Should the state impose a required skill level on concealed pistol carriers? Of course not! We all know how state intervention makes things worse in our lives, like passing the Affordable Care Act and how many people can’t afford coverage or have seen costs increase and care decline!
My state requires a CPL to be renewed every four years so they can collect their tribute. In the CPL renewal class, each student introduced themselves and explained why they have a CPL, many of them cited the location, travel, or nature of their work that made them want to carry a concealed pistol for self defense.
This is my experience with renewing my CPL. The lanes were set up for us with the target carriers at about 15 feet. The cardboard was previously used, but the two rectangular pieces of paper were new. We were told to fire 50 rounds at only one paper.
I was on lane 3 doing rapid fire at first and could have finished in less than 30 seconds, but humbly slowed down when I realized the other guys were taking their time. I was shooting holes through holes and had a tight group that my hand could have entirely covered. I cleaned up my brass and packed up while the guy on lane 2 was about halfway through his 50 rounds, when I snapped that picture.
Why am I telling you this story? I am not trying to put anyone down who has lesser skills. Certainly I am not bragging, I’m not great and want to be a lot better. There are many people much better than me.
I am telling you this to illustrate the difference between someone who reads, trains, practices, and is interested in learning and someone who does not.
There is no secret to shooting well. Don’t be discouraged when you see someone shooting better than you, take that as a challenge to improve to their level. Next time you see someone performing well, observe and maybe you can pick up some tips, maybe even complement them on their ability when appropriate. People like to talk about their passion and will gladly offer you help if you ask for it.
What should your skill level be? You can determine what level of skill is appropriate for you. I recommend as a concealed carrier, that your skill should be far above the average gun owner.
You should be able to group your shots together, as opposed to holes everywhere with no pattern. That will ensure you are on the right track and have control. Remember shooting skills are perishable, which means they degrade over time, so at least practice often enough to maintain your current level.
The state should not be involved in requiring firearm owners to pass a certain standard, people will do what is best for themselves. Let me know what you think about skills in the comments or share your story on our facebook page!