THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604180180
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARSHA BACENKO
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
My target was a vicious looking man pointing a gun right at me.
He provided a good psychological incentive, so much so that I shot him right between the eyes in my first round.
The optimum target area was the torso of the man-sized target. My second shot was to the groin - not too accurate, but certainly effective.
That was how I started the proficiency test that would enable me to apply for a concealed weapon permit.
With the enactment of North Carolina's concealed handgun law in July 1995, a diverse cross-section of people are applying for permits to carry a concealed weapon. Interested people are required to take a state-sanctioned course before they can apply for a permit.
I took the course offered by the Outer Banks Gun Club, a non-profit organization in Dare County. So far, about 160 people have taken the course. The fee is $100 but does not include ammunition. If you don't own a gun, the club will loan you one for the day.
The curriculum totals 8 hours of classroom time at the Manteo campus of College of The Albemarle, and about 6 hours of range time in Manns Harbor.
I was curious to see who would take this course. There were 16 people, 13 men and 3 women, aged from their early 30s to late 60s. One married couple was taking the course together.
The group ranged in experience from novice to expert. One woman had never fired before; some of the men were avid hunters and collectors. We were assured the course was designed to be a positive experience for all concerned, no matter what the level of expertise.
Our instructors were Lt. Almey Gray, a training officer with the Dare County Sheriff's department, and William Beadling, a retired U.S. Army colonel who has been a competitive shooter for more than 20 years. Beadling is also president and founder of the Outer Banks Gun Club.
The classroom hours packed in a lot of information about laws and safe use of handguns. My favorite part was when Gray demonstrated the art of concealment by modeling various holsters, a fanny pack and a ``belly band.'' My mind went immediately to my closet, and I wondered if I could use this as an excuse for purchasing a whole new wardrobe.
We spent Saturday at the range. We were told to wear rubber boots because of the mud, and a billed cap and sunglasses to keep the sun out of our eyes and prevent shrapnel from hitting us in the face.
Many of my classmates showed up in full hunting regalia. I felt right at home in my husband's Caterpillar cap. All except one of us had our own handguns, most in the .38-caliber range. I brought two guns: a .38 Colt detective special and a .357 Smith & Wesson.
It was a cool, damp day. I was feeling a little bit nervous, but excited too. Images of a macho, gun-toting Linda Hamilton in ``Terminator 2'' kept popping into my head. The high testosterone level of my classmates must have been catching.
The novices were grouped together. The experts and instructors formed a second team to individually coach and assist each novice. We spent the morning shooting 50 rounds at a circular target from 25 yards away.
At first I flinched each time anyone else fired, but as the day went on I got more used to the noise. Also, although I understood the concept of hand-eye coordination, making my aim, stance, grip and focus all work together was harder than I thought.
After a cookout lunch, we took the proficiency test that would qualify us. Wearing our ear guards, unloaded weapons at the ready, eight of us stood in a line, five feet apart. Our coaches stood behind us.
Lt. Gray gave curt, authoritative instructions on how many rounds to load, how many seconds we would have to fire, and what position to start from.
We stood in the mud and fired a total of 50 rounds from the one-, three-, five-, seven-, and 15-yard lines from either a relaxed, ``low-ready'' hands-down grasp or a holstered position that imitated how we would carry our concealed weapon.
When it was over, I felt exhilarated but let down. I wanted to continue. There was something very satisfying and stress-relieving about target shooting.
I also realized that during the test I was so focused and pumped up that I did not even hear anyone else's weapon. I put my unloaded gun in my waistband and swaggered back to the pavilion for Col. Beadling to score my target.
I scored 100 percent, which meant all my shots hit the body or head. I was inordinately pleased with myself. Beadling and Gray, watching me preen, started calling me Annie Oakley.
All in all, I came away from the course knowing a lot more than when I went in.
Those who pass the course must apply to the sheriff's office for a permit. The total cost to apply is about $100.
For more information, call Col. Beadling at 441-6512. MEMO: Marsha Bacenko is a marketing coordinator in The Virginian-Pilot's
advertising office in Nags Head.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo courtesy of MARSHA BACENKO
Marsha Bacenko scored 100 percent on the gun proficiency test that
is required in order to apply for a concealed gun permit in North
Carolina.
by CNB