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We have a new location!

August 11, 2019 Announcement:

We have a new location!

1481 Southford Road, Southbury CT 06488

is the new home of Blue Cord Firearms!

Classes will start the weekend of August 17th.  

Retail sales will start as soon as our new FFL comes in, which should take a few weeks.

CT Pistol Permit Course

Utah Pistol Permit Course

Massachusetts Pistol Permit Course

Multi-State Combo Course

The new home of Blue Cord Firearms
1481 Southford Road, Southbury, CT 06488

My 9/11 Story

I don’t like to talk about myself much.  I prefer to remain in the background and just blend in.  I think the Army instilled that in me.  Keep your head down, do your job, your not special.  That’s the Army mantra for a regular Army grunt like me.  I feel as though that must change now.  It needs to change for a bunch of reasons.  The biggest reason is because I believe this country and many of its citizens have lost its way.

My story begins on September 10, 2001.  After watching the first episode of Band of Brothers on HBO I went to bed.  At the time I was working as a debt analyst for a financial database company called Thomson Financial in Newark, New Jersey and living in Hoboken, New Jersey.  I was scheduled to work in New York City the next day and attend a class at our office on Fulton Street.

I woke up late the next day, September 11, 2001, and was running about 20 minutes behind.  I didn’t get to the PATH Train station in Hoboken to go to the World Trade Center until a few minutes before American Airlines Flight 11 hit the North Tower at 8:45 am.  I estimate that I arrived at the PATH train station 5 floors under the towers just after United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 am.

I could immediately tell something was wrong as we pulled in to the station. There were no people on the platform except for Port Authority Police Officers. I could see, and smell smoke, and the doors to the train didn’t open immediately when the train stopped. An announcement was made over the intercom system that there was a “police action” at the World Trade Center.  We never got out of the train.  We just went back to New Jersey to the Pavonia/Newport station.

When I first saw it I couldn’t believe.  I had no idea what happened.  I saw it first through a huge window as I was coming up the escalators.  Both towers were smoking and I could see flames.  A man standing next me told me what had happened, after I asked, and I didn’t believe him.  I could see debris falling from the towers and was horrified to be able to tell the difference between the debris and the people jumping.  I watched both the north and south towers fall from right there.  Outside the Pavonia/Newport PATH train station.  It was 11 o’clock Tuesday September 11, 2001.

After the second tower fell I decided to try and get back to my office in Newark. So I got back on the train and headed to Newark.  I was hoping some of my co-workers, that had also been headed to our Fulton St. office, would be there.  Or, at least someone had heard from them.  The first time I saw a TV was in the bar located on the first floor of the building complex I worked in.  That was the first time I saw the planes hit as it was replayed over and over.  I finally believed that guy back at Pavonia/Newport Path Train Station. 

Everyone in my office was accounted for.  So, some of us from work hopped in a car headed back to Hoboken. I think it I got back to my apartment around 3 o’clock or so.  At this point I still hadn’t spoken with any of my family.  Cell phone reception had been knocked out by the collapse of the towers and landlines were also not working.  I think it must have been around 5 o’clock that evening that I finally talked with my mom.  She had known where I was going that morning as was terrified, as you could imagine.  My roommates and I walked down to the water right after I talked with my mother.  We watched tower 7 fall from right there on the Jersey side of the Hudson.

My emotions ran the gamut for the next few weeks. I remember feeling anger, sorrow, empathy, guilt, wanting revenge and helplessness.  It was the last two that would become the driving force for me to enlist in the United States Army in September of 2003.  What I remember most is the missing person flyers taped to every bus stop, front and back, all the way down Washington Street in Hoboken.  There were so many of them. Too many to count.  I also could feel an outpouring of love and togetherness.  We talked about “Never Forget” and “United We Stand”.  There was a sense of patriotism and love of country.  We weren’t Democrats or Republics and we didn’t care about “hanging chads” anymore.  We were one nation.

But that is gone now.  We have forgotten about 9/11.  We have forgotten the lessons learned from that awful day.  We’ve lost our sense of community and togetherness.  Most of all we have lost our love for this country and we no longer give America the respect she deserves.  This is the greatest country in the world. Many of us have forgotten that detail.  I fear for our country and its future.

If you liked this blog article please subscribe below.

