TexasCHLforum.com

What was you motivation to take on such a task? I'm sure it isn't the money.

What have you taken away from the experience of being a CHL instructor.

What is your favorite part?

What do you dislike about CHL instruction.

And finally a little levity, what was you funniest moment as an instructor.

Thank you to all who choose to be CHL instructors and helping us exercise our right to armed protection.

I just finished the CHL Instructor class this past Thursday. My motivation is to help put guns in the holsters, fanny packs and purses of the law abiding Texans who want to carry them.

Hopefully I can encourage more women to be prepared to protect themselves if they ever have to.

Thank you Sigirl. I am noticing more & more ladies come to the range with the husband when I give safety orientations. 5 ladies were at my renewal class today & one of those was a member at the range where I shoot. About 2 week ago we had a lady join w/ 2 younger sons. I know there are ladies that shoot w/o the dh but I think we are seeing more all the time. Good to have another lady instructor. Pic's of the new class room & maybe the qualifying range so we can brag on you some more.

I'm still trying to find on DPS's website where to order the student packets... then I'll have my sister get a group of her friends together and I'll teach my first small class so I can fine tune everything.

Just went through the 4-day course in Austin along with Sigirl, so I'm a newbie as well.

I decided to become a CHL Instructor because I'm a trainer at heart - I spent several years teaching more advanced stuff to the military crowd, training is what I want to do in my new life, and because I love the idea that Texas allows its citizens to legally carry weapons to protect themselves.
One of the things that motivated me to become an instructor was the fact that there were a few people in my CHL course that scared me - as in I was a little apprehensive that they would be legally carrying weapons because they had obviously had ZERO training in weapons safety and handling. I think we have a responsibility to guide those people in the right direction.

I wanted to be an Instructor because teaching gives us an opportunity to make a permanent impact upon the mindset and outlook of a person.

Sigirl - since you weren't wearing a badge that said "Sigirl", where were you sitting? I don't know if we actually met, but we might recall having seen each other.

Hey Pickpocket,

From the entrance, I was on the fourth row of long tables sitting in the front just right behind the projector. Where were you sitting?

Sigirl wrote:I'm still trying to find on DPS's website where to order the student packets... then I'll have my sister get a group of her friends together and I'll teach my first small class so I can fine tune everything.

Here ya go...
https://www.texasonline.state.tx.us/NAS ... ertManager

Sigirl wrote:Hey Pickpocket,

From the entrance, I was on the fourth row of long tables sitting in the front just right behind the projector. Where were you sitting?

Last row of tables from the entrance, just to the left of the podium right up front. I think I was maybe third/fourth from the front. The young guy :)

I felt the calling after an instructor told the female students in my renewal course to "aim for the groin" on a perp., in order to create a "stronger" psychological message and give the BG a chance to retreat.
I felt that the idea of aiming for anything but center mass and deploying a weapon in order to scare away the threat would pose an unacceptable risk to the CHL holder in crisis. I also feel like doing something outside of my 60+ hr/wk profession that I feel a passion for.

I never plan to aim for anything but center mass, and if for some reason I couldn't put my front sight on center mass, I'll take out the computer. I also teach that to women that I give pistol instruction to. Teaching women to aim for the groin to try to scare a man... that's crazy, and could cost her her life!

If the BG doesn't get the fatally serious psychological message as I'm putting my front sight on his chest... it's too late, he's a dead man.

The "aim for the groin" tactic was one taught by Ripps in at least one of the instructor renewal classes in 2005.

The theory being that DPS troopers in training tended to shoot high when they were stressed. So, if you shoot high, then aim lower to start with. And, even if you place the shot in the pelvic area, the BG will still fall down. Cause it's awful hard to stand up with a broken pelvis, femur, etc.

In addition, BG's aren't like paper targets. If you are shooting at them, then they are probably trying to do equally bad things to you at the same time. It is much harder for them to do so from the ground, than while standing up, bleeding out from a chest wound.

I would never advocate pointing a gun at a man's crotch to try to scare him off. I teach that you only point if you are ready to shoot. If I am pointing a gun at you, then I have already given you all the "chance to retreat" that you are going to get.

If you did not get that entire message the first time, then I apologize for not being clearer.

No appology necessary. We just believe differently and thats OK. Ripps brought the "stress fire shots landing high" thing up in my course, but he stated that one should find the diaphram as their aiming point to compensate.
I think, with exception to the alternative aiming point, that you and Marty give one of the best CHL classes in the Metroplex.
I have referred many students to you in the past and I will continue to do so,(when I can't fit them in to my class).

Match308 - I appreciate your comments. There is a huge amount of info given out in the instructor classes. And, between new and renewal instructor classes, they give the presentations many, many times. There will always be some deviation between classes. I know that, even when talking from my notes, each of my CHL classes is just a little bit different.

You heard what you heard. I heard what I heard. And we have different interpretations and experiences. The requirements and restrictions, and the laws, are fact-based and should be the same from one class to another. So much of the rest of the class is open to interpretation that it is bound to differ from one class to another.

I am sure that I do not teach the same class now that I did a year ago when you took it. I hope that I get better every time. And I know that you will too. Good luck to you!

I too just took the last class. The reason I want to instruct others is for a number of reasons.

I want people to be able to carry and have the ability to be able to protect them selves. I want to be able to teach people to this this correctly and safely.

I also believe the more law abiding citizens that carry the better and more safe our society will be.


I thought it was interesting that our DPS Instructors pointed out that if a person was becoming a CHL Instructor just so they could brag then they should not be doing it. While that probably seems obvious to us here in this forum, I am sure their are some who have thier priorities messed up. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to be an instructor and feel as instructors and CHL holders we have to make sure we set a good example and show this in a professional and postive light. That is just my opinion.

I met some really good folks who were their because they want to help others. I met a only a few who are just looking to make a buck.


I took quite a lot away from the class. The DPS instructors....I cannot say enough good things about them. They are totally supportive. They were professional, friendly, and gave us good information.


Ripps' comment about the groin shot.....I heard that but I thought it was in reference to the attacker wearing body armor. (Like the court house shooting) Or thats what I thought I heard.

maximus2161 wrote:Ripps' comment about the groin shot.....I heard that but I thought it was in reference to the attacker wearing body armor. (Like the court house shooting) Or thats what I thought I heard.

You were right in what you heard. His comments were to the effect that if you shatter the pelvis, the BG isn't going to be as much of a threat as he would be if he were fully mobile. I got the same impression you did.

As far as why.... I didn't set out to do this to make money, because it's -difficult- to 'make money' off of something like this. I firmly believe 'the more, the merrier' and think that everyone who can legally be armed and wants to be armed SHOULD be armed.

I had alot of fun, learned alot, but I'm still processing my way through alot of the information.

Kat