!

• Our class is divided into two parts, classroom instruction and range qualification.
• The course is meant to be interactive, please ask questions when you have them, we expect the students to participate as much as the instructors.
• Ask questions, but no war stories.
• This is a concealed firearms course
– Florida issues a concealed weapons and firearms license
– The instructors can discuss concealed weapons after this course or on the breaks

To pass this course, you must use what you have been taught in the classroom by demonstrating firearms safety and proficiency on the range
Range Proficiency
Proficiency is defined as the ability to place 80 percent of all rounds fired in an 8x10 inch rectangle or 10 inch circle at the distance of 7 yards.

• Police have no legal duty to protect any individual citizen from crime
• Criminals choose the time and place of their assaults
• Criminals choose their victims
• Victims have no rights
• Refuse to be a victim
• Your safety is in your hands

When was the last time you heard the news and it went something like this...
• "Tonight, police foiled an attempted rape as they saw a man stalking a woman back to her car at the mall parking lot. Police watched the man long enough to determine his intentions, then arrested him just before he pulled a knife on the woman as she placed her child in a car seat" ?

The first step in deciding to carry a concealed firearm is a personal assessment. You need to ask yourself an important question, and give yourself an honest answer...
• If I had to, could I use lethal force to defend myself, my family, or even others around me?

no you should not carry a concealed firearm.

If the answer is yes …then you need to know your responsibilities
• You are carrying a deadly firearm
• Know the law
• Safe handling
• Training
• Practice

Law and Firearms

• As a gun owner you have a responsibility to know and to obey the law regarding the proper carry, use, and storage of a firearm
• The best way to avoid legal problems associated with the use of a firearm is to not use the firearm.

You may possess a firearm:
• In your home
• At Your business
• In your vehicle
• At a shooting event/range
• While hunting
• While camping or fishing provided that State and
Federal laws are complied with
• While transporting to and from a gun store

You may not openly carry a firearm in public unless lawfully engaged in hunting, fishing, camping, or target shooting at a range.

• An unlicensed gun owner, over the age of 18, may legally carry a weapon in a motor vehicle, if the firearm is “securely encased” or “not readily accessible for immediate use.”
• Securely encased: glove box, gun case, closed container, snapped holster*
• Not readily accessible: not carried on the person or in such close proximity that it can be retrieved as if on your person.

• Firearms may not be allowed in certain
State and Federal Parks.
• Firearms cannot be brought onto school property or within 1000 feet of school property.
• Firearms or weapons cannot be brought onto Military Bases.
• Cannot carry loaded firearms over State lines.

• You are responsible for misuse. If lost or stolen report to proper authorities.
• DO NOT ever leave your firearm unsecured where you have reason to believe that it may be accessible to a minor.
• If a minor gets hold of an unsecured firearm and harms himself or others, you can be prosecuted for a third degree felony. Additionally, you may be sued in civil court.
• Secured means in (1) a locked box or container, (2) a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure, (3) or secured with a trigger lock.

• Minors under the age of 16 may use firearms, BB guns, electric weapons or gas operated weapons only under adult supervision.
• Minors 16 or older may possess firearms, BB guns, electric weapons or gas operated weapons while engaged in hunting or target shooting without adult supervision.
• Minors may not otherwise use or possess loaded firearms.
• Parents who knowingly permit violations of these provisions may be criminally prosecuted.
• Don’t sell or transfer a firearm to a minor

• It is a felony for anyone other than a law enforcement officer to carry a concealed firearm without a concealed weapon and firearms license
• You can apply for a license from the Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services.
• A concealed weapons and firearms license does not permit its holder to carry a weapon into governmental buildings, police stations or sheriff’s offices, courthouses, prisons, jails, polling places, schools, universities, athletic events, bars, airports, places of public nuisance or any place where carrying weapons is prohibited by federal law.
• CCW license holders / Federal and State parks.

• A concealed carry permit does not override the rights of private property owners to restrict possession of firearms on their property.
• A CCW holder employee may store his firearm locked in his private vehicle while on the premises of his employer.

• Concealed carry in 34 States
• School zones (but not on school property)
• Apartments and condominiums- common areas
• Employee storing firearm in vehicle at work
• Loaded transport across state lines
• Transport of handguns in Alabama
• No waiting period for handgun purchase

• Try not to let pride, anger, embarrassment or similar emotions dictate your actions.
• A single shot from firearm can ruin more than one life and is capable of shattering more than one family.
• Do not introduce a gun into a fist fight and
NEVER mix alcohol and firearms

The old adage of not pulling your firearm unless you intend to use it applies even today. Never draw or brandish your firearm unless you believe that you have the legal and moral justification to immediately use it.

