Entering into the world of hand guns.

[madducks]

Yesterday we attended the first day of a two day class to qualify for our conceal and carry permit in Illinois. It was fun and very enlightening.

There are a lot of places that even if you have the conceal and carry you cannot carry. At these places you can leave your firearm in your car concealed.

Never draw your gun unless you are going to fire it. A lot of the class was role playing. The lessons were mostly how to get away. Turns out my wife and I are pretty good shots, but I saw no situation in which it would have been wise to draw the gun. The closest was an armed robbery in a restaurant. He had his gun pointed at us and any movement would have resulted in getting shot. I did the right thing and handed over my wallet. If he was farther away I would have drawn it and kept it under the table. What has changed for me is that I will consciously look to sit further away from the entrance whether or not I decide to carry. As it is right now, I am undecided, even to the extent of the car.

It will be an additional $50 each for my wife and I to get finger printed. It will be an additional $150.00 for each of us to actually get the conceal and carry. This has to be renewed every 5 years at the $150.00 cost. In addition the conceal and carry is attached to your license. If you get pulled over the officer already knows you have a conceal and carry. You should keep your hands on the wheel and out of courtesy tell the officer you are licensed and are carrying. I just found out about this, not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand it is good on the other it is a bit scary.

Today is range day. We have to shoot 30 rounds each, but 50 is recommended. We will do 50.

With the dummy lazer gun it takes me. .52 seconds to get my gun from my side to the first shot. I fired 18 shots in 6 seconds into the picture of the killer who was attacking me. All body shots with no chance of hitting bystanders. That said it is me being ready and waiting for the start buzzer. No duress and no pulling from a waste band holster. I would imagine this would take an additional 1.50 seconds to get into position.

We don't need the conceal and carry to shoot or keep guns in the home. I do not know where this will lead. It is actually very different than my preconceived ideas going into this.

Either way today should be fun.

Is it ok to ask "punks" if they feel lucky?

[Judge Jude]

"Never draw your gun unless you are going to fire it. A lot of the class was role playing. The lessons were mostly how to get away. Turns out my wife and I are pretty good shots, but I saw no situation in which it would have been wise to draw the gun. The closest was an armed robbery in a restaurant. He had his gun pointed at us and any movement would have resulted in getting shot. I did the right thing and handed over my wallet. If he was farther away I would have drawn it and kept it under the table. What has changed for me is that I will consciously look to sit further away from the entrance whether or not I decide to carry. As it is right now, I am undecided, even to the extent of the car.

It will be an additional $50 each for my wife and I to get finger printed. It will be an additional $150.00 for each of us to actually get the conceal and carry. This has to be renewed every 5 years at the $150.00 cost. In addition the conceal and carry is attached to your license. If you get pulled over the officer already knows you have a conceal and carry. You should keep your hands on the wheel and out of courtesy tell the officer you are licensed and are carrying. I just found out about this, not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand it is good on the other it is a bit scary.

Today is range day. We have to shoot 30 rounds each, but 50 is recommended. We will do 50.

With the dummy lazer gun it takes me. .52 seconds to get my gun from my side to the first shot. I fired 18 shots in 6 seconds into the picture of the killer who was attacking me. All body shots with no chance of hitting bystanders. That said it is me being ready and waiting for the start buzzer. No duress and no pulling from a waste band holster. I would imagine this would take an additional 1.50 seconds to get into position.

We don't need the conceal and carry to shoot or keep guns in the home. I do not know where this will lead. It is actually very different than my preconceived ideas going into this."

......................

I hope posters across all stripes can actually have an experience, and have it possibly shape their future thinking. it doesn't have to change anything, and rightly so, but at least if it might - that seems open-minded.

was beginning to think that was no longer possible here. the vibe has been, "I already know it all, and I am tired of you being too dumb to grasp it." (and I am not informed enough on guns to offer much or any wisdom.)

if this radical strain of thinking becomes bipartisan, then so much more interesting.

[Fresno Bob]

Gregg, there are a ton of videos out there where CC people (empty guns!) are surprised by active shooters firing non lethal ammo, check them out. The "adrenaline dump" is what messes most people up is what is commonly stated

[Gregg]

Gregg, there are a ton of videos out there where CC people (empty guns!) are surprised by active shooters firing non lethal ammo, check them out. The "adrenaline dump" is what messes most people up is what is commonly stated

Thank you. I will check it out.

[Gregg]

The second day of the training was range time and testing. The fact that this was a test was down played so much that the three of us missed that we were being tested.

We had one line to ourselves. Each person was by themselves with the instructor while the other two waited behind two doors and bullet proof glass. You cannot hear what the instructor is saying to the student.

I went first. I attached the target and sent it down range about 20 feet. Teacher went through a refresher on the handgun and told me to load the magazine. Without further instruction he had me fire 30 of 50 rounds. I place 28 shots in a grouping that would fit in about a 4.5 inch diameter. I had one shot high and one shot low each about 1.5 inches from the group. These were about 6 inches from each other. I was well pleased.

