Wear and carry course disappointment.

[MunkMaster]

So I took a wear and carry course and the classroom was more of a "So you've never held a gun before, let us teach you the basics of pistols".
Apparently its a HQL and wear and carry class. I had to show the 3 people next to me how to load a magazine. Now I am all for teaching people about firearms and how to handle them properly, but a wear and carry class is not that place. I can't wait until the range portion next class.
The really sad part is the fact that this is a highly respectable firearms training company. All I will say is it's on the Eastern Shore. If you are over here and want to make sure you don't go there message me privately.

Has anyone else's wear and carry class been like this? I feel like I got jipped on some training, especially for the price I shelled out.

 

[Applehd]

So... Tell us what you got... and what you were disappointed with. No need to out the company. I see you've been a member since 2013, so I am guessing you have been around firearms for a bit. What I glean from your post... there were a bunch of new shooters wanting to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights... in order to do so, they needed the mandatory training the State requires, but their training level to exercise those rights wasn't up to your snuff... How close or wrong am I?
Also... did you speak to the person teaching the class afterward? Constructive critisism... and all that.
If you expected an FBI/U.S. Air Marshall type, run and gun, Simviation, or tactical tuck and shoot type training to get a carry permit... yes... you should be disappointed.

 

[kennyd]

Everyone has to start somewhere.

 

[Applehd]

Everyone has to start somewhere.

I guess I coulda' just posted that...(in my best Forest Gump voice)

Maybe not finish this second coffee...

 

[welder516]

I think this a normal thing in classroom settings, i too am of the belief we need to help people that are in a different place. Before 2013 i had and enjoyed guns but never at the level i am now.

I am leap years from what some folks know here because i was busy with family and priorities. I will never catch up and am okay with that. Help your fellow gun guy or girl out sometimes it is hard to say you don't know something.
I realize it still may be frustrating but still make the best of it.

 

[Inigoes]

You checked a box, you are good to go.

What are you disappointed about, since you passed?

Life is filled with silly requirements. Bite you lower lip and get through them, so you receive a magical piece of paper that says "me see him/her do good job".

 

[INMY01TA]

They must’ve said something else too for 8hrs.

 

[welder516]

That's what she said

 

[Mr. Ed]

I've taken four wear and carry classes over the last decade and they were all quite different. Since (I've been told) there isn't a standard syllabus for the MD courses, it's up to each trainer to come up with what they feel will get approved by the LD. It would be a huge improvement to have a standardized printed pamphlet to give to students so they could study it, or to the trainers so they'd be consistent in what they taught.

I believe that the basics of what really needs to be taught could easily be covered in a one day class, and the extra day allows for questions from the students (often because they weren't paying attention), and sometimes we get the benefit of real world anecdotes from lawyers and LEOs who share what actually happens in worst case scenarios.

The worst class I took was at a not-too-popular LGS that caters to LEO and military customers. Taught by a retired LEO. It was very expensive, and there was a lot of questionable info, like the legality of having loaded mags in a vehicle (even if they were stored separately from the firearm in a separate closed case/location). In addition to the high cost of the classroom portion, we had to leave to go to a different location to shoot the targets, and we were required to pay the range individually for the range time. FWIW the best class was a combined MD/VA/DC class at MSAR.

 

[Jaybeez]

The state requirements for the wear and carry class are the same for HQL, plus 12 more hours and a shooting test.
The requirements necessitate a form of basic pistol instruction. Students come in all skill levels, and some of the most "experienced" have the worst bad habits.

 

[eruby]

Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he will not be disappointed.

 

[Boondock Saint]

I've tried to equip myself with as much information as possible prior to my required classes. I'm going into my class this weekend knowing that a very large portion of the first day material is going to be very basic stuff that every shooter should know. It's a "waste" of my time in the sense that I'm being required to review things I already know in my bones, but learning opportunities are all around us. Presumably, the instructor(s) know(s) more about shooting than me, so if they do their job and try to educate me, I will do my job and try to learn. I'm going into it with as open a mind as possible, but I'm prepared to be bored stiff should it come to that.

I remain hopeful that the second day will bring at least a bit of a push out of my comfort zone with regard to shooting. I neither expect nor want high speed/low drag tactical training. I'm just a guy looking to learn something more about carrying a firearm than I already (think I) know. I've mentioned before that I'm not an accomplished shooter by any stretch of the imagination, but keeping rounds on paper at 25 yards is not a problem.

All hail the state of Maryland for requiring 16 hours of training for a two year permit, and then another eight hours every three years thereafter, to do something that I was born with the right to do...

 

[slsc98]

Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he will not be disappointed.

