Concealed Weapons Permit - Florida
 

Since there seems to be lots of interest in Florida's CWL and the Castle Doctrine, now seems a good time for some acturate information on the subject.

First off, you do not need to even fire a firearm to get your concealed weapons permit for Florida. Personally if you get it this way you are more of a danger to yourself than you are to any criminal who attacks you.

Second, find a good instructor, one who will give you basic firearms handling lessons, have your fire between 100 and 150 rounds and go over Florida Statute 790.xxx, you can google it and read it for yourself.

Third, Florida is just one of several states that issue non-resident permits. Yes it is easy to get a permit in Florida for a non-resident that is honored in several states. Again read the statute concerning CWL and it will inform you of what states honor a non-resident Florida permit. There is not as many as you think. As a resident of Florida, your permit is honored in 31 states as of now. It goes up and down so always check Florida's up to date listing for all current states that honor Florida's permit. Google it, get the information for yourself.

Now the Castle Doctrine:

The Florida "Castle Doctrine" law basically does three things:

One: It establishes, in law, the presumption that a criminal who forcibly enters or intrudes into your home or occupied vehicle is there to cause death or great bodily harm, therefore a person may use any manner of force, including deadly force, against that person.

Two: It removes the "duty to retreat" if you are attacked in any place you have a right to be. You no longer have to turn your back on a criminal and try to run when attacked. Instead, you may stand your ground and fight back, meeting force with force, including deadly force, if you reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to yourself or others. [This is an American right repeatedly recognized in Supreme Court gun cases.]

Three: It provides that persons using force authorized by law shall not be prosecuted for using such force.

It also prohibits criminals and their families from suing victims for injuring or killing the criminals who have attacked them.

In short, it gives rights back to law-abiding people and forces judges and prosecutors who are prone to coddling criminals to instead focus on protecting victims.

SO -- is this the impression you got from the news? Why not? Aren’t media people impartial purveyors of objective facts, with no bias or spin, faithfully and accurately reporting the news? Everyone who believes that’s an accurate description of the news media please raise your hand. See? No hands go up. Despite their protests otherwise, the news media has, in general, and especially with respect to gun issues, become an outrageous purveyor of agenda-driven nonsense on the dark side of the force.

Surprise, Surprise, see you can not just go about shooting people on a whim. If you think that is the case, Florida has a place for you, free room and board and best of all, FREE medical care. What a deal.

If you want great training and up to date information, contact me and I will direct you to a trainer who give one of the best classes for CWL in this part of Florida. When you finish his class, you know what you can and can not do and will know that your best defense is AVIODANCE, DETERANCE and your CELLPHONE. You can PM me and I will send you his information so that you can contact him.

Now, I do private lessons, see certificates below, and I am also licensed by Florida for CWL training, but my time is taken up with competitive shooting, yes, shooting can be fun and relaxing, so I don't really want to get into that training part again. I am retired, the trainer that I will refer you to is not.

Y'all have a Really Great Day.

Yes, the media has sensationalized the recent shooting. I had looked up the laws myself as they were intended though.

The non resident permit info is especially interesting. Who knew?

Is there a shooting range and club in TV?

If your instructor tells you that you should purchase semi automatic handgun find another instructor that will talk to you about a revolver.

Both posters are correct. You need way more training to run a semi-auto than a revolver. Not to say that ladies can not shoot semi's but a lot of ladies do not have the upper body strength to rack a semi. Lot's do, but lot's don't. A revolver is my first choice for a lady home defense firearm. I must add that I have trained lots of ladies to handle and fire a semi and some have even went on to place in IDPA competition.

As for ranges, Eustis Gun Club is the best in the area. $187 a year and you have pistol berms, a 25 and 50 yard pistol range, a 200 meter and 100 yard rifle range, and all the shotgun sports, 5 stand, sporting clays, trap and skeet.

There is a shooting club in the Villages, two of them in fact. The Trap and Skeet Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month at Saddlebrook RC, at 7 PM and the Village Straight Shooters at Sea Breeze on the third Thursday of each month at 6 PM.

