My Texas CHL Renewal Class

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Well, went in to renew my Texas CHL today. All in all, pretty uneventful but there were a few moments worth sharing.

I managed a perfect score on the shooting qualification. This sounds nice at first but you have to realize the max score zone is 12" across and 40 of the 50 shots are fired from 3yds and 7yds. The last 10 are at the 15yd line. Not only that; but unlike my original quals they didn't start us at low ready but started us with guns aimed at target. Minimum time was around 2 seconds per shot - not exactly blazing fast.

The guy next to me noticed I put them all in the 12" zone and was congratulating me loudly on the max score, which was the only one out of the ten of us. My classmates proceeded to ooh and ahh at my tremendous skill . On the one hand, it always feels good to to compete and win. On the other, as many rounds as I have fired through that pistol, the performance was mediocre at best. It is kind of like beating a 5yr old in wrestling.

Also got to meet a rare bird, a native Texan, hardcore gun owner, CHL holder for the last four years (and renewing) and a yellow-dog Democrat voting for John Kerry (sigh). I have to give the guy credit though, he stood his ground despite unmerciful harassment from both instructors and most of the class. Decent guy; but not the safest one in the world with a gun. Twice I ended up looking down the barrel of his rental pistol - luckily the slide was locked back and it was obviously empty; but rude all the same.

Anyway, had to share the Dem story as I couldn't believe there was anybody who considered guns a priority and would still vote for John Kerry. All I can think is severe cognitive problems.

 

[FMarlon]

I am glad to hear that you scored well

Be Safe

 

[DigMe]

I know a guy from another forum who's a hardcore liberal but also a fellow gun/shooting enthusiast. I asked him in a private message how he reconciles the two and he just straight up says "Yeah, I'm a sellout on the gun issue."

brad cook

 

[alamo]

"That's good shooting soldier!"

-Gen. Jack D. Ripper

I would have had a perfect score a few years back when I first qualified except for the hot shell casing from another shooter that landed inside my shirt collar and stuck there on my neck. A quick look at my target & you could easily spot the round I shot when it landed on my neck.

I requalified this year. Felt a little silly at the 3 yard line & the big target. But most gunfights are at the 3-7 yard range so it's practical.

Are you in the Austin area? We try to confine most of the liberals around here so we can keep a good eye on them.

 

[Tharg]

Sadly i dind't do anywhere near perfect... much better than most in my class back when i took it... but not as good as i'd have liked. Always was better w/ my wheelgun - but they don't license you for both (auto/revolver) if you do your qualification w/ the wheelgun. =) heh

J/Tharg!

 

[Art Eatman]

My first go-round with the CHL shooting test was a hoot. The instructor is a long-time buddy of mine. I'm shooting on my DPS-approved range.

I used my LW Cmdr carry-critter, with a bunch of old home-made 8-round mags. Ammo? Deliberately, a mixed bag of 200-grain SWCs, some commercial stuff of Brand-X type, and some old EC 43 GI steel-cased stuff from WW II.

I went for max speed at all distances, as though it were an old-days IPSC match.

I didn't miss a COM hit until the farthest distance.

I cleared one stovepipe and still beat the time by about half.

My buddy kept bugging me to slow down. My response was, "Will that Goblin go slower if I ask Pretty Please?"

Practice, practice, practice...

, Art

 

[cerberus]

Won't be Kerry

I really don't think Kerry or any other office seeker will cause us to lose any more of our firearm rights.. then some of our own stupid firearm owners have already caused. Not a day pass's that I don't read about some child getting a hold of a firearm and shooting a playmate or their self. Also them jerks who posted their pictures on the Net. pointing their Glocks are another great example. No I am not staying awake worring about Kerry taking my firearms away. I am worring about my fellow firearm owners.

 

[HankB]

Good for you - I recently went through the same thing.

I hand-carried my renewal down to DPS here in Austin . . . sure enough, they had to re-do my prints, just like last time. What is it about CHL instructors that they can't get clear prints? (And why do you have to re-submit prints? Do they think they've changed in the last four years?)

Anyway, I received my renewal on the 29th day after submission - a bit better than the 56 days it took the first time around.

 

[mec]

They even reject prints done by the local regional jail. Sometimes, prints are hard to read. If they are rejected three times, the instructor can include a note saying that these are the best prints obtainable from the individual.

In the second year when the time frame dropped to 60 days, they would sometimes reject perfectly good prints just to buy themselves more time.

 

[critter]

What is it with prints??!! I keep hearing of prints being rejected! My own were rejected twice, then they gave me my ccw and than asked for prints again!!!

How in the name of blue blazes can they NOT read prints on a card where we were TRYING WITH INK to put them there and THEN expect us to believe they can read prints extracted from door jams, car doors, hammer handles, etc???????????????

 

[cerberus]

FBI Reject many Prints

The FBI has a habit of rejecting a lot of finger prints. It happens is all States. If your prints look messy it's a real good chance their going to get rejected.

 

[TechBrute]

I scored a 250 on my shoot, as well. There were oohs and ahhhs, and I was amused that people were impressed that I managed to hit the proverbial broad side of a barn 50 times in a row with a 9mm, of all things.