Bobby

Follow on Training

Shooting is a perishable skill, if it isn’t trained it goes away. No one can walk into a range and just be the best shooter there. It takes time, practice and hard work. There are many factors that make up a good shooter. One thing that is always constant is consistent training. Not just any training but correct and purposeful training.

We can help you there. Whether your new to shooting and have no clue or if you have been shooting for a long time and are looking for something new. If you are new we offer private lessons in the function and proper manipulation of a firearm. This would also include proper cleaning and maintenance. For someone who has been shooting for a while we offer our drawing from a holster class. We have even gotten permission for some of our students (after they have been trained enough and vetted by Bridgeport Shooting Range) to draw from a holster by themselves.

The ultimate goal here is to be properly trained. For most people that shouldn’t stop after you have taken your NRA Basic Pistol Class. Becoming familiar with your firearm, safe with your firearm and accurate with your firearm are important hurdles to clear before you carry in public. Frankly, if you aren’t any of those you shouldn’t carry your firearm in public. You would be a danger to yourself and to others.

The solution to all of this is to get follow on training with us, to include private lessons. We can get you to the point where you are competent enough to carry that firearm in public to protect yourself and others.

Take a private lesson with us today!

-Bobby

Schedule a Private Lesson today!

3D Printer Guns

The newest gun control crisis according to the anti-gun crowd is 3D Printer Guns.  The issue specifically is that the plans/directions for these types of firearms could potentially be made available for free on the internet.  The plans for these firearms are input into a 3D printer and parts are then manufactured according to the specifications taken from those plans.  The frame, and many of the internal working parts, are made from the plastic used by 3D printers.  Parts like the barrel, chamber and firing pin are metal and are purchased separately.

Over the last few weeks I have been asked a number of times about my thoughts on 3D Printer Guns.  Ultimately, I see it as a statistical non-issue.  The anti-gun crowd often sites that 35,000+ Americans are killed yearly by “gun violence”.  Total population in the United States as of the end of 2017 was 325.7 million.  That works out to be 0.00011 percent of the population are killed yearly by “gun violence”. The addition of 3D Printer Guns is not going to affect this number and make it rise significantly.  This is actually my stance on mass shootings as well.  It is the media that makes these issues out to be more significant than they really are.

3D Printer Guns is just the latest in a long line of fabricated issues relating to firearms.  Fabricated by the liberal left and anti-gun people.  Pointing out statistical evidence as I did above makes me heartless or a “gun nut”.  Pointing to the abnormal levels of shootings in the Democrat run City of Chicago makes me a racist.  Being outraged about the release on bail of  a terrorist in New Mexico, that was literally teaching children how to perform mass shootings, makes me Islam-a-phobic.  Real problems that have real solutions are ignored by anti-gunners and statistical non-issues are given too much attention.  I wrote a blog about hardening of our schools a few weeks ago.  Again, a real solution to a problem that the anti-gun crowd resists.

To me, the issue of 3D Printer Guns isn’t a significant issue and the liberal press, liberal politicians and anti-gun people have made a mountain out of a molehill.  Too much time, energy and resources are being wasted on things like this and not enough time, energy and resources are being spent on solvable issues like the murder rate in Chicago, properly dealing with a terrorist teaching kids to be school shooters and hardening our schools against mass shootings.

-Bobby

Labor Day Sale

In order to celebrate Labor Day and, let’s be honest parents – kids returning to school, we are going to run a sale on our CT/Utah Combo Course and our Utah Pistol Permit class.  If you attend a class during the month of September you will receive $25 off the regular class price.  That makes the CT/Utah Combo Class $200, normally $225 and our Utah Pistol Permit class $100, normally $125.

In addition to saving some money, taking the CT/Utah Combo Course is a great way to save  something else – time.  Taking the CT Pistol Permit Course and the Utah Pistol Permit course separately will take about 12 hours total.  By combing the classes, because many of the topics are the same, I can shave 3 to 4 hours off by teaching it in the same day. 

Getting $25 off our Utah Pistol Permit class is another great money saver.  By obtaining the Utah Pistol Permit you gain reciprocity with 33 other states, allowing you to legally carry in those states.  No other permit in the United States has that level of reciprocity.  Another advantage to taking this class is that I discuss how to get additional individual states permits.  By the time you leave class you will have gained the knowledge to get an additional 8 permits, bringing total number of POSSIBLE permits to 41.

We hope you enjoy your Labor Day weekend this year and look forward to seeing you in the classroom and at the range in the month of September.

