Who provides the least expensive carry permit classes?

[Paul]

Alright. I wanted to give an update... Actually I've been avoiding it because I know what's coming. So let me save you all some time and say it for you. "You told me so". Lol

I took a cheap carry class recently and it was THE BIGGEST F'ING JOKE EVER. The class was 4 hours long, much of which consisted of rambling nonsense and creepy scenarios involving a guy trying to "grab your wife's tits".

When he wasn't off in lala land talking about his crazy political views, he was telling us about his experiences serving in every armed service and every Government agency. Seriouslye, at one point I thought he had a stroke and was just repeating the plots to random episodes of the A-Team. It was that rediculous.

I dont know... Maybe I am being too hard on this guy. I mean, afterall he did provide us valuable instructions on how to sneak a pistol into a club where they frisk. He was even nice enough to demonstrate how to perform a headshot on a crowded dance floor. (for when a guy grabs your wifes tits...)

After taking this class I feel less knowledgeable and very misinformed. The scariest part of all was watching some of the people in the class drinking his kool-aid and taking his word as gospel.

Long story short, I signed up for another class.

Sorry to hear about your experience. I'll extend an open invitation to sit through any of our classes for free if you would like a different perspective/information/attitude.

[ttousi]

same offer

[phorvick]

The price of that disappointing class had nothing to do with the quality. It would be the same class at $250. The quality of a class is not price, it is the instructor.

My classes are usually on the low price end of the spectrum. And, even with ego in check, I do a pretty good class.

[Stradawhovious]

Alright. I wanted to give an update... Actually I've been avoiding it because I know what's coming. So let me save you all some time and say it for you. "You told me so". Lol

I took a cheap carry class recently and it was THE BIGGEST F'ING JOKE EVER. The class was 4 hours long, much of which consisted of rambling nonsense and creepy scenarios involving a guy trying to "grab your wife's tits".

When he wasn't off in lala land talking about his crazy political views, he was telling us about his experiences serving in every armed service and every Government agency. Seriously, at one point I thought he had a stroke and was just repeating the plots to random episodes of the A-Team. It was that rediculous.

I dont know... Maybe I am being too hard on this guy. I mean, afterall he did provide us valuable instructions on how to sneak a pistol into a club where they frisk. He was even nice enough to demonstrate how to perform a headshot on a crowded dance floor. (for when a guy grabs your wifes tits...)

After taking this class I feel less knowledgeable and very misinformed. The scariest part of all was watching some of the people in the class drinking his kool-aid and taking his word as gospel.

Long story short, I signed up for another class.

I would take Tom or Paul up on their offer. You need to sit through a legitimate class that will at least make you comfortable with the fundamentals surrounding MN laws on use of deadly force and carrying a handgun.

And if even half of your story is accurate, the assclown that taught your "class" needs to be evaluated on a handfull of levels.

I would LOVE to hear who the instructor was (I'm sure I'm not the only one.....)

[oneunder]

Sorry to hear about your experience. I'll extend an open invitation to sit through any of our classes for free if you would like a different perspective/information/attitude.

You would be dumb not to take Paul up on this. I took their carry, and defensive handgun 1 class. They are highly knowledgeable, and extremely nice. I don't have experience with the other individual, I am sure his class is as thorough as Paul's is though. I don't think you can go wrong in either scenario.

[ttousi]

He was even nice enough to demonstrate how to perform a headshot on a crowded dance floor. (for when a guy grabs your wifes tits...)

Live fire exercise?

[IDPA Shooter]

There is a post earlier in this thread that essentially claims that price = quality.

BS.

Someone else posted a number of points that makes their class special.

BS.

Brass tacks; there is a state requirement that says you need a certificate to carry a weapon. I say if you can move your trigger finger, you don't need hours of BS. Teach the requirements, charge what you want. People will pay your exorbitant prices, but there are those who recognize value. Do people really go to a carry class for the instructor or certificate?

ETA: I am just a poor ***** boy. My time is money, the only factors I am concerned about is price and time. Just give me the cert.

That's fine and with the way the system is today, you have any number of options to have someone just sign off on a certificate. It's always the instructor(s), not the costs , just like it is always the Indian and not the arrow. Sorry, make that Native American to be more PC and clear

I've been carrying over 10 years and teaching it for over 7 and I continue to learn new information all the time. Just reading some recent posts from bstrawse tells me he has some good information and it would be valuable to be in one of his classes. In my experience is that it is about more than "move your trigger finger" and I'd like not to be in jail and have someone living min my house, drinking my beer and kicking my dog, because I did not know the law, or simply talked when it was time to shut up. This is America, YMWV Me we have a class on Saturday, I'm sure one of my students will teach me something I did not know or show me a better way to present what I do know to make it more relevant to them.

