Handgun Safety Courses

[MyopicJoe]

If you want to own a handgun in Hawaii, you're required to complete a safety class first. There are many places you can go for this training. One group I can vouch for is L.I.F.E.. A nice bunch of people who will teach you how to safely and confidently handle firearms. You can ask questions and get straight answers from people who aren't trying to sell you something. You'll gain experience with a variety of handguns (revolver, semi-auto, single action, double action). If you decide to take on the responsibility of owning a firearm, this can help you decide which one to get. They also have female instructors, if you feel more comfortable with one.

The only issue I have is where they hold the course, which is outdoors (under a tent) at the Koko Head Shooting Complex. It can get noisy and require you to ask instructors to repeat themselves during the lecture portion (though you should be able to hear them fine during the one-on-one sessions).

Even if you don't intend to own a firearm, it would benefit you to become familiar with them through a safety class. Instead of being afraid of firearms, you can learn to respect what they can and can't do.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Handgun Safety Courses

Most of Hawai`i's gun laws are pretty sensible. Some of the best in the nation. Requiring firearm safety classes is one of the best ideas under the sun.

[Amati]

Re: Handgun Safety Courses

Even if you don't intend to own a firearm, it would benefit you to become familiar with them through a safety class.

Valid point. Many gun accidents occur due to someone handling a gun that does not understand how they work, or not knowing how to check to make sure the gun is unloaded, etc. There is safety in knowledge.

[MyopicJoe]

Re: Handgun Safety Courses

Requiring firearm safety classes is one of the best ideas under the sun.

I like it too. There are people who think mandatory training can be turned to an unofficial ban by making it impossible for most people to pass. In the end, it's what you think is the lesser of two evils.

This former firearms trainer shares his opinion on mandatory training. He makes a good point that people will follow the rules to pass the training, but they could go back to unsafe habits once on their own (like wearing your seat belt for your driver's exam but not using one after getting their license). Still, I think it's better to have some chance (instead of no chance) of instilling good habits early on.

Valid point. Many gun accidents occur due to someone handling a gun that does not understand how they work, or not knowing how to check to make sure the gun is unloaded, etc. There is safety in knowledge.

I agree. If a person unfamiliar with guns sees one lying around, there's a good chance they'll try to pick it up to "keep it safe". That's probably the most dangerous thing they can do (an untrained person handing a gun). Training would hopefully teach them that a gun not being handled doesn't go off on its own.

There's a very dated Eddie Eagle video that teaches kids 4 rules of gun safety:

1) stop
2) don't touch
3) leave the area
4) tell an adult

On a tangent, I remember a chef on Food TV who advocates teaching children how to use knives in the kitchen at an early age. Safety through training, not ignorance.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Handgun Safety Courses

I think it's better to have some chance (instead of no chance) of instilling good habits early on.
Safety through training, not ignorance.

Our society has a tendency to ignore that which is not 'approved.' So firearm safety (which everyone should take, whether or not they own firearms) is relegated to the back burner.
Scool children are not educated on firearm safety. Are they educated on sexual safety? Probably not - so we have unwanted pregnancies, and unintentional firearm deaths, as well as firearm massacres.

Education first.

Crazy nut-jobs think that not educating children will prevent unwanted pregnancies and accidental deaths. WRONG!