If you are a CWL holder or want to learn how to safely handle and shoot your pistol, please join us at the Straight Shooters. We have two matchs a month during the week, a fun competition and then some shooting instructions all for free. There is a target and range fee of $15 per shoot. The yearly dues for the Straight Shooters is $20 a year and that covers our insurance.

If you need more information about the Straight Shooters they have a website, URL:
http:The Villages Straight Shooters Club - Home Give us a lookover.

The Gun Shop and Gun Range on RT 44 towards Leesburg has a nice range. You can rent time for $9 and hour and a handgun for $10 an hour (ammo and targets are extra).

Range

Z

So what are your recommendations for a small hand gun in the home for protection that is easy to handle for a man or woman?

I like Taurus .38 special ultra light.

s&w snub stainless steel. no rust that way!

Whatever your choice of pistol for "home protection", I definitely would recommend taking a course by Figmo. I have met him and he is one level headed guy and knows what he talks about. He and I do not agree on lots of things but gun safety and knowing how to shoot in a stressful situation are areas we agree on completely.

taurus is made in brazil....cheaper but not the same quality as s& w

We'll have to go to the range to prove that. I'm very pleased with their quality and accuracy.

There is no easy answer to that question if neither (or one) of you are not familiar or proficient in firearms.

I like the .38 special but my wife hates the noise and the weight so I let her practice with a .22 revolver. She is happy with that one. I also let her try a .22 automatic but she hates the way the shells eject and the way it recoils.

If you decide to buy a handgun, remember you are looking in the $400 - 600 range for a reliable one. So you will want handguns that you and your wife will be happy with.

The Gun Range on Rt 44 only has a .22 revolver for rent. I wish they had a .22 automatic and a few larger caliber revolvers for rent. I was able to borrow the other handguns from friends for her to check out.

OK, you he men, you want a new pistol, go buy it for yourself. If you are getting it for the lady of the house, take her a long and she gets what she wants and what fits her hand. If you can't do that, give her your credit card, don't make her use hers, and I will take her to the gun shop for you.

Everyone says a .38, well guys, get the .357, as it will shoot .38s, which are cheaper, but for defense load it up with .357s. You will never feel the difference in a stress situation. Also you have to remember where we are living. You do not want something that will shoot through several walls, your neighbors might not be to happy with you. In the place where we are currently living a shotgun is the best home defense weapon you can have. Loaded with 7 1/2 or 8 shot it will stop an attacker but will not blow through walls and upset your neighbor.

I always start my ladies out on a .22 revolver or .22 semi-auto. Then move them up to a 9mm or a .38 pistol that is chambered for .357. The .357s have a little more weight, which equals less recoil over all.

Practice with your .22, sight picture, trigger squeeze and breath control are all the same no matter what caliber you are shooting. The only thing difference is "recoil." As I said before, under stress you will never feel the recoil.

I had one lady whose hands where crippled up and she could not pull the trigger on a revolver. She did not have enough strength to rack a semi so we ended up getting her a Berrata 21a in .22 lr caliber. Don't think that the .22 lr is a light weight, it has been responsible for more deaths, other than military calibers, than any other caliber.

Now that you have decided on what pistol you want, take a good basic pistol course, learn how to safely handle your new pistol, then come shoot with us. We will put you under a mild stress situation, that timer is all the stress that you will need, and learn how to portect yourself if the need should ever arise. Hopefully it will never arise.

Remember your best personal protection is be aware of your surrounds, avoid a situation if you can and always keep your cell phone handy so that you can call for help if needed.

I also have the Taurus.357/.38 hammerless. A nice wheel gun. My wife prefers her .40 semi and 9mm.

I personally like my Glock Model 36 in .45 auto for personal carry and home defense. However (IMHO), it would be hard to beat a 12 gauge shotgun for purely home defense. Firing 000 buckshot at an intruder gives you a much better chance of landing a solid hit as opposed to a single bullet from a handgun. There's also the psychological advantage to a intruder hearing the racking of the slide to chamber a shell. On the other hand, the Taurus Judge and similar S&W revolvers are chambered to hold .410 gauge shotshells and .45 pistol rounds. I know of people who stagger these rounds in their revolvers. The best piece of advice is the have something available with which you are comfortable, can control and hit what you're aiming at.

