n5wd wrote:While Howdy's idea is, IMHO a bit overboard, he does make a good point. A 2" barrel takes a bit more attention in aiming than does a 4" or 6" barrel, due to the shortened sight radius. While, to some folks, it's not that big of a deal, I think that if you do not regularly shoot a revolver (and if you're going to be a GOOD CHL Instructor, I think you should regularly shoot both types of handguns to be able to empathize with and be very familiar with the types of guns your students will most likely use), you do yourself a dis-service by handicapping yourself in any way.
Knowing that I was going to have to be more familiar with revolvers than I was, I found a good deal on a new Smith &Wesson 586, a 4" blue-steeled .357 which will, of course, digest .38 Specials all day and all night.
Another thought especially relevant to the CHL Instructor's course: DPS told our class that if we wanted to shoot single-action (i.e. Cocking the hammer then pulling the trigger to fire the gun -generally less movement in the gun which results in generally better shot placement) we had to wait until the rangemaster called "FIRE" before cocking the hammer, resulting in a bit slower firing than firing the gun double-action. If you're going to shoot single action, you need to practice with that in mind. I varied things up, shooting both single and double action as appropriate. That helped when I inadvertantly started with a live tound under the hammer, instead of in the first to fire position. It was a string of five shots... bANG...BANG...BANG...BANG...CLICK (uh-Oh!)...pull the trigger again...BANG... All within the 5 second time limit for the string. And I'm sure I'm not the first person that has happened to.
Anyway, back on point... The more you shoot your revolver, the better you'll be able to teach your students, IMHO, plus, you never know when you'll need to have it to let a student, or friend, borrow it for their shooting test.
Oh wow. I didn't know that. I guess you learn something new every day.
