Training for the Maryland permit (out of practice)

[Dreago]

Me and the missus were finally going to take the plunge and get our permits in the near future. The problem is we haven't had much of a chance to shoot a lot over the past few years due to the pandemic. We're both in healthcare and have, for the most part, been running the same schedule for the last few years....work, home, sleep, repeat. Any recommendations as to how we should be practicing for the shooting part? I'm guessing start off by shooting the gun we plan on taking the class with more often, but anything other than that? Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[gwchem]

The course of fire is published and you can buy the target. Why not try it out and see how you do?

 

[ohen cepel]

Lots of dry firing and maybe an air pistol could help if range time is hard to get.

 

[Slhaney]

The course of fire is published and you can buy the target. Why not try it out and see how you do?

To be completely honest, though I always suggest shooting as often as you can to maintain your skills and gun familiarity, you need no shooting skills at all to pass the pass. The target is huge and at close range. Im certain I could hand a gun to a complete novice and they could meet the requirement. As I said though, practice is always a good idea.

 

[Mark75H]

To be completely honest, though I always suggest shooting as often as you can to maintain your skills and gun familiarity, you need no shooting skills at all to pass the pass. The target is huge and at close range. Im certain I could hand a gun to a complete novice and they could meet the requirement. As I said though, practice is always a good idea.

I agree. Just keep your skills up to par. The qual is VERY easy. In the very worst your ego will be bruised by passing but not scoring 100%. Just like the med school student who passes at the bottom of his class. He is still called Dr.

The majority of my new to guns students pass at the same score as my experienced students: 96% or 100%.

 

[RFBfromDE]

If this is the B7 siluoette 25rd all hits in the black at distances no greater than 15yrds test, start there.

 

[Phoenix_1295]

The course of fire is published and you can buy the target. Why not try it out and see how you do?

MD HGP Course of Fire

https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Documents/Live%20Fire%20Courses%20(2).doc.pdf

The second section is the civilian requirements. (First section is for security personnel.)

 

[Occam]

Practice just to remind yourself how simple it is to keep those 25 rounds in that big black target at those relatively close distances. Then practice a little more to remind yourself that even doing it on the clock is super simple. The only thing it's hard to practice for is whatever nerves you might have knowing the results matter (your instructor's personal taste on whether you only get one try, being a variable).

My initial instructor: we did several practice rounds. Started with no clock, just see if you can hit the dang target at the max distance. Then on the clock. Then one more "dress rehearsal" as he called it, conducted exactly like the real test. Everyone did fine. When it came time to do the "real" test, he said "never mind, that last practice round WAS the real test, and you all passed - let's do the paperwork."

In one of my renewal classes, there were a couple of problems. Primarily: people who've been shooting plenty during their lives bring a small unfamiliar carry pistol to the class thinking either that they must, or that it's for some reason a good idea to, go through the practical using something you're going to carry. Nonsense! Shoot something you're good with, and which is utterly reliable and easy to handle. Did my first with the Beretta 92 I'd been shooting for over twenty years, and then subsequent renewal with a full-size CZ 75. Why not? More fun, and impossible to miss. But two classmates struggled keeping a tiny little Kimber micro under control, or were having limp-wrist issues with a baby S&W they'd never have experienced with a full size pistol. So, shoot what you know will behave - and make it something larger and steadier if there's a chance you're susceptible to nerves even under such a low-pressure practical.

Of note: on my most recent renewal, the instructor had us using CO2-powered BB-Glocks for some drilling and teaching exercises, and then did the practical with a customized Glock 17 shooting primer-powered not-real-ammo at half-sized targets half the distance from those specified (MSP apparently approves of such things if the instructor makes the case, especially during the pandemic-related range issues, and especially during the post-Bruen crush for available class spaces).

Make sure you communicate with your instructor so you know how the practical will actually be conducted, and if it's with your firearm, how much ammo to bring. My original class burned through 200 rounds. My first renewal used 75. My most recent - as mentioned above - didn't even involve my firearm or ammo, and we only got in a few practice shots with the test equipment to make sure we understood how to make it go bang.

As others have mentioned: the practical - no matter how it's conducted in a given class - is super-duper-easy. The hardest part of the class is staying awake after the lunch break.

 

[Garet Jax]

If this is the B7 siluoette 25rd all hits in the black at distances no greater than 15yrds test, start there.

Applicant can miss all 15 yard shots and still pass.

 

[Billyb]

As others have said, it's a big target and easy to pass the test. If it could still be a problem for either of you, note that MSP does not require you to shoot your carry gun for the qualification. You could use a .22 with a scope/dot on it for the qualification as long as your instructor is OK with that. Some are, some are not.

 

[TwinTurbskis]

I was worried about it too until I took the class.... it's idiot proof. There were people in my permit class that had legitimately never held a handgun in their lives and were able to pass.

 

[Dreago]

Good deal. Thanks for all the replies. I feel a little better about it now. Was more worried about the wife than myself.

 

[4g64loser]

Good deal. Thanks for all the replies. I feel a little better about it now. Was more worried about the wife than myself.

Nerves will be your only real possibility of screwing it up. Go out and shoot the course of fire at least once in advance. This way the wife will know exactly what is coming. No uncertainty. It does help a lot. Had a good friend who, for some reason, had to go shoot a pistol qual on short notice (hadn't shot a handgun since getting commissioned, noncombat tasking). I got the course of fire and ran it exactly by the numbers after some brief coaching. She passed just fine.

 

[FrankZ]

During my session there was one person that could not count to 5 and loaded a magazine with 6 rounds. The instructors sorted it and he passed.

 

[gwchem]

Good deal. Thanks for all the replies. I feel a little better about it now. Was more worried about the wife than myself.

Is she willing to just use a .22? I can't imagine an able bodied adult failing with a Ruger mark IV.

 

[scottyfz6]

All I can say is the range time as an instructor is horrible. Yes people cant count, yes people wont bring 3 mags, yes people dont bring the correct holster or mag pouches, yes yes yes. We see all the issues.

 

[Blacksmith101]

All I can say is the range time as an instructor is horrible. Yes people cant count, yes people wont bring 3 mags, yes people dont bring the correct holster or mag pouches, yes yes yes. We see all the issues.

Do you qualify students as per the MSP published course of fire or do you do some other protocol? Because 3 mags, holster and mag pouches aren't included in the HGP qualification.

 

[Occam]

Do you qualify students as per the MSP published course of fire or do you do some other protocol? Because 3 mags, holster and mag pouches aren't included in the HGP qualification.

Correct. Everything's fine from low ready - drawing from a holster is completely optional, and only if the instructor wants it for people who are safe doing it. The shooter is ONLY on the clock once loaded and made ready for each string, and strings of fire are only five rounds. Hence the ability to use a revolver, or a pistol with only one mag. I mean, it only takes moments to load up five more rounds (obviously having multiple mags makes this easier, but even people who have more than one often don't have five ... so they're going to be reloading at least one or two times anyway).

 

[ted76]

I

 

[Mark75H]

An instructor’s holster requirement really is a safety concern with less experienced shooters. Without holsters instructors need to handle/control guns when students are not shooting. The amount of flagging and other unsafe gun handling even with people with intermediate marksmanship skills is scary.

Holster and magazines may not be a requirement of the class, but could very well be a requirement of the range that is used. Sometimes instructors cannot control the policies of the range they use.