I have a permit to carry in New York State. Does Florida recognize that? Do I still have to take the Florida training?

Once again, I have to ask why you people think it is necessary to carry a pistol while you are in The Villages. Are you carrying the pistol at dinner, while having drinks at the bars, while attending the nightly entertainment at the town squares, and while shopping? This is a two part question - please give an answer to both parts.

Figmo, I know your answer to both parts. I would like to hear from the others. Thanks.

Not me buggy! I foolishly go out to dinner knowing that I risk being beaten and robbed and everytime so far all I get is dinner.

Go here to answer that question Mew Pro-Gun Laws - Florida

You can get your non-resident permit with no hassle. Just PM me and I will tell you how. But it would be best if you took a good CWL class, not one of those Gun Show Classes, so that you know the laws of Florida concerning carrying concealed. It might a cost you a few more bucks, but in the long run it will save you many more bucks. Can save you tons of headaches and lots of money by actually getting the correct information before straping on that ole hog leg and heading out.

BTW. since this thread come up again, everyone is invited to attend one of the Village Straight Shooters meetings on the Third Thursday of each month at 6 PM at Sea Breeze Rec Center. You will learn safe firearm handling, where some ranges are if you want to shoot and where you can find some competitive shooting sports, IDPA, USPCA, steel shoots and some shotgun shooting in the Central Florida area. Visit our website at http://www.vssclub.org/ for more information.

Buggyone, since the vast majority of CWL holders here in the Villages have never taken a GOOD instructual class on when and where to carry you will get NO answers to your question that will be in actual what they do.

Good luck on your answers. See you Thursday if we are still on.

Call me naive about the risk of being attacked while walking the streets of TV, call me a radical left leaning radical, call me out for having my head stuck in the sand, but I am NOT comforted knowing people are out there carrying concealed weapons tucked into the band of their golf shorts.....I do not nor ever will agree that people carrying guns keep us more safe. JMHO! Please don't flame me fro my naivety.

Since (people on this board) have avowed to turn in anyone who carried a firearm while having a drink or who accidently let them see his weapon, one would have to be a damn fool to answer your question. Nice try.

There are more out there carrying weapons than you care to know about. Many without permits and many with ill intent.

I am much more concerned with encountering a drunk driver. They cause far more deaths than those legally carrying weapons.

same old, same old :censored:

A consistent catharsis of those who do not understand the reality of the issue.

How about asking the cops who eat in TV why they carry a gun....openly.

And consistently referring to the isolated incidents instead of the 99% of reality.

Gun enthusiasts learn early in their life to not engage/waste their time having a discussion with the anti gunners.

btk

Having come from an area where concealed weapons were a no-no, it is a trip to see some of the fervor over owning a gun and which is the best.. This excerpt from The Good The Bad And The Ugly should start some hearts pounding.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2WQGxRNpBc]Tuco's pistol - YouTube[/ame]

Hopefully here's the link: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2WQGxRNpBc]Tuco's pistol - YouTube[/ame]

Everyone should be so lucky!

I meant to ask this question before, but don't think I did.

Are there any age limitations to CCW's, say in Fl specifically?

A concern would be the thought of citizens of retirement age and higher carrying weapons. We all know what happens to reflexes, decision making etc. as we age.

Yes you may carry into a restaurant that serves liquor, but you can't sit at the bar, nor can you enter a bar only. You may enter a liquor store only if alcohol is consumed off premisis. Furthermore, guns and alchohol are a deadly mix. Nothing more to say on that.

To answer the other question, no I don't need to carry in TV and I won't. But when I travel up to the Smokey Mountains and stay in a cabin I've rented for August, I will and my CCL license will allow me to do so without fear of violating any law.

Accidently showing a pistol is not a crime. As far as I know, having a drink with a pistol in your possession is not a crime - but I sure am no expert on what is allowed or not allowed if you have a CCW permit. You would have to check with Figmo or someone besides me for that ruling.

Go back to my link and read the requirements to obtain a CWL in Florida. There is an age requirement, you have to be over 21 or in the military.

Older folks carying are no more dangerous than younger folks carrying. If you know how to stay out of trouble, then you will have no trouble.

