It begins

The envelope to DPS went into the metered mail bin at the UPS store a little over 45 minutes ago.
Let's see how soon before I can post an update to this thread.

Tired, but happy

I took the minimum required courses for a CCW in Colorado, then decided to move to Texas so I never applied for the paperwork.

Texas has much more stringent requirements, including an actual test that questions an applicant's knowledge of the law (after instruction) and shooting proficiency.


Readers of this blog will not be surprised that I aced the shooting portion. It was less demanding than the "qualifier" I shot in the spring. I hadn't fired a shot since the last time I shot IDPA and still managed to score 250 out of 250. I'm not Mr. Accuracy. I'm just Mr. Persistent. As Franklin observed, he believed in luck, but noted that the harder he worked the luckier he became.

Written test I didn't ace. I plead guilty. Yes, I had been awake more then 24 hours, had put in 12+ hours of work and fought to stay awake during the class. I still flubbed two out of fifty questions. I passed. I should have made this one be 100%, too.

It was NOT my instructor's fault. I admit that I didn't know what to expect from my Texas CHL instructor but Larry Arnold was as sincere, as dedicated to train and as effective as if I had sat in a class of 10. Perhaps more since I couldn't hide in back in a class of 1.

Texas is not just interested in making sure a CHL holder doesn't shoot his own foot. In this they surpass the Colorado requirements. They want to make sure you understand the responsibility of packing that gat. Larry Arnold wasn't running a scare show. He was trying his level best to prepare someone for assuming grave responsibility.

I hope to finish up the paper work and submit this week.

Now THIS is one way it should happen

A suspected purse snatcher didn't know what he was in for when he picked a woman in a Home Depot parking lot for a victim. As soon as he grabbed her purse, the woman's husband grabbed a shotgun and opened fire.

It happened at the Home Depot on the Eastex Freeway near Little York. With as much activity during business hours there, you never know who may be waiting in the wings, night or day, ready to strike.

"I was just standing here and the guy just came up and pushed me real hard with a force, like it was a car that hit me. And he was just yanking my purse and my arm got twisted up in my purse and he just was just yanking it," said victim Sandra Hulsey.

Sandra may have looked like an easy target standing there as her husband, Norman, loaded wood into the couple's pickup truck. It turned out the suspect who shoved Sandra and tried to steal her purse didn't know who he was messing with.

"I had a board in my hand right here and I thought he was going to beg for money...is what I thought," said Norman. "He grabbed her and I already had that door open so I just grabbed my shotgun."

He fired a shot.

"The sound of the shotgun and that dude burning off -- it was funny," said eyewitness Freddy Butler.

Butler chased after the accused purse snatcher. who took off running and ended up asking a police officer for help.

"He displays a weapon and it scares the suspect," said a deputy on the scene. "The suspect runs up the police car and saying, 'Let me in. They are shooting at me'."

Police took the suspect into custody.

"The guy just didn't have any business doing what he was doing," said Sandra. "It's shaken me up but I'm OK."

The suspect was not injured. The Houston Police Department turned over the suspect to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Deputies say they patrol this area pretty heavily and despite what happened out there Thursday, they have not had many problems in the area.

Now ain't that cute? The purse snatcher running to the cops for protection.

Now if he would just write out and sign a complete confession, plead guilty to the highest charge and demand to be given the fullest sentence possible all will be well.

If not, well, there are more shotguns.

This better count, dammit

750 rounds of .45 ACP better count for National Ammo Day.

It's maybe enough to get me feeling comfortable with hurling .45 ACP down range for gun games.

Okay, okay. I'll go buy more on Nov. 19th. Maybe not .45 ACP, but I'll buy.

I need more .44 ammo.