im scheduled to take the carry permit course on june 27

[Guest pontiac_fiero_g]

its with the knox county sheriff's regional law enforcement training academy. sgt. mike lett senior instructor. its a one day course for 85.00 and he told me he could get me a permit faster than a private class. i have a choice to either take a .25auto titan wich i think is crap or a .38special s&w or i might try to find a .22 to take what do you guys think the best firearm to test with is?

[krunchnik]

The best firearm is the one you can control and shoot best with,If you can control the .38 go for it,in our class you had to qualify at the 15 yard range also so the one you can hit the best with is the one I would use.

[Guest m&pc9]

If you want to take it quicker you might want to check out Sevier Indoor Range

Sevier Indoor Range - Indoor Shooting Range serving Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg

Their class is $65 they might have openings this month.

[TN9mm]

Not sure how your gonna get your permit faster while waiting 2 months to take the class...perhaps he has some connections at HCP office?? At any rate I qualified with my Walther P22 accuracy is the key in this test. While I had other options I knew I would be accurate with it. Plus the ammo price was far less, it's not about how big the holes in the target are just that they are where they need to be. Whatever your choice I would get some practice and be sure you are comfortable with the gun. With the ammo prices now you can't go wrong with the .22.

Unless you just don't have the time I would check and see if you could take the class sooner and just be sure you make "the call" after about 30 days of jumping through all the hoops and you should be fine. Seems like you could have the permit in hand prior to the date of your class...

Good luck.

[TN9mm]

BTW unlike other states in TN you are not bound to the gun you qualify with as a carry piece. It is just a tool to qualify and demonstrate that you are competent with a firearm. Qualify with what you are most comfortable, confident, and competent with carry what you are well....the same with. Some states only allow you to carry what you qualify with. That makes the .22 a good choice BC you can get in a lot of practice CHEAP compared to any other cal. Also, practice with the same ammo as you will qualify with...that way you are sure of POA.

[Guest pontiac_fiero_g]

its not really a big deal for me to wait until the end of june because i dont really have enough saved to buy a quality carry peice yet. i could go buy a hipoint but dont know if i would want to trust my life to one. how accurate do you have to be? we talking 5 shout groups into one hole or just 5 shot groups into center mass or what? im fairly new to handguns and really guns in general so i dont know how well i could do at 15 yards.

[TN9mm]

JMHO. But something is better than nothing, something gives you options..options are good.. no option is bad.

[Guest JHatmaker]

I'd recommend whatever gun you're the most comfortable with, like the others were saying. But out of the one's you mentioned, I'd try to find a .22.

You'll most likely have to shoot at 5/10/15 yards (at least that's what we had to do)

[GLOCKMEISTER]

Glad your taking the class but be warned I have heard some horror stories about getting scheduled for classes with LE agencys. I have also been told they dont all teach exactly what the law says, they put their "police spin" on it and teach you what they want you to know. I always wondered how Police/Sheriff's Dept. gets away with teaching the classes and interfering with free commerce.

It would be like the State of Tennessee paving driveways.... ya know?

[Guest pontiac_fiero_g]

Glad your taking the class but be warned I have heard some horror stories about getting scheduled for classes with LE agencys. I have also been told they dont all teach exactly what the law says, they put their "police spin" on it and teach you what they want you to know. I always wondered how Police/Sheriff's Dept. gets away with teaching the classes and interfering with free commerce.

It would be like the State of Tennessee paving driveways.... ya know?

like what horror stories? im not disagreeing with you simply seeking futher information.

[Mike.357]

Glad your taking the class but be warned I have heard some horror stories about getting scheduled for classes with LE agencys. I have also been told they dont all teach exactly what the law says, they put their "police spin" on it and teach you what they want you to know. I always wondered how Police/Sheriff's Dept. gets away with teaching the classes and interfering with free commerce.

It would be like the State of Tennessee paving driveways.... ya know?

