Nashville-Area Handgun Carry Classes

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Good morning!

With what seem to be multiple good Handgun Carry class options in the Nashville area, I'd appreciate any comments/thoughts on the strengths (or, if appropriate, weaknesses) of the different offerings.

Thanks.

C. Andrew Dunning

[Steelharp]

Well, they're all about to be standardized. Beginning 1 March, instructors will no longer be allowed to inject any individual spin/experience in a class. Everyone will have to read the same 160 slides verbatim. At 3 minutes per slide, that's 10 hours, roughly.

This is what happens when you get a clueless gov agency head to decide how things should be.

Edit: Just to add, certified instructors have taken the written test, and failed. It's going to be interesting.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Steelharp

[bud]

.

Edited May 30, 2017 by bud

[sybo]

Royal Range! Royal Range! 

[Steelharp]

Sumner Gun & Supply. Great staff and extremely affordable range.

[KahrMan]

22 minutes ago, Steelharp said:

Sumner Gun & Supply. Great staff and extremely affordable range.

Well...most of the staff is great.

[Steelharp]

1 hour ago, KahrMan said:

Well...most of the staff is great.

[zybysco]

On 2/17/2017 at 8:29 PM, Steelharp said:

 

Edit: Just to add, certified instructors have taken the written test, and failed. It's going to be interesting.

They probably shouldn't be teaching classes.  I'm not sure which is worse, the government setting the standards or an individual going below it. Since it's the state's class, I'm actually probably with the state.  And slides are generally expected be about a minute a slide.  There are quite a few duplicates in there for some reason too.  I think it was a good effort, but it needs to be polished.  Seems like a first draft.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Thanks for the replies.  I hadn't known about the looming changes.

[ozo]

The Gun Room/Range in Lebanon.

Nice folks, clean restroom (ALWAYS), TV couch, range is SAFE and modern.

[is this OK to post under the rules?]

[C. Andrew Dunning]

For anyone interested...

We ended up taking the Guns and Leather class.  Good info.  Good pacing.  Engaging.  (Mike, if you're reading this, good job!)  In addition to what was needed to apply for the permit, we went away with a lot of significant food-for-thought.  Perhaps I'm a little naïve, but the only real surprise was in what seems to me to be a pretty low passing threshold in TN for being licensed to carry a handgun. I know the sate has to find balance between not stepping on 2nd-Ammendment rights and public safety but I guess I wouldn't think more than 30 test questions and higher target accuracy expectations to be unreasonable.

[bud]

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Edited May 30, 2017 by bud

[ozo]

10 minutes ago, C. Andrew Dunning said:

For anyone interested...

We ended up taking the Guns and Leather class.  Good info.  Good pacing.  Engaging.  (Mike, if you're reading this, good job!)  In addition to what was needed to apply for the permit, we went away with a lot of significant food-for-thought.  Perhaps I'm a little naïve, but the only real surprise was in what seems to me to be a pretty low passing threshold in TN for being licensed to carry a handgun. I know the sate has to find balance between not stepping on 2nd-Ammendment rights and public safety but I guess I wouldn't think more than 30 test questions and higher target accuracy expectations to be unreasonable.

I am curious as to what distances and how many rounds (each and total) you had to qualify with, and what percentage of body mass on your target. I haven't taught a class in 5+ yrs and just wondering if anything has changed. 

I know new rules are on the horizon, and all classes will be uniform in the state.

Congratulations to you both.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

1 hour ago, ozo said:

I am curious as to what distances and how many rounds (each and total) you had to qualify with, and what percentage of body mass on your target.

50 rounds total.  20 @ 9'; 20 @ 15', and 10 @ 21'.

The silhouette was about 19"x9.5".  The "2-point" area was around 10"x7".  Anything outside of that area but still on the silhouette was 1 point.  70 points was passing.

[Steelharp]

21 hours ago, C. Andrew Dunning said:

For anyone interested...

We ended up taking the Guns and Leather class.  Good info.  Good pacing.  Engaging.  (Mike, if you're reading this, good job!)  In addition to what was needed to apply for the permit, we went away with a lot of significant food-for-thought.  Perhaps I'm a little naïve, but the only real surprise was in what seems to me to be a pretty low passing threshold in TN for being licensed to carry a handgun. I know the sate has to find balance between not stepping on 2nd-Ammendment rights and public safety but I guess I wouldn't think more than 30 test questions and higher target accuracy expectations to be unreasonable.

When did you take it? I ask because the new test required in use 1 March is 50 questions.

The 2 point zone on the test target is roughly equivalent to the 9 ring on a typical silhouette target.

[Sidecarist]

If you can keep 20 rounds at 3yds, 20 rounds at 5yds, and 10 rounds at 7yds on an 8.5"x11" sheet of paper then you should be able to pass easily. There was plenty of time and all shooting was done in 5 shot strings.

My wife is set to take the class in a few weeks and she can pass the shooting test very easily for an inexperienced shooter.

I'll be be interested in hearing what has changed in the class.

[Steelharp]

Shooting requirements haven't changed. Test has 50 questions now instead of 30.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Our class and testing were this past Saturday.

Might one of you be able to share a link to info about the 3/1 changes?  The only thing a bunch of Googling returned was info on permit cost reductions.

[kesava]

I hear that people are willing to give their right thumb to go to the classes at gun city. 

[kesava]

On 3/11/2017 at 6:16 PM, bud said:

Glad the class was a hit.

The low threshold for hcp qualification is already an infringement of 2A rights in the minds of many. 

True, the guy next to me, shot my target with a couple of rounds and still passed. 

[bud]

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Edited May 30, 2017 by bud

[quietguy]

1 hour ago, bud said:

I drove by Gun City today on my way to Menzler Road. Saw that they'd slapped a fresh coat of lipstick on that ole pig, and that they were offering HCP classes and gun appraisels. Good on em, but glad there's better ranges around now-a-days.

I took my HCP class there several years ago, and the instructors were two TBI agents.  I don't have a clue who is doing it now, but my class was fine overall.  The range ventilation was horrible, 

 

1 hour ago, kesava said:

True, the guy next to me, shot my target with a couple of rounds and still passed. 

The guy next to me did the same thing.  When they scored my target, I had 51 rounds.  

[Steelharp]

On 3/15/2017 at 8:32 PM, kesava said:

I hear that people are willing to give their right thumb to go to the classes at gun city. 

I see what you did there...