Bobby

School Shootings & Solutions

There is evil in this world.  I’ve seen it.  I’ve fought against it.  I’ve felt it and can tell you that it has a way to let you know it’s there.  It exists not only in the Middle East, West Africa, South East Asia, Afghanistan, but its also here in the United States.  Evil comes in many forms and you may think I’m talking about terrorism, but I’m not.  I’m talking about school shootings.

The solution to stopping these horrible violent acts is simple, and to me obvious.  Rather than arguing about guns, mental health, the role of psychiatric drugs and violence in movies and video games we should be focusing on protecting our children.  Schools are soft targets that need to be hardened.  We did it swiftly and unanimously with airports and aircraft after the terror attacks of 9/11.  Why isn’t this being done with our schools?

On September 11, 2001 we as a country were attacked and the method and weapon that was used was airplanes.  The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all commercial flights and did not resume until September 14, 2001.  Over the next several weeks and months airports and airplanes underwent a complete security overhaul and the way America travelled via the airline industry changed forever.  

The solution the federal government enacted over those few months after 9/11 resulted in the following changes.  Shoes and hats had to be taken off when going through security.  Liquids such as body wash, shampoo and conditioner were limited to 3.4 ounces when stored in carry on luggage.  Body scanners started to be used and random screenings began to take place.  The door to the cockpit of an aircraft is now permanently locked during flights and passengers  have no access.  The biggest change, the creation of the department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration and a dramatic increase in the number of Air Marshall’s.

Similar policies and security changes should be implemented in our schools. Access to schools should be limited to one access point with armed personnel and metal detectors.  In the interest of fire safety all other doors should be fire doors opening from the internal side only and alarmed.  Security personnel should patrol the hallways and the grounds actively as a deterrent to potential threats.  Finally all authorized students, teachers, staff and parents should be issued identification allowing access to the building.  No ID. No entrance.

President Trump and his administration have floated the idea of arming teachers in schools to protect our kids.  Although I do agree that teachers should be allowed to carry firearms in schools, I do not agree that they should be the first line of defense for our kids.  Our children deserve better than a 60 year old English teacher with no firearms training.  Our kids deserve good men or women capable of doing violent things without hesitation.  Men and women trained to protect and defend our most precious of things, our children. Frankly, men like me.

The problem lies with political will.  For 9/11 we had it and it changed the way we as a country flew commercially.  For school shootings we have not found it and our children are dying as a result. There is evil in this world and it always finds a way to rear its ugly head.  It’s up to good men and women to defend the innocent and those who can’t defend themselves. This includes our politicians.  They are failing us by not hardening our schools.  They are failing us because they use the deaths of the innocent for political gain.

  

Bobby

Step by Step…How to Apply for your Connecticut Pistol Permit

Applying for your Connecticut Pistol Permit can be a daunting and confusing process. Many people come to us and have no idea how to go about it. So, here is the State of Connecticut Pistol Permit process, step by step:

    1. Everyone applying for a Connecticut Pistol Permit must take a state approved safety course. The course must include Live Fire range time.
    2. Go to your local police department and pick up the application. Make sure you go at the specified time and days that your local police department sets. We suggest you physically go and get the application and don’t download it from the internet. You may not get the right version or your local police department may have other specific requirements you may not get from downloading it online.
    3. Fill out the application, honestly. It is a felony to lie on this form. Disclose any and all information asked for on this form. They will find out if you had a DUI 10 years ago and, if you’re honest it may not prevent them from issuing a permit, but if you lie you will be denied. The form must be notarized.
    4. Go back to your local police department to hand in the application. Bring with you your processing payments, forms of ID, Firearms Safety Course certificate and any other documents required by your local police department.
    5. Wait. By law your local police department has 8 weeks to either approve or deny your application. To be clear, nearly all police departments do not follow this. Your permit could take up to 20+ weeks to be approved!
    6. Upon approval, you will receive a 60 Day Temporary Pistol Permit. Before you can purchase or carry you must take that temporary permit and payment to one of three DESPP locations. State Police Barracks G in Bridgeport, CT, State Police Barracks E in Montville, CT or DESPP Headquarters in Middletown, CT. At that time you will be issued the laminated permit and your process is over.

Congratulations you have received your Connecticut Pistol Permit and have survived the bureaucracy that is state government.

There is one more thing to cover before I close and that is, what if I was denied? By law the State of Connecticut has created the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners (BFPE). The BFPE has 7 members appointed by the Governor and they listen to all appeals regarding denials and revocations. Denials or revocations must be appealed within 90 days.

