Highland Concealed Carry Class

Virginia firearm laws allow for the open carry of handguns by residents 18 years and older, it bout the need for a permit. Concealed handgun permits can be issued to residents 21 years of age or older, provided that they meet certain safety training requirements and do not have any disqualifying criminal convictions.

The Highland County Sheriff’s office has been conducting concealed carry classes, and one is scheduled for this upcoming weekend. Sheriff Tim Duff explained more.

“This coming Friday and Saturday, the 20th and 21st, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, we’ll be holding our final concealed for the year. Friday will be held in the modular center, and Saturday will be back at the landfill for a live firing. If you have a handgun, please bring it along with you, along with 30 rounds of ammunition. If you don’t have a handgun, one can be provided for you.

“There are numerous ways to qualify for the concealed carry permit, one of which is having in your possession a valid DD-214 military discharge papers. The other is the hunter’s safety class, and the third is taking an approved concealed carry class. We bring in a guest instructor from over in the Valley, and he presents the approved NRA concealed carry class. Along with our approved instructor, we use both myself and Deputy Kelly as assistant instructors, and we cover issues such as liability, reciprocity, civil liability issues, case studies, and we allow the students extensive hands-on time with a various array of handguns. On day two, Saturday, we’ll all meet back at the landfill for a three to three and a half hour basic familiarization liver firing course of fire.

“The fee for this class is $75 – this covers the cost of the instructor coming over from the Valley, his fees, books, handouts, etc. if you do wish to take this class, simply call 468-2210, the sheriff’s office. Speak to dispatch – they can fill you in on any other particulars that we didn’t cover here today, and simply be at the modular center no later than quarter to nine on Friday.”

“We don’t do any ahead of time checks. During the course, we do discuss what might qualify you as a prohibited person for carrying a concealed weapon, and that is discussed in general, and if need be, we can take the student aside, and discuss it more in depth. And then, of course, upon submission of your money to the Clerk of the Court, and you receive your paperwork, and you bring it over to me, I will do a rapid criminal background check on you, and then, if there’s an issue, we can again discuss it in private”

Sheriff Duff talked about some of the reasons for pursuing a concealed carry permit.

“Some people simply have, in their home, a handgun, and they would like to become more proficient with it. Some people want to carry one when they go hunting.

“What’s really interesting, and I never would have thought this prior to convening these classes, but more often than not, people will come, they will take the class, and they will then decide that there is too much to it. There are too many legal ramifications – and yet, they’re glad they took the course, to make that determination on their own. So please don’t fail to take this class because you don’t think you’ll carry a gun 24 hours a day. That really isn’t the purpose of this class. We don’t necessarily promote the public carrying concealed handguns, although if you so choose, we want you to be as qualified and prepared as possible.”

Story By

Scott Smith

Scott Smith is the General Manager for Allegheny Mountain Radio and Station Coordinator and News Reporter for WVLS. Scott’s family has deep roots in Highland County. While he did not grow up here, he spent as much time as possible on the family farm, and eventually moved to Highland to continue the tradition, which he still pursues with his cousin. Unfortunately, farming doesn’t pay all the bills, so he has previously taken other jobs to support his farming hobby, including pressman/writer for The Recorder, and Ag Projects Coordinator for The Highland Center. He lives in Hightown with wife Michelle and son Ethan. In his spare time, he wishes he had more spare time, especially to ride his prized Harley-Davidson motorcycle. scott@amrmail.org

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