TexasCHLforum.com

To bring this back into focus. I am referring to folks that show up at a CHL class and that is the first time they have taken the weapon out of the box. I believe that students should have to demonstrate the fact they know the basic functions of the weapon. If a person does not know the basic functions of a weapon how is that person not a danger to themselves or others

Liberty,
You don't see the danger in a person having a firearm who does not know how to properly load it or charge it???> I can't believe that a person who is a gun owner/handler would make such a statement.
As I stated before, rights come with responsibilities.

Liberty,
Anyone is allowed to have a weapon to proctect themselves in their own home. I do feel that if you want to carry that weapon outside of the home then i feel a degree of demonstrated proficiency with that weapon is not an infringement. The unqualified person in public with a weapon is more dangerous to everyone. I feel as handgun owners and especially those of us that carry have an obligation to ourselves and everyone else to be proficient with what we carry. I can remember when if someone wanted to be a cop, you applied, were given a badge and gun and told go forth and protect. That would never fly today.
I feel that with rights comes responsibility. Responsible gun owners and those that carry should encourage the need to be proficient. What good is someone with a new Glock or whatever and they dont have a clue how to load, unload, change mags or field strip?
All I have suggested is really simple, As a student comes into a class room, the instructor tells the student to load a mag, change a mag, show where the safety is, if applicable, and can you field strip it, chamber a dummy round, clear the dummy round. If a student can't do that refund the money and tell them to come back when they are familiar with the basic functions of a weapon.

I don't see anything wrong with requiring a safety course. You are depending on this weapon you have chosen to protect your life and the lives of others. We as gun handlers have an obligation to know our weapons and be able to handle them safely and responsibly. IF we cannot do that, if we are unwilling to demonstrate minimum gun handling skills then we have no business carrying a gun.
I have carried a gun since I was 19. ( 50 now). I have never had a accidental discharge. This is due to being safety minded. I will not dare say I never will, cranial rectitis tends to get the best of us at the most inopportune times. But I take the time to know my guns, I carry four different handguns depending on how I am dressing and what I am doing. I know each of them down the last newest spec of dust. I clean them all every two weeks, after shooting they are cleaned prior to anything else in my life occuring.
If you depend on these weapons to protect you, then you should make darn sure you can bet your life on them, because you are.

Oh as a matter of training for my son, I will take one of my pistols, all semi autos, drop the mag, eject the chambered round, close the slide, insert mag.I then hand him the pistol and if he does not drop the mag, and lock the slide back and check chamber we administer a dose of pain management to remind him of gun safety. Funny, after I managed his pain level one time he has never forgot since..

I know many on here disagree with what I am about to say. But I firmly believe, based on me talking to many other license holders about how often they practice, tells me that the vast majority dont go back to the range after getting their license.
I go to the range at least once per month. I do this for my peace of mind that my weapons function as intended, also to teach my 16 year old how to handle firearms (He has been shooting since 10) and because I really enjoy it.

I agree many license holders need lots more practice. In my CHL class we had two women in the class that brought the weapon to the class still in the box. Both had semi autos and had no clue how to load the magazines, how to insert the mags into the weapon or how to drop the mag once all the rounds were expended. I wish the CHL instructors would make each student demonstrate the student knows how to load, unload, field strip and make a weapon safe for inspection before allowing a student to go through the class.