This is the answer - especially in states that have constitutional carry. Safety courses are worth it. They don't just teach you to point the bang bang end away from you or friendlies. I remember the one I took years ago. The instructor was really good and had us imagine an actual situation in our homes at night. The darkness, the chaos, pulling the trigger and seeing the flash, how it effects your eyes, the loud noise inside the house, the ringing in your ears, looking down the stairs or down the hall wondering if the bad guy was hit - it was a very good exercise.
I have 2 concealed permits - FL and TX. I've had TX for 8 or 9 years. I will renew it when it is due, even though TX no longer requires one. Whenever I've been pulled over for a traffic violation (maybe 4 or 5 times in the last 8 or 9 years) I've been able to give my card to the officer and things instantly changed. Cops say traffic stops are where they are in the most danger. When I hand them my card that instantly lets them know I had a background investigation, fingerprints, and have less of a probability of committing a crime than a cop does (true fact). In each of those times I was pulled over we ended up talking about guns, good local ranges, and where I bought mine. I never received a ticket, and a couple of the cops thanked me for not only showing them the permit but for carrying in general. TX cops (good ones anyway) understand that we are the ones most likely to back them up in bad situations and they appreciate it.
I mention this because the safety course I took prepared me for things like getting pulled over, and how to act. I get that we shouldn't have to do any of that, and I agree legally. My answer is that all states should have constitutional carry, and the ability to get a concealed permit if you desire. The permit should require a safety course - constitutional carry should not. If you're worried about the govt knowing you have that gun then move to a state you trust. Unless you bought the gun in a private sale, or inherited it, they already know you have it anyway. If you have to use it they will certainly know. I don't care if TX knows, and I hate that the feds know, but there isn't anything I can do about that.
By the way - here is a quote from John Lott that references the crime rates I talked about:
“In Florida and Texas, permit holders are convicted of misdemeanors and felonies at 1/6 of the rate at which police officers are convicted.” Among police, firearms violations occur at a rate of 16.5 per 100,000 officers. Among permit holders in Florida and Texas, the rate [of firearms violations] is only 2.4 per 100,000.
This is the answer - especially in states that have constitutional carry. Safety courses are worth it. They don't just teach you to point the bang bang end away from you or friendlies. I remember the one I took years ago. The instructor was really good and had us imagine an actual situation in our homes at night. The darkness, the chaos, pulling the trigger and seeing the flash, how it effects your eyes, the loud noise inside the house, the ringing in your ears, looking down the stairs or down the hall wondering if the bad guy was hit - it was a very good exercise.
I have 2 concealed permits - FL and TX. I've had TX for 8 or 9 years. I will renew it when it is due, even though TX no longer requires one. Whenever I've been pulled over for a traffic violation (maybe 4 or 5 times in the last 8 or 9 years) I've been able to give my card to the officer and things instantly changed. Cops say traffic stops are where they are in the most danger. When I hand them my card that instantly lets them know I had a background investigation, fingerprints, and have less of a probability of committing a crime than a cop does (true fact). In each of those times I was pulled over we ended up talking about guns, good local ranges, and where I bought mine. I never received a ticket, and a couple of the cops thanked me for not only showing them the permit but for carrying in general. TX cops (good ones anyway) understand that we are the ones most likely to back them up in bad situations and they appreciate it.
I mention this because the safety course I took prepared me for things like getting pulled over, and how to act. I get that we shouldn't have to do any of that, and I agree legally. My answer is that all states should have constitutional carry, and the ability to get a concealed permit if you desire. The permit should require a safety course - constitutional carry should not. If you're worried about the govt knowing you have that gun then move to a state you trust. Unless you bought the gun in a private sale, or inherited it, they already know you have it anyway. If you have to use it they will certainly know. I don't care if TX knows, and I hate that the feds know, but there isn't anything I can do about that.
By the way - here is a quote from John Lott that references the crime rates I talked about: