HOW DO I GET A CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT?
 
1. Are YOU a Beginning Shooter?
   If you are not proficient w/ your handgun to SAFELY Handle, Load, Aim, & Fire completely UN-ASSISTED, you may need to acquire First Steps, or Basic Handgun training.  
   Concealed Weapon Permit Class is NOT intended for Beginning Shooters.  
   You are welcomed to contact GUNSMOAK for assistance via Private Lessons, or assist in building a small Handgun Safety class by inviting some of your friends to join you.
    
2. Reserve a Seat - Why Wait, Again?
   If it is NOT a priority for you, you'll be reading this same information a year from now, OR TWO. (Right, Harris?)   Go ahead, MAKE THE RESERVATION and follow through. Talk it up and bring your friends with you.   Don't ask them. TELL THEM you are attending and THEY should join YOU.
    
3. WHY SO LONG?
   SC law requires you to spend time with the Instructor.   Though you could read the material on the web, hearing some explanation of SC Gun Law may keep you out of trouble later.   ALSO, inadvertently finding yourself on the wrong side of a situation could easily end up costing your family a retirement, hard-saved college fund, second home, family property, or more even if you fully believed you were totally within your Rights.   You will most likely enjoy the class, AND the knowledge.
    
4. When you complete the CWP Application.
   Open, Complete, THEN PRINT
   SLED requires the application and Ck List to be PRINTED from a device to be sure no mistakes are entered creating your permit/record.
   The sooner you send it, the sooner it is processed.   You WILL need the completed application at the classroom.   Once you get an Instructor number and a signature at the end of class, you may mail your packet.  
   FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST on the front of the application to ensure everything is in the envelope.  
   Not all list items may apply to you.  
    
   A Detailed message will be emailed to you once we have an idea of class size and reserve our location. The DETAIL will include information you MUST enter as annotated for your permit to process completely.
5. WAIT - PATIENTLY
   and don't call SLED until day 100.   Lately, some have received permits much earlier.  
   While you're waiting, spend some time on the Concealment and/or Armed Friendly websites and forums. You'll find a wealth of information and numerous folks that enjoy bantering, querying, and prying into new and old information, tactics, test results, etc. regarding all sorts of firearms and topics.

You can find any number of interesting Firearm related Training or discussion sites.   Be sure to look around before settling on just one or two.   Consider every piece of advice for logic, application, and reality; does it make sense to YOU?   Even the most outlandish tales may seem to a novice a logical possibility if told by a skilled conversationalist.   Don't believe everything you hear, even from across the counter at a Gunshop.   However, a firearm-dedicated Gunshop clerk is usually more savvy than a Sports-clerk at Wally-mart, Richards, or Trouts'R'Us.