Amid surge in first-time gun buyers, experts stress safety and training

Amid a surge in first-time gun buyers, there is a bigger emphasis on the importance of people understanding the process of becoming licensed or permitted -- and using weapons safely.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation reported there are more than 2.5 million first-time gun owners in the first four months of this year, with the most commonly attributed motivation being personal protection, followed by hunting and target shooting.

Tim Schmidt, founder and president of the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, told Fox News that someone going through the process of obtaining a permit or license to carry a gun will typically be required to meet requirements set out by the state, or in some cases, the county.

“The first thing I would explain to [a] new gun owner or concealed carrier is that the training required by your state is not even close to enough,” he said. “I don't care if you're in the most stringent state in terms of training, it's not enough. You need to find a way to educate yourself on firearms handling. You know, when and when you can't use deadly force. And then you need to get into a habit of practicing with your gun on a regular basis.”

Schmidt stressed that first-timers should find resources and training opportunities, such as those offered by USCCA, to learn more about  the law and his or her gun.

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“We teach people to build a system whereby they know what they're doing, and they practice on a regular basis,” he said. “But just like every important right comes a lot of responsibility. And it's really up to them to figure out a path for them to be proficient and be responsible.”

The process of obtaining a gun permit or license is complicated, depending on the state.

First, there are different kinds of permits or licenses, such as a basic pistol permit, a concealed carry permit and one solely for hunting and target shooting. And each state offers a varying range, or is more or less stringent in terms of qualifiers.

Of concealed carry permits, Schmidt said: “Certainly, California and New York are by far the most challenging. ... And there are a handful of other what I referred to as ‘may issue’ states."

In states with “shall issue” permits, he said, “any resident of that state who goes through the proper procedure, the state has to grant them the permit, assuming that they pass all the background checks.”

Over a dozen states follow “constitutional carry” guidelines, Schmidt said, where residents – or in some cases, visitors – can carry a concealed gun without a permit.

States that require “may issue” permits, however, are a much different story.

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“Most of the high population counties in California and, certainly, the high population counties in New York are ‘may issue,’” Schmidt said, which means even if a resident of those states "passes all the background checks, dots all the I's, cross all the T’s, it still comes down to either an individual, like a state attorney or a chief of police or a county sheriff.”

T.J. McDermott, co-owner of the Paladin Center, a training facility roughly 60 miles north of New York City in the Hudson Valley, told Fox News the types of permits offered and requirements vary.

“It goes county by county,” he said. “It gets very confusing.”

In Westchester County, for example, a person might be able to get a hunting and target permit with virtually no problem, but the likelihood that he or she could obtain a concealed carry permit is much lower.

“You have to prove an exigent circumstance, like your life is at risk more than the average citizen, to be able to get a concealed carry permit,” McDermott added.

Most counties in New York require that anyone who handles a pistol must be permitted, which requires at least an initial safety course in a classroom setting, he said.

In New York, a concealed carry permit is only legal if someone obtains a New York Pistol License, according to USCCA guidelines. But New York City’s five counties do not recognize NYPLs.

New York City requires its own validation, which is conducted through the NYPD “from start to finish,” McDermott said. On the other hand, pistol licenses obtained in the Big Apple are recognized as valid anywhere in the state, according to USCCA guidelines.

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Marilyn Miller, one of Paladin’s firearms instructors, has stressed the importance of being properly trained in use of a firearm. She told Fox News: “There’s no such thing as accidents. It’s negligence.”

“Finger is always off the trigger, muzzle is always in a safe direction. And if you're going to use it, know what's behind your target,” she said. “You've got to be very aware.”