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Politics & Government

Concealed Carry Class Educates Gun Owners

Six-hour course prepares gun owners for upcoming Wisconsin law.

Wisconsin residents are quickly filling up a monthly concealed carry class offered at the Saukville Gun Club.

Roger Cross, a member of the Saukville Gun Club who is certified by the American Association of Certified Firearms Instructors, has been teaching the concealed carry class for the past six years. Prior to the legislation passing in Wisconsin, Cross taught the class in order to help people obtain conceal carry permits in other states.

Cross said a variety of people sign up for the course.

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"It's mostly middle-aged people, not a lot of young people, but both men and ladies — both husbands and wives," he said.

Gov. Scott walker signed the concealed carry bill in July, making Wisconsin the 49th state to have such a law. The law will go in effect on Nov. 1.

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Anyone who wants to carry a gun under the new law can take a certified course, such as concealed carry or hunter safety, to receive the paperwork needed to apply for a permit.

The two concealed carry classes offered in August at the Saukville Gun Club filled up with nearly 30 students for each session. Cross, along with two other certified AACFI members conducted the class that lasted around six hours each day.

The class introduces people to the rules of the law and includes an outdoor shooting qualification test. Cross teaches a variety of information including conflict avoidance, a gun owner’s rights and responsibilities, travel under the concealed carry law, the application process and safety.

"We fire 30 rounds total through several courses of fire and you must score 185 points out of 200 in order to pass the class," Cross said.

A major point Cross emphasizes during the class is participants need to be mentally prepared for how to handle their guns.

"You have to realize 'I've got to stay sharp, I've got to stay in focus or this handgun is going to do me no good, so I'm going to practice, practice, practice. I'm going to carry only when I need it and I'm going to be vigilant of my surroundings when I'm not carrying.’” Cross said.

One thing participants will not have a lot of time to do during the class is learn the details of their handguns. Cross encourages people to do that in their own time, after they have taken a training class.

"The big thing that I stress is that you're going to have to put a minimum of 200 rounds through that gun to become what I call 'intimate' with that firearm," he said. "I need to know how that firearm functions, so if I need it in a panic I don’t have to wonder, 'Now which one of these is the safety? Which one of these is the mag release? What do I do?"

Once people pass the class they receive certification paperwork. On Nov. 1, that paperwork can be mailed in — along with an application and a $50 fee to the Department of Justice — in order to recieve their concealed carry permit six to eight weeks later. Part of the fee covers a background check, similar to the ones conducted when someone purchases a gun at a store. The rest of the money goes to the application process.

Safety is the number one goal for instructors when they teach the concealed carry class at the Saukville Gun Club. For Cross, he says he enjoys seeing people who are interested in protecting themselves. "I really like to see people get involved in shooting,” Cross said. “I particularly like to see ladies get involved in handling guns, removing the stigma that people have in Wisconsin about guns."

The concealed carry permit will last five years. After that, gun owners will be able to re-apply for their permit.

Cross believes not as many people as the public may think will actually be carrying a gun once they receive their permit.

"As soon as that permit is issued, they're going to be carrying. I give them six months and they’re going to say 'Why do I get up every morning and put this handgun on? I don’t need it. I don’t work in a problem area in the inner city. I don’t work at midnight. I don’t work second or third shift,' and they’re going to begin to leave it at home," Cross said.

Some places will be off limits for gun owners to conceal carry including jails, police stations, school property and other public buildings. Under the new law, businesses will have to clearly post on their doors that no firearms are allowed.

Reservations are being taken for concealed carry classes at the Saukville Gun Club for the months of September, October and November. If you are interested in signing up for the course, call Roger Cross at 414-526-7928.

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