By John Naese
(Guns Save Life) – Permit to carry is coming to Illinois. We don’t yet know what the exact rules will be, but within six months a law should be in place. As soon as they can, thousands of Illinoisans (maybe even you!) will be carrying firearms as they go about their daily lives.
For the first time.
Most people don’t drive a car for the first time the day after they get their driver’s permit. They go through driver’s education and they practice, supervised by teachers and experienced drivers, in parking lots and on country roads and side streets.
To get a carry permit, there will most likely be a training requirement. But just as you didn’t stop learning about driving when you finished your driver’s education course, you should learn as much about gun carrying as you can, even if you already meet the minimum training requirement.
What Kind of Training?
A “minimum-requirements” course will cover gun safety (muzzle in a safe direction, finger off the trigger until you’ve decided to shoot); and some accuracy (hitting the target).
Other courses will also cover the legal aspects (when it’s okay to draw and/or fire).
A better course will cover, in addition to those items, some of these subjects also:
- Moving to and using cover and concealment
- Holsters
- Reloads
- Awareness and avoidance
- Interactions with potential offenders
- Holding the gun silent, even if you are on firm legal ground to shoot, if you possibly can.
- What happens to you, physically and mentally, during and after a critical incident.
- Interactions with witnesses, police and others after a use of force.
Why look for a “better” class as opposed to one that covers the minimum?
If you learn and use some basic tactics, you will greatly enhance your chances of coming out on top of a violent encounter. It’s far better to rely on training and experience rather than luck to win a gun fight.
If you know and act to the standards by which you will be judged, you will generally be okay as far as the legal system goes. This will protect your hard-earned assets.
Now is the time to look for a training class that addresses some or all of these subjects. Do your homework before you get your permit and start carrying. The few dollars you spend and the bit of time you invest will be well worth it if it keeps you from doing things the wrong way.
A comparison between driver licenses and carry permits? Really?
Ouch. That’s an antis staple argument put in place when the realization sets in that outright bans are toast.
I take no issue with the merit in training. That beneficial action is self evident. But let’s be real about something…. For someone who’s never handled firearms, any training requirement won’t even scratch the surface and therefor constitutes a requirement that functions only as a hurdle and a fleecing if money and time. It’s a deterrent.
I mean no disrespect but it seems like requiring training is a forgone conclusion.
Again, lets keep it real. No amount of forced training will accomplish anything. One cannot force educate another. Posing the benefits if seeking out that education as this article does is the right way to encourage training and practice. But why give up the fight as if its already over before even taking a stand in saying no way Jose?
Not one argument FOR constitutional carry was put to legislature for purposes of debating its merit. That’s a sad reality, IMHO.
My impression (and sentiments) exactly.
By this logic, since stupid voters are potentially dangerous to the public long term, there should be literacy, civics and reading comprehension training to exercise the right to vote.
Oh, wait… we did that, and the SCOTUS smacked our little patties. Go figure…
I challenge you to determine what states have >5 hours mandated training, what states have 0 hours mandated training and what states have 0 training required based on wrongful shootings, mishandling of CCW weapons and other poor judgment.
Do not allow your own phobias dictate unnecessary mandates that can be abused.
That’s supposed to be less than 5 and greater than 0 and then zero hours. Page thought it was a tag.
With a modicum of training, you won’t find yourself in the role of Oscar Pistorious, or be succeptible to Sheriff Joe Biden’s advice to fire a couple shotgun blasts out the window or shoot through a door…
Or, discharge your piece negligently as you’re leaving a gun show…
John
Nobody’s saying that training is a bad thing, or even that it’s a smart thing.
We’re saying that you cannot MANDATE training to exercise a right.
The way Illinois (Chicago) will write the training requirement will be to effectively eliminate the possibility of any normal person getting a license. One version I’ve seen suggested 20-40 hours of training at one location taught by the 5 State Police Firearms Instructors. 5 instructors for the entire state.
I suspect another law suite is already being planned, they must enjoy paying out taxpayer money for their losing agenda.
I think that the issue here is that it’s your “right” to be able to carry, but it should be your “responsibility” as a member of society to keep yourself properly trained. There is a tremendous ammount of responsibility that comes with carrying a firearm. Taking the time to study and train on the use of a firearm for self defense will prevent one from making errors under stress that could result in unwanted injury, civil and legal liability and personal embarrassment. I see it as my responsibility as a gun owner to keep myself properly trained………..it’s also a lot of fun. IMHO
I am a legal gun owner and have supported gun ownership and concealed carry in Illinois for years. I am registered as a PERC under the state as an armed security officer and private security and yet I can not carry unless under a Company banner. As long as Chicago is in control of this state concealed carry will remain a dream, yes they must pass a law as ordered but it will be so restrictive that it will be nothing as Madigans shell bill shows. Gun owners are in the minority rights catagory irregardless, except for the criminal element, and the state wants us all to be criminals
I can see it now.
No carry within 1000′ of a school, hospital, or recreational facility.
You figure out a route to work or to the store that complies!
$1,000 prize is you can.
If you fail and are caught caught, however, $10,000 fine and 5 years in jail.
Will Illinois grant reciprocity to other state’s permit holders?