[plblark]

There's a strong ethic of "don't bash the competition" here and that's a good thing. But if you, as a consumer, have a good experience or a bad experience, maybe letting people know who, what, when, where, how bad isn't a bad idea.

The part about this that worries me is that this could be ANYONE. Sure, I may assume I know who it is but what if it's someone none of us has heard of? Or none of the other board members has heard of?

When someone asks one of the people who reads here if JimBob's class is any good, they simply won't know. There are a bunch of instructors and posters here I refer people to on a regular basis. There are few in the larger community I avoid or privately counsel people to "caveat emptor". I think we're doing the community as a whole a disservice by not naming names, Bad OR Good.

Heck, maybe the instructor doesn't know how he comes off and is reading this review thinking: Man, THAT guy got a real loser of an instructor, wish he'd been in MY class ...

[System7]

Paul and Tom, thank you. I will take you both up on that.

The price of that disappointing class had nothing to do with the quality. It would be the same class at $250. The quality of a class is not price, it is the instructor.

My classes are usually on the low price end of the spectrum. And, even with ego in check, I do a pretty good class.

I agree. I run a business and just because I give someone a deal doesn't make it okay for me to do a half ass job.

[System7]

He was even nice enough to demonstrate how to perform a headshot on a crowded dance floor. (for when a guy grabs your wifes tits...)

Live fire exercise?

The live fire excersize lasted exactly 37 seconds. He told me to load 5 rounds and shoot center mass . Target was a rifle target placed at 7 feet. Another guy in the class who shot before me had clearly never shot a pistol before. He was shaking so bad he nealy dropped his gun.

I hope I never find myself standing within 30ft of the guy who grabs his wifes tits because he passed.

[ttousi]

He was even nice enough to demonstrate how to perform a headshot on a crowded dance floor. (for when a guy grabs your wifes tits...)

Live fire exercise?

The live fire excersize lasted exactly 37 seconds. He told me to load 5 rounds and shoot center mass . Target was a rifle target placed at 7 feet. Another guy in the class who shot before me had clearly never shot a pistol before. He was shaking so bad he nealy dropped his gun.

I hope I never find myself standing within 30ft of the guy who grabs his wifes tits because he passed.

In foghorn leghorn vernacular......."that was a joke son" referring to the dance floor drill

[GunClasses.Net]

Heck, maybe the instructor doesn't know how he comes off and is reading this review thinking: Man, THAT guy got a real loser of an instructor, wish he'd been in MY class ...

Well, then he's clearly not paying attention to his end-of-class surveys and other feedback people post about his class; or, he's in fact not even bothering to gather those metrics or analyze them (if he's not, it's probably from either or a combination of: laziness, ignorance of teaching methodology, arrogance, or simple apathy, I'd guess).

I do believe he is the exception and by no means represents the vast majority of MN permit instructors. I have met many who have earned my respect. I've also run into one or two who I seriously wonder about. Kind reminds me of my college professors!

[GunClasses.Net]

Live fire exercise?
The live fire excersize lasted exactly 37 seconds. He told me to load 5 rounds and shoot center mass . Target was a rifle target placed at 7 feet. Another guy in the class who shot before me had clearly never shot a pistol before. He was shaking so bad he nealy dropped his gun....

It's probably best to challenge the students at their level and introduce some realism or stress, as possible. Five rounds? That will never get you to do the kinds of drills where the students say at the end, "Wow, I never knew I could do that!" or "I'd never have thought to try that, before!". Five rounds adds no value to the student.

It also adds little confirmation to the instructor. I doubt he would buy a $500 gun based on someone's single, five round test from a bench. So, what, he's seriously going to certify a student's proficiency based on a single five-round group, to one day perhaps shoot that gun in public, where every round could be a million dollar lawsuit?

[cobb]

I guess I am late to this party, but if you are in the Southern Minnesota area or would be interested in a road trip, please contact me to get into one of my Minnesota classes for free. Several excellent instructors have made a similar offer because they are just that, instructors that want you to be informed to avoid a bad situation on many levels.

What ever your thoughts on your past training, please take advantage of one of the instructor's offers here, don't think you will be disappointed.

[bstrawse]

I've been carrying over 10 years and teaching it for over 7 and I continue to learn new information all the time. Just reading some recent posts from bstrawse tells me he has some good information and it would be valuable to be in one of his classes. In my experience is that it is about more than "move your trigger finger" and I'd like not to be in jail and have someone living min my house, drinking my beer and kicking my dog, because I did not know the law, or simply talked when it was time to shut up. This is America, YMWV Me we have a class on Saturday, I'm sure one of my students will teach me something I did not know or show me a better way to present what I do know to make it more relevant to them.

Thanks for the kind words. I only wish I had more time to teach - I don't get to do it very often. Maybe after grad school ends in 2014.

b