Hail call to CWPINST

[WoodieSC]

I’m wondering if you can settle a discussion question some of us have been bantering around. That is, is there a specific minimum handgun caliber required for the CWP training? When I got mine early last year our instructor told us that a .38 was the minimum acceptable caliber. However, others around the state have heard of people being qualified using a .22 revolver. It appears that there is a only a guideline recommendation for the .38 as a minimum.

What does the SLED actual course requirement state?

Thanks.

[Greenwing]

I used a 9mm Beretta to get my CWP. I have a friend that used a .22 They said we could use whatever we wanted. And after you get your permit, you don't have to use the same caliber or pistol to carry. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Sasha and Abby]

I used a .22

[Rock & Rye]

I used a Firestar 9mm and only had one shot count against me on the shoot qualifying.... no i didn't miss lol I had a misfire and didnt take the shot

Now since that was 4-5 months ago I guess I need to follow thru on the fingerprinting and turning in the app thing...

[scduckslaya67]

I used a glock 19 9 mm to get my permit . We had a black lady use a firestar 9mm and she had the same problem . They told her to come back , and encouraged her to ger another gun . We had more than one person use a .22 to qualify that day . The lexington county sheriff's dept did not limit people to certain guns and you can carry any caliber once you get your cwp .

Do they mail you a notice when you need to renew you cwp ? I know that you do not have to take the class again once you have your permit.

[WoodieSC]

I just heard back from a SLED Training Instructor and he said that there is no minimum caliber requirement. Any class requirements are at the individual Instructor's discretion. His personal requirement is a minimum of 9 mm to ensure that a person can handle some recoil.

[USMCsilver]

I hope that you don't have too many speeding tickets...

I got denied renewal based on traffic violations. It has been a long, drawn out matter, but I have worked w/ the NRA-ILA, GOSC, my US and State Senator, and congressman to start getting SLED's POS laws reformed. Things have taken a turn, and they have actually cut it to half what it use to be. Now, 3 tickets in a 5 year period.

Good luck.

[USMCsilver]

Originally posted by buck&duck:
Do they mail you a notice when you need to renew you cwp ? I know that you do not have to take the class again once you have your permit.

Yes, they usually send a renewal packet, but don't count on them to do so.

You have 90 days after your permit expires to send in your paperwork. After the 90 days are up, you have to take the class again.

[CWPINST]

Sorry, I am just getting around to seeing your post. Like others have said, you can use a .22. Under the definition of concealed weapon, it makes no mention of caliber but includes a description of a handgun as being no greater than 12 inches along it greatest dimension(I am quoting from memory here). I once had a 6 inch 686 Smith that was 12.5 inches. I suppose one could argue that you should qualify with a handgun that meets the definition of a concealed weapon, but then, that is just my opinion. Instructors should not keep serial numbers, but I would suggest that you qualify with the primary gun that you intend on carrying.

Silver, I feel your pain about the tickets. At out last Instructors meeting with SLED, Joe Dorton emphasized the ticket issue. I tried to be professional, but I took issue with him about that. His heart is in the right place, in that he wants to protect the CWP Program, and it is true that it would only take a couple of high profile instances of pistol wielding judgement errors by permit holders to sink the entire program. I just don't think that speeding tickets (within reason) are necessarily an accurate barometer of the quality of ones judgement.

I told Joe that at my place of employment folks have to pass an extensive background investigation to get a Top Secret Security Clearance. Two or three speeding tickets in a year are not a big deal (DUI's are though) as long as everything else checks out OK. I guess that for $50 SLED will not be able to do much of an investigation, so they have to use some sort of discriminator's that they feel are reasonable predictors of ones judgement. If I were you, I would ask to see the research that shows that a couple of speeding tickets in a year indicates that you are "statistically" prone to judgements in error. They will probably say that you broke the law and that is the evidence. If that is the case then probably 70% of all drivers would not qualify for a CWP if you picked the wrong year. Heck, I had two tickets in one year. In fact it was in one month, but that was in 1987 and I haven't had one since, knock on wood! Does that mean that I was "unfit" in 1987 but OK in 88,89,90......now???

On the other hand, if you have received 5 or 6 tickets in a couple of years, you are SOL and they are probably right. Dude...lighten up on the foot AND get a radar detector!!!