Mandatory monthly shooting qualifications?

[mrbug]

During my CHL class over the weekend my instructor told us that monthly requirements for range time and shooting qualifications was coming in the near future. Has anyone else heard of this?

[Seburiel]

when I took my class, I specifically asked about the requalifications and my instructor made no mention of this.
I'd be interested to find out if this is in the works, and what the point would be - most of us keep ourselves in pretty good shape accuracy-wise, don't we?

[seamusTX]

I have never heard of that being proposed.

Nothing is coming "in the near future." The next legislative session is in 2009.

- Jim

[txinvestigator]

During my CHL class over the weekend my instructor told us that monthly requirements for range time and shooting qualifications was coming in the near future. Has anyone else heard of this?

You instructor was either pulling your leg, or seriously misinformed.

However, I think DPS may be having some fun with instructors this year. A friend's wife went to the Instructor school, and after day one called her husband (my friend) and told him that THIS year instructors had to shoot kneeling, prone, do timed reloads, and run before shooting.

He told her she was either crazy or mis-heard, but she insisted that is what DPS said during the day in the classroom. Of course, they shot the regular course of fire once they got to the range.

So maybe DPS is having some fun pulling legs, and SOME students are missing it when they announce the truth, or reveal the joke.

I dunno.

[seamusTX]

Or maybe what the instructor said wasn't what Mr. Bug heard.

I have misunderstood people many times. I make it a habit to double-check on anything important.

- Jim

[txinvestigator]

Or maybe what the instructor said wasn't what Mr. Bug heard.

I have misunderstood people many times.
- Jim

LOL Anyone married has experienced that.

[mrbug]

Though anything is possible I can assure you that what the instructor said I absolutely, positively heard. He is a huge believer in regular practice to maintain proficiency and seemed genuinely excited about the prospect of required monthly qualifications.

[Mithras61]

Well, I know many of us here are unlikely to need monthly requalifications, but there were several folks in my class that were renewals and freely admitted that they hadn't shot siunce their last qualification 5 years before. I sincerely hope that they never need the skills that are only ever tested once every five years. I find that regular practice keeps my mind focused and my hand steady.


'Sides, if I don't shoot every few weeks, I start to get cranky & my DW sends me out to burn off some energy (or something)...

[txinvestigator]

Its just not going to happen. Cops, who are much more likely to use a firearm, only have to qualify yearly. Security Guards only every two years.

It was just in '05 that the CHL renewal time increased.

[KRM45]

...the prospect of required monthly qualifications.

Think of the logistics... DPS would be burried

[Liberty]

I go to the range every couple of week, because I enjoy it. Before applying for my CHL I hadn't fired a Handgun in 30 years. I went to the range with 100 rnds and fired at 15 yards and was able to put every thing on the target. and 80 percent in an 8 inch circle. I've got better in the past year and have learned a few extra skills. My point though is after 30 years I was still good enough to use my handgun as a defensive weapon. I agree that more is better, and we would like to see CHLers practice regularly, but we don't have to go out every week, and take every advanced course known to man to be able to defend ourselves under most situations.

The biggest problem I think is that for a lot of us there aren't enough ranges close to us. I think of shooting as one of the cheapest things I do recreationally. 150 rnds is $20. $3 range fee, and $2.00 in targets.

I have lots of fun and usually meet some one interesting.

I wonder how many folks don't shoot more often because of the costs or the distance to the range.

[Greybeard]

I agree (and teach) that shooting at least monthly is needed to stay tuned up, but the Legislature would allow DPS to put Paris Hilton in charge of their Driver's License Division before monthly CHL qualifications are made mandatory.

[seamusTX]

I wonder how many folks don't shoot more often because of the costs or the distance to the range.

The population of Galveston Island is about 70,000. Let's say half, or 35,000 live in a household where someone owns a firearm.

The membership of the Galveston Rifle and Pistol Club is about 1,000. About 100 a week shoot. Most of those are regulars.

That means 0.3% of the population shoots regularly.

I don't have numbers for Texas City, but you can see it is similar, and those two ranges account for half the county.

- Jim

[gregthehand]

Plus guys like me who are temporarily displaced b/c of work would have to drive back to TX once a month to qualify. When I worked in LE we only qualified twice a year!

[retrieverman]

Just the idea of monthly qualifications for CHL holders is absurd. Like others have said, LEO's only have to qualify twice per year. If anyone SHOULD have to qualify monthly, it should be LEOs.

Truthfully, other than the inconvenience of actually going to the class, I wouldn't mind shooting in a "formal" setting on a regular basis.