Take the course? Or challenge test?

I challenged it, I read the manual, watched the vids, and went to a friends for some hands on with the different styles of firearms. I also have military experience and weapons training and think a big part of being successful on the challenge was just feeling comfortable handling a firearm.

As for can you still challenge it, I did in June. As for ID you need something, ask the instructor whats acceptable. I know drivers license and passport work but not sure what else.
 
Take the course, if you learn only one thing it will be worth it.

Also, it used to be that if you challenged the tests and failed, you were then required to take the course anyway.

Good luck to you either way.
 
I challenged the tests (RPAL) after reading the books (fully reading the PAL, skimming the RPAL).
I also have been handling long guns and shooting for about 25 years, but not extensively (mostly just bolt and semi .22's), and lots of BB guns. I flew through the tests (wrote the tests with a class that had just sat through the whole course, and was done WAY before them), but the practical was a different story - on the restricteds, anyways. I had very little experience with handguns. I had shot a semi-auto .22 and a .44 magnum, as well as a Sig 9mm. Not nearly enough knowledge base, and I almost missed it on the RPAL handling. Just do the course - way better chance of getting the proper knowledge base.
 
Hey Guys,

I'm going to take the course. Thank all of you for the kind words and suggestions! :)
 
take the course, that way you will know what they are looking for, for answers that may seem wrong to you and counter intuitive.

in SK, I lost points because I failed to lay my unloaded gun on the ground with the action open while crossing a fence. I stood mine up barrel up, on a fence post with the action closed.

I then lost more points because I did not look "directly into the muzzle to ensure it was clear"

my answers were, " I never lay my gun on the ground so it can get contaminated or have something crawl into it" and "I ALWAYS have tape covering the muzzle, so NOTHING can get in there, AND one should NEVER point a gun at one's own eye to check for blockage.... hence the tape!"

If I had listened earlier, the instructor had covered that area, and I would have known to do those dangerous things he wanted me to do
 
nanuk said:
in SK, I lost points because I failed to lay my unloaded gun on the ground with the action open while crossing a fence. I stood mine up barrel up, on a fence post with the action closed.

I then lost more points because I did not look "directly into the muzzle to ensure it was clear"
Click to expand...

Its pretty straight forward in the book and video for what to do. If you don't want to get debris on your gun, lay it on something (like a backpack as done in the video). If you don't like looking directly into the muzzle, use a cleaning rod. That's what I did and the instructor didn't have any issues with it.

Also, if you have issues with the manual, it's probably not best to argue them during a test when you know what the set regulation is.
 
I challenged both tests at different times, passed both with only a couple percent away from 100%. They're dead simple, the course is only a good choice for folks who don't regularly handle firearms, or can't read the manual.
 
frumpy said:
Its pretty straight forward in the book and video for what to do. If you don't want to get debris on your gun, lay it on something (like a backpack as done in the video). If you don't like looking directly into the muzzle, use a cleaning rod. That's what I did and the instructor didn't have any issues with it.

Also, if you have issues with the manual, it's probably not best to argue them during a test when you know what the set regulation is.
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I've already completed both courses but I'm curious as to what video(s) people are refering to?
 
Keller said:
That sounds familiar, I said the same thing 6 months before going back to get my RPAL. If you can afford the extra fee, take your RPAL too; just because you have one doesn't mean you have to buy a handgun. In the future if you change your mind you'll have everything you need without having to go through the process all over again.

It's worth the $80 to save a lot of hassle in the future.
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Doing both is far easier as well since there is so much duplication involved.
 
snipersyn said:
I've been told the same thing. However, I'd look more into this. From what I know, it's not that one cannot challenge the exams anymore but rather it's the chances of finding an instructor that is willing to accept challenge cases, (or has been strongly suggested by the powers that be to discourage challenge cases).
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Instructors MUST accept those only challenging the tests. However it would not surprise me if the CFO was trying such BS behind the scenes.
 
Challenge or Not?

I simply read the book and challenged the exam for my PAL. I am in the military and have handled weapons before...that makes a difference. There are plenty of instructors in the Kingston area that will let you challenge, no problem. When I did mine, I was given the practical portion first before the written. If you've read the book, the written exam is a piece of cake.

Good luck.
 
Ebenezer said:
I simply read the book and challenged the exam for my PAL. I am in the military and have handled weapons before...that makes a difference. There are plenty of instructors in the Kingston area that will let you challenge, no problem. When I did mine, I was given the practical portion first before the written. If you've read the book, the written exam is a piece of cake.

Good luck.
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Practical before written is standard.
 
I had experience with rifles so I challenged the PAL. However, I had no experience with handguns so I completed the RPAL course. I'm glad I did that because there was quite a bit about handguns that I did not know. And it's nice to go through the practical portion of the course, so you know what to expect from the exam.
 