“A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force.”
However, a person is justified in deadly force when one has reason to believe,
“that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony”

“ A person who is not engaged in unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.” 776.013 (2)(d) Fla. Stat.

Regardless of the current status of the law, you should always try to retreat or withdraw from a potentially deadly confrontation if possible to do so safely.

1994-2000
NYPD Hit Ratios By Distance
Gunfights, Other Shootings vs. Perpetrator, and Against
Dogs
Distance
(Yards)
Hit Ratio
0-2 3-7
38% 17%
8-15 16-25 25 Unknown
9% 8% 4% 2%

“The law will presume the existence of a reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily harm, where an intruder is attempting to forcibly enter another person’s dwelling or occupied vehicle, or where the intruder is attempting to forcibly remove an individual from a home or vehicle”
•
•
•
This presumption of reasonable fear of imminent death
DOES NOT apply where the “intruder”: was a lawful resident of the dwelling or owner of the vehicle; was the child, grandchild or in the lawful custody of the lawful resident; was a member of law enforcement attempting to perform his or her lawful duties.

If you have a problem with the police or a question as to whether an officer’s actions are
“lawful”, take it up in court. Do not resist the police on the street.
“A person is not justified in the use of force to resist an arrest by a LEO, or to resist a LEO who is engaged in the execution of a legal duty, if the LEO was acting in good faith and he or she is known, or reasonably appears, to be a LEO.” 776.051(1) Fla. Stat.

• The aggression is responded to with deadly force
• The “aggressor” obviously and clearly tries to withdraw from the confrontation and the opponent continues to use force. ( Do not count on this exception if you are the initiator)

• Call 911 and summon law enforcement and an ambulance and then SHUT UP
• Do not speak to a criminal investigator before consulting a lawyer specializing in criminal defense
• Don’t tamper with the scene.
• By law you cannot be arrested or prosecuted for the lawful use of force, unless the investigating agency has probable cause to believe that the use of force was unlawful.

• There are many qualified criminal lawyers in this area.
Personally, if I needed representation for a firearm related incident, I would call either Andrew Marks (439-1818); Ron
Johnson or Roy Kinsey at (434-5267).
• Understand that the legal fees for defending you in a firearm related event can easily exceed $25,000.00. Is that $500 car radio system worth it?
• If you are sued, contact your home insurance carrier, if they deny benefits to you, contact a civil lawyer who specializes in first party insurance claims

The laws regarding concealed weapon carry and the use of deadly force vary from state to state.
The internet site: http://handgunlaw.us/ has information that you may find useful if you intend to travel to other states while armed.

Selecting a Handgun

• Method of Concealment
• Clothing
• Holsters
• Size of firearm
• Weight of firearm
• Choosing ammunition

• The best gun for someone who doesn't want one, or who won't practice with it, is -NONE .
• If you are not willing to practice, please do not carry a concealed firearm.
• There is no one best caliber or gun. Oddly enough, we are all individuals. Asking what caliber of gun is best for a woman is exactly the same thing as asking what caliber or gun is best for a man. And the answer is, " It depends .“

• After you have made the decision to carry…
– How are you going to carry it?
– Think it thru again!
– Ask Advice
– Borrow gun or try at Gun Shop
– Borrow Holster

Selecting a Handgun
• Beretta
• Browning
• Caspian
• Colt
• Daly
• Dan Wesson
• Ed Brown
• EAA (European American
Armory)
• Glock
• Heckler & Koch (H&K)
• High Standard
• Kel-Tec
• Kimber
• Les Baer
• Para-Ordinance
• Rossi
• Ruger
• Sig Sauer
• Smith & Wesson
• Springfield Armory
• Taurus
• Kahr

• Pros
– Easy to load
– Easy to shoot
– Reliable/won’t jam
• Cons
– Harder to conceal
– Holds less rounds
– Slower to reload

Revolvers
There are two basic types of revolvers:
Single action
• Squeezing the trigger of a single action revolver does only one thing – it releases the hammer to strike the firing pin
• Single action revolvers have to be cocked
Double action
• Squeezing the trigger of a double action revolver does two things
• It causes the cylinder to rotate, bringing a fresh cartridge in line with the barrel while also cocking and releasing the hammer
• Double action triggers are heavier to squeeze and have a longer travel than a single action trigger

