What did you NOT like about your Concealed Carry class?

[HighVelocity]

There were a couple of trouble makers in my class and neither of the two instructors even attempted to put them in line but instead let them run their heads for 10 hours.
At the lunch break I asked one of the instructors if they could please do something and the response I got was, why? They paid the same as you.
My class was extremely painful and even the guy taking the fingerprints screwed up and told me my cards were ready even though I hadn't signed one of them. Thanks for the 6 week delay pal.

[GrillKing]

Dont go for the cheapist CHL class. You will get just that.

I went to an all inclusive (incl prints, notary and photos), out in the country, outdoor range. Soda's in the fridge (OK they were .50 extra each). Also included (2) burgers from the grill for lunch and shooting qual on site. It was a little more than some ($150), but it was worth it to me to get it all done in one day.

The instructor was good too and that didn't hurt.

(Sorry, I know this thread was for what you didn't like, but I'd like to believe most are good, as was the one I attended)

[txinvestigator]

Pluses:

Very comfortable room, leather armchairs for all students.
All in one package
Numerous breaks, including two that could be used for range practice
Careful review of completed packages

Minuses:

Almost all of instruction consisted of watching tapes with
very little discussion

Dave B.

Please notify the CHL department at DPS. We (instructors) are only allowed to use a certain percentage of the class time with video.

[MrDrummy]

My CHL class was top-notch.

Instead of taking everyone to the firing line at once, each shooter was taken to the instructor's private range. He knew that there would be some professional shooters, and some beginners, and didn't want that to cause any anxiety or anything. I know that he also wanted to be able to spend as much time as was needed with each applicant.

Rather than call the shooting test a "test," he looked at it more as an instruction time, and helped you to shoot the best score that you could. I felt that I got all of his attention, and actually came away a better shooter than I went in.

Instruction time was also nice, held in his living room, in comfortable chairs, with pens, pencils, and note tablets provided on the tables. Everything was included in the package, and was done in house.

This class was far above what I expected.

Again, I too know that this thread was supposed to point out the bad, but why not throw the good in here too?

[txinvestigator]

My CHL class was top-notch.

Instead of taking everyone to the firing line at once, each shooter was taken to the instructor's private range. He knew that there would be some professional shooters, and some beginners, and didn't want that to cause any anxiety or anything. I know that he also wanted to be able to spend as much time as was needed with each applicant.

Rather than call the shooting test a "test," he looked at it more as an instruction time, and helped you to shoot the best score that you could. I felt that I got all of his attention, and actually came away a better shooter than I went in.

Instruction time was also nice, held in his living room, in comfortable chairs, with pens, pencils, and note tablets provided on the tables. Everything was included in the package, and was done in house.

This class was far above what I expected.

Again, I too know that this thread was supposed to point out the bad, but why not throw the good in here too?

How long was the class and what did the students who were not shooting do while he took an individual student into the range?

Oh yeah, how many students?

[MrDrummy]

I didn't mean to make it sound like he took all of us on the same day. You would set up an appointment with him, and he'd take you out there. I do agree that this makes for a bit more of a time committment on his part, and it's not something that every instructor can do. It did make a difference to my wife and I, though. He's still available to talk if we ever have any questions, and he's even taken us out to the range to make sure that we've not developed any bad habits at the range!

There were about 12-15 of us in the class that day.

[txinvestigator]

I didn't mean to make it sound like he took all of us on the same day. You would set up an appointment with him, and he'd take you out there. I do agree that this makes for a bit more of a time committment on his part, and it's not something that every instructor can do. It did make a difference to my wife and I, though. He's still available to talk if we ever have any questions, and he's even taken us out to the range to make sure that we've not developed any bad habits at the range!

There were about 12-15 of us in the class that day.

Got it.

[kw5kw]

I've been to a total of three CHL classes now, all at the same place.

In all three of them photo's, fingerprints, and document review was Standard Operating Procedure as well as the "loan" of a semi-automatic so that you would not be strapped with a revolver as your only option.

