Cheapest CCW class ABQ area

Ok, I FINALLY got some $$ for my CCW class/application. Unfortunately the only place I know of in the ABQ area that does the classes is calibers, and they cost an arm and a leg.

I have $200, i'd like to be able to do my class and application fee for that price if at all possible. Any suggestions or am I stuck with calibers?

There is a list of instructors on the NM DPS website. You can check it out and call people in your area. I'd also recommend calling some of the gunshops in Abq and asking for recommendations of private instructors or if they know of groups. Sometimes people advertise locally with the stores. There are some good folks at Charlie's- maybe they can point you to someone.

http://www.dps.nm.org/index.php/nm-concealed-carry/ccw-instructors/

good advice ah...

the state's site shows everyone authorized so check the site and see who will work w/you on getting the appropriate training...do not hesitate to also look at those around the abq area...

wabbit

(be interesting to see if i get a call...lol)

Don't Go Too Cheap

I do them for $99, but I'm in Las Cruces, so that doesn't help you much, so I'll give some pointers on picking an instructor.

Don't go for an instructor just because they're cheap. See what their background is and ask pointed questions. Don't be afraid to ask a potential instructor why they feel they're qualified to teach you. Get specifics.

Some good instructors don't charge much for whatever reason (they're retired, it's a hobby, they don't want to rip you off, etc). If you can find a good class at a good price, that's what you want.

The thing to understand about the New Mexico instructor program is that there's no formal training on the weapons and use of force laws. All you need to instruct in New Mexico is have NRA Basic Pistol and Personal Protection Inside The Home certifications. These programs are great for teaching marksmanship, but teach next to nothing about the law. Many instructors took the weekend instructor course and go out and teach, and I've talked to many students who would wind up in prison if a use of force situation ever came up because they were taught some very wrong things in class.

Myself, I got a lot of valuable training in weapons laws, use of force laws, etc through some volunteer police work I did, and also have read many books on the subject to make sure I know as much as I can. I also went to Austin to attend the TX DPS instructor school for a week, and they filled in several gaps in my knowledge that I didn't know I had.

Also watch out for people who can't keep up to date on the laws. An easy way to filter them out is that their advertising material lists the wrong number of states the NM CHL is recognized in. The present count is 29, and this should become 30 on December 1st. For example, there's a guy down here in Cruces who is advertising a "21-state" class.

Find out what's included in the class. Do they give you the application and help you fill it out? Fingerprinting? Do they let you use any .45-caliber guns to qualify with? Do they help you apply for other states' permits like Arizona, Florida or Utah to get better reciprocity? Do they charge extra for anything? Hidden fees?

Also, watch out for dubious claims of military service or "SWAT" training. There are a lot of people who were in the military and were medics or had desk jobs who pretend they were special forces commandos when they were in. There are also lots of people who worked WITH police agencies instead of FOR a police agency, or who had some sort of desk job, and therefore received no law enforcement firearms training who are now teaching concealed carry.

Bottom line: there are a lot of jokers out there looking to take your money. If you go for an unqualified instructor, you're wasting your hard-earned and hard-saved cash on something that could have major negative value later. Do your homework and sign up for a good class. You owe it to yourself to get something of value for your money and not just a piece of paper to get your CHL.

Excellent advice, Practical.

If you can find a few more dollars I recommend Jacob Lee Stuyvesant at http://dragonfirekenpo.com/. His classes are scheduled often and usually fill up very quickly for good reason.

We will be offering the next New Mexico concealed Handgun Training Class on December 3rd and 4th. This course makes a great gift for someone who has been thinking of getting this training and certification. Get it done before the year is done!

NM Concealed Handgun Permit Requirements:

1. 21 years of age or older. (Man...y students under 21 have taken this course for training value. If you are under 21 and want to take the course, you may take it again when you are 21 at a 50% discount)

2. Resident of NM and a US Citizen

3. Completion of NM DPS Approved firearms training course (My course exceeds the minimum requirements)

In this course, you will learn:

Gun safety: Safe use and storage of handguns

How to select the right handgun and ammunition for you

Basic handgun skills

How to carry concealed, methods of concealment, and drawing from concealment

Rules, regulations, and gun laws for NM and for concealed carry in NM

Non-violent threat resolution and de-escalation techniques

Basic live fire range qualification and how to shoot safely for range practice and dry fire practice.

Cost for the class is $175** Which includes tax, range fees, and qualifying on 2 types of handguns (which we can supply) notarizing your application, and refreshments/snacks. (*Discounts apply for more than 1 taking the class together)

**Classes have been filling up, so anyone who registers and places a deposit BY November 20th gets another $20.00 discount on top of any prior discounts.

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What's the price on that dragonfire guy's classes? I don't mean to sound cheap but I'm just really tight on cash lately, holidays, bills, bills, $1 banquet dinners, bills.

I have $200 to do my class, and application, if that is at ALL possible.

mserr said:

I have $200 to do my class, and application, if that is at ALL possible.

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I don't know about the classes offered by that outfit (although I'm curious if anyone can offer feedback about the quality), but the application itself is $100. You may also need to pay for fingerprints ($5 at state police last time I did it) and copies of things you have to submit with the application. You should take that into consideration.

Yes I realize the application fee is $100, which is why I thought calibers $250 class is a HUGE rip off. Also from what I've seen most courses provide the fingerprinting.

Cheapest blah blah

I think you are searching for the least expensive...I can show you a lot of "cheap" instructors. Here in CO there are many who offer a 4-hour classroom only class where you don't even touch a real gun and everyone who attends gets a certificate (you can truly sleep through it). For my class you must pass the test, go to the range, and hit your target. I get less business but I feel better offering training instead of "sign here certification."

