite.com/course-offerings/tennessee-offsite-courses/

One of my criteria for POCKET carry is that the weapon has to fit in MY pocket.  I wear the same type of pants daily, so I go to the store with them on and stick them in my pocket.  I carry a Diamondback .380 and a Sig 238.  Coincidentally, both fit (mostly, see below)  the same holster as my Ruger LCP that I had stolen from me.  (I was carrying it in my briefcase and the briefcase was stolen out of my car.  The holster was not in the briefcase.)  I was very excited to get a Pico until I handled one at the NRA, put it in my pocket, and alas, it did not fit.  When I say "fit" in my pocket, i am referring to my back pocket.  My criteria is that the gun fit in my back pocket and be concealed.  The diamondback .380 has become my daily go to pistol for back pocket carry when I am dressed such that I cannot conceal a larger weapon (or don't want to).  almost all of the .380s being sold fit in my front pocket, which I sometimes use.  I carry in a Desantis nemesis or a Galco leather front pocket.  The Galco does not totally 100% cover the trigger on the sig (covers it about 98%), so I don"t usually carry it with the sig, but the Desantis does.  I like the galco holster better, so i tend to carry the Diamondback more.  Also I do not personally prefer (I know many do, just not me) the 1911 platform, so this is also why I tend to favor the Diamondback.  The sig is a much "cooler" weapon that is more expensive and shoots better and I WANT to like it more, but when the rubber meats the road (or in this case, the leather meets my pocket), My EDC is more often than not the Diamondback .380, when I want to go small.

Just my opinion, but as a former owner of a .357 Sig, I loved the caliber and the platform (mine was a sig 229) but the COST of ammo is quite high compared to .40, for a caliber with some performance advantages--but not enough to justify the extra cost for me.  I swapped my .357 sig for a .40 and have not really noticed a whole lot of change, only the change in my pocket.  I went to the gun show to get another barrel but the guy offered me a swap for less than the price of buying a new barell.  I had gotten the first sig from CDNN for about $400 used, and swapped it for a brand new weapon, same base model but the Elite version in .40 for $100.  New .40 barrel was $150 so I felt like I got a deal.  Now it is my bedside gun and the one I train and qualify with most, and I love it.

officially applied at the DMV July 17 and got permit August 17.  Not really THAT bad.  Subtract the oops of the fingerprinting not working and I suspect I would have been approved and permitted when the 1st fingerprint denial letter arrived July 31.

Permit came today.  Back amongst the legal carriers of the world.  I am so excited!  It really bugged me every day that I could not legally carry.

I consider the 10 mm and especially the Glock 29 to be one of the most underrated personal defense caliber/weapon combinations on the market.  The   only reason I don't carry it is the case of Harold Fish.  Google it if you have not heard of him.  Briefly--retired school teacher attacked by a deranged man.  Shot him with a 10 mm he was carrying for Bear defense in Arizona.  Convicted because the jury felt that anyone carrying such a "big extreme caliber" was "obviously trying to kill someone, not just defend themselves".  Spent 3 years in prison.  Many years and many hundreds of thousands (millions?) of  dollars later he is a free man, with his record expunged and an apology.  Lost everything and 10 years of his life.  Moral of the story in my mind--Carry what at least some of the local law enforcement agencies carry and you cant be convicted like Harold Fish.  .40 for me.  I am not suggesting that anyone else should think this way, just telling why I think this way.  Just my opinion, I am new here, please don't bash me.  Defending yourself is only the first part, you also have to defend yourself in court.

I had a Millineum Pro PT140. It was 9+1.  Bought on sale for $249 at Academy.  I took it to the range, loaded 2 mags  started with 1st and 1 in the barrel.  I fired it 18 times and it wouldn't fire anymore?  I am not a gunsmith and could not identify the problem?  I called Taurus.  The lady on the phone said, "we are closed.  Call back in 3 weeks".  I called back in 3 weeks.  They gave me an RMA number and said mail it back.  I checked their website and entered my # almost every day for updates.  None ever for 5 months.  After 5 months, the weapon showed up in my mailbox, in the original box, original serial number, with no paperwork inside whatsoever.  not even a shipping invoice.   I drove down to the LGS, they offered me more in trade than I paid for it.  I traded it plus $200 for a Glock 27 (baby Glock 40), which has never one single time failed to go bang.  My first and only and last dealing with Taurus.