This class was held in a classroom at a gun store / range so you walked out of the class and went directly to the counter to get your 'gratis' ammo / handgun, target and eyes/ears if necessary and on to the range you went.

While you were shooting on the range other instructors were reviewing each packet to make sure that all was in order.

Targets were brought back to the counter and graded. The grades were then placed on the (Pass/Fail--everyone passed) certificates and we took our packets home to mail.

I have nothing to compain about, the instructors were great, they had enough breaks to keep you comfortable, they kept reign on the 'smart-mouthed-one's' that appeared.

[Braden]

My only real complaint about my initial CHL class is that one of the police officer's who was teaching it was a little on the arrogant and cocky side. He spent a too much time talking about how he could hit the bullseye on a target just by feel....in other words without even looking at the target...or even in the direction of the target for that matter. I thought that particular instructor was pretty unprofessional (and probably full of it too).

Other than that one little gripe, the class went very well and included everything.

Personally, I wouldn't bother taking a class from someone that didn't include the photos, prints and notaries. In fact, I turned down one place very near my home for my renewal because he didn't include prints or notaries. He even told me that the classes that offer those things charge more, yet he was charging $10 more than three different places in the area that are "all-inclusive".

I'm taking my renewal class this coming Saturday. Even though it's not required I requested to sit through the whole class. I'll give a report on it when it's done.

[rgoldy]

Most of what was mentioned about "the peanut gallery" is very accurate.
I have had my license since the git go and thus have been through more than one renewal class. In all of them there was at least one person who could not refrain from posing fantastic "what if" scenarios. I would like to
see instructors take better control in these situations. To me, the renewal classes should concentrate on refreshing the applicable laws, pushing information on changes since the last renewal, and as much on "non-violent" resolution as there is time for. Folks who wish to put forth specific cases would serve the rest of the class by doing it outside of class time.
My last renewal was pretty well organized and run fairly efficiently. The chairs were folding metal and as such not too comfortable.

[Diode]

I also did the all inclusive in a nice indoor range. Trouble is my instructor was rude, arrogant and seemed to enjoy making fun people in the class.

He made some statements I thought were kinda out of line, one being....

"I don't care if you learn the law or anything in the class room. I want to make sure you learn how to handle the gun in the range."

When one person asked for a pen to take the test he said he didnt have one and went on with his grand thoughts on something. Lucky for that person someone in the class had a pen and passed it to them.

...and the best part. I don't know if you other instructors do this but about every 4th or 5th question he would let the class say the answer out loud, thus helping any of the people who were in doubt about the answer.

I didn't enjoy the experence at all, maybe it was just me but I was expecting something more like the MOtor Cycle Safety course, where you left feeling good about yourself...

jim

[txinvestigator]

...and the best part. I don't know if you other instructors do this but about every 4th or 5th question he would let the class say the answer out loud, thus helping any of the people who were in doubt about the answer.

Could you clarify that?

[Diode]

...and the best part. I don't know if you other instructors do this but about every 4th or 5th question he would let the class say the answer out loud, thus helping any of the people who were in doubt about the answer.

Could you clarify that?

While he read us the questions for the test every so often he would ask the class to say the answer out loud.

[txinvestigator]

...and the best part. I don't know if you other instructors do this but about every 4th or 5th question he would let the class say the answer out loud, thus helping any of the people who were in doubt about the answer.

Could you clarify that?

While he read us the questions for the test every so often he would ask the class to say the answer out loud.

Are you saying you took the test orally, but answered on an answer sheet? The instructor did not hand out copies of the test for you to answer from?

[Diode]

...and the best part. I don't know if you other instructors do this but about every 4th or 5th question he would let the class say the answer out loud, thus helping any of the people who were in doubt about the answer.

Could you clarify that?

While he read us the questions for the test every so often he would ask the class to say the answer out loud.

Are you saying you took the test orally, but answered on an answer sheet? The instructor did not hand out copies of the test for you to answer from?

We had the test to read but I think he figured it went faster if he read the questions as well and we wrote our answers as we went.