HCP Range Test Question

[CRJCapt]

I've done a search and can't find anything related on this forum or google about the Range Test Scoring. I did find on one gun stores web site that to qualify consists of firing forty-eight rounds: 12 rounds at 3 yards, 24 rounds at 7 yards, and 12 rounds at 15 yards.

Anyone know how they score each of the distances? Does all rounds have to be in the middle of the target or do they score based on groupings? Any info is appreciated. My wife and I are wanting to practice and be as realistic as possible to do the best we can.

Thanks!

[Guest pfries]

Hit the black and you will pass....

[TripleDigitRide]

Don't get yourself worked up. The range test is unbelievably easy. In the class I took, there were a couple women who had never fired a gun before that day, and both passed with flying colors.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch using Tapatalk 2

[Guest bkelm18]

They score it as a hit or miss. If your shot is within the silhouette it's a hit. If not it's a miss. Don't sweat it. People who have never even held a handgun before easily pass it with flying colors.

[Dave Nowlin]

Actually the firing range test is a joke. Several women in our class were attending the school and had purchased snub nose .38 and .357 revolvers. They admitted they had never shot them. The instructor had a .22 cal Ruger semi-automatic target pistol and he suggested they shoot it for qualifying. I purposely qualified with a S&W 642. To qualify with a .22 target pistol when carrying a snub nose revolver isn't very realistic.

[Guest bkelm18]

Actually the firing range test is a joke. Several women in our class were attending the school and had purchased snub nose .38 and .357 revolvers. They admitted they had never shot them. The instructor had a .22 cal Ruger semi-automatic target pistol and he suggested they shoot it for qualifying. I purposely qualified with a S&W 642. To qualify with a .22 target pistol when carrying a snub nose revolver isn't very realistic.

It doesn't matter if it's realistic or not. The test isn't for realism. It's a silly state-mandated course to appease the sheeple. When I took the course, the video they showed was so outdated that probably half of the topics it covered no longer applied. The state doesn't care about realism, they just want your money.

[tnhawk]

If you don't shoot the instructor, you'll probably pass the test.

[Just2Honor]

+1 tnhawk Hit or miss and 15 yds is the fartherest. Most shots were from 7 yds. My class shot at metal sillouettes and you got a sound or nothing. Instructor would not allow a 22. as he said that was "unrealistic".

[Just2Honor]

Best to check the details wit where you will take the course. My instructor gave the impression that the state requiured a certain minimum but he could add additional. Example, we fired three rounds at 3 yds with our offhand and 3 rounds at 7 yds kneeling. Didn't screw anybody up but was a change from what I've heard o0thers describe.

[luvmyberetta]

Actually the firing range test is a joke. Several women in our class were attending the school and had purchased snub nose .38 and .357 revolvers. They admitted they had never shot them. The instructor had a .22 cal Ruger semi-automatic target pistol and he suggested they shoot it for qualifying. I purposely qualified with a S&W 642. To qualify with a .22 target pistol when carrying a snub nose revolver isn't very realistic.

Agreed. That's why I used my 8045 Cougar to qualify. A few asked why I would waste expensive ammo to qualify. I told them that I wasn't going to carry a .22 for self defense & wanted to use my carry sidearm. There was one woman that took 4 hours to qualify while most were on and off the range in 5-10 minutes. She started out with her boyfriends .357 snub nose and couldn't even hit the paper at 3 yards. They switched her over to a .38 and finally a .22 target pistol to get her to qualify. She was a stripp..umm...I mean "dancer" and wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed to begin with. It kind of suprised some of us that they let her pass. The instructor had to loan her a t-shirt to wear at the range to protect her from hot brass because she thought it would be a good idea to show up to the range in daisy dukes & a sports bra. (Not that there's anything wrong with that)

[CRJCapt]

Thanks for all the information. We both are "concerned" about the range qualification. She has a .38 airweight but isn't comfortable using it for qualifying. She wanted a 9mm so I got her a 9mm. I'm going to use either my M&P.45 or my SA1911.

