HCP Class this saturday...question?

[Gophert]

Just found this forum last week...great info!!! I have been a gun owner since birth, but after a "false alarm" in my house a few months ago, I have decided I need to be a little more aware of my surroundings and personal safety for me and my family. Therefore I am going to get my HCP, with the class being this weekend.

Is there anything specific I need to know or pay close attention to? Is this a test I need to take notes for or is it more of a "pay attention" type test.

Thanks everyone for the vast amount of info and a great site.

[Guest bkelm18]

Just found this forum last week...great info!!! I have been a gun owner since birth, but after a "false alarm" in my house a few months ago, I have decided I need to be a little more aware of my surroundings and personal safety for me and my family. Therefore I am going to get my HCP, with the class being this weekend.

Is there anything specific I need to know or pay close attention to? Is this a test I need to take notes for or is it more of a "pay attention" type test.

Thanks everyone for the vast amount of info and a great site.

No. A block of cheese could pass the classroom portion of the course. As long as you just pay attention, you'll probably do better than most. There's nothing that you need to take notes on. The test is pretty much common sense type stuff.

[Gophert]

Thanks bkelm18! I figured it was like most of the hunter's ed classes, but did not want to be surprised.

[DWARREN123]

No loaded firearms in the class, pay attention to the video and ask questions. Have your own safety equipment and ammo if possible. Be familiar with your firearm.

During the shooting portion be as safe as possible.

The class and shooting portions are very simple and easy to pass so relax and enjoy.

[Jonnin]

A blind 10 year old kid can pass the shooting portion and as stated an average vegtable can pass the written part.

Which should tell you something: the class is not too helpful. After taking it, if you paid attention, you can now carry a gun legally and have a pretty good chance of not shooting yourself with it while being able to hit an unmoving, man sized target at point blank range with aimed shots, taking your time to shoot. You also have sense of where you can and cannot go with your gun.

You will want to take some "continuing education" classes to train a bit more as you have time and money to do so, and you want to practice a LOT on your own as well, if you are serious about defending yourself.

[daddyo]

Depending on which weapon you'll be using, and if you haven't already done so, you might want to check and see if there are any weapons they do NOT allow for the range qualification.

[Gophert]

Sounds like it's something I should be able to handle. The class is at Guns and Leather in Greenbriar, which I have heard nothing but good things about. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Mike.357]

Please note that taking and passing the class does not allow you to carry.

You must wait until the permit is in your possession.

[Caster]

Please note that taking and passing the class does not allow you to carry.

You must wait until the permit is in your possession.

I find it truly sad that things like this need to pointed out.....and they DO need to be. *sigh*

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

Sounds like it's something I should be able to handle. The class is at Guns and Leather in Greenbriar, which I have heard nothing but good things about. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the heads-up.

I took my class at Guns & Leather about a month ago. It was a pretty good course. There were like 50 of us in there and nobody failed the written test. I think the lowest score was like an 80 or something, so that should tell you how easy it is.

I hope they have a new TV for you guys. When we took our class the TV was all jacked up so we couldnt really watch the video. We just got to listen to it, which didnt bother me in the least since I had already watched it on the TDOS website.....

[Guest pfries]

I find it truly sad that things like this need to pointed out.....and they DO need to be. *sigh*

You guys forgot the legality of the wally walk ...tisk...tisk

Just kidding , if you have been around firearms at all and have any kind of thought process happening upstairs you will do fine.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Guest brandon_pitt]

You guys forgot the legality of the wally walk ...tisk...tisk

Just kidding , if you have been around firearms at all and have any kind of thought process happening upstairs you will do fine.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I was just about to mention that you must take the wally walk before your permit will actually be valid.

[gl19gobang]

I took mine at G&L in greenbriar too. You can use one of their guns free as long as you buy the ammo. I used one of their 22's and bought a 4 dollar box of ammo. I didnt want to leave my gun in the car for 4 hours.Just pay attention to the instructor. In the class he told us about somebody shot all 6 rounds when he clearly told everybody to shoot one round at the beginning, well when we got in there he told us on the whistle shoot one round and somebody did it again in our class, shot all 6 rounds.

