Originally Posted by
Wendell
In the United States, many states do not require completion of a safety course; some do, but many do not. Some sports do not require completion of a safety course; some do, but many do not.
In Canada, per the Firearms Act, to obtain a handgun, the government has decided that an individual must take two safety courses (CFSC & CRFSC) before being eligible for a (restricted-endorsed PAL) license to possess a handgun. In Canada, per the Firearms Act, most shooting clubs require that applicants, before joining, first complete another club-level safety course. The CFSC, CRFSC, and the club-level course are all required by law. In Canada, IPSC Canada has decided that the completion of a Black Badge course is necessary for participation in level 2 or higher matches; the Black Badge, I think, is regarded as necessary to prevent unsafe gun-handling and to protect the sport. For the record, I do like the Black Badge course, and I do find it valuable for most participants, but there's no doubt that the requirement for a Black Badge (a two-day course that costs money, fills up quickly, and is offered only infrequently) also acts as a real barrier to participation.
I shoot at matches where competitors were not required to first complete a safety course, and I shoot at matches where competitors were required to first complete several safety courses, and the truth is this: comparing the two, while the 'safety briefs' tend to be a lot longer at American matches, I really don't see much difference in the gun-handling.