If it was me down there, I would consider the possibility of driving 200 miles to go see PracticalTactical in Cruses. I'd rather spend $60 for gas for a good class, especially if the local class is $150 more, but that's me.

mserr said:

Yes I realize the application fee is $100, which is why I thought calibers $250 class is a HUGE rip off. Also from what I've seen most courses provide the fingerprinting.

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No offense but for some things you can't be cheap. Quality costs money. The $250 isn't a "huge" ripoff if you break the costs down for a place like that. At $250 for 15 hours minimum the place has a whopping $16.66 to pay the instructor, cover overhead and still try to make money off each student. That's not a lot.

At $100 you are willing to pay a private instructor a whole $6.66 per hour for the course? Be reasonable, if you want someone who will do a good job. If you're lucky you'll find someone who does the instruction as a labor of love, but don't count on it.

Are you going to carry the cheapest gun you can find, in the cheapest holster, with the cheapest ammo? No? Then don't necessarily go for the cheapest instruction you can find. Again, quality costs money- but sometimes it's worth it.

With a bad piece of equipment, worst case is it fails and you are injured or killed.

Worst case with instruction is you learn something wrong and go to prison for life (NM recently quit having death penalty).

Can't go cheap with either, or you might as well not carry at all.

CCW training

Don't know if you have found your answer or not but I got my license through and fully recommend New Mexico Handgun Academy, Tom Tomasi was my instructor and I felt he did a very good job with the training. The cost for the training was $150 and of course the fingerprinting and licensing were separate. The training requires 15 hours of time including the qualification shooting, 14 hours of classroom and 1 hour on the range. The training is given at the City of Albuquerque Shooting Range Park south and west of Double Eagle airport.

The "Dragonfire guy"

Jake at dragonfire is an excellent instructor, and does the majority of the paperwork. STRONGLY recommend him. He has further advanced classes all for good prices. Contact me is any further questions.





Mike

It has been awhile since I took mine but I did it through New Mexico Handgun Academy. Tom Tomasi was the instructor. Very very competent. I don't remember the exact cost but I think it was $150 for the 15 hour course and certification paperwork. The fingerprinting was done at the end of classes by a certified technician and I think it was $20 and of course the application is an additional $100.

So if you contact them your cost is about $170 to $175 for the training and fingerprinting and then $100 for the application.

Just went back and checked, the training was $125. Of course it has been 2 years so he may have raised his price slightly but probably not more than $25. So still for less than your $200 you should be able to get your training, fingerprinting and paperwork.

In a couple of months I'll be taking my CCW course thru Tom Tomasi just hope that I can use the course to get a Florida Non Resident CCW

RogueAussie said:

In a couple of months I'll be taking my CCW course they Tom Tomasi juat hope that I can use the course to get a Florida Non Resident CCW

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Word has just come down that NM is dropping FL from being honored. I saw Gary Slider post on another forum about it.

Call up the Arizona DPS and see if they'll work with you. They're good folks over there. Other issues notwithstanding you should be able to get a license from them with that training.

That's correct. NM dropped FL, FL dropped NM and NM dropped VA. VA still honors NM.

I'm correcting the maps in the create map application shortly.

Unfortunately, AZ requires training be done in AZ so R.A., if you can travel - that's the best option for now. However, bear in mind the reviews of agreements or honors are constantly being monitored and evaluated now and like FL, there is always a potential that AZ may be dropped as well. Unfortunately, reciprocity or honors are completely in DPS's court according to the statute. In some cases, like FL, like it or not -they simply can't comply with our requirements at this time.

Steve Aikens

steveaikens said:

That's correct. NM dropped FL, FL dropped NM and NM dropped VA. VA still honors NM.

I'm correcting the maps in the create map application shortly.

Unfortunately, AZ requires training be done in AZ so R.A., if you can travel - that's the best option for now. However, bear in mind the reviews of agreements or honors are constantly being monitored and evaluated now and like FL, there is always a potential that AZ may be dropped as well. Unfortunately, reciprocity or honors are completely in DPS's court according to the statute. In some cases, like FL, like it or not -they simply can't comply with our requirements at this time.

Steve Aikens

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Arizona will now accept proof of training in lieu of actual training.

http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/13/03112.htm&Title=13&DocType=ARS

6. Has ever demonstrated competence with a firearm as prescribed by subsection N of this section and provides adequate documentation that the person has satisfactorily completed a training program or demonstrated competence with a firearm in any state or political subdivision in the United States. For the purposes of this paragraph, "adequate documentation" means:

(a) A current or expired permit issued by the department of public safety pursuant to this section.

(b) An original or copy of a certificate, card or document that shows the applicant has ever completed any course or class prescribed by subsection N of this section or an affidavit from the instructor, school, club or organization that conducted or taught the course or class attesting to the applicant's completion of the course or class.

(c) An original or a copy of a United States department of defense form 214 (DD-214) indicating an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions, a certificate of completion of basic training or any other document demonstrating proof of the applicant's current or former service in the United States armed forces as prescribed by subsection N, paragraph 5 of this section.

(d) An original or a copy of a concealed weapon, firearm or handgun permit or a license as prescribed by subsection N, paragraph 6 of this section.

nm_ray said:

Arizona will now accept proof of training in lieu of actual training.

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Yes, they've done it this way for some time now- I believe at least since they went with constitutional carry. You can do it all by mail.

And, since AZ's actual in-state training consists of 8 hours and shooting qualifications, I would hope that NM will not see the need to drop AZ any time soon. I hope...