Gun Safety

[nicktavegia]

I'm visiting a relative who has a certificate to teach gun safety for the goverment and one for Connetcitcut and New York.  He's teaching me gun safety and I'm going to the firing range every day.  If I pass and he can give me a certificate can I use it for something in CAP?

Nick

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

Short answer: No

There are other threads on the NRA Marksmanship Medal being earned and worn on the blues. The NRA program it refers to has been modified or renamed several times since the reference was written. The state courses you refer to are generally for purchasing firearms or getting a concealed carry permit. (Not possible for a cadet).

[nicktavegia]

Thanks.  It would have been for gun safety so I wasn't sure.

[N Harmon]

You could use the training and experience to hold a gun safety seminar for your other cadets. Talk to your senior safety officer about doing it for the next monthly safety briefing.

[TCMajor]

OK I have to pipe in here.  Don't take this as anything other than a "heads up".   

When we refer to modern firearms, the term gun refers to a smooth bore weapon (shotgun).  Pistols and Rifles all are rifled and are not referred to as guns in the proper vernacular.  So what you want is a "firearms" safety course or "weapons" training.  That unless you are in fact getting trained on shotguns.  With our attachment to the Air Force you want to ensure that you use proper terms for the systems involved.  It doesn't matter a hill of beans in here, but if you start corresponding with "Big Blue", make sure you speak their language.  It's all about credibility. 

[N Harmon]

 

So, we lose credibility with the military by using "gun" interchangeably with "firearm" and "weapon", even though the Army, and Air Force do the same?

[SarDragon]

Oh, the Canoe Club's in on the deal, too. Them big oversize sewer pipes on the USS New Jersey, et al, are guns, and have rifled barrels. They shoot 16" rounds, the weight of a VW, as far as 22 miles. Not bad for a "gun".

[TCMajor]

What you are referring to are the large weapon systems that trough tradition remain with the term gun.  Most of which started out as smooth bore weapons and retained their name through common usage.  The others are crew served weapons.  If you go to a military weapons range and refer to a sidearm or other individual weapon as a gun you will lose credibility.  You will note that I never brought up major weapons systems or large bore armament because the original poster never did.   Again, I can tell you that if you walk onto a military weapons range and refer to your M-4 or or M-16 as a gun you will be corrected immediately.   Just read the post and don't read into it.  It was meant to assist this person in using proper terminology in the view of experts.  Please make an attempt at understanding the post so that you are really adding to the discussion. 

[EMT-83]

For further clarification:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kU0XCVey_U 

[TCMajor]

 :clap: I was going to go there, but the video is soooooo much better.  Gotta love Gunny!

[Dad2-4]

If you become an NRA Certified Instructor, then you're qualified to teach marksmanship at a CAP event (encampment).

[Smithsonia]

Let me help this discussion with a clear and precise definition: WEAPON: "Any device that by INTENTION is used to kill or maim man or beast."

I own several guns. Only some are weapons. Most are for target practice. Most will never do anything but go to the range and make holes in paper targets. A few are for hunting. One is a personal home defense gun. The personal defense and hunting shotguns are the only weapons
among the various guns I own.
Shooting at targets is not by INTENTION - designed for the killing or maiming man or beast. I can teach hunter safety and Firearms/Gun Safety as an NRA instructor. I can not teach weapons training. That has to do with tactical movement, rapid engagements, defensive fire, supressive fire, clearing fields of fire, house clearing, dynamic breaching, etc. It is not something taught in standard NRA schools but is taught at places like Thunder Ranch, US military, Police SWAT academies, etc.

Marksmanship is but a part of this full weapons training. Do NOT confuse these terms. Know the difference and preach the differences. It is confusion on such matters that leads to closing of gun ranges, loss of gun owners rights, and lack of general public understanding about firearms. All Guns are firearms. Very few are weapons. However, once intention is invested all can become weapons... but then again so can golf clubs, cars, baseball bats, and kitchen knives.

[lordmonar]

OK I have to pipe in here.  Don't take this as anything other than a "heads up".   

When we refer to modern firearms, the term gun refers to a smooth bore weapon (shotgun).  Pistols and Rifles all are rifled and are not referred to as guns in the proper vernacular.  So what you want is a "firearms" safety course or "weapons" training.  That unless you are in fact getting trained on shotguns.  With our attachment to the Air Force you want to ensure that you use proper terms for the systems involved.  It doesn't matter a hill of beans in here, but if you start corresponding with "Big Blue", make sure you speak their language.  It's all about credibility.

The USAF does not care that much (unless you are combat arms).  Gun, firearm, M-9, what ever....Yes it is about credibility....a cadet is asking abour weapons training....that is all the creditiblty he needs.

[nicktavegia]

I didn't ask for a certificate, but my new uncle taught me how to safely hold, load, unload, carry and fire several types of firearms. 

I fired a 22 Mosquito and a 9mm Glock.  I also got to shoot a .45 and a .357 Colt Lawman that was a 40 year old FBI issued gun.  My uncle had done a search through Colt to get the information when he bought the .357.

When I fired the Colt, people at the range would come and ask 'What WAS that?'  The .357 was LOUD.  It was very light and had no recoil.  The colt was much louder than the .357 Magnum my uncle fired. 

Nick

[TCMajor]

That sounds like you had a great time.  Keep training, and never loose respect for your firearms.  Also make sure that you keep abreast of all the attempts to take away your right to own them.  As smithsonia stated, the 2nd Amendment is under fire (pun intended) from many sources.  It is up to us to ensure that it stays as the founders intended.  The NRA is on the forefront of this battle.  Most people will claim its ignorance that causes these attacks, but that is not giving the enemy enough credit.  They know what they are doing and intend to win.  When I was growing up in New Hampshire, we used to be able to carry our hunting riffles to school in our trucks during hunting season.  Heck we had a shooting range on school property.  Now?  The feds have made it a felony.  Go figure.  Its a slow erosion of rights.  Sorry for the rant, but it is up to you young guys to pick up the battle and understand the consequences of a loss of the 2nd or any Amendment.

[nicktavegia]

My Dad was a State Representative in Connecticut when I was born and he had a 100% rating with the NRA. 

[Flying Pig]

Nick,

I heard about your day at the range.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRgYtp3HfvY&feature=related

[DakRadz]

Nick,

I heard about your day at the range.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRgYtp3HfvY&feature=related

Okay, ouch. And it seems they tried to warn her- looks like she's got her arms ready to attempt to handle the recoil... And they did, after all, tell her to put her tongue back in her mouth- that could cause a bloody problem!

Congrats to Nick on being safe- I would remind everyone he is GAWG and at least trying to be more educated, even if not applicable to CAP  :clap:


EDIT: P.S. Flying Pig- after several months of seeing your posts, I just now got what your username meant.... XD

[Майор Хаткевич]

When I was growing up in New Hampshire, we used to be able to carry our hunting riffles to school in our trucks during hunting season.  Heck we had a shooting range on school property.  Now?  The feds have made it a felony.

What's the use of a gun in your pickup while you're at school anyway? Maybe if parents didn't put their kids on Adderall the first chance they get, things could be different. Do you also advocate having a .50 Cal Machine Gun mounted in the back of that pickup? Because I'm sure the Founding Fathers imagined such weapons and wanted us all to have one.

[davidsinn]

Do you also advocate having a .50 Cal Machine Gun mounted in the back of that pickup? Because I'm sure the Founding Fathers imagined such weapons and wanted us all to have one.

You're actually right. The purpose of the 2nd was for the common man to posses military grade hardware to be able to form a militia to protect the country. The concept of standing armies was a distasteful one for the founders.