I competitively shoot and out shoot most of the younger shooters that I shoot against. They only beat me if we have to kneel or go prone then get up again and go to another shooting position. Know what really concerns me, old folks driving that don't know what a stop sign is or turn signels are. You know that funny little thing that makes the arrow flash on your dash. They are more dangerous than any one of them carrying a firearm since 99.99% would not know what to do in an emergency if they had to use it. Its the .01% of us that you really need to have on your side, we know what we are doing and when we should do it.

It works just like driving licenses. Little or no restrictions on the upper end, just the lower end.

Then again, the older you get the more likely you'll forget your pants belt instead of your cary piece.

Myth: Guns are not effective in preventing crime against women

Fact: Of the 2,500,000 annual self-defense cases using guns, more than 7.7% (192,500) are by women defending themselves against sexual abuse.

Fact: When a woman was armed with a gun or knife, only 3% of rape attacks are completed, compared to 32% when unarmed.

Fact: The probability of serious injury from an attack is 2.5 times greater for women offering no resistance than for women resisting with a gun. Men also benefit from using a gun, but the benefits are smaller at 1.4 times more likely to receive a serious injury.

Fact: 28.5% of women have a gun in the house.

Fact: 41.7% of women either own or have rapid access to guns.

Fact: In 1966, the city of Orlando responded to a wave of sexual assaults by offering firearms training classes to women. Rapes dropped by nearly 90% the following year. ABC News, July 17, 2001

This might help you get your head out of the sand.

Figmo, one of the great things about TV and this TOTV Forum is the size of The Villages and the ability to draw members in who have the experience in certain areas to keep things in perspective and state facts instead of opinions. You certainly are a case in point with regard to this.

Obviously this is a sensitive subject here for many who are bewildered by why anyone would feel the need to own a gun, especially here in and around TV. Yet there are others of us who are bewildered by those who don’t understand our right to exercise the Second Amendment. It’s a no win situation either way.

But I do enjoy reading your posts. So keep the info flowing.

So you are saying that it would be safer if only the criminals carried guns? There is no way you are going to stop criminals from carrying guns (just ask Bloomberg) so what you are advocating is guns for those who would disobey any anti carry law but not for law abiding citizens? Remind me how does that make us safer? I just do not get it why people fear law abiding citizens carrying guns when it is wel known that criminals do despite the thousands of gun laws out there.

I ask you one question. Would you put a sign on your front lawn stating that your home is gun free? Your answer determines if you feel that having a gun is a deterrent to crime or not. Some of us buy into the concept that the more armed citizens we have the more wary criminals are. Statistics seem to bear this out. Then there is the issue of the second amendment and the Supreme Court upholding that the Police have no obligation to protect the citizen, only society on the whole. Of course you are entitled to your opinion but it has been my experience that those who feel as you do have never been subjected to violence by a criminal. Every day victims of criminal violence say they thought it could never happen where they live or to them. I thought that way once and the feeling of helplessness I felt then will never be repeated. Odds are that you will never need a gun but those odds are not zero. In fact, last year I ran into a young man in a store on 441 in TV with a gun in his pocket. I notice such things having done security for several companies as part of my job.

He was looking around nervously and kept glancing at the lone cashier. He finally put his hand in the pocket with the gun and headed towards the cashier. I stepped out into his path and put my hand on my gun and stared at him. He looked hard at my hand in my pocket, looked at the cashier and then rapidly walked out and into a waiting black Escalade. I knew he had a gun in his pocket because I saw it. He was walking aimlessly through a store filled with several white haired ladies and one male, me. He was nervous and he kept looking back at the cashier. He did make his move when there were no customers at the register. Was he just a young man dressed as a thug looking for home furnishings in a store that caters to an older crowd's taste or was he trying to rob the place right here in TV? Was the Escalade waiting for him outside just there in case he bought something large? I will never know but I do know that when he realized that I was armed he beat a hasty retreat. Since that day last year I now carry a bigger gun when shopping at stores on 441. I honestly feel that my having a gun prevented a robbery and perhaps worse. Then there was the time in my Company's parking lot where three homeless guys holding pipes surrounded me and I merely showed them my gun and they left and said they were sorry. Once I came home to find a "worker" in my walled in Villa. He said he just wanted water from my hose. I told him that there was a hose right in front of the house where he did not have to open a gate to get to it. I now lock my gate. Last year there was a deranged gent openly carrying his gun in Coloney Plaza and he sounded like he had mental problems. Glad that I had my gun in TV that day also. Just like the many people who install burglar alarms after they are robbed, many carry guns after they have an encounter with a criminal. Funny how their beliefs change so rapidly.