I think you have the wrong idea about this specific class. It is not taught by the Knox County Sheriffs office. Mike Lett is an instructor for the sheriffs office. He teaches officers and recruits. Lett is a Sgt. in the department.

I do not claim to know why or how, but the class is taught at the regional training center by Lett and people he hires. It is not taught by the sheriffs department. I hope that is understandable. Basically somehow he has a deal where he can use the facility. AFAIK it is the only civilian use of the place.

Lett also is a FFL, no doubt he sells guns to cops on the side. He also always has a set of tables at the local gunshows in Knoxville.

He is a good guy and I believe teaches the state of Tennessee's course by the book.

I took the class from them and it was an A-1 experience, first class all the way.

They issue a certificate of course completion at the end of the day with complete instructions on how and where to go to get the permit application in motion. I have heard stories about people who took the course from other instructors and waiting on their certificate, and also not really knowing how to go about the application process.

At any rate Fiero guy will get top notch instruction in all facets of the HCP.

[GLOCKMEISTER]

Im not saying what Knox county runs is bad... but other agencys that do it make permit holders jump thru lots of unnecessary hoops. They schedule and then reschedule their classes without notifying anyone. Honestly the ones around here ran by local Dept's are ran pretty sloppy.

I'd find a private instructor in Knoxville, personally.

Edited April 23, 2009 by GLOCKMEISTER

[Mike.357]

Honestly the ones around here ran by local Dept's are ran pretty sloppy.

I'd find a private instructor in Knoxville, personally.

I am happy Knox County is not like where you are.

Fiero guy, unless you want to take one on an earlier date stick with what you signed up for.

no extra hoops, no BS, no rescheduling.

I took the class from Lett and would do it again

[GLOCKMEISTER]

he sounds like a top notch guy no doubt, thanks Mike for the information... and I agree with your recommendation.

[Mike.357]

No problem Phil, I understand how things vary from area to area. If I had not taken the class from this guy and still feel strongly about their class, ( in spite of my not so warm and fuzzy feeling for KCSD in general ) I would not recommend it.

[Garufa]

Fiero, I did not take my class from Mike Lett but have heard only good things about his class. From members here and elsewhere. I would have taken from him but was able to squeeze into another class last year without having to wait.

I personally wish I had taken the class from an LEO (or at least this one).

Like Mike.357 said he also runs a gun business on the side and is always set up at the Knoxville shows. He has the lowest prices on new guns that you will find there. Mainly S&W, SA & Kahr. Done business with him twice myself.

[bubbiesdad]

its not really a big deal for me to wait until the end of june because i dont really have enough saved to buy a quality carry peice yet. i could go buy a hipoint but dont know if i would want to trust my life to one. how accurate do you have to be? we talking 5 shout groups into one hole or just 5 shot groups into center mass or what? im fairly new to handguns and really guns in general so i dont know how well i could do at 15 yards.

4 groups of 12 shots each, 3 yds, 7 yds, 15 yds, last is instructors choice.

Sholoting at a standard sillouette target.

[Garufa]

4 groups of 12 shots each, 3 yds, 7 yds, 15 yds, last is instructors choice.

Sholoting at a standard sillouette target.

Said target being a ridiculously huge peice of paper. I think the B-27 target is the standard, at least that's what we used. Either way I guess it's supposed to approximate about a 6' or more individual.

Edited April 23, 2009 by Garufa

[Guest pontiac_fiero_g]

so as long as i hit the paper im golden?

[bubbiesdad]

NO HEAD SHOTS.

[RotorHead]

its with the knox county sheriff's regional law enforcement training academy. sgt. mike lett senior instructor. its a one day course for 85.00 and he told me he could get me a permit faster than a private class. i have a choice to either take a .25auto titan wich i think is crap or a .38special s&w or i might try to find a .22 to take what do you guys think the best firearm to test with is?

Based on what I saw when I took my class about a year ago you can nap through the class, then throw a handful of rocks at the target. You are going to pass.