plblark wrote:NE is still Resident only, right? I'd REALLY like to get a NE permit or reciprocity to there.
Yes, resident only. It is an interesting State. The State Patrol (the agency in charge of issuing the permits) anticipated about .5% to 1% of the population (9000-18000) would get a permit in t he first 12 months of the new law. This would mean that there would be in the area of 7500-15000 as of today.
But...I believe that the actual number is at about 3000. There is very little interest in securing a Permit. Several reasons are stated, but the most often cited are: (1) they see no need as open carry is fully legal, including (generally) into places where concealed carry is not permitted; (2) there is no State pre-emption and many cities are banning concealed carry; (3) you can already carry concealed without a permit if you can articulate a justifiable reason (the so called affirmative defense); (4) cost.
By comparison to Minnesota, there are relatively few instructors outside of the Omaha area. I anticipated doing quite a few classes. But....my last two I cancelled due to no interest. I do have a class of 45+ in a few weeks, but that is very unusual. Actually, it is my understanding that of the 3000 or so applicants so far in Nebraska, that about 20% have taken the class from me. Which is also interesting as I am in the unique position of being approved to teach the class, but....I cannot get a Permit myself.
Theirs is a shall issue State, ...the class is actually quite rigorous (I have about a 200+ page book that I wrote for the class) and includes a 30 question written test and a mandated (minimum) 30 round range exercise. They even mandate the specific target and distances etc. (Does that mean that in Nebraska I am the guy that wrote the book?)
The people that take the classes are very interesting. In the Omaha and Lincoln areas, nearly everyone brings a semi-auto for the range. But..as you head west (here think cowboy) it becomes revolver territory. The only time I have ever had an "incident" during a range exercise occured in Nebraska. Long story, but I was standing near a shooter when his gun kaboomed and I got knocked unconscious from a fairly large chunk of the gun that caught me in the forehead. That was interesting. And then there was the Raven .25 guy....
