I did it -- I did it -- I did it!!!!

[ChristiAnne Elkins]

Please excuse my adolescent like exuberance.....but today, I did the NRA Basic Course required to get my permit. As I said when I intro'd myself, I never even held a loaded gun until today.

All my shots in the live fire portion hit the target -- I have tremors, so I have to build up endurance holding my weapon steady. My first shot - EVER - in my life, I hit the bullseye.

Now I wait for the the permit.........and wait.......................and wait............................................and wait........................................

 

[Burtboomer]

Congratulations!! It's a wonderful achievement.

 

[Drzzit]

Good job! Hope Your wait isn't too lobg.

Drzzit's S4

 

[Drzzit]

Sorry....LONG

Drzzit's S4

 

[tcox4freedom]

Just don't stop training. Go ahead & check out what other classes you can take in your area.

 

[Warrior1256]

Congrats, GREAT JOB, am very happy for you. You have every right to be very proud of yourself.

 

[ChristiAnne Elkins]

Thanks all!!! I am 44 yrs old -- so I guess you could say I am a "late-bloomer" LOL

I live in CT -- 8 weeks seems to be the wait time...according to the instructor. A lot of the ranges around here don't allow you to shoot - at all - until you have a valid permit. Luckily the one only about 10 minutes from my home allows for practicing with the certificate from the course.

So -- yay!!

 

[Chrisdrummer]

Congratulations on a job well done-and the beginning of a whole new lifestyle.

 

[DHinNC]

Good job and congratulations! I'll share some unsolicited advice now, just because you have your permit does not mean you should stop practicing. Go to the range as often as you can, and practice, practice, practice. When you think you're really good with your weapon, go practice some more.

Welcome to a large group of responsible gun owners and CCW permit holders (or whatever the term for concealed carry is in your state).

Regards,

David

 

[tattedupboy]

So how did it feel to get your gun handling cherry popped?

 

[whodat2710]

Thanks all!!! I am 44 yrs old -- so I guess you could say I am a "late-bloomer" LOL

I live in CT -- 8 weeks seems to be the wait time...according to the instructor. A lot of the ranges around here don't allow you to shoot - at all - until you have a valid permit. Luckily the one only about 10 minutes from my home allows for practicing with the certificate from the course.

So -- yay!!

Great job! Now you can start your holster collection that will accumulate while you try to find the perfect one!:laugh:
-
Guess what? You now don't have to wait on a 911 response to protect yourself!

 

[dusterdude]

Way to go dude!!!!

 

[sepayne]

Congratulations

 

[philiphb]

Getting your permit to carry is step one. NRA courses, Defense inside and Defense outside the home, will teach you what to do with your new responsibility.

 

[wolf_fire]

Thanks all!!! I am 44 yrs old -- so I guess you could say I am a "late-bloomer" LOL

I live in CT -- 8 weeks seems to be the wait time...according to the instructor. A lot of the ranges around here don't allow you to shoot - at all - until you have a valid permit. Luckily the one only about 10 minutes from my home allows for practicing with the certificate from the course.

So -- yay!!

My wife didn't start until she was 50. Congrats to you and remember it is never too late to learn something new. :smile:

 

[ChristiAnne Elkins]

So how did it feel to get your gun handling cherry popped?

LOL -- it was awesome!!!! I realize that the .22 that is the state required "student firearem" is small -- but, having never even shot my kid's airsoft guns, this was pretty exciting for me.

My intent now is - I am lucky enough that the range that is about 10 minutes from my house isn't one of the more uptight ones that requires you to actually have your permit to practice -- you can go in with just your certificate and rent range time, gun and purchase the ammo you are going to use. They also spend time with every newbie, teaching them how to load; unload; and clean the gun that they are renting you. Every rented practice gun is cleaned after each use by the renter. I like that idea - it gets a gun owner into a good practice of keeping their weapon in tip top condition.

