• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

Congratulate me -- New Class A LTC ALP holder!!

tele_mark

tele_mark

Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Messages
10,089
Likes
851
Location
New Ipswich, Finn-Land
Feedback: 19 / 0 / 0
I just got a call at work today from the Leominster PD. Theresa told me I've been approved for my permit!! I'm assuming it's the full ALP, as that's what she had put down on my application (without me asking!) and she didn't indicate otherwise. I knew I was going to have a good experience when the first thing she did when I walked in was hand me a coupon for 10% off at Dick's Sporting Goods! Total time from application was 24 calendar days! She said they're backed up issuing licenses (I assume all classes from FID up) with a backlog of 40 [shock] , so I can't go in to pick it up until Monday. Packing.org needs to update their data to indicate Leominster as a green city. Now, I'm going to go join No. Leo Rod & Gun and go buy a pistol safe before I do anything else. I knew this place felt like So. NH used to, for a reason!!


:D :D :D
 
I have no clue -- I started this whole thing watching the mess in New Orleans, and was just going to get an FID and a shotgun for home defense. Jon at GOAL talked me into applying for the LTC. So now, as is often the case with the stuff I get into, instead of a shotgun to be forgotten in a closet, I'll be joining a club, carefully choosing a pistol or revolver, put time in at the range, take CCW courses, etc. etc. I think right off the bat I may just get a .357 to start with until I know what my "keeper" gun will be. Or I may just get that 12 ga. pump. One thing for certain -- lots of research, and my reading on here and elsewhere just got a lot more intense.
 
tele_mark said:
I have no clue -- I started this whole thing watching the mess in New Orleans, and was just going to get an FID and a shotgun for home defense. Jon at GOAL talked me into applying for the LTC. So now, as is often the case with the stuff I get into, instead of a shotgun to be forgotten in a closet, I'll be joining a club, carefully choosing a pistol or revolver, put time in at the range, take CCW courses, etc. etc. I think right off the bat I may just get a .357 to start with until I know what my "keeper" gun will be. Or I may just get that 12 ga. pump. One thing for certain -- lots of research, and my reading on here and elsewhere just got a lot more intense.
Click to expand...

Congrats tele-mark; I got my LTCA-ALP a while back. Still no firearm in the safe yet. I've been considering a .357 mag and/or a Winchester Defender; but, I'm open to suggestions.
 
Congrats! And a good sign that they included the coupon. By passing that on, it implies that they approve of your right to carry. So rare these days.
 
Man, since I found out, I've already spent a few hundred (not really just yet, just planning purchases, but the money's a s good as gone)on a pistol safe, annual membership to No. Leo Rod & Gun, hearing protection, eye protection, and a long gun safe -- which will be spent before I even think about buying a piece. Sheese, it's like preparing for a new kid. [shock]
 
That's awesome tele_mark! Just remember, the check book does have it's limits - even if you still have checks, that doesn't mean you can buy more guns. [lol] [wink]
 
JonJ said:
Congrats! And a good sign that they included the coupon. By passing that on, it implies that they approve of your right to carry. So rare these days.
Click to expand...

It was an unbelievably un-Mass like experience. I'm still in shock. If what she told me about processing numbers is true, there's potentially a huge amount of people walking around Leominster packing. Not a good place to be a BG.....
 
Your first handgun shouldn't be a .357 if you want to learn how to shoot a handgun. Either a S&W Model 41 or a K-frame .22. Pistol skills are generally built with the .22 and demolished via the centerfires, and only if you have a solidly engrained skillset will you be able to learn to shoot the big guns without acquiring bad habits that are very hard to break.
 
RKG said:
Your first handgun shouldn't be a .357 if you want to learn how to shoot a handgun. Either a S&W Model 41 or a K-frame .22. Pistol skills are generally built with the .22 and demolished via the centerfires, and only if you have a solidly engrained skillset will you be able to learn to shoot the big guns without acquiring bad habits that are very hard to break.
Click to expand...

Thanks RKG --

How about a used .357 or similar centerfire in the pistol safe for the duty I got into this whole thing for -- home defense -- and a rim fire gun to start learning at the range? I'm not adverse to an initially perverse outlay of cash.
:p
 
Actually I would suggest a 357 (revolver) or 9mm (semi). And a 22 so you can afford LOTS of practice. You can always use 38's in the 357, so recoil isn't a major issue.

You'll want 2 revolvers or 2 semi's, so your technique will be close to the same.
 
tele-mark,

Try some guns out either at one of the few rental ranges, ask some friends, etc. BTW, you have instant friends here that I'm sure will accommodate you.

This will save you buying something that you don't find suitable or hate. BTDT!
 
I didn't mean to suggest that you shouldn't buy a .357 revolver, which, in fact, is one of the most versatile handguns around. I carry one regularly, though it is usually loaded with Remington 95-gr. serrated hollow point .38 Spl. +Ps for quicker second shot recovery.

What I meant is that you shouldn't plan on using a .357, even with a "target" .38 load (say, 2.7 gr. of Bullseye with a 158 gr. SWCL), for learning how to shoot a handgun. I've been a shooting instructor for more than 30 years, and my experience is that even with the "target" load in a .38, the recoil is enough to make it very difficult for new shooters to perfect the habits that are necessary to handgun marksmanship.

Shooting a pistol can be daunting, even if -- indeed, especially if -- you have some experience and skill with a rifle. You let off a shot; everything looked pretty good; and still the shot is barely holding onto the edge of the paper. At the same time, becoming a good pistol shot is quite rewarding. With some good coaching, and an awful lot of practice, you can do it and it is worth doing. But starting off with the centerfires is just making the job either harder or impossible.
 
I think that's great advice RKG, invaluable even. Matter of fact, think the first thing I do (after getting a pistol safe) is going to be celebrating the LTC with my first purchase, which will be a rim fire handgun. I just have to figure out if it'll be a revolver or pistol. As I'm anticipating that my carry gun will eventually be a pistol (although that could change), I'll probably pick up a .22 semi of some kind.

thanks
Mark
 
In that case, and if you are financially flexible, I strongly recommend a S&W Model 41. Last time I was there, Carl at Four Seasons had a couple. Pricey, but perhaps the finest .22 auto ever made.
 
The Model 17 (if you can find one; don't think much of the current 617) is a fine piece, both for learning and honing and recreational shooting in general.
 

Similar threads

Bad news LTC holders, can't buy ammo at BassPro
2 3
Replies
66
Views
2K
Dennis in MA
Dennis in MA
Expiring medical marijuana card and obtaining LTC
2 3
Replies
63
Views
1K
KBCraig
KBCraig
LTC PD Boston 😔
Replies
8
Views
260
M1911
M1911
Is this a new term? Zombie guns.
Replies
9
Views
341
hminsky
H
Fudds gotta fudd. No AR class in Maine.
Replies
6
Views
457
rogersmithiii
R
Back
Top Bottom