Somewhat skeptical about NRA course

[BTCC2ndA]

After a year of reading up on concealed carry subjects, speaking with gun owners and gun shop staff and joining various Internet forums, I finally recently took the NRA basic pistol safety course. I learned a lot but was a bit surprised by the non-substantiated opinions of the instructor on very important issues presented when he presented them as fact.

I was somewhat skeptical about content and context of the information shared with the class and wanted to see what others think. Here from my notes are the more controversial assertions of the NRA instructor.

1 – No beginner should ever buy a Glock. It has only one safety mechanism, he said, the trigger. Beginners should always buy a gun with a “real” safety switch. One needs 3 years of practice / lots of range time to move to a Glock.

2 – Never use a 9mm for personal defense; must use a larger caliber.

3 – Unless you are very experienced, only use a shotgun for home defense as you will not be able to hit your target with a pistol. Always keep the shotgun unloaded and the shells nearby. If you are very experienced, and want to use a pistol for self-defense, always keep the pistol unloaded, i.e. keep the magazine next to the pistol.

4 – Always pick up your pistol with your non-shooting hand and place it in your shooting hand so that consistency of a safe grip is achieved.

5 – Women should never use a handbag to carry a pistol because if the handbag is stolen, and the gun used in a crime, the gun owner will be charged and possibly land in prison.

Having been in many training situations over time, I release facts are often mixed with opinion, however, usually instructors are clear when they voice opinion. And there is certainly no shortage of opinions in the world of guns, ammo and concealed carry, but the students left the course thinking that the opinions presented above were either facts or established best practices.

Appreciate any feedback.

[Emptymag]

I'd contact the NRA.

His "credentials" should be revoked.

[Grey Bearded One]

NRA instructors are supposed to stick to the syllabus and not diverge into matter of opinion, especially when that opinion is directly related to the subject matter.

As an NRA instructor you can say things like, "I like the 1911. . . " but you should avoid saying things like "If you don't buy a 1911 you are a poo-poo head."

Call the NRA Education Department and tell them what this guy was saying.

[streaker69]

1 – No beginner should ever buy a Glock. It has only one safety mechanism, he said, the trigger. Beginners should always buy a gun with a “real” safety switch. One needs 3 years of practice / lots of range time to move to a Glock.

I guess I'm glad that I never took the NRA approved courses when I bought my first pistol, a Glock 19, 13 some years ago. But I did take a firearm safety course before I bought it. I've never shot myself, or anyone else with it, and I treat it following the standard guidelines for all firearms.

2 – Never use a 9mm for personal defense; must use a larger caliber.

Yeah, they should just take that entire caliber off the market because it's so useless.

3 – Unless you are very experienced, only use a shotgun for home defense as you will not be able to hit your target with a pistol. Always keep the shotgun unloaded and the shells nearby. If you are very experienced, and want to use a pistol for self-defense, always keep the pistol unloaded, i.e. keep the magazine next to the pistol.

When seconds count, you'll be fumbling trying to get those shells into your shotgun or inserting the magazine backwards, since the majority of people don't actually practice.

4 – Always pick up your pistol with your non-shooting hand and place it in your shooting hand so that consistency of a safe grip is achieved.

Kind of difficult to do if you're drawing from your holster, ain't it? Isn't it wiser to practice exactly how you'd draw every time so you get a consistent grip instead of fumbling with the shift from weak hand to strong hand?

5 – Women should never use a handbag to carry a pistol because if the handbag is stolen, and the gun used in a crime, the gun owner will be charged and possibly land in prison.

What crime would they be charged with? That's a scare story that's been told time and again, and I don't think there's ever been a case where the victim of a theft was charged with the misuse of a firearm after the theft.


I realize those aren't your statements, so don't take them like my comments were directed at you.

[27hand]

Wow.

My first SD handgun was a Glock 32.

How many years has this instructor been spewing dribble and has he ever taken any training himself? His level of knowledge is suspect.

I believe I would contact the NRA with the same info you posted. I would copy the instructor.

Streaker nailed it. The instructor should take a class from the OP.

Opinions. Well let me say something about opinions.

[Grey Bearded One]

I don't think there's ever been a case where the victim of a theft was charged with the misuse of a firearm after the theft.

I'd be willing to bet that there's been at least one case in which a gun was stolen, later found at the scene of a crime and the owner was chaged with said crime.

[Grey Bearded One]

Always keep the shotgun unloaded and the shells nearby. If you are very experienced, and want to use a pistol for self-defense, always keep the pistol unloaded, i.e. keep the magazine next to the pistol.

I haven't taught Home Firearms Safety for years but that doesn't sound like NRA doctrine.

NRA says, "Keep guns unloaded until you are ready to use them. Self defense guns are always ready for use so leaving them loaded is acceptable."

Drop a dime on this clown.

[Bang]

I can just see Mr or Mrs Milqtoast getting into an argument after "learning" this important safety information.

I wonder how that ego trip handles intelligent questions, such as "How did my grandfather carry a revolver on duty all those years with no safety?"

Did you pay very much for this "class"? Report him and demand a refund.

[God's Country]

An opinionated firearms instructor?
Impossible.
Next thing you'll tell me is gun shop owners are full of shit, and police should never be used as a credible source of firearms law.

[Grey Bearded One]

An opinionated firearms instructor?

The problem is that when you are representing yourself as an NRA instructor and offering the NRA course, you are required to present the NRA material with no additions or subtractions.

The same is true in the Boy Scouts, if the requirement is to tie a square knot, the Scoutmaster may not say, "In this troop, to pass you have to tie a square knot and a bowline." Many do but if it gets challenged at the district level, he'll lose.