Anyone in East Tennessee have a favorite range they use? We use Gunny's in Maryville since its the closest.

Anyone ever use Farnsworths in Vonore?

[Guest bkelm18]

Thanks for all the information. We both are "concerned" about the range qualification. She has a .38 airweight but isn't comfortable using it for qualifying. She wanted a 9mm so I got her a 9mm. I'm going to use either my M&P.45 or my SA1911.

Anyone in East Tennessee have a favorite range they use? We use Gunny's in Maryville since its the closest.

Anyone ever use Farnsworths in Vonore?

I personally frequent Frontier Firearms between Oak Ridge and Kingston. I don't really want to since the owner was kind of a d-bag on here, but it's really the only option for me since I despise Coal Creek and don't feel like forking over a small fortune to join ORSA.

Edited June 4, 2012 by bkelm18

[Oh Shoot]

...and don't feel like forking over a small fortune to join ORSA.

I know it's tight going to school and all, but surely not such that $120 is a "small fortune"?

- OS

[CRJCapt]

I've not heard alot of good things about Coal Creek. I've been there once and the wife rented several different 9mm's. They seem a bit up tight and the guy behind the counter selling the new guns was falling all over himself flirting with my wife. I'm pretty sure he thought she was joking and flirting when she told him what an a$$ he was!

[Guest bkelm18]

I know it's tight going to school and all, but surely not such that $120 is a "small fortune"?

- OS

Oh yes quite so. I only shoot maybe once every two to three months. Just not worth it to me when I can put that towards gas or food.

[Clod Stomper]

Anyone ever use Farnsworths in Vonore?

I shot at Farnsworths several years ago. The fella who owns the place seems to be a great guy. But I had a weird "sweet" taste in the back of my mouth for hours afterward that I can only imagine must have been from the lead in the air in the indoor range. I may go there to buy stuff, but I won't be shooting at the range anymore unless I know the ventilation has improved.

Will

[Guest kcb37]

When I took mine I shot with a Ruger 380 LCP.

My instructor said I think it was 70% to pass by TN, 2 points for each round, but he required 80%.

At 3 yards he didn't say anything to me, at 9 yards he told me that was as far as I need to shoot with my pistol, take my time. At 15 he said this is to far for that gun, but your doing good so far, keep going center mass and take your time.

I would also recommend qualifying with what you will carry. Then practice with it.

A gun does you no good if you can't hit anything but what your not trying to. That will just get you in trouble.

[Guest bkelm18]

Don't bother trying to qualify with what you're going to carry if you don't want to. Just bring whatever gun you shoot best, even if it's a .22. If they won't let you use a .22, go somewhere else. The course is simply a money generator for the state. If you spend any time on here, you'll already know more than what they will teach you in the classroom portion. If you know how to line up your sights and squeeze a trigger, you'll ace the shooting portion.

[Guest nysos]

Don't bother trying to qualify with what you're going to carry if you don't want to. Just bring whatever gun you shoot best, even if it's a .22. If they won't let you use a .22, go somewhere else. The course is simply a money generator for the state. If you spend any time on here, you'll already know more than what they will teach you in the classroom portion. If you know how to line up your sights and squeeze a trigger, you'll ace the shooting portion.

Exactly. Shoot with whatever you have the best chances of passing with. No reason to shoot your snubnose in the off chance you fail the shooting portion to have to fork over more money for the class again. Practice in your own time, or if you want, pay an instructor to give you a couple lessons with your carry gun of choice. The shooting portion isn't there for you to practice or give you any sort of real world experience, it is there to give sheeple a warm fuzzy feeling that we all are highly trained shooting machines when that often isn't the case.

[luvmyberetta]

Anyone in East Tennessee have a favorite range they use? We use Gunny's in Maryville since its the closest.

Anyone ever use Farnsworths in Vonore?

