By Chris Erwin
I don’t want to keep any of you in suspense, so let’s just blurt it out: A CCDW is a Carry Concealed Deadly Weapon license.
Some of you have asked me about what it takes to get a license to carry a gun, so I figured it was a good time for me to do it myself and walk you through the process.
While I have no intention to carry a gun on me at all times, there are times when I work very late or when I know I’m going to be alone in rural areas where having a gun will give me some peace of mind.
I want to stress this isn’t for everyone. However, in today’s world, it doesn’t hunt to be prepared.
Before going down this road of carrying concealed, you should research your rights and liabilities. You also must be able to pass a background check. I will give you a website at the end of this article where you can do a little reading to fill in the blanks about who can and who cannot obtain a CCDW.
The first thing you need to do is have a hand gun, or borrow one. I plan to go over that with some recommendations. If you are just exploring the idea, and ladies let me say more women are getting CCDW licenses than men, then you need to keep reading.
I am going to go over the steps and then back up a bit and talk a little about what makes a good concealed carry weapon.
Step one is to call an instructor. In the state of Kentucky, you must pass both a class to cover all the required information, and you must also pass a shooting test. Before you get all bent out of shape let me say this: If you take the class pay attention and listen to your instructor, you will pass the test.
If you have concerns about the shooting part of the test, let me put your mind at rest. Your instructor will help you. You will be shooting a life-size target from seven yards, about 21 feet. My instructors told me no one she has instructed has failed the shooting part of the class.
When you call an instructor, they will put on the list for his or her next class. Most of them have a class at least once a month. The class is usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s a long day, but you only have to do it once. Depending on the size of the class it can go a little quicker.
When you go to the class, you are expected to have your gun, cleaning kit, ear protection, and eye protection. You can pick up earplugs for about $5 at Walmart and eyewear for about the same.
Instructors charge different amounts for the class. I had Kathy Fisher for my instructor; she charges $75.00 for the class, once you pass the class. She sends in your results and in about three weeks, you will get your letter in the mail with your certificate of completion. You need to go to some place like CVS and get a passport type picture, then take both the letter and your picture to the County Sheriff’s office with two checks. One check is for $20.00 and the other is for $40.00. One is your license fee, and the other pays for your background check. In 30 days or so, you will get your CCDW license in the mail.
What gun to buy for CCDW? I did a lot of research on this subject, and you can ask 50 people, and you’re going to get 50 different answers. That said, here is what I discovered.
O course, you can go to a full-sized weapon something like a Glock 17 or 19, but this going to weight about 22 ounces unloaded. This can get very heavy in your purse if you are a woman and very hard to conceal if you’re a man trying to stick it in your pants.
Today on the market, there is a new breed of handguns called subcompacts; these guns are very small. I went with a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard. It only weighs nine ounces empty and only 15 ounces loaded. It shoots seven rounds topped off and comes with two clips.
If you are a Glock fan, they make a Glock 26 slightly larger but still small enough. If you think, this is for you contact Kathy Fisher at (606) 928-4995.
I completely recommend her. She has been doing this a long time, she friendly and knows what she is doing, and can help you through the process. The CCDW website where you can learn more is here http://concealedcarryky.com/Home.html
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