Firearm Certification

Hello readers!

I wanted to do a quick update on one of my goals, as I have completed it! This past weekend I enrolled in a firearm safety and Concealed Carry Certification class! That means I now know my way safely around a handgun. The class was interesting and informative, and the time at the range actually shooting was good experience as well as being a lot of fun.

In order to qualify for my certificate, I had to take a written exam covering gun safety, and I had to know the nomenclature for a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol. Additionally, I had to pass the test at the firing range. At 50 feet, I had to hit a human sized target in the body 5 out of 6 times. I manged to hit 6 out of 6, and with a fairly nice spread in my humble opinion. Observe...

As you can see, 6 shots, all very close to the target area, which is the "X" drawn on the body. Excuse the crappy quality. This was taken with my phone.

So, I passed on all counts. And because I don't want to end my post abruptly, let me tell you about the weapons I got to fire while I was at the range. We were allowed to try some of the instructors other weapons to experience higher calibers and different types of guns and so forth. Maybe you'll get a kick out this, maybe not, but aside from all the seriousness of handling a firearm, the range shooting was a lot of fun!

I took my test with a Beretta Model 76, lent to me by my good friend Gregg Hager. It is a .22 Caliber, and at 50 feet I had a hard time seeing the holes I made in the target.

The other .22 I tried was a Walther P22. If a gun can be said to be cute, this one was. No bigger than the palm of my hand, but a lot of fun to shoot.

Then, growing tired of not being able to see my shots, I tried a little something bigger. The Taurus .44 Revolver. Shown here is the Model 431. I'm not certain it was this exact model, but the caliber and look are right. I could see the holes this one made.

Then for good measure, I fired a Glock .40, and the Glock 9mm. They looked rather the same really. So I won't bother linking them both. One was just a little bigger than the other.

So now, as a result of my class, I am certified to apply for my permit to carry a concealed weapon. Does that mean I'll always be packing heat? Probably not. I'd really rather not have one on me at all times, however, I am going to get the permit, because there are times it may be handy. I'll most certainly look into getting something for the house.

So there's one for the books! Took me three attempts to actually get into the class, but finally it is finished!

Firearm Certification Complete! Mission Accomplished!

-J