My brother is a long time gun owner and started taking my niece to the range at a very young age and at age 19 - she is better than a lot of the guys she comes up against at ranges. I was so excited I texted her and my brother the picture of my certificate and my target. She answered me back "next time I come up, we'll go and when you come down here, we'll go yay!! I got the coolest aunt" LOL

My older son, who is stationed at Ft Bragg - go 82nd Airborne!! - texted me back "way to go mama! when I get leave, we'll go and see who is the better shot" I asked him what he was going to do if his mom was a better shot. He answered back "smack the Army around!" LOL

 

[whodat2710]

Well, you have the perfect attitude. Kind of like getting your drivers license and taking the car out for the first time, you are entering into a new realm of responsibility. Just remember that personal protection is not just about putting a bullet through the X. See if you can take some defense classes, and start practicing situational awareness. Just going through your normal day start paying attention to "who's around me?" "what are they doing?" "what would I do if...?" and most importantly make sure you completely understand your states laws regarding what you are legally allowed to or forbidden from doing.
-
I am presently working on getting my wife to carry. I have gotten her used to having a shotgun and a pistol at home for her to use, and I know she can safely do it. I just need to make her realize that just because we live in a decent town, you never know. Anyway, hearing your enthusiasm and future posts about your experience may help her to enter that frame of mind.

 

[BluesStringer]

Hi ChristiAnne,

Congrats on your recent achievement. I was reviewing your posts (only in this thread) and didn't see where you said whether or not you own a handgun at the present time. Do you? I saw in your last post that the range close to you allows you to rent a weapon, so I'm assuming you don't have one yet. I wanted to suggest that since you have a fairly extensive waiting period between now and when you get your permit, that you concentrate heavily on deciding what, and what *kind* of gun to buy. When I say "kind," I'm mostly referring to the choice between a revolver and semi-automatic, but certainly brand-names should be considered too.

I agree with the advice that whodat2710 offered too. Start "acting" like you're carrying right now. Start "dressing around" your weapon even though it's not there yet. Start training yourself to be hyper-aware of your surroundings, and to quickly evaluate individuals in your immediate proximity for possible threat status/ability. Forget everything you ever heard in the anti-gun, leftist media and start profiling everyone in your general area who has the potential to hurt you. (Hint: That is not a recommendation to focus on race, but on the potential to pose you a threat - but there are those who will twist any mention of the word "profiling" into a racist meme - don't allow them to enter your consciousness!!!)

There was a thread started by a female newcomer here last year named "superprincess." Her start here was less exuberant than yours, mostly (in my opinion) because she had been robbed at gun-point shortly before joining the site to seek advice on how to go about arming herself. The thread was an interesting case-study in how to go from clueless about firearms, carrying, engagement and choosing a weapon to buy, to getting herself ready to make carrying her newly-purchased handgun on a daily basis while being safe and advancing her training regularly. It's a long thread that went sideways a few times, but you can skip over the BS easy enough, and it might give you some helpful insight into the progression you yourself have embarked on. The thread is here, "what should i do now?"

Good luck, welcome to the site, and please keep us posted.

Blues

 

[whodat2710]

http://www.facebook.com/EmilyMillerDC?ref=stream&hc_location=stream

This might be a good resource as well. "Emily Gets Her Gun" is a journalists story about the trials and tribulations of a DC Journalist trying to arm herself after being the victim. Most of it is about the screwy DC gun regulations, but she has the enthusiasm that you do, and involved the general public in helping her decide how to go about getting a gun and what type to get. Since you may not yet own a handgun some of this might be helpful.
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IMHO, I would recommend looking into 9mm guns for the following reasons:
1. Ammo is better available than some other calibers
2. It is generally less expensive that some other calibers, allowing you to practice more
3. It has enough "pop" to get the job done, while being a little lighter on the recoil you might feel from larger rounds.
Once you decide on the caliber of gun you want, it will make deciding which gun you want easier. You can see and feel how the same round feels from different models and how comfortable you are with each.

 

[topgun47]

Thanks all!!! I am 44 yrs old -- so I guess you could say I am a "late-bloomer" LOL

I live in CT -- 8 weeks seems to be the wait time...according to the instructor. A lot of the ranges around here don't allow you to shoot - at all - until you have a valid permit. Luckily the one only about 10 minutes from my home allows for practicing with the certificate from the course.

So -- yay!!

Congrats to the girl in "The Peoples Republic of Connecticut"