Sounds like it's something I should be able to handle. The class is at Guns and Leather in Greenbriar, which I have heard nothing but good things about. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Guest nysos]

Yep, as others have said. Pay attention, follow instructions closely and you will do fine. Feel free to ask plenty of questions to clarify things. The only real benefit I got out of my course was some of the legalities that I did not know about. I would definitely consider what gun you are going to take to qualify with, in my class we had a kid that had just turned 21 and bought a ruger LCP the week before and never shot it (let alone shoot again), and wanted to qualify with it. You could qualify with a snub nose revolver with no sights if you take your time, but your shots are going to be all over when you get out to 45 feet. Plan on taking or renting something that is meant more for target practice so you can breeze through the shooting portion. I also used a .22 for my qualifying, nice only having to spend pennies on ammo for it instead of dollars.

Oh on a side note, I was on CCA fairly recently on a Saturday right after a class took their written test. Apparently 2 people in the class failed it. One of the girls there said the entire time she worked there she had never seen someone fail the written test, and 2 on the same day none the less. We were joking that one of them must have cheated off the other, and should have cheated off the person on the other side of them.

Edited June 14, 2011 by nysos

[AdotOdot4]

I went through the Guns and Leather HCP course ~2 weeks ago. They must have replaced the tv because there were no issues with the video.

No real relevations in the class or video though I had been through a similar course in Ohio and had done a fair amount of research on TN laws prior to moving down here.

The test was a piece of cake if you listen, though I'm not sure I agreed with all of the "correct" answers.

-A.O.

[Just2Honor]

Check on what weapon you can use. My instructor would not allow a 22 and I remember at least one other post.

[bluedog]

The hardest part about it is waiting at the DMV to apply... Which is what I'm doing right now.

[Guest tngw1500se]

Check on what weapon you can use. My instructor would not allow a 22 and I remember at least one other post.

Why not? A .22 is the best gun to take your class with. I was tired of shooting my 9mm Keltec P11 after we shot 80 or so rounds. Sent the wife with a Walther p22.

[tnhawk]

I was just about to mention that you must take the wally walk before your permit will actually be valid.

A good instructor will cover this requirement!

[Gophert]

Well, the class is complete! We had a new instructor, Chris, who did a great job. In other words, he kept the class moving. I did use the .22 instead of my 9mm. I would suggest this for any person taking the class. It was like shooting a bb gun.

The only thing is that the class portion ended about 11:00 am and then we had to wait until our range time. The range time was based on what time you arrived that morning and signed in. I arrived about 8:15 and I was #33 so it was about 3:30 before I shot. So.....get there early and you will be done around 12:30.

Other than that....pretty good experience. Now....on to the DMV.

[Guest bkelm18]

Well, the class is complete! We had a new instructor, Chris, who did a great job. In other words, he kept the class moving. I did use the .22 instead of my 9mm. I would suggest this for any person taking the class. It was like shooting a bb gun.

The only thing is that the class portion ended about 11:00 am and then we had to wait until our range time. The range time was based on what time you arrived that morning and signed in. I arrived about 8:15 and I was #33 so it was about 3:30 before I shot. So.....get there early and you will be done around 12:30.

Other than that....pretty good experience. Now....on to the DMV.

Well, technically speaking, the state requires it to be an 8 hr class.

[bubbadavis]

When I took the class at G&L, they made all shooters hang around until everyone was done - the full 8 hours that the state requires. No one got their certificate until the course was finished and the 8 hours was up.

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

When I took my class at G&L we got done with the classroom part & taking our test at about 12:30. Then the range part started. We were broken up into about 8 heats with each heat taking around 20-30 minutes.

Our instructor told us that technically the class should be 8 hrs so we should hang around after our heat was over, but that he wasnt gonna be taking roll at the end & he would give us our certificate right after we shot *wink wink*. So I was in the second heat & was outta there by about 1:30 or so. :-)

[bubbadavis]

I don't know if I would broadcast on the internet that your class was less than 8 hours. Technically, that means the class didn't meet the state specified standards. The state could even determine that your class was not valid - which would mean taking another class.

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

Thats cool. If I had to take another one I would. It was pretty enjoyable, & gave me something to do on a Saturday. :-)