Is it responsible

[Coach]

Is it responsible to carry a gun if you do not practice with that gun?

 

[lonehoosier]

 

[T.Lex]

IMHO, it is more responsible than not carrying. (Where and when legally allowed to do so, obviously.)

Objectively, again IMHO, there should not be a purity test for whether someone should carry. Which is where this kind of question usually leads.

(You clearly deserve much respect for what you do and how you do it. So I very much want to make sure no offense is taken from my opinion on this matter.)

Of course, the more training, the better, but "responsible" is a spectrum, not a binary fact.

 

[churchmouse]

As I do agree with Tlex (scary huh) I also believe that with owning/carry comes a great responsibility.
In this being proficient with what ever we choose to own/carry.
If you own/Carry it and do not train with it then yes. You are not being responsible. Legal yes. Responsible no.

 

[natdscott]

It depends on the "you".

 

[Coach]

Just to be clear the question was not about being trained, but practicing with the gun you carry.

 

[churchmouse]

Just to be clear the question was not about being trained, but practicing with the gun you carry.

Total understanding of the question.
Yes

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Just to be clear the question was not about being trained, but practicing with the gun you carry.

If you are untrained, is practice doing you any good or just further burning in bad habits?

To be "responsible", I think you need to be both trained and practiced...as a base line. If you're trained, practiced, but stuff your carry gun where a toddler can reach it...still irresponsible.

 

[K_W]

No amount of practice is effective without responsibility.

 

[Vigilant]

Is it irresponsible for a person to charge for training they feel is a MUST to carry a gun? I'm all for training, practice is useless without it, if you don't know how to properly practice, then practice is useless?

 

[Vigilant]

I guess BBI hit it before I. Limited internet at the moment.

 

[stoneytoney]

I started off getting pointers from YouTube. I was never around guns, and my parents didn't like them. So I had to go somewhere to learn. I kept hearing "dry firing practice" each beginner video I did watch. Everybody kept saying it was important, so I started doing it. I didn't know if this wrong or right, but everybody was doing it so I decided to do it. I didn't know about Travis Haley...Chris Costa...Dave Spaulding etc...until this year to be honest. At the same time, this is the first year I'm getting TRAINING so that's probably why those names are popping up more and more now. Before I took classes I would go to the range with my friends just to shoot our new guns. Didn't know anything about grip, sights or nothing but we were still putting holes in the target so that was good enough for us. We would go to range trips maybe three times a year, sometimes not at all. I got my permit, and was just happy I got it and started carrying right away with a week in total of dry fire practice and I can count on both hands how many times I've been to the range before I bought my sub-compact XD. I carried the XD until this year actually, G23 took her place. My first class was on my birthday this year, and I've been to 2 more since. Signing up for the 4th (carry gun match practice on 05/14). I gave my mother a Taurus G2, she's been to the range once. She doesn't carry, but keeps it in the house. She just knows pull the trigger! I know I have to get her to the range soon, but in the mean time I wouldn't take it away from her just because she doesn't know proper grip and sight alignment. A lot of women and men have saved their own lives without even firing a gun EVER until the day they had to.


So from my personal experience with not training or even practicing. I did still carry and I would NEVER keep my gun home even if I didn't practice with it. I knew I could pull the trigger and the gun would go bang and that's all the piece of mind all I wanted and needed at the time. And it's always better to have a tool then not to have one.

 

[cedartop]

Is it irresponsible for a person to charge for training they feel is a MUST to carry a gun? I'm all for training, practice is useless without it, if you don't know how to properly practice, then practice is useless?

I offer free training at the gun club I am on the board of, and get very few takers even though I know there are many there who carry with no training and /or practice. Of course in MI you have to take a class to get your CPL so you are good after that.

 

[Vigilant]

I offer free training at the gun club I am on the board of, and get very few takers even though I know there are many there who carry with no training and /or practice. Of course in MI you have to take a class to get your CPL so you are good after that.

Mike, I applaud you for that. I know your former employer would Never abide with that. I'm not trying to ruffle feathers with that post. I believe in practicing and training, but one without the other is, in my opinion, worthless. But for a guy that sells training to post about practice, or not being irresponsible, I took a wrong look maybe? I don't do training for money, but I believe EVERYONE who owns a gun should seek it. But practice without training is like having two men having sex to make a baby.

 

[Vigilant]

No, to answer your question. You aren't "good" after a basic don't kill nobody course. I have hundreds of hours of training, and still don't think I'm good, time to stop, go forth and prosper. Maybe I read the post wrong, but I dunno what I don't know. Hopefully tomorrow I will be in a better cell service area and actually have a connection good enough to continue.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Is it irresponsible for a person to charge for training they feel is a MUST to carry a gun?

Sure. And since practice is required, charging for ammunition is equally irresponsible.

To be a responsible motorcycle rider, I sought training. It wasn't free. Part of being responsible is dedicating resources appropriately.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

But practice without training is like having two men having sex to make a baby.

...uh....I've seen some weird stuff on public ranges...but...WTF are you shooting?

 

[jsharmon7]

It is irresponsible. I think carrying a firearm without legal training on when/how/why/etc. to deploy a firearm is more irresponsible. I have no facts to support this, but I would posit that more people have gotten in trouble for using a firearm when they shouldn’t have than anyone who was just a bad shot and didn’t practice. I would suggest legal training, and then marksmanship training.

 

[Coach]

If you carry a gun in public and have to use it. It is going to be important to be able to draw the gun and hit the threat and not hit anyone else. Being able to hit a target/threat takes skill. How can you be responsible without that skill?

 

[churchmouse]

If you carry a gun in public and have to use it. It is going to be important to be able to draw the gun and hit the threat and not hit anyone else. Being able to hit a target/threat takes skill. How can you be responsible without that skill?

Agree. 100%.
But as is mentioned up-thread so many ignore these issues as to time and expense. Excuses run the Gambit from time/expense. Ammo costs/range costs/training costs. But these same people will sport a $1200 cell phone with a huge data package.