I always tell people that they are welcome to simply challenge the test but I prefer that they do sit through the course. Ive yet to see anyone fail, sadly, even folks with very little firearms experience can pass the test - the practical is where they usually bomb... so, for challenges I do practical first... if they hose that, I dont waste time with the paper work - I schedule them into the next course.

My CFSC is a full 8 hours, Im not a mall ninja holy roller or anything, I just give plenty of time for hands on for every person in the room. They do their test, then we do the practicals. Folks always comment that they were happy to have learned something.

Cheers.
 
Shalimar said:
Instructors MUST accept those only challenging the tests. However it would not surprise me if the CFO was trying such BS behind the scenes.
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Instructors "MUST" not accept any student for courses or challenges. Instructors may choose to offer PAL courses, RPAL courses, challenges, not accept a particular student or any students for a period of time.

Shalimar said:
Practical before written is standard.
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Shalimar said:
Interesting since that would be counter to what instructors are taught to do by their "rules"
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Except that it is not.

---

Challenges are often priced to encourage people to take the course ($120 to challenge both exams or $195 to take the courses) as instructors generally prefer people to receive the benefit of the courses over the bare minimum of the exams.

There are people that prefer to do the minimum but $75 to receive a mandated of 12-18 hours of instruction (excludes breaks & tests) is generally an easy choice for people with an interest in firearms.

A lot of it is about attitude - people who feel they know everything they need to know in order to shoot their firearm of choice and consider the course the last step in the process are apt to challenge the exam. People who feel they have a lot to learn about firearms and consider the course as the first step in the process are apt to take the course. Taking the restricted course at the same time fits into that thinking - for the couple of dollars and couple of hours more why not learn about restricted firearms as well and obtain the license.

Same as MudChucker, and it may be self selection bias, the feedback I receive is that people are pleased to have taken the course - had fun and learned something.

For the course it makes logistic sense for students to write the exam first - time to setup the practical exam and as people finish writing / paper work at different time it works well with the timing of the practical exam.

Similarly find that the practical is the weak point - people may have shot their friends semi auto or bolt action but then when they work their way through the actions... not know how to work them, not check ammunition, not work the safety, not... and then make an appointment to take the next course or challenge the exam another time. Instructors often offer free retakes for people in the course but not for challenges...
 
lineofsight said:
Instructors "MUST" not accept any student for courses or challenges. Instructors may choose to offer PAL courses, RPAL courses, challenges, not accept a particular student or any students for a period of time.



Except that it is not.

---

Challenges are often priced to encourage people to take the course ($120 to challenge both exams or $195 to take the courses) as instructors generally prefer people to receive the benefit of the courses over the bare minimum of the exams.

There are people that prefer to do the minimum but $75 to receive a mandated of 12-18 hours of instruction (excludes breaks & tests) is generally an easy choice for people with an interest in firearms.

A lot of it is about attitude - people who feel they know everything they need to know in order to shoot their firearm of choice and consider the course the last step in the process are apt to challenge the exam. People who feel they have a lot to learn about firearms and consider the course as the first step in the process are apt to take the course. Taking the restricted course at the same time fits into that thinking - for the couple of dollars and couple of hours more why not learn about restricted firearms as well and obtain the license.

Same as MudChucker, and it may be self selection bias, the feedback I receive is that people are pleased to have taken the course - had fun and learned something.

For the course it makes logistic sense for students to write the exam first - time to setup the practical exam and as people finish writing / paper work at different time it works well with the timing of the practical exam.

Similarly find that the practical is the weak point - people may have shot their friends semi auto or bolt action but then when they work their way through the actions... not know how to work them, not check ammunition, not work the safety, not... and then make an appointment to take the next course or challenge the exam another time. Instructors often offer free retakes for people in the course but not for challenges...
Click to expand...


Not in ON.. (1st part)
 
Lyth said:
Hey guys,

I'm wondering.

What do you guys suggest? Should I take the course, OR read the book (and watch videos) and challenge the test?

Whats worked well for you guys, and what do you think would be better?
Click to expand...

No offence but you will fail the practical test 100% without taking the class.

A real gun is a lot different than a BB gun. You need to know where the safety is, how to cycle different firearm types: rim fire, center fire, bolt action, pump action, lever action, semi-auto, single action revolver, double action revolver, double action semi-auto pistol. Not only that, you also need to determine different ammunition type of each firearms. They gave me a box of bullets and asked me to pick up a .45ACP, .30, and 12 gauge slug(sorry I don't even remember what it really was).


You will also need to know how to "ACT PROVE", how to remove magazines, know where the buttons are, where the safety line is, what to do when the Range offer gives different command, and etc.

You need to perform each safety procedure correctly. I've never held a real gun in my life and would fail if I hadn't taken the course. I almost got perfect score on both non-restricted and restricted test and won a free hat. Sadly, I forgot to step back from the firing line before I started to unload the 1911.
 
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