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If someone shot me, and I was still able to function, I think at the least I would disassemble that person's weapon and throw the pieces in several directions as far as humanly possible.

But then, I'm an easy-going guy.

At the risk of prolonging an argument, I do want to point out that having physical difficulty charging magazines or operating a slide is not related to being just plain stupid and careless. No disability excuses violating the four rules.

- Jim

dac1842 wrote: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 literally can't imagine how someone can do that, though I know they do. I practiced like my life depended on it until I felt halfway competent.

But people do what they can and will do in a free country.

A certain CHL instructor that I know asks people who want to take his course how much shooting they have done. If it seems insufficient, he gives them private instruction before he lets them take the course.

IMHO, that's how it should be.

If a person does not know the basic functions of a weapon how is that person not a danger to themselves or others[?]

Being a danger to oneself and others is a condition of human life. This realization is one of the differences between libertarianism and the more widespread political philosophies.

- Jim

jorge wrote:As long as there's a difference between SA and NSA then I think people shouldn't cheat to "pass" the SA test when they only have the skills to pass the NSA test honestly.

The law requires that the applicant shoot the course of fire with a semi-automatic pistol accurately and safely.

It does not require charging magazines, unloading, field-stripping, cleaning, or any other maintenance procedure.

IMHO, there's nothing wrong with someone bringing six magazines loaded with the correct number of rounds. Most pistols lock back when the magazine is empty, eliminating the need to operate the slide.

Probably 90% of CHL holders will never draw their weapon in self defense, 95% will never fire, and 99% will never need to change magazines in a gunfight. The legislature knew this when it passed the bill establishing CHL.

Requiring a certain skill level is a slippery-slope issue that we have to tread carefully. As soon as we acknowledge that the state has the power to set a standard for exercising the RKBA, we have opened the door to making the requirements so stringent that no one can meet them.

That said, if an applicant engages in unsafe behavior, the instructor has the duty to stop the test. The CHL instructors that I know either personally or on this forum seem to agree with that.

- Jim

TxFig wrote:Starts shooting from WAY too far away (50'). Can't hit a 4x4 sheet of plywood. Is laughing, having fun (more waving gun around at people). Get's firm reprimand from landowner / brother-in-law. Doesn't listen because "she's 58 and doesn't need him telling her what to do".

Someone with that kind of attitude obviously will not respond well to being called out in front of an audience, especially by an in-law.

I am tempted to ask if alcohol was involved.

The most diplomatic way of handling this situation is for someone to give the lady a gift certificate for an hour or so of one-on-one training with a woman instructor, or one who has a reputation for being good with women.

I don't know what your relationship is. If it is a friend-of-a-friend type of thing, you probably can't do anything.

If someone close to this lady can write her an old-fashioned paper letter suggesting that she get some training, it would give her a chance to blow off steam and think about it, rather than just deleting it like an e-mail message.

I don't know exactly what that letter should say, other than every dangerous tool, including an automobile, requires some training. You could find a lot of stories on this forum about people "playing with guns" and killing themselves or loved ones.

- Jim