The instructor said well done 100% you passed. Now shoot the next 20 for fun. It was at this point I first realized/understood I was being tested. I proceeded to fire the next 20 shots all in the 4.5 diameter with a good amount in a 3 inch diameter.

My wife was next. She had the same experience except out shot me once again. Her grouping was so tight that she created a two inch hole in the lower left portion of the bulls eye. She smiled so much her cheeks hurt.

All that is left for conceal and carry is to get fingerprinted, pay the fees, send the paperwork to the review board, wait 8-12 weeks. We found out that there is no time limit on sending all of this in.

I still don't see me walking around carrying. Going this far I would expect myself to finish. I do not feel in a hurry to do so.

There is no doubt that my wife and I will continue to shoot for sport. I would hope a couple of times a month.

[Gregg]

One of the things I am surprised about is how many closet gun owners there are out here. I am not surprised that the general population in my area has no problem with the concept of gun ownership. I am surprised how many actually are into it. I am not speaking of conceal and carry, but owning guns in the home.

[Gregg]

We were at my Sister's last night celebrating our Christmas Eve traditions. For the gift portion we pick names at Thanksgiving and do secret Santas.

My wife and I were both delighted to get Shooters Muffs (ear protection). We have been renting them in the past.

Later we were talking on the drive home and she said she could never have imagined being excited about the sport of shooting. Life takes some funny turns.

[Gregg]

My wife and I are going shooting later this afternoon. We are going to use our new muffs.

We are also going to order my Christmas present. My two daughters and my wife chipped in to give me a combo Christmas and Birthday present. It is an H & K P30L. It will take 3 days for the paper work to clear before we can pick up the gun.



I am pretty excited...and feeling a little naughty.

Afterwards we will pick up some seafood to bring back home to complete our bringing in the New Year.

[baldgriff]

Why do you feel naughty for doing something that is legally your right to do? You appear, based on the conversation here, to have a full grasp of what owning a gun is about and have taken requisite training to ensure you use it properly and responsibly.

I dont own a gun, but I wouldnt feel like I was being naughty by deciding to own one.

Enjoy the seafood and have a great New Year!

[Gregg]

Why do you feel naughty for doing something that is legally your right to do? You appear, based on the conversation here, to have a full grasp of what owning a gun is about and have taken requisite training to ensure you use it properly and responsibly.

I dont own a gun, but I wouldnt feel like I was being naughty by deciding to own one.

Enjoy the seafood and have a great New Year!

Thank you sir.

I don't know why I have that particular feeling. I am trying to report my thoughts and feelings as I walk this part of my life. It might be as simple as the expense or the stigma of reporting it in here.

It is also a bit surreal. It will probably be more real when I actually bring the gun home.

Happy New Year to you and yours as well.

[Gregg]

We get there at 4:09 and the place is closed!

Their web site said open until 6:00 New Years Eve. Oh well we made the best of it by picking up some sea food and beef tips to take back to the house. Feasting and movie watching is a nice way to celebrate NYE.

We will try to get over there later this week.

[Gregg]

We went back to the shop to order my H&K P30L and they were out of them. They looked on line and their distributors were out of them. No information as to when they would be available. The owner of the shop said she would find one but it might take a couple of weeks.

I made some calls to all of the H&K distributors in Illinois. No one had them, and there were several stories/rumors ranging from discontinuation to a large overseas government contract preventing this model to be made for 3-6 months. They all agreed there were none to be found.

I decided that I would call some individual shops in the hopes that they might have one left in their display case. Around the 15th call I found one an hour and a half away. They would not give me a price on the phone. I drove there only to find that their price was 360 bucks more than what I was quoted originally. Supply and demand I guess. I ended up calling another 10-15 shops losing hope that I would be able to find one. I finally found one in Plainfield Illinois. They had one at normal price. My wife and I went there Saturday did the paper work and paid for the gun.

The paper work said I could pick it up a 3:31 on Tuesday (3 day waiting period down to the minute). Got a call from the shop at 8:30 yesterday saying that my background check was not complete and I had to hold off. They said it is not uncommon around the holidays.

I believe them as I purchased my wife's gun in November without issue.

[Ken]

Wow, persistence pays off.

What is it about that model that's unique such that you were willing to go through all that?

[swampdragon]

How much does it cost? and bullets? accessories? I really have no idea

and what do you plan on using it for? I know that this has changed around during the process for you.

[Gregg]

Wow, persistence pays off.

What is it about that model that's unique such that you were willing to go through all that?

It is the most comfortable hand gun that I have ever held. I was convinced i was going to get a revolver. Then I held the H&K and knew it was the one for me if the other boxes checked out. I researched the gun after that event and found it to get very high marks for all aspects of hand gun shooting.

Lastly, the icing on the cake, it is the gun of John Wick in the first movie. This in itself would have had no bearing on my selection. But it does make me smile a bit more as I am a movie buff.