Just curious, does anyone here have a NSA CHL?

[Scott in Houston]

I'm just curious if anyone does and why? Even if you carry a revolver 99% of the time, when taking the test, why not get the SA version of the license?

[redlin67]

I only owned a revolver when I did my qualification, but I renter a SA so I wouldn't have any problems later.

[ScottDLS]

I only owned a revolver when I took the test in 1996, but I borrowed the instructors 9mm. I was going to use my friend's (who took class w/ me) SA, but the instructor offered his. Shortly after that I bought a Beretta 92. So I've always had a semi-auto license. I think its a bit of a silly distinction to have on the licenses, but I made sure to get a SA.

In addition to having your license suspended for 30 days, you could risk a conviction for Unlawful Carry of a Weapon as the non-applicability provision of 46.15(b)(6) only applies "...to carry a concealed handgun of the same category as the handgun the person is carrying;...".

Since that's a Class A Misdemeanor, you'd lose your license for 5 years if convicted.

[CainA]

A little off topic, but how did that get into the law in the first place, the SA/NSA part? Do other states have this distinction on their licenses too?

-Cain

[ScottDLS]

A little off topic, but how did that get into the law in the first place, the SA/NSA part? Do other states have this distinction on their licenses too?

-Cain

Charles Cotton would probably know...

I understand the Instructor Certification requires you to shoot with both revolver and semi-auto pretty extensively. Some states require you to list the pistols that you will carry on your license. Some that come to mind are New York, California, and surprisingly Nevada. With New York you must have a license to own a pistol and all must be listed by S/N on your license. California the S/N are on the license too, but only the ones you carry. Nevada it is just the model and caliber, I believe.

[seamusTX]

The Texas CHL law contains a distinction between semi-auto pistols and NSA mainly because the statutes for armed security guards are structured that way. Security guards can use only weapons that they qualified on.

As far as I know, only Texas has this distinction for CHLs. Fewer than two percent of CHLs are NSA.

While it is discussed to death, there is no reason that someone who can shoot a revolver cannot shoot a semi-auto. Someone with two fingers, part of a thumb, and one eye can shoot a semi-auto safely and accurately. That person may need to use eleven preloaded magazines for the CHL qualification, but it can be done. (I'm not making that up, because I knew a guy whose hands were in that condition.)

- Jim

[hirundo82]

A little off topic, but how did that get into the law in the first place, the SA/NSA part? Do other states have this distinction on their licenses too?

-Cain

As I understand it, armed guards have the same shooting requirements as a CHL. The course is the same, and the action type requirements are the same--if they qualify with a revolver they can use a revolver, and if they qualify with a semiauto they can use either.

Of course, armed guard licensure has a much longer history in Texas than CHL. When the shooting requirements were being set for the CHL course, they pretty much copied verbatim what was already in place for the armed security course.

[Pawpaw]

The Texas CHL law contains a distinction between semi-auto pistols and NSA mainly because the statutes for armed security guards are structured that way. Security guards can use only weapons that they qualified on.

As far as I know, only Texas has this distinction for CHLs. Fewer than two percent of CHLs are NSA.

While it is discussed to death, there is no reason that someone who can shoot a revolver cannot shoot a semi-auto. Someone with two fingers, part of a thumb, and one eye can shoot a semi-auto safely and accurately. That person may need to use eleven preloaded magazines for the CHL qualification, but it can be done. (I'm not making that up, because I knew a guy whose hands were in that condition.)

- Jim

I'm glad you clarified that. I didn't think we had met!

[ghostrider]

While it is discussed to death, there is no reason that someone who can shoot a revolver cannot shoot a semi-auto.

I don't disagree, but I took a friend to a rental range years ago to try out various pistols so he could decide what to buy for his carry gun (he had just gotten his CHL). It was clear to both of us that the added complexity of semi-autos was more than he was comfortable with, so he went with a J-frame.

[baldeagle]

A little off topic, but how did that get into the law in the first place, the SA/NSA part? Do other states have this distinction on their licenses too?

-Cain

Nevada requires you to qualify and be licensed for each make, model and caliber you own. IOW, if you want to carry a Kimber Stainless Ultra Carry II in .45 you must be licensed for it. If you want to carry a Kimber Stainless Ultra Carry II in 9mm, you must be licensed for that as well. If you want to carry a Ruger LCP .380, you must be licensed for that. If you want to carry a Ruger P90 in .45, you must be licensed for that also. If you want to carry a S&W Model 13-2 .357, you must be licensed for that. If you want to carry a S&W M&P .357, you must be licensed for that too.

It's silly, I know, but then when is politics not silly?

[seamusTX]

It was clear to both of us that the added complexity of semi-autos was more than he was comfortable with, so he went with a J-frame.

Comfortable with and can are two different things.

That said, anyone can carry whatever he or she likes, and I fully endorse the choice.

- Jim

[Hoi Polloi]

I find revolvers more complicated with the external hammer, half-cocked, cock and lock, and everything else to remember. I find it slightly amusing that they're considered so much easier that a SA license covers it, but an NSA license won't cover the super easy insert magazine, pull trigger of the SAs.

[KC5AV]

I assisted with a renewal a few weeks ago, and there was an elderly lady on the firing line who qualified with a revolver. I believe it was a S&W442. She was unable to load magazines for a semiautomatic, and didn't feel that she could effectively rack the slide on one. However, she was able to manipulate the cylinder release and trigger on the 442. If I remember correctly, she shot about a 248 with it.

[wiredgeorge]

Speaking of qualifying oddities, why no .22LR, .22WMR, .32ACP semi-automatics allowed? Concealed carry means not everyone will want to have their britches pulled down with a 1911 hehe. Some folks just don't feel that anything more than a 16 oz. pistol is a carry weapon. I know there are combat advantages to a .45 but most ladies really like smaller caliber arms.

[Hoi Polloi]

Speaking of qualifying oddities, why no .22LR, .22WMR, .32ACP semi-automatics allowed? Concealed carry means not everyone will want to have their britches pulled down with a 1911 hehe. Some folks just don't feel that anything more than a 16 oz. pistol is a carry weapon. I know there are combat advantages to a .45 but most ladies really like smaller caliber arms.

What most ladies are you talking to?