I hope that helps and answers some questions.  Ready to move forward with Step 1?

Register for our CT Pistol Permit Course

Suggestions On How To Interact With Law Enforcement While Carrying A Firearm

This is a question I get a lot. What is the best way to handle an interaction with a law enforcement officer while carrying a firearm? Should they be informed? Do you have a legal obligation to inform them? How should you act? For the purposes of this particular article we will keep the discussion focused on the State of Connecticut and its laws.

First let’s talk about the law and what you, as a private citizen, are obligated to do in the event you are carrying concealed and come into contact with law enforcement. There is no law in the State of Connecticut that requires a private armed citizen to inform a law enforcement officer of the fact that they are armed. Having said that, I believe that there is no reason to not inform the officer that you are armed.

Why would you inform them? First, the minute an officer runs your license plates or drivers license he or she knows that you have a concealed carry permit (CCP). Connecticut Pistol Permit information is directly tied to Connecticut residents DMV records. Obviously, they don’t know if you are armed or not but they know you could be. Second, a law enforcement officer has a right to safety and a feeling of safety. Finally, if your a law abiding gun owner there is no reason to not inform them. If you are doing the right thing and following the law then there will be no problem.

How should you inform them that you are carrying concealed? During a traffic stop, place both hands on the steering wheel and tell the officer where the firearm is located. If the interaction occurs outside of a vehicle keep your hands in plain view and make no sudden movements. Again, you should inform the officer where the firearm is located. In both cases, follow the officers commands and provide both your ID and CCP. You should also allow them to disarm you, if they so choose.

As I tell people constantly in my classes this is a personal decision that you must make on your own. Do you or do you not inform law enforcement that you are armed? I believe you should. But it’s on each person to make up their own mind on how to deal with this type of situation.

The Five Reasons to take the NRA Basic Pistol Safety Class

There are many reasons why people take the NRA Basic Pistol Safety Class. Ultimately, in the grand scheme of things, it is required, in many instances, to obtain the ability to purchase, keep, carry and own a pistol. These are the 5 reasons I came up with to take the class.

1). For many people, the state they live in requires the taking and passing of the NRA Basic Pistol Safety Class. It is part of the application process and is required in the same manner as the fingerprinting process and background check. The 8 hour class time as well as the required range time fulfills many states safety class requirements.

2). Taking this class teaches each student the proper manner in which to operate and handle a pistol. To someone who is new to pistols or firearms this can be invaluable information. Improperly operated or handled firearms can be extremely dangerous and this class helps to alleviate that altogether.

3). As I stated in the first reason, many states require the NRA Basic Pistol Class be taken prior to applying for a Pistol Permit. In order to protect yourself, others or your home you must first obtain the state required permit. Personal or Home Protection is a major reason to take the class. Not only does the class teach how to safely handle and operate a pistol but the range time teaches the beginnings of protection of self and home by teaching how to accurately shoot the gun.

4). The Second Amendment affords all eligible United States citizens and naturalized citizens the right to keep and bear arms. The NRA Basic Pistol Safety Class offers the foundation of knowledge and experience needed to begin to exercise your Second Amendment right.

5). Shooting as a recreational activity is fun!  But without the basic fundamental knowledge of how to operate and handle a handgun that fun can turn dangerous. Taking this class can fulfill both the safety and legal aspects of owning a handgun. Allowing for a fun, safe and legal handgun ownership.

Front Sight Focus

What should my eyes be focused on when shooting?  I get this question all the time during class, even before the slide answering the question is displayed.  The quick answer is the Front Sight Post.

But why?  There are a couple of reasons, actually.

First, the human eye can’t focus on multiple objects along different distance plains. The front sight is the part of the gun that tells the shooter what he or she is aiming at. So it only makes sense to place the focus on that object, the front sight post.  Focus on the target makes the rear sight and front sight blurry, thus making sight alignment difficult at best. Focus on the rear sight makes the target and front sight blurry, making proper sight picture difficult.  The best answer is to focus on the front sight.

The second reason to focus on the front sight is speed. The fastest way and easiest way (as I explained in the paragraph above) to acquire a target is by focusing on the front sight and pointing it at the target. Doing this quickly, and well, allows for small sight picture and sight alignment corrections. Thus, getting accurate well placed rounds down range faster.

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