• Pros
– Capacity
– rapid reload
– Slimmer profile
• Cons
– WILL Jam
– Some find it complicated or difficult to load
– Magazine Springs can weaken overtime
– Hard to determine if it is loaded
– Can only fire one round through pocket

Semi Autos
There are a number of different types of semi autos:
All semi autos fire one round with each trigger squeeze
Single action only
• Much like the revolver – has to be cocked but cycling the slide cocks the firearm
• Examples: Colt 1911 and 1911 clones
Double action
• Unless the hammer is manually cocked, the first round is double action
• Subsequent rounds are single action
• Example: Ruger P345
Double action only (DAO)
• Will only fire in double action mode
• Example: Kel Tec 380
Striker fired
• Similar to the DAO but the trigger often has a safety built in
• Examples: Glocks and Springfield XD

• Comfort, size, weight, caliber
• Method of carry, holster…purse…pocket
• Lifestyle, what you wear, where you work
• Car gun or Desk gun

• Ammunition Basics
• Bigger is better but is it practical?
• Hand Strength
• Weight vs Recoil
• Size vs Caliber
• Consider comfort

• The different components of a pistol cartridge.
• The firing sequence of a cartridge.
• How to properly store ammunition.
• The major types of cartridge malfunctions.
• The fundamentals of pistol shooting.

Four Components of a Pistol Cartridge
• Case – metal cylinder (usually brass) closed at one end and contains the other three components
• Primer – impact-sensitive chemical compound used for ignition
• Powder Charge – Fast burning chemical compound used as propellant
• Bullet - projectile

Firing Sequence of a Cartridge
• Firing pin strikes and ignites the primer
• Flame generated by the primer ignites powder charge
• Powder burns very rapidly and produces high volume of gas
• Gas propels the bullet out of the barrel at high rate of speed

Cartridge designation and identification
• Ensure you load the proper cartridge into the pistol
• Match the cartridge designation stamped on the pistol with the cartridge designation printed on the ammunition box and or bottom of a center-fire cartridge.
• Plus P – loaded to higher pressures

Storing Ammunition
• Cool Dry area
• Keep in factory box
• Wipe fingerprints off cartridges
• Stored to prevent unauthorized access
• Do not expose to water,solvents, petroleum products, bore cleaner, ammonia or other chemicals

Range Safety

• ALWAYS treat all firearms as if they are loaded
• ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Never point a gun at something that you are not willing to destroy.
• ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
• ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use

• COLD RANGE –No handling of firearms. No ammunition in the firearms, except on the firing line and when the range is called “HOT”. NO EXCEPTIONS
• RANGE IS HOT – The Safety Officer on the far right will call “HOT RANGE”. The Safety Officer on the far left will confirm “HOT RANGE”.
• MUZZLE – During our training, your firearm must always be pointed down range. If you start to move in a direction other than down range, Safety Officer will call
“MUZZLE” alerting you to point down range.
• FINGER – If a Safety Officer calls “FINGER” then you have inadvertently placed your finger on the trigger prior to acquiring your site on the target. At this time, remove your finger from the trigger until your target is acquired.

• STOP – This command will be given by the Safety
Officer if something has or is going wrong with the shooter. Freeze and do not move; let the Safety Officer assist you.
• You as the shooter can also call STOP if you are concerned about safety or even ‘just’ uncomfortable
– Safety is always our primary concern

Firearm Safety at the Firing Line
• Firearm on platform: Muzzle pointed down range, the slide or cylinder is open when on the platform.
• When retrieving firearm, make sure finger is off the trigger and muzzle is pointed down range.
• While loading & making ready for the firing line, a semiauto pistol muzzle MUST be pointed down range while inserting the magazine. This will keep you from sweeping other people on the line.
• A revolver muzzle MUST be pointed down range and towards the ground while loading.
• When finishing the string of fire: Remove the magazine or open the cylinder to show clear and place firearm back on platform facing down range.

• Hot Range
• Load – You may load your pistols
• Commence Firing
• If you are finished; UNLOAD AND SHOW
CLEAR
• FIREARM IS SAFE – Place the firearm on the platform with the muzzle pointing down range, then back away.
• Remember the rule – Never point a gun at something you are not willing to destroy.

