Two days in October and your sixteen hours are done
Friday October 9, classroom in La Mesa, 8:00 AM. Saturday October 10, live fire on the private range in Escondido, 8:00 AM. Back to back, and the whole requirement is behind you.
Most months these land weeks apart, because that is how the calendar falls. This month they are consecutive. If your permit is coming up for renewal, or you have been meaning to start and have not got round to it, this is the least disruptive version of it you will see this year.
First permit: book both days together and the site takes $49 off on its own. No code to hunt for, nothing to remember.
Renewing: you do not need both. Saturday October 10 in Escondido completes your renewal on its own, instruction and qualification in the same day.
Also on the calendar: the HDSA Fun Shoot, October 17
The Honorary Deputy Sheriffs Association runs a Fun Shoot at Duffy Town, the Sheriff’s tactical training facility out at Miramar, and this year’s is Saturday October 17. It has been growing every year and Bill would like to keep it that way.
It is one of the few days a civilian gets to shoot at that facility, alongside the Weapons Training Unit and Sheriff’s staff. If you have been curious about HDSA, or you have someone who would enjoy a morning on that range, this is the one to bring them to.
Joe’s latest roundup
Joe Drammissi’s Weekly Roundup is out. This week he leads with John Lott picking apart the FBI’s active shooter numbers, which put armed civilians stopping an attack at 3.9% against Lott’s count of at least 36.6%, and better than half once you step outside a gun free zone. He also has new polling on armed school staff, 51.4 to 35.7 among voters and 57.3 to 30.2 among parents.
The part you actually control
You already know the list. A roster that decides which handguns you are allowed to buy. A background check to buy a box of ammunition. An 11% state excise tax on guns and ammo, stacked on the federal one.
None of it arrived by accident. Every piece was written and voted for by somebody, and a lot of those somebodies are on a ballot on November 3.
San Diego County Gun Owners has already done the sorting. Their voter guide for the November 3 general is one page, it covers the races that actually decide this, and it costs nothing.
Complaining is free. So is voting, and only one of them changes the list.
Bringing a gun you have never fired?
That is the one thing that turns a good range day into a long one. If there is a pistol in your safe you have not shot, or you are new enough that the first live round still makes you flinch, an hour one to one before class fixes it faster than a group session can.
Call Bill at 619-871-9834 or email info@ccwusa.com. See private training details.
Upcoming Classes
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Monday, October 5, 2026 at 4:00pm Indoor Range – The Gun Range San Diego Monday evening qualification at the indoor range in Kearny Mesa. RSVP is free, the fees are paid at the range. $60.00 |
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Friday, October 9, 2026 at 8:00am Classroom, La Mesa Classroom day. Eight hours of instruction, indoors. This is one half of what you need, whichever permit you are after. $249.00 |
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Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 8:00am Private Range – Escondido Range day. Live fire, coaching, and you shoot the qualification yourself. First permit: this is your other half. Renewing: this finishes it in one day. $299.00 |
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Friday, October 16, 2026 at 8:00am Private Range – Alpine Range day. Live fire, coaching, and you shoot the qualification yourself. First permit: this is your other half. Renewing: this finishes it in one day. $299.00 |
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Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 8:30am Classroom – El Cajon Classroom day. Eight hours of instruction, indoors. This is one half of what you need, whichever permit you are after. $249.00 |
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Monday, October 19, 2026 at 4:00pm Indoor Range – The Gun Range San Diego Monday evening qualification at the indoor range in Kearny Mesa. RSVP is free, the fees are paid at the range. $60.00 |
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Monday, November 2, 2026 at 4:00pm Indoor Range – The Gun Range San Diego Monday evening qualification at the indoor range in Kearny Mesa. RSVP is free, the fees are paid at the range. $60.00 |
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Friday, November 6, 2026 at 8:00am Classroom, La Mesa Classroom day. Eight hours of instruction, indoors. This is one half of what you need, whichever permit you are after. $249.00 |
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Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 8:00am Private Range – Escondido Range day. Live fire, coaching, and you shoot the qualification yourself. First permit: this is your other half. Renewing: this finishes it in one day. $299.00 |
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Friday, November 13, 2026 at 8:00am Private Range – Alpine Range day. Live fire, coaching, and you shoot the qualification yourself. First permit: this is your other half. Renewing: this finishes it in one day. $299.00 |
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Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 8:30am Classroom – El Cajon Classroom day. Eight hours of instruction, indoors. This is one half of what you need, whichever permit you are after. $249.00 |
“A peaceful man must still know violence, or his peace belongs to whoever threatens it.” -Miyamoto Musashi
If you are on the fence about the October weekend, reply and tell me what is stopping you. Nine times out of ten it is a scheduling problem I can solve in one email, and I would rather hear it from you than have you put it off another year.
See you on the range,
Bill Desy
CCW USA
619-871-9834