Search found 4 matches

by sjfcontrol
Fri Jun 07, 2013 6:52 pm
Forum: Instructors' Corner
Topic: Qualification w/40 rounds?
Replies: 40
Views: 8739

Re: Qualification w/40 rounds?

twomillenium wrote:
sjfcontrol wrote:The CHL proficiency exam is a 50-round course of fire. That, however, does NOT mean each and every student will fire all 50 rounds. There can be any number of reasons (as I implied above) why a student may not get off all 50 rounds. Running out of time, and firearm malfunction are two.

The purpose of the proficiency test is twofold...

1) For the student to demonstrate that he is knowledgable about the operation of the firearm, and is capable of handling it safely.
2) For the student to demonstrate that he can score a minimum of 175 out of a total of 250 points.

Even at the Austin DPS range, the person doing the scoring (the person next to you) is supposed to ask the shooter if he had any "holdbacks". Those are rounds that for whatever reason, were not fired. Those rounds are counted as "misses". DPS does NOT fail a prospective instructor because he did not fire all 50 rounds.

I would suggest that any instructor who failed a student that successfully demonstrated the two goals above, but did not fire all 50 rounds, would be courting issues with DPS when the student contacts them to complain about the instructor.

As an example, I was RSO for another instructor's class. One of the students decided he would use a number of his rounds to "draw a smiley face" on the head of his target. (Now before somebody claims that "Head shots are automatic disqualifiers", that is CHL urban legend.) Anyway, I considered how I would have handled this situation. The best resolution that I could come up with would be to go ahead and pass the student (assuming he got a passing score on both written and proficiency test), and send a letter to DPS explaining that although the student did get passing scores, he failed to follow instructions, and explain the situation -- thus letting DPS handle the issue as they see fit.
This was one of the scoring targets we had in class. The head shots received 3 points there were 8 of them, there were only 40 other shots accounted for - 5 pointer total of 224. shooter failed.
224 is a passing grade if you're talking about CHL students. A fail for instructors, however (by one point).
by sjfcontrol
Wed Jun 05, 2013 12:25 pm
Forum: Instructors' Corner
Topic: Qualification w/40 rounds?
Replies: 40
Views: 8739

Re: Qualification w/40 rounds?

Well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I don't see it as "gaming the system" at all. There is little gain to the student (saving a few rounds), and NO LOSS to Texas. That is different from those taking out-of-state licenses which was a thumb-of-the-nose at Texas, and eliminated the collection of license fees by Texas.

Like I said, if any instructor isn't comfortable with it, let DPS know what happened and let them handle it. I don't believe that instructors should be making up their own rules -- especially if that means failing a student that has otherwise fulfilled all the requirements.
by sjfcontrol
Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:38 am
Forum: Instructors' Corner
Topic: Qualification w/40 rounds?
Replies: 40
Views: 8739

Re: Qualification w/40 rounds?

The CHL proficiency exam is a 50-round course of fire. That, however, does NOT mean each and every student will fire all 50 rounds. There can be any number of reasons (as I implied above) why a student may not get off all 50 rounds. Running out of time, and firearm malfunction are two.

The purpose of the proficiency test is twofold...

1) For the student to demonstrate that he is knowledgable about the operation of the firearm, and is capable of handling it safely.
2) For the student to demonstrate that he can score a minimum of 175 out of a total of 250 points.

Even at the Austin DPS range, the person doing the scoring (the person next to you) is supposed to ask the shooter if he had any "holdbacks". Those are rounds that for whatever reason, were not fired. Those rounds are counted as "misses". DPS does NOT fail a prospective instructor because he did not fire all 50 rounds.

I would suggest that any instructor who failed a student that successfully demonstrated the two goals above, but did not fire all 50 rounds, would be courting issues with DPS when the student contacts them to complain about the instructor.

As an example, I was RSO for another instructor's class. One of the students decided he would use a number of his rounds to "draw a smiley face" on the head of his target. (Now before somebody claims that "Head shots are automatic disqualifiers", that is CHL urban legend.) Anyway, I considered how I would have handled this situation. The best resolution that I could come up with would be to go ahead and pass the student (assuming he got a passing score on both written and proficiency test), and send a letter to DPS explaining that although the student did get passing scores, he failed to follow instructions, and explain the situation -- thus letting DPS handle the issue as they see fit.
by sjfcontrol
Sun Jun 02, 2013 7:05 pm
Forum: Instructors' Corner
Topic: Qualification w/40 rounds?
Replies: 40
Views: 8739

Re: Qualification w/40 rounds?

ChrisNTX wrote:I require all students to shoot all 50 rounds, no exceptions. I require students to shoot the full course of fire that DPS prescribes. I am just a firm believer that no corners should be cut. Why take the chance. Although the rules say that a student must score 175/250 and they can technically do so, it also says the student "WILL shoot" 50 rounds from 3, 7, and 15 yards.
Really? And what happens when the student has a firearm stoppage and is unable to complete the current string? Does he get to shoot the rounds he missed out on? If not, he hasn't fired the full 50 rounds. That's either an "exception", or it is a violation of the rules regarding number of rounds fired and time allowed.

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