Recommended Experience Level for Carry

[David0408]

Hey Guys,
How much experience with a pistol should someone have before they are comfortable and competent enough for carry? 


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[MadDuner]

I think it?s also a maturity level issue, but everybody is different.

Competency.
Experience.
Common sense.
Situational awareness.
Maturity.
Legal knowledge.

Some people have all of these requirements covered early on.
Some people never acquire them ever and should probably not carry.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

See the constitution,read the second amendment. After that it is up to the individual to assess and adjust their competency level accordingly.
If you are not comfortable with any aspect then work on that till you are. Controlling a persons  anger and that underlying type A personality is very important as well. I know far too many guys who think they have it all figured out if it all goes south,I hope they never have to find out how wrong they are. Being good with a gun is not the same as being smart with it.

[cntrydawwwg]

Well said Si Vis.

   Op, that just something the person carrying has to decide on.
    I know people that hunt, shoot, etc, but have no desire to carry on a normal basis. I?ve seen others that IMHO shouldn?t carry, but that?s not my choice to make for them, I just keep an eye out for them.

[armoredman]

I also agree that it is subjective. However, the person introspective enough to ask more experienced friends and family, "Do you think I'm ready?" might be better for it, especially if it motivates that person to seek more training that can be afforded. The one thing that cannot be trained is the willingness to USE deadly physical force in it's ultimate purpose for defense of self, home, family or third person.

[anonymouscuban]

Lots of great advice here.

I think maturity covers this but if you're the type of person that is out at all hours of the night, partying or hanging out in places where confrontations with troublemakers is likely, I would say that a CCW is probably asking for trouble. Different if your occupation is the reason you're in these environments.

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[Chuck James]

See the constitution,read the second amendment. After that it is up to the individual to assess and adjust their competency level accordingly.
If you are not comfortable with any aspect then work on that till you are. Controlling a persons  anger and that underlying type A personality is very important as well. I know far too many guys who think they have it all figured out if it all goes south,I hope they never have to find out how wrong they are. Being good with a gun is not the same as being smart with it.

This, Well said Sir!!!!

[Criz]

Get to the range and shoot thousands of rounds.  Do drills at home and there also.
Take the CCW class.  Get as much education as possible. 

Even then, some should not carry "Right" or not.

[Raining_Brass]

Since the constitution says EVERYONE has a right to keep and bear arms, I'm not sure why the question is relevant. Nowhere does the 2A say anything in regards to a certain skill level.



But I'm just your neighborhood libertarian. Pay no mind to me.

[recoilguy]

I also agree that it is subjective. However, the person introspective enough to ask more experienced friends and family, "Do you think I'm ready?" might be better for it, especially if it motivates that person to seek more training that can be afforded. The one thing that cannot be trained is the willingness to USE deadly physical force in it's ultimate purpose for defense of self, home, family or third person.

This is the philosophy I share.

RCG

[Tyerone]

See the constitution,read the second amendment. After that it is up to the individual to assess and adjust their competency level accordingly.
If you are not comfortable with any aspect then work on that till you are. Controlling a persons  anger and that underlying type A personality is very important as well. I know far too many guys who think they have it all figured out if it all goes south,I hope they never have to find out how wrong they are. Being good with a gun is not the same as being smart with it.
[/qudote]

Anther Amen, here!

We all know the pen is mightier than the sword, so just as in the second, excercise your your vocal cords with same same understanding in mind.  Imagine if we infringed on the First Ammendment as wholeheartedly as the second!  Perhaps you'd need a license to speak out against your government.  "Surely the founders never envisioned the fully automatic delivery of free speech as in digital communications"!  You are free to excercise your religion as long as it is in your home and/or no one can see it (aka freedom FROM religion).

Alll animals are created equally, but pigs are more equal than other animals.  Thank you Geoge Orwell.

[mesias]

Each individual should make his/her own decision to carry or not. But once you decided for it, you must practice... not just shooting at the range but practicing with licensed instructors that can provide valuable advice. Being able to carry to protect/defend yourself is a birth right but you must also do it responsibly.

[Tenbones]

Hey Guys,
How much experience with a pistol should someone have before they are comfortable and competent enough for carry?/quote]


A very good and, provocative question.

Having been in law enforcement, or some aspect thereof, my whole life and spending countless hours in training,  shooting thousands of rounds, experiencing first hand, life and death situations it would be easy for me to say that you cannot have enough experience to be competent enough to CCW, but I won't.  Not everyone has the opportunity to get the benefit of the kind of training I've had and yet, everyone has the opportunity to carry CCW, training or no training.   

It is scarey to think of how many people that are out there CCW that don't have a clue as to the the tremendous responsibility CCW entails.  Even if you are aware of the responsibility, it's still scarey.  CCW is not something one should undertake lightly.  I would hope that those who do CCW have adequately educated and trained themselves for the responsibility they have accepted.

[anonymouscuban]

Hey Guys,
How much experience with a pistol should someone have before they are comfortable and competent enough for carry?/quote

It is scarey to think of how many people that are out there CCW that don't have a clue as to the the tremendous responsibility CCW entails.  Even if you are aware of the responsibility, it's still scarey.  CCW is not something one should undertake lightly.  I would hope that those who do CCW have adequately educated and trained themselves for the responsibility they have accepted.

I also feel the same. I live in Los Angeles county where a CCW is about as common as a 3 legged unicorn. But it gives me pause when consider the competency, or utter lack thereof, that I witness by 90% of the folks I see at shooting ranges. At first I thought this was maybe a byproduct of my area and the fact that guns are not part of the local culture. However, I have had the opportunity to visit ranges in free states and the same holds true.

To be honest though, I'm not so much worried by a person that Carrie's that isn't an "operator level" shooter. What worries me are the folks that lose their temper, fly off the handle, over the most benign things. Again, maybe that's an LA thing. Maybe people in free states are less likely to go agro because of the knowledge that many people carry.

If I could I would carry without a doubt. I've taken quite a few advance courses, i shoot weekly at the range and dry fire practice from OWB and concealment 3-4 times a week. I feel very comfortable with my pistols. And I take ownership of them with great responsibility.

It's funny because I often think, "I have survives 48 years without a CCW so do I really need one." I always come back to the notion that, yes, I do. I've gone 25 years with life insurance and never needed it but I still pay my premium every year. It's better to have and never need than to need and not have it.

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[steerclr]

I debated on saying anything at all, so I won't answer the question.  MadDuner had a great list of other qualities to master.

Let me  suggest that for the next couple of months every time you go out start thinking "If I was carrying where would I need to have my firearm". 

Then start thinking how do I get out of a situation without using it?
Where are the exits?
How can I hide, do I hide? 
Is my family with me and how do I get them to safety?
Where is cover?
If I'm in a restaurant where do I want to be seated?
Do I want to take the long way around?


That mindset will do more to protect you than the firearm.