^The twelve words^ no newlywed wants to hear from his new father-in-law … or the new wife’s siblings (or any of her previous boyfriends)!

 

[dgapilot]

The unfortunate thing with the MD requirements is the course content really doesn’t prepare you for any level of proficiency in wear and carry. It is just a course that checks an arbitrary box established by the MD General Assembly to make it harder and more expensive to the general public to exercise a Constitutional Right. Don’t blame the instructor, blame the GA!

That said, I just completed my course (didn’t even have to take it as I have a DD-256) and it was a good review of basic safety and at least introduced the topic of How to wear and carry. I’m involved in several other activities that require training each year and yes, it gets boring, but look on the bright side, you may actually get a couple useful tips or ideas that will improve your proficiency.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[kennyd]

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Bad etiquette to quote yourself? LOL

I though of an analogy for the OP, should he care to read it.

Two kids go the drivers ed class to get their license to drive an automobile, they are both 17 years old.
-Kid #1 grew up on a farm, driving tractors, combines and a myriad of other farm vehicles since he was 8 years old. He knows how to drive, he can even drive a manual transmission.
-Kid #2 grew up in the city, only ever riding public transportation or a scooter.

#1 helps #2 along, understanding that he was never exposed to driving/operating anything, they both get through the class and pass with flying colors and live happily every after.

Should there be two different classes for the above scenario?

 

[Uncle Duke]

Maryland mandated a 16 hour training requirement because, on that particular Tuesday, everyone was believed to have had egg sandwiches for breakfast in Pakistan.

(There isn't a legislator one who could tell you the actual why or what of those mandated 16 hours.)

When that's where they start, the best hope is for a good trainer.

 

[[Kev308]]

What I find weird is that to get a handgun in MD you need an HQL which teaches basic firearms handling. Why is this not known by the other class members? Of an 16 hour class, I can imagine 30 minutes could be designated to a refresher.

I would hope the class focuses on situational awareness, when to draw, and how to defend the remaining 95% of the class.

I went to a 4 year trade school a long time ago and the first year was basically how to stand on a ladder. Reminds me of that.

 

[Bountied]

I went to a pistol training class on the Eastern Shore a while back. They were based out of Salisbury. There were only 3 of us so it was pretty small. It was me another guy who could shoot and a woman trying to get her concealed carry permit. I was just going for some formal pistol training. We practiced jams and shooting grips etc. While we were moving from the loading bench to the firing line the woman lost her magazine. We got up to the line and were instructed to load our firearms but then we had to wait for her to locate the loaded mag she dropped in the 15yds we moved to the line. She couldn't even rack the slide by herself. I'm guessing the M&P shield was not the right pistol for her and that she needed a lot more training. It was fun and I learned a few things but damn I couldn't help thinking this woman should not be carrying a gun around, at least not that one.

 

[Jaybeez]

What I find weird is that to get a handgun in MD you need an HQL which teaches basic firearms handling. Why is this not known by the other class members? Of an 16 hour class, I can imagine 30 minutes could be designated to a refresher.

I would hope the class focuses on situational awareness, when to draw, and how to defend the remaining 95% of the class.

I went to a 4 year trade school a long time ago and the first year was basically how to stand on a ladder. Reminds me of that.

Anyone that purchased a regulated arm before 9 years ago, didn't need the class for the HQL. So estimate 60-80% of Maryland gun owners. And lots of people bought lowers to be exempt from training, or refused to get a HQL on principle.

My goal on day 1 is to get the students all to the same level of proficiency, so that by the beginning of range time day 2, everyone is using the same skills, and on the same page, and they can progress through skills drills closer to the same speed.

My biggest problems are with older and "more experienced" shooters. They have bad habits typically. Poor stance and position. Their grip and other fundamentals are way off. Fingers on the trigger when they shouldn't be. Doing the "slingshot" on the slide. "It's how I've always done it" or some other excuse.

Typically the newest students learn these skills quickly and use them proficiently in class. It's the people that have bad habits to break that need more attention.

Susie realtor that's never held a gun before ends day 2 with perfect stance, finger indexed properly, doing single hole double taps. Expert Eddie is still shaking from being shouted at for almost flagging the line with his finger on the trigger. He might even have been pulled aside and given an ultimatum of shape up or ship out.

 

[GrimReaper]

I had a similar experience. The class was not on the eastern shore. I felt like I was in the wrong class at times. Like it was an hql class or basic firearm safety course. Maybe this is the curriculum the state requires I don't know. It was not what I was expecting but I understand there are going to be inexperienced people in these classes and they have to make sure everyone will be safe.

2nd day was much better and thats pretty much the only time they covered anything ccw. Most of the day was spent qualifying though.