Hey all, I'm working on getting my LTC and have been checking out different options. Naturally a safety course is a definite but I've been seeing a lot of ads for firearm training courses. Most of these courses "guarantee" assistance in the LTC application process and include safety/defense training. sounds pretty good right? Has anybody here taken any of these courses? Is it worth the extra cash?

depends on where you go.

Lethal Force Institute, Gunsite and Thunder Ranch are all very much worth the money.

I wanna go to Lethal Force Institute as Massad Ayoob is the man.

I dunno how MA is, but in TN we have to take a concealed carry course from a state licensed instructor.

Even if you do go to a school, I'd recommend at the very least picking up a copy of In The Gravest Extreme by Massad Ayoob. It's an excellent read on the topic of concealed carry and self defense shootings

here, about the author

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massad_Ayoob

he frequently fills the role of an expert in defense shooting trials.

Nice! thanks for the info! I found some short reads at the bookstore but there are only about a handful of books on this. I'm heading out to one of the local sportsman clubs here this weekend. I should be able to get going there. Just out of curiosity what ended up being your first pistol?

the first one that I personally bought was a Springfield Armory XD-45 Bitone Service model.



I had a Charles Daly 1911 and a Smith and Wesson Model 29 given to me before that.

Sadly, you're in MA where they have pretty retarded laws as to what pistols you can own...I read the list of what's allowed and what isn't...it honestly looks like companies were paying off politicians when the list was made.

I can't remember what you guys are allowed to buy....have you gone to a store and checked anything out?

for a defensive pistol, I'd go no smaller than 9mm.

We cant have an xd.

http://www.fsguns.com/malawsandregs.html

Someone gave you a 1911? damn I'm jealous. I've to wait for Massad Ayoobs book to arrive, it looks very good, and the courses look better. Unfortunately i can't drop $800 on a class right now. I went up to the S&W shooting sports center in Springfield this weekend and took the first shots program (free btw) I'm addicted now! They hooked everybody up with a 30 day membership and various discounts on the LTC course and hardware. It lasted about an hour and a half including the safety section. It was very basic but Definitely worth the time for someone who doesn't know where to start. There were people there of all ages too.

We worked with revolvers (.22 Rimfire - 10 shot) which was simple and fun. I was hoping to get a chance at using some pistols.

I snagged "Armed response" this weekend too. its a short read but pulls a lot of concepts from Ayoobs programs. The authors (can't remember his name) perspective comes from years of learning through gun mags and then getting into the Lethal Force Institute and other professional programs. Good stuff.

Yes MA laws are nutty as hell .

I'm heading back to S&W for the LTC course so i'll test out as many as they'll let me.

another perk of his classes is that if you actually go to trial over a self defense shooting, he'll show up free of charge.

the Smith and Wesson M&P isn't a bad pistol, I think you guys are able to get them too.

as you can get about everything Smith and Wesson offers (this is what I mean about companies paying off the legislators)

Yup you can get an m&p in ma. S&W is what were " allowed" to buy in mass The laws here are ridiculous. Two different sets of regulations.

they have to have an internal locking mechanism I think...I don't read up on MA laws because I never plan to live there.

might go there to visit...but that's it.

The M&Ps were released recently right? I'm definitely getting a Ruger MK III for target fun.

they've been out atleast 5 years...I can't honestly remember when they came out.