After Action.net sat in on the December 2007 Arizona concealed carry permit class at Second Amendment Sports in Tucson, taught by Charles Heller. Students got the instruction, fingerprints and shooting test in one place, so they could mail their applications as soon as class ended.
Course overview
- Instructor: Charles Heller, who had been teaching CCW classes for 15 years
- Location: The classroom at Second Amendment Sports, Tucson, in the former Jensen’s (Arizona Sportsman) building
- Schedule: Two evenings, Tuesday and Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m.
- Students: Mostly longtime shooters and gun owners, many with military or marksmanship training, plus a few renewing expired permits
Night one
- Lectures: about 50 minutes each with breaks between. Heller knows the curriculum cold but still teaches from notes to be sure every key point is covered.
- Dominant eye: students tested their dominant eye using a hand-frame method.
- Notes: students were encouraged to take notes and mail them to themselves by certified mail, as documentation of training if ever needed in court.
- Safe storage: Heller explained the “gun book,” a simple, safe way to store a firearm, and handed out material on topics a CCW class cannot cover in depth.
Night two
- Review: a review of night one and a question-and-answer session where the whole class helped answer.
- Role play: students acted out force on force style scenarios to show how little time there is to react, and how good judgment can keep you out of a situation that calls for a gun. Each scenario was followed by discussion. It made the seriousness of carrying sink in.
- Written exam: everyone passed, most with 100 percent.
- Shooting test: fired in the store’s underground range, a tunnel normally used for test-firing guns. It is not a marksmanship test; it shows you can operate a handgun and use it effectively at close range. A .22 was available, though most students used their own pistols.
Observations
- The role-play scenarios were the highlight, and left at least one observer wanting more of that kind of practice.
- Handling instruction, fingerprints and the shooting test in one place saved students time.
Takeaways
- Even with a permit already in hand, retaking a CCW class refreshes your knowledge of the law and your responsibilities.
- Look for classes that include scenario role play, not just lecture.
- Arizona law has changed a great deal since 2007; always check current law.
Originally published on After Action.net on December 26, 2007. Rebuilt from the archived report; the original photos were not preserved. See every class in the Training Log, or share your own training experience.
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