First time here,CHL soon to come.

[GaryAdrian]

Greetings,
I'm new here and I just got my PIN # from TDPS. My wife got her's the day before and we are happily waiting for our plastic.
Being new to this business, do you have any words of wisdome for me and my wife on carrying?
We are both members of the PSC shooting range here in Houston and shoot regularly and I'd like to get into some kind of shooting sport.

Thank you.

[seamusTX]

Welcome to the forum.

There probably isn't a question that hasn't been asked and answered in the New to CHL section.

If I have one piece of advice it's to forget about non-issues like "printing" and 30.06 signs. Far too much time is wasted discussing them.

PSC is a great range. I'd join if i lived closer. I'm sure the friendly people there can steer you toward one of the shooting sports.

Good luck with a quick approval process. It seems to be improving (though the people who have been waiting the longest are getting a raw deal).

- Jim

[Paddler112]

I too am relatively new to the shooting sports.
One thing I learned early on about shooting was that there are parallels to my #1 sport which is White Water Kayaking. As you may have guessed, there are limited opportunities in TX to kayak. To reach a certain level of skill kayaking, you have to develop advanced skills on more difficult stretches of WW. Pretty soon, your skills have plateaued. The solution to increasing your skills is slalom racing. A race course can be set up on an easy section of river. The course design makes the section more difficult therefore challenging your skills and advancing your experience. Further, the controlled environment makes the mistakes attendant to learning less painful. "Hard Moves on Easy Water".

If you've made it this far, stay with me, here comes the point.

I'm going to give IDPA shooting a try. I suspect it will be a fun and challenging way to develop my skills. I expect to learn a lot, meet some good people and hopefully gleen some knowledge from their experience. PSC holds matches monthly.

FWIW,
Scott

[RPBrown]

Welcome to you both.

Use the time waiting wisely. Decide on your carry weapon and holster/style of carry. Using this, carry around the house whenever you can. This will get you used to carrying and concealment. As stated before, don't worry as much about printing but use this time to get comfortable with carrying.

[longtooth]

Another welcome & we are glad to have you.

[Morgan]

24/7 or guess right.

It gets easier and more comfortable the more you do it.

[GaryAdrian]

Thank you all for the greetings. Hope to contribute someday to this forum.
I talked to Tom and he said he'd get me a variance to shoot the steel plates to get started. That should be fun.

Gary

[Jeremae]

The plate rack is loads of fun and a real ammo eater. Please come out (you and missus) to the monthly IDPA match held the 4th Saturday of every month (the 24th of Jan). The only equipment you will need is eye and hearing protection, a safe holster that covers the trigger and at least 3 magazines (6 is better) plus about 125-150 rounds of ammo. You can check out the http://www.pscidpa.com website to read the more formal rules but our Saturday club match is a little more informal and we allow leeway in equipment requirements so you can try us out without getting any new equipment (sorta like a pusher...the first taste is free). We try to go out of our way to help new shooters out so they have the most fun possible (until they're too hooked to give it up hehehehe). Lotsa poeple want to come to a match and watch the first time but my advice is to come and shoot the first time, it is a LOT more fun.