Cartridge Malfunctions
• Misfire – failure of cartridge to fire after primer has been struck
• Hangfire – a type of misfire where there is a delay in ignition of cartridge after primer has been struck
• Squib load – less than normal pressure or velocity after ignition of a cartridge

• Barrel not placed down range when arriving at the range
• When replacing a magazine barrel is pointed in unsafe direction.
• Looking down the barrel with a malfunction.
• Barrel sweeps
• Finger on the trigger

– Ignorance
• Not familiar with gun safety rules
• Not familiar with proper operation of pistol
– Carelessness/complacency
• Know the rules but do not apply

• Make certain that the firearm is not loaded!
• Read and follow the manufacturer’s written instructions for proper cleaning of your specific handgun.
• Clean thoroughly with manufacturer’s recommended solvent.
• Oil sparingly – A little goes a long way.

• Long-term offers a high degree of protection from theft and sometimes fire and moisture but at the expense of quick access.
• Temporary or quick access methods of storage allow quick access when necessary.

• Gun cases are commonly used for transportation and storage of firearms.
Some have lockable features.
• Pistol Lockbox
• Gun safe
• Lockable drawer
• Lockable gun rack

Firing the First Shots

• Extend both hands forward of your body and place the hands together making a small triangle between your thumbs and the first knuckle.
• With both eyes open, look through the triangle and center something such as a doorknob or the bullseye of a target in the triangle.
•
• Close your left eye. If the object remains in view, you are right eye dominant. If your hands appear to move off the object and move to the left, then you are left eye dominant.
• To validate the first test, look through the triangle and center the object again with both eyes open.
• Close your right eye. If the object remains in view, you are left eye dominant. If your hands appear to move off the object and move to the right, then you are right eye dominant.

– Fit the “v” formed by the thumb and the index finger of the shooting hand (strong hand) as high as possible on the back strap portion of the frame.
– Grip the pistol using the base of the thumb and the lower three fingers of the shooting hand. The pressure of the grip must be directed straight to the rear.
– The thumb should lie relaxed along the side of the frame at the level above that of the index finger.
– With your support hand (weak hand) overlap the three fingers of your strong hand. Sixty percent of your grip should be from your weak hand.

Breath Control
• Minimize body movement by holding breath
• Before each shot, take a breath, let out half squeeze trigger
• Don’t hold to long

Sight alignment is the relationship of the front and rear sites. The eye must be lined up with the front and rear sights and the site positioned so that the alignment is correct. Proper sight alignment of the two sights means that the top of the front sight must also be centered in the notch of the rear sight.

Sight Picture

Sight Pictures
Bull's-eye sight picture
Modified bull's-eye sight picture
Standard sight picture
Remember to focus on the front sight

Trigger control
– The trigger must be squeezed straight to the rear in a smooth continuous manner without disturbing the sight alignment.
Once the trigger squeeze has begun, it should be applied smoothly and continuously – don’t speed up or slow down the pressure, or apply in a stop – and – stop manner. Trigger squeeze and site alignment must be done simultaneously while maintaining a minimum of movement. Jerking or pulling on the trigger usually produces shots low and to the left.
– Taking up the trigger slack – This action is taking up the trigger slack prior to firing. This eliminates any unnecessary movement and makes for a quicker shot.
– The idea of follow-thru is to prevent any unnecessary movement before the bullet leaves the barrel

• Athletic Stance: Knees slightly bent, feet spread apart approximately shoulder width apart. Good example: same stance as playing basket or baseball in the ready position.
• Weaver position
• Isosceles

Weaver Stance

Isosceles Stance

• Grip
• Stance
• Sight alignment
• Breath control
Did you keep your finger off of the trigger?

Come Shoot With Us

You can also practice at home
This method is called dry firing and is a great and inexpensive way to practice grip, stance, breath control, sight alignment, trigger control, and follow through
Check the Owners Manual to ensure it is okay to dry fire your firearm
Step 1 – MAKE SURE FIREARM IS UNLOADED
Step 2 – MAKE SURE FIREARM IS UNLOADED
Step 3 – Remember the four basic safety rules
Treat every firearm as if it is loaded
Do not point the firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy
Step 4 – Practice your grip, stance, breath control, sight alignment, trigger control and follow through

Conclusion

• Lunch on your own
• Firearms proficiency at the ERML Range
• Do not bring any guns or ammunition to the firing line
• Shooters will fire approximately 50 to 75 rounds of ammunition during qualification
• Receive certificates