CCW class

[sevesteen]

Wife and I took the range part of our CCW class today. This makes my wife's third time with a gun, second with an XD 40, and the first time shooting our subcompact. I used my instructor's XD 40 service mostly. I did switch for 2 magazines (only loaded with 6 rounds each) and the Service has a noticeably softer recoil, although it isn't a tremendous amount. We shot both WWB and the 180 grain factory reloads the local range sells. No problems with either gun shooting either ammo. The SC is at about 500 rounds of cheap ammo since we got it, all of it trouble-free.

Wife was nervous at first--noticeably jerking her shots low. She improved drastically by the time we finished about 200 rounds each. The service model was easy--I told her that it wasn't a fair comparison, I had an easier sight radius to deal with.

Our instructor brought two more guns--At my request, he brought his wife's Airweight, and he also brought his regular carry gun, a compact 1911 Springfield 45acp. I don't know which specific model the 1911 was, but damn, that's a sweet gun. A bit more recoil than the service 40, not tremendously different from the SC. The checkering felt a lot sharper in the hand, and semi-aimed shots went right were I pointed them. (On the other hand, at over twice the price of our XD, it better be nice....)

The Airweight had aftermarket rubber grips. We shot standard-pressure .38 ammo, and the recoil was similar intensity to the XD-SC, althoug different in feel. I don't like revolver DA trigger pull. I'd give the Airweight points for concealability, but the XD wins almost everything else--Less recoil with more powerful ammo, better trigger, and even with the short magazine, 9+1 instead of 5 shots.

After keeping the magazines loaded for a few weeks I can finally get all the rounds in both our mags without the loader with little trouble. When brand new, I just plain couldn't without the loader.

[J]

Yeah those springfield 1911's are sweet.

[jednp]

If you remember, is there anything valuable you came away with from the class? I know it's part of the go through to get your CCW, right? But, I'm just curious if they taught you anything, other than just seeing how you can shoot.

[KYDoc]

In my state, as in most, I think, they go over and give you a packet of the laws governing the use of physical force and the use of deadly force.

[sevesteen]

Originally Posted by jednp

If you remember, is there anything valuable you came away with from the class? I know it's part of the go through to get your CCW, right? But, I'm just curious if they taught you anything, other than just seeing how you can shoot.

The class was NRA Basic Pistol course, and is fairly beginner-level. I consider myself a beginner, and didn't learn much from the classroom--Could have done as well and quicker just by reading the book. I learned a little bit from the range time, but the instructor (properly) spent most of his time with Wife, since her previous lifetime total rounds fired was 50 handgun, one shotgun. We each did the same excercises, he watched and corrected her far more.

To be fair, I think he spent the time where he should have--Had Wife been more advanced, I think he would have gone farther. He did give Wife a surprise lesson in both safety and shooting--We were having Wife shoot two of his guns to see if she liked one of them better. When she was going to shoot the Airweight, I suggested she dry fire it a few times to get a feel for the trigger. She didn't like the heavyness of it, and flinched even dry firing the first time or two. Instructor said "Let me adjust the trigger for you"--I'm thinking "WTF? Adjust what?". What he really did was put a cartrige in...Taught her both that if she doesn't flinch, the shot hits the target, and that you always check to see if a gun is loaded.

[demon]

Originally Posted by jednp

If you remember, is there anything valuable you came away with from the class? I know it's part of the go through to get your CCW, right? But, I'm just curious if they taught you anything, other than just seeing how you can shoot.

The CCW class that my wife and I took was held by a personal security professional. They offer a lot of armed and unarmed defense classes as well as LEO training courses and personal protective services (bodyguard, VIP protection, etc.). I came away from the class actually feeling as if I really learned something. He went over how to clear a threat from your house properly, defense in your auto, defense in public, how to draw and hold your firearm in a close quarters defensive situation, etc. I got more out of the class than I thought that I would.