Gun owners, its time to go on the offensive.

[NVplumber]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

I'm a lousy shot, always have been, my brother was also a cop and was a terrific shot, like my husband he was on the USMC Pistol team, maybe that helps Where I worked we qualified twice a year with 70% pass. SWAT needed 90% pass rate. We also had a half-day where we watched movies about use of force and de-escalation techniques, at the end we had so show that we still remembered how to use a shotgun. (It's probably changed, it's been a while since I retired) It was definitely harder than the Nevada CCW test. , Under LEOSA retired law enforcement have to qualify to concealed carry, in Nevada it was a piece of cake, it was the same qualification as for a regular CCW and was 30 rounds 3/5/7 yards any stance, no time limit 70% pass. I haven't even bothered with qualifying since I moved back to California I'm spending too much time taking care of the chickens and the vegetable garden

How tough it is to get your CCW in NV depends on who you use to qualify for it. Like anywhere else. Some instructors go by the basics, some get a bit more detailed. The competitions I attend have a rule. If you're a cop, armed security or other agency that requires you carry a weapon for a living, or if you have a CCW, you must compete at B class or above. C class is for youth and absolute beginners.

That's caused some...issues. Being in an armed profession or having a CCW is not tatamount to being actually proficient with a handgun. B class is still a novice division, but assumes the ability to safely (key word) handle your weapon unaided. Clear jams, not drop it...little stuff like that. Oh my! The things we've seen. All of it due to an inability to handle the stress.

I did SO for a first timer once, a Sheriff deputy for a large CA metro county. He was shaking like a dog sh1tt1ng peach seeds and could barely get the mag in his gun. I stopped the match. There was no doubt in my mind an unsafe condition existed. Took him over to the squad bay calmed him down and managed to get him focused. Somewhat. He couldn't control the adrenaline and was so worried about his performance that he just froze up.

It's common among new shooters. Even ones who handle weapons regularly. Everybody goes through it. No exceptions. Learning to get in the "zone", get Zen, just calm down. It doesn't just happen. Takes a LOT of practice. Seen the very same thing in police and security QT. It's a horrible feeling, and it's about as close to things being real as it gets in training. It's not a pretty thing to see, and that's why the SOS that supervise the lower divisions are required to be at Master class or above. Only veteran shooters who can recognize the earmarks of potential disaster and can and will stop things so that doesn't happen.

BTW, our...discourse...earlier. I had you mixed up with Nickchick. My bad. Just so you know. Anyway, what you said about pass rates in QT is about what my experience has been. We had a group of new deputies once that we couldn't get any of them qualified in. What we ended up doing, at the suggestion of an old Marine in our instructor corps, was turn the targets around. So no numbers were showing, just a blank sheet. It worked. They were so hung up chasing the bullseye that they couldn't hit it. Amazing. Made me squirm that it was a Marine come up with the idea, LOL, but it had the virtue of working.

In our classes now the mental aspects of weapon handling take top billing. We will take multiple full days working dry, but under pressure, until the students CALM DOWN. Our CCW classes don't follow NV basic requirements. We've seen to many students with permits from other "iinstructors" that shouldn't have been passed. Again, if one is going to carry a firearm, they owe to themselves and everyone they love to get the very best training available. Cost be damned. How much is life worth?
It also pays to remember that you'll never be "ready" for when it all turns real. But if you've had good training at least there's a baseline to work with and that can stave off a fatal episode of brain freeze. Just kidding with the Crack about Marines BTW. Being Navy I had to toss that in.