Not beating up on you as you may do as you please but just as I do not try to change laws to coincide with my religious beliefs no not advocate that anyone follow your gun beliefs. Despite your views, most of s who feel a duty to protect ourselves and those we love, would probably use their guns to protect your life too, unless you ask us not to at the time. :)

What I have learned from life is that trouble seems occur where you do not expect it because when you do you are more on your guard. Also call your local Sheriff and inquire about the number of reported home burglaries in TV, most attributed to renters and visitors. Then after you hear the numbers imagine coming home unexpectedly and surprising a desperate burglar in your home. He has a knife and you have your....

Vinny, I have to ask, do you do any training under stress? How much range time to you log monthly, yearly or weekly? How is your accuracy under stress, while moving? I would welcome you to come shoot with us anytime you have time. Just visit our website for date and time Eustis Gun Club - IDPA

I agree. I've never seen a semi-auto that has the reliability of a revolver. Especially in small calibers which to me is anything under 40 cal. Semi-auto's do have the advantage of being narrower and easier to carry.

I agree with you with the following exception. If you have the ability to master an automatic which I must say your average home defense person probably does not nor does your average senior citizen female shooter. That being said if you must have a semiautomatic pistol absolutely must have one I would only consider a Glock. Unbelievably reliable. I love the 1911 45 caliber automatic however in this day and age is to play shooters. Not for shooters whose life will depend on it.

Just my opinion, developed from 50 years of packing.

When I carry, I carry a revolver.

I have carried both a wheel gun (revolver) and a 1911. I perfer the 1911 (semi-auto 45 ACP) to a wheel gun. Faster reloads, more rounds, etc., and I handle it excellently, but that is just me, you have to find what you can shoot best and what works best for you.

If you buy a cheap revolver or semi-auto you are buying junk. Neither would I bet my live on. If you must have a firearm right now, don't waste your money on junk, save up and get a good one. All my 1911s are top of the line and I have never had a problem with any of them using commerical ammo. Sometimes my reloads don't work so well, because of a reduced powder charge. It happens when you reload. So I deal with it.

Living here in The Villages, crowded next to lots of houses, the very best home defense weapon is a shotgun using 7 1/2 or 8 shot. You really don't want to miss your target and punch holes through four or five walls. Once you launch a bullet it is your responsibility until it stop moving and hopefully not in your neighbor who will be really upset with you.

Ladies, lots of them can not cycle and charge a semi-auto due to upper body strength, so a revolver is their best choice. Also all you guys who think that the light weight hammerless +P .38 is just the thing for that lovely lady in your life are making a big mistake. Lot of recoil and after a few rounds she won't want to shoot it anymore. If she is not thinking of carrying concealed and only using it for home defense, get a .357 revolver. When you are at the range, shoot .38 in it, they are the same except the .357 is 1/10 inch longer so that it will not fit in a .38. Load it up with .357 for home defense, she will never feel the recoil in a stress situation and has all the stopping powder that she needs, plus the pleasure of practicing with cheaper ammo and way less recoil.

One thing about stopping power. I don't care of you are using a 500 S&W hand cannon or a .17 HR2. If you can't hit your target there is NO stopping power. A slow hit is twice as effective as a fast miss.

If you decide to obtain a firearm for home protect or concealed carry, get some training, get some more training and then plan on going to the range at least 4 times a years, better yet, join a shooting club and practice at least once a month. Your life and the life of your loved one just might depend on it.

In closing, your best defense is Deterence and Avoidance. Even with FL "Stand Your Ground Law" avoiding having to use deadly force will save you lots of money, grief and keep you safe. Your best self defense weapon is your cell phone. So if you can safely retreat from a deadly situation, do so, call the police, let them handle the situation, that is what we pay them for.