Which Weapon For HCP Class

[eapking]

Sadly, for many people, the HCP class is the first and only time they shoot a handgun.

+1 on this comment. I hate to hear people say the HCP is their first class. They make me highly nervous on the range, especially the one I go to that doesn't have the cinder block compartments.

I think it's everyone's responsibility to take a couple of classes beyond (before?) the HCP. To me the HCP doesn't even count.

[Fallguy]

I hate to hear people have to take a class and pay money to be able to do what should be a right......

But that is for a whole other thread I guess....

[True Grit]

Please let your wife shoot the 9mm and you use the .40 S&W!

The whole point of the course is that you have received some training on the handgun and can use it safely.

I took the course with a 22LR Mark III Ruger and took Top Gun but now feel guilty. I should have used my Beretta PX4 45 ACP but didn't because I was short of 45ACP ammo but had plenty of 22LR.

My wife bought a Walther PPS .40 S&W and did fine but it hurt her wrist due to arthritis and now she will not shoot it anymore. She now uses my SA XDM 9mm and it is now her CCW and I carry the PPS.

[Currently]

Head shots are a definite no no.

For qualifying?

I shot two eyes

A triangle for the nose.

A crooked smile ... was a bit disappointed with my results.

And then focused on different parts of the black for the rest.

I just listened to the instructions, they did not want tight groups and distinct holes and that was exactly what I gave them ... without even breaking a sweat.

I can shoot quarter size groups at 15 yards with the Buckmark, off hand without resting on a bag.

I had nothing to prove and had a load of fun doing it.

The instructor just looked at me and grinned. I made my point.

I also use small bore targets when I shoot my 1911, I find it more challenging and easier to diagnose my mistakes.

Does this lack of testosterone make me a bad person?

According to SWMBO, I am going through male menopause ... still not at the Viagra stage yet!

Edited December 8, 2009 by Currently

[dunndw]

The only shots that count are in the scoring rings...headshots don't count.

They SHOULD...but they don't in scoring the targets for your HCP

[canadienmike]

The only shots that count are in the scoring rings...headshots don't count.

They SHOULD...but they don't in scoring the targets for your HCP

I believe that is incorrect. Any shots within the black area count.

[Guest Muttling]

I believe that is incorrect. Any shots within the black area count.

I believe this depends on how your instructor chooses to score it. When I qualified it, we had to hit the scoring rings and were told that head shots didn't count. However, I could easily see an instructor counting anything in the black.

We also had 1 who didn't qualify and they were given some 1 on 1 training time with the instructor then allowed to re-qualify which they passed. I'm fine with that, but wonder if this person is now carrying a weapon without putting in range time to keep the skills the instructor gave them.

[Fallguy]

I believe that is incorrect. Any shots within the black area count.

That's the way it was when I did it...

[RinTN]

I believe that is incorrect. Any shots within the black area count.

I've gone through two different classes and both of them scored like this.

[Guest 22-rimfire]

The instructor suggested head shots to spread out the cluster of holes and to see if I could do it. They scored anything in the black and only counted holes. So if you blow out the center of your target, you may have a problem. More than likely you'd have to shoot again.

A lot of people choose 22's. I am not in that camp. I think you should choose a firearm you might actually carry. If it is a 22, then, choose that one. I actually did my shooting with a brand new 3" GP100 with 125 gr 357 mags. I had only shot the gun once prior to taking the class to see if it functioned correctly. Had a lot of choices, I just wanted to choose something that I might use.

9mm ammo is becoming more available. I would choose the gun that she shoots the best or one that she may carry.

Edited December 13, 2009 by 22-rimfire

[JAB]

I chose to take the class with my 5.5 inch S&W 22A. I wasn't there to learn how to shoot. I wasn't there to learn how to safely handle a handgun. I would hope that anyone who has arrived at the point that they are actually thinking about carrying a firearm would already have put in enough practice/range time and would have done enough research/study on their own to have a basic understanding of those fundamental tenants - certainly more of an understanding than could possibly be taught in an eight hour class (in fact, I believe the Hunter's Safety Course does a whole lot more to address safe firearm handling than the HCP course which focuses more on laws, etc.) Sadly, I do realize that this isn't the case as there were some folks in my class who actually had to have help from the instructor in clearing a jam.

Anyhow, as I said, I wasn't in the class to learn how to shoot. I wasn't in the class to learn how to handle the firearm that I would be carrying. I was there to receive instruction in at least the basics of applicable law and jump through the necessary BS beuracratic hoops required by state law in order to obtain a permit to excercise what should be my right to self defense. As such, although I could have qualified with one of my carry firearms, I was (after all) paying good money to purchase that right and chose to make qualifying as much of a foregone conclusion - and as inexpensive, ammo-wise - as possible.

In the room where the classroom portion of the test was held, on the wall, were two silhouette targets, both with the centers shot out. These were targets that were shot by our instructor with the Kimber .45 he uses for competitions. That said, in qualifying we did not have to shoot in the rings - anything in the black counted. Now, I am not a competition shooter and wasn't in much danger of completely blowing the center out of the target. I did, however, do well enough (mine were all in the 9 ring or better except one that was on the line between the 9 ring and the 8 ring) that the instructor simply looked at my target and said, "No need to count - all of your shots were obviously on target."

Finally, what are folks talking about with regards to having it on record that you qualified with X firearm? To my knowledge, there is no such thing for a civilian HCP in Tennessee. In fact, although for a short time the type of weapon you used, etc. was recorded at the time of qualification, even that has now been dropped. In other words, there should be no record of what you qualified with and there is absolutely no reason to qualify with multiple handguns, right?

Anyhow, to the OP's original question, even if she did decide to go with a .22 to qualify why not take her to the range and see which firearm (.40 or 9mm) she does the best with, is most comfortable with, etc. Maybe, as others have suggested, even rent others to let her try out.

[Fallguy]

Finally, what are folks talking about with regards to having it on record that you qualified with X firearm? To my knowledge, there is no such thing for a civilian HCP in Tennessee. In fact, although for a short time the type of weapon you used, etc. was recorded at the time of qualification, even that has now been dropped. In other words, there should be no record of what you qualified with and there is absolutely no reason to qualify with multiple handguns, right?

They used to record information about the firearm you used in the class. Also there was a provision that allowed you do just the range portion again with a different weapon if you wanted to "qualify" with it.

Some thought that in a lawsuit a lawyer may be able to use the fact you shot one caliber weapon in class and then used a different in a SD shooting. (I never really bought into that...what about shootings in the home where no permit/"qualifying" was required?)

But as you said, the law has now changed an no identifying information about the weapon you use is supposed to be recorded, so there shouldn't be anyway someone could find out what weapon you used in class.