Getting Qualified Handgun Instructor for Maryland Wear and Carry Permit

[mcbruzdzinski]

Do most TC's give the BIT as part of an instructor class or are they given as separate classes in most cases? I have always been required to take and pay for the BIT as a separate class on a separate day, never all in one 8 or 16 hour instructor class.

The Basic Instructor Training (BIT) class is offered as part of all NRA Instructor classes. As the BIT can take from 6-10 hours (depending on class size and questions), it is normally conducted as a separate class. In order for an instructor candidate to become an instructor, they must pass the BIT with 90 or better. No sense in having a candidate take the instructor class if they did not pass the BIT.

After passing the BIT, the candidate must pass the instructor class with a score of 90% and pass whatever range qualifications are required, and if in the opinion/judgement of the TC, they will be recommended for becoming an instructor. Note that just because you score 90% or better on the written tests for the BIT and the shooting discipline and make passing score on the range qualifications, you must also display the proper attitude and demeanor in order to have the TC pass you. You would be surprised how many fail when it comes to how they present and conduct themselves during the class.

 

[Mark75H]

So, it is generally included in the cost of an instructor class, but not the time of the instructor class?

 

[miles71]

The Basic Instructor Training (BIT) class is offered as part of all NRA Instructor classes. As the BIT can take from 6-10 hours (depending on class size and questions), it is normally conducted as a separate class. In order for an instructor candidate to become an instructor, they must pass the BIT with 90 or better. No sense in having a candidate take the instructor class if they did not pass the BIT.

After passing the BIT, the candidate must pass the instructor class with a score of 90% and pass whatever range qualifications are required, and if in the opinion/judgement of the TC, they will be recommended for becoming an instructor. Note that just because you score 90% or better on the written tests for the BIT and the shooting discipline and make passing score on the range qualifications, you must also display the proper attitude and demeanor in order to have the TC pass you. You would be surprised how many fail when it comes to how they present and conduct themselves during the class.

I am greatly appreciative of TC's that take their jobs seriously like you. Honestly I have some mixed feelings about the way the NRA does things, BIT being one of the things. Instructors should not be vetted by how much money they want to spend on classes, but instead but how well they teach.

I worry we are about to see a flood of newly minted instructors who don't know how to teach and just want to do the minimum. TD

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

So, it is generally included in the cost of an instructor class, but not the time of the instructor class?

Let me try this again. In order to become an NRA Instructor you need to have three things:

1) Certificate/proof of attending and successfully completing a NRA Basic Shooting Discipline course
2) Proof of passing the NRA Basic Instructor Training
3) Passing the NRA Instructor Training course for the shooting discipline you have the Basic Course certificate in (item #1).

In order to get these three things, some instructors, myself included, offer a three day curriculum class
Day 1 - NRA BASIC shooting discipline
Day 2 - NRA Basic Instructor Training (BIT)
Day 3 - NRA Instructor Training class for the shooting discipline taken on day 1

This assumes the shooting discipline can be completed in one day (8-12 hours).

For example, the NRA Basic Pistol Course can be completed in one day. The BIT in 6-10 hours and the NRA Pistol Instructor class from 10-12 hours. It makes for a long weekend. Some of use break it over two weekends or offer the BIT over 2-3 evenings. So when I offer an NRA Pistol Instructor course, the class notes indicate that the BIT is included and the class begins on Saturday and finishes on Sunday evening.

The BIT is part of the instructor course offering for the classes I conduct. Other instructors just require proof that you are current. IF you are not, you would need to find a BIT or schedule one with the TC offering the class. In either case, unless you are current with the BIT, you will be taking it. Also please note that a TC can require that all of his students take the BIT as part of his instructor training class. The TC I had made us take it each time we took an instructor class.

Is it any clearer to you?

 

[Boondock Saint]

Tagging.

 

[Mark75H]

Thank you for the time and effort expended. This is the way I understood it to be and have received my training. On another thread an instuctor was telling me that I was wrong, that most TC's (which he identified as "coaches") gave the CCW instructor class and the BIT as one class.

 

[bigjoegood1]

Loads of good info here fella, thanks.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[jet307]

I'm looking at getting a Maryland Wear and Carry permit just like everyone else, but I don't like the idea of doing training all the time, and if I'm going to spend time and money doing it, I might as well get the most bang for my buck (and honestly: my limited PTO - sigh).

The current law is here regarding permit requirements:

2021 Maryland Statutes :: Public Safety :: Title 5 - Firearms :: Subtitle 3 - Handgun Permits :: Section 5-306 - Qualifications for Permit

Justia Free Databases of US Laws, Codes & Statutes

law.justia.com

Reading through the law, it seems there are two ways that I as a non-veteran can bypass the training req't. One is:

If anyone knows a course, that would be awesome. I would prefer this, but I feel like the Secretary probably only hands this course out to his friends. I'm also cool with becoming that guy's friend if anyone has an in. I make good beer, wine, and cider and know how to curtsy when necessary.

The other option is:

Now I can become a Maryland trained qualified handgun instructor, but I can get the NRA pistol instructor just the same - and that's valid everywhere. The NRA training appears to be lifetime with payments every two years to maintain an active license.

MSP site talking about Qualified Handgun Instructor stuff:

Qualified Handgun Instructor

An official website of the State of Maryland.

mdsp.maryland.gov

In order to become NRA Pistol Instructor I need two courses, the NRA Basic Pistol and the NRA Pistol Instructor. From https://firearmtraining.nra.org/become-an-instructor/:


Is instructor led required for the Basic Pistol? It doesn't read as such to me, and the NRA has a $60 online course that I'd rather do, especially after having done the NRA hunter training, which was quite informative.

Are there other means of becoming a Maryland Qualified Handgun Instructor? Perhaps another organization that has similar instructor training that MSP accepts?

I'll take any knowledge that you all have to help me . I doubt I would train many people mostly because I like to keep it low profile and fun in life, but I also think I would enjoy learning some of this training. I also would think it fun to participate in developing an open source set of slides for everyone to use for training, including information from sources around the country wrt wear and carry laws and defensive law realities.

Thanks!

If you are a certified firearms instructor with the Maryland Police Training Commission you don’t need the NRA. I let my MSP handgun instructor certification expire several years ago because before the SC I never trained anyone for Ccw, only police. I retired in 2014 and I think I been expired and out of the game too long to get it back. I may call licensing and ask.

 

[MiddleRiverShootist]

Great info! Thank you all . Im looking to get into this more, and more training and become an instructor.