Why we don’t teach a lecture-only concealed carry permit class

We consider it a disservice to have someone sit down for a few hours, maybe get some info on the law, listen to a few stories & walk out with a certificate.  Having a frank & educated discussion of the law as it pertains to carrying, the use of force, & the consequences of those actions is absolutely critical.  Equally critical is the student’s ability to handle their firearm. 

Regardless of what we think of the constitutional legitimacy of carry permits or government required training we can all agree that we have an obligation to those around us to maintain a level of proficiency where, at a minimum, we’re able to safely handle our weapons & actually hit what we’re shooting at.  Under the stress of a lethal force encounter we can expect our accuracy & manipulation skills to markedly decrease so we need to enforce a relatively strict standard of accuracy in training.  How can an instructor, or the student, know that the student meets any of those criteria in a lecture-only course?   

As instructors, we owe it to our students to provide a relevant & well-rounded course.

As students, we owe it to ourselves & the other innocent folks out there to ensure our skills are up to the task.

The bottom line is that there is an incredible level of responsibility that goes along with carrying a concealed weapon.  In a world where every round fired is a moral & legal liability we need to ensure that if our commitment to avoidance, deterrence & de-escalation fail, our Mindset, Tactics, Skill & Equipment are up to the task.