Gun/Firearm classes

[Bob from down south]

Originally Posted by Newport Jill

Go to utah and take a concealed weapons permit exam there. Utah allows you to carry conealed (including reciprocity with Colorado) in 36 states. I know i'd rather have 36 than one.

If you haven't gone for your permit, your instructor will usually do your course in different parts. 1. Away from the firing range, so you get aquainted with various weapons, how they work, essentially even if you never intend to shoot it, it's a good education. You also get a feel for the guns you like. Then, after you take a written test (and hopefully pass). YOur instructor will accompany you to a firing range, where you will fire a variety of guns (i fired, in this order, an AK-47, 2 .357's (known as 38's), 2 40 caliber - a single and then a double (.40 are what police use, since 9 mm are outdated and the criminals have police officers outgunned if they only have 9mm), and finally you have .45 caliber guns and even .50 (.50 are rarely used for a carry around gun, i am quite small, so my instructor said i didn't have the body mass to fire the .50).

Last time I checked, a Colorado CCW permit holder had reciprocity in 24 states, Utah 26 states.

A weapons course that takes you to the range to shoot an AK-47 and a .50 cal sounds more like an E-ticket ride at Disney than serious training. The basics in a CCW class would be something like a .38 revolver and a 9mm auto. If you have a weapon picked out, specific range training with it is always a good idea, as is a recurrent trip out to the range every 6-12 months or so to brush up.

[Sockeye]

This fellow's a bit eccentric, but the Dragon Man in CSprings offers a good CC course, and has a fantastic shooting range. Very entertaining place, too.

Dragon Man's

[multitrak]

Originally Posted by Bob from down south

Last time I checked, a Colorado CCW permit holder had reciprocity in 24 states, Utah 26 states.

looks like it's currently up to 27 states with colorado... Colorado Bureau of Investigation good stuff to know.

[Bob from down south]

Originally Posted by multitrak

looks like it's currently up to 27 states with colorado... Colorado Bureau of Investigation good stuff to know.

Good link. Another important point on that page is that, in 2007, Colorado stopped recognizing permits issued by other states to nonresidents. So if you take Jill's advice above and go get a Utah permit and return to CO, it's not valid in Colorado. IOW, a Utah permit is only valid in Colorado if you're a visiting resident of Utah.

[ryanek9freak]

Absolutley. Oh and when did a .357 become a 38? They're 2 entirely different guns.

Oh and Colorado had reprocity with alot of other states, not just itself. Do some research before you say things like that.

One of my favorite pages is this one, it shows you all the states that have reprocity with Colorado.
Handgunlaw.us

[spatin]

Go to Sportsmens Warehouse out on Platte and Chelton. The people at the gun counter there can answer all of your questions. They are very knowledgable about firearms and can refer you to any number of classes or individual instructors.

Don't just take a basic gun safety course. Take a course or two that focuses on home defense and the defensive use of firearms.

If this is your first firearm ever, you may want to consider a shotgun. Simple, very effective, and takes llttle training.

spatin

[Bob from down south]

Originally Posted by spatin

If this is your first firearm ever, you may want to consider a shotgun. Simple, very effective, and takes llttle training.

The "original" point-n-click...

Ryan...a .357 mag revolver can chamber a .38 special no problem (but not the other way around). I shoot .38 special in my .357 Ruger Security-Six sometimes when I come across an inexpensive batch of .38 ammo.

[ryanek9freak]

Oh well yeah, I knew you could do that, but it's still not a .38

And oh yes, for home defense, I personally keep my Remington 870 super mag express with the riot conversion, under my bed. It's light, short, and deadly. It will kill 3 people through a door, but not penetrate my outside walls.