Since there are too many houses around to make it safe to shoot on my family's land, we usually make the drive to the TWRA range at Royal Blue in Carryville. It's a 45 minute drive each way, but my other option is a public range run by the park service (poorly at that) in Pine Knot, KY. It's only about 10 minutes away, but is also a hangout for drunks with AR's. We went up there a few months ago and there were shot up box turtles and birds laying all over the range from where some A-holes wanted some moving targets. Alcohol and guns doesn't mix well.

[JayC]

+1 tnhawk Hit or miss and 15 yds is the fartherest. Most shots were from 7 yds. My class shot at metal sillouettes and you got a sound or nothing. Instructor would not allow a 22. as he said that was "unrealistic".

Umm, I'd report said instructor, as state requirements don't list a certain caliber you must qualify with.

The state class and shooting requirements are a complete joke to begin with, nothing but make work and corporate welfare for ranges and instructors.

[QuietDan]

If you don't shoot the instructor, you'll probably pass the test.

This is a struggle for some folks. The instructors should probably wear body armor at the range.

[Guest XD_TN]

Easy test, no problem as all have said.

I went through Shooters Edge in Kingsport. They allowed you to qualify with any gun, but provided 22s if you wanted. They encouraged the .22s since if everyone used them the magazine was already loaded and waiting. Made things go faster.

Plus that means I saved my 40cal more expensive ammo for after the class to shoot with.

Test was, if I recall correctly at 3, 7 and 15 or 25 yards whatever state required. As they told us, take any shot in real life at 15 or 25 yards and odds are greater you have a lot more explaining to do.

[williamsburg]

It doesn't matter if it's realistic or not. The test isn't for realism. It's a silly state-mandated course to appease the sheeple. When I took the course, the video they showed was so outdated that probably half of the topics it covered no longer applied. The state doesn't care about realism, they just want your money.

^^^^^^^

THIS EXACTLY

I took a class over the weekend. The video was on DVD but was VHS quality. It looked like it was taped 10 years ago. After the video it was discussed that regardless of what the video says, this is how things are now. And the whole 4 hour class time and 4 hour range time thing, well .... I was back home not even 3 hours after leavinng for the all-day class. "class time" was about 1 hour 15 minutes and this included filing out paperwork. Range time was not even 25 minutes max. That was target up to target down. You have to know the answers to 21 out of 30 of the most common sense questions about guns/gun ownership. And out of 48 shots 30 must hit the target. It's just to get $$$$$$. The instructor's know this. It's just another .gov way of getting money from you. The average class is $75-$100 of course the instructor has to pay the state something. The original app fee $115. Renewal every 4 years $50. It's just money. money. money.

But to be able to legally protect myself and my family, it's worth it. After the first 4 years it breaks down to $12.50/year.

[luvmyberetta]

I took a class over the weekend. The video was on DVD but was VHS quality. It looked like it was taped 10 years ago. After the video it was discussed that regardless of what the video says, this is how things are now. And the whole 4 hour class time and 4 hour range time thing, well .... I was back home not even 3 hours after leavinng for the all-day class. "class time" was about 1 hour 15 minutes and this included filing out paperwork. Range time was not even 25 minutes max. That was target up to target down. You have to know the answers to 21 out of 30 of the most common sense questions about guns/gun ownership. And out of 48 shots 30 must hit the target. It's just to get $$$$$$. The instructor's know this. It's just another .gov way of getting money from you. The average class is $75-$100 of course the instructor has to pay the state something. The original app fee $115. Renewal every 4 years $50. It's just money. money. money.

But to be able to legally protect myself and my family, it's worth it. After the first 4 years it breaks down to $12.50/year.

My wife and I took our HCP class together last year & it was great. There were close to 100 people in the class & the cost was only $28 per person, but was very thorough. A member of the TN Highway Patrol sat in & monitored the 4 hour class and we covered a lot of material. Day two, the range was available all day and the instructor had several certified people on hand to help keep things running smooth and organized. It took about 2 hours for us if you include review, wait time, range time, and paperwork. I was impressed with the whole experience.