Funny how everyone is different.  I LOVE the DA to SA transition of my Sig 229 Elite.  It has the Sig SRT trigger.  I constantly wish that I could design my own DA/SA firearm, with decocker, in just the size and caliber and frame that I want.  Guess that is why they make so many different guns!  My current dream is that sig would make a version of the p238 with the DA/SA and decocker.  Or maybe the Colt mustang polymer version with this configuration?

I have learned many times from the school of hard knocks--there are times when you can get a great deal, but more times than not, you get what you pay for.  I trust my family's safety to Sig and Colt and Glock.  I have bought many others, some I like and some I don't.  But I have met very few Sigs and fewer Glocks that do not go bang when I pull the trigger.

not sure if everyone has already seen this video (Im new) but I was impressed.  Any lingering Glock reliability questions should be shredded by this video   http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2015/08/13/video-many-rounds-take-melt-glock/

Update--Sat August 15, still no permit.  I was really hoping it would come in the mail today.  Maybe Monday.  I did everything I could including set up my appointment for my (first) fingerprinting from my laptop in the parking lot of the DOT drivers license center.  Still probably going to get it in just over a month from the date of my course, July 12th, but was somehow hoping I could be one of those guys that got it in 8 days like I read about sometimes.  Guess not.

No, Not Nashville or Middle Tennessee.  People hate it here.  I would move to Chattanooga,  for sure.  WAAAY nicer.

My wife is from Iowa.  She had a little trouble adjusting to the summers here, then she came up with a way to deal with it.  She likes to think of the middle of the summer here as "like winter in Iowa--you just stay inside".  The most unbearable time is July 15-August 15, although this year has been a little cooler than normal--no 100's yet at all.  October is my favorite time of year in Tennessee and it is coming fast!

I am new to this site and wanted to introduce myself.  I am a lifelong Middle Tennessean.  I recently re applied for my permit after letting it lapse for 1 1/2 years.  Had to retake the class, go to DMV, and get fingerprinted after carrying a weapon everywhere I went for 15 years!  i would love to report that I learned a ton at the class, but alas--I didn't.  I did score 100% on the written test and 99% on the shooting portion (indoor range, "someone opened a door and the paper moved"--is my official excuse.  Real reason--i yanked the trigger.)  In case anyone is wondering the time frames involved--July 12th was the date of the course.  Info was transmitted to the state before I got home (I know this because of the state "dashboard" on the website).  July 17th--went to DMV for photo and to pay $$. (dashboard updated before I got to the car).  Fingerprinted the same day, 30 min after I left the DMV.  No dashboard updates after the DMV updated on July 17th.  Letter dated July 22 arrived on July 31st stating that my fingerprints had been rejected.  The case # that they gave me to enter on the website to reschedule fingerprinting did not work.  Since this was Friday after 5, I had to wait till monday (August 3) to call to schedule.  Monday at 7 am central, 8 am eastern time, I called as instructed on the letter..  Voicemail said they did not open until 8 am CENTRAL which is not what the letter from the state or the companies own website said.  called back 8 am central.  Put on hold till 8:26.  Got the lady on the phone who quickly took down my  number and said "sometimes the state takes a while to update our system."  It had been 12 days since the date on the fingerprint denial letter..  Scheduled for an appointment on the same day at 1:45.  Was told that I HAD to go back to the exact same location that I had the prints the first time, which was not convenient for me since I had picked that place because it was on my  way home from the DMV the first time, but ok since it was same day.  Went back at 1:00 pm hoping to finish early.  Finished in about 10 min.  Interestingly, the same "girl" (quite young) fingerprinted me again.  She did it very rapidly and told me that she was not concerned with quality this time, because they will just run the background check "based on my social security number" this time if they deny my fingerprints.  I noticed that the computer said "poor quality" after each individual fingerprint.  She said she did not care.  Finished about 1:10.  Went back and started checking the computer "dashboard".  Still no updates, at all, since July 17th DMV update.  Dashboard has not changed since I walked out of the DMV.  On August 7 the website finally changed to "Permit Approved".  Today is August 9.  I am guessing the permit will come in the mail on August  14 th ish.  WiIl update when it does.  Sorry for how long this was, I just figured there would be some wondering about the timeframes involved and a few interested in the second fingerprinting conversation.