Posted: 2/11/2003 6:10:27 PM EDT
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Hey, I'm taking a first time shooter to the range as sson as it warms up around here, and I was wondering what kind of things I can do to make the expirence as enjoyable as possible. The range here has some strict rules about no ground targets and paper only. I'm looking to find another range or mabye go shoot at my uncles house, but what could I do to make the expirence enjoyable for my friend? I think this would also be a good place for information for everyone who is taking a first timer shooting as we want to do it right because we very often only get one chance. Thanks a lot for any ideas you may give and I may post pictures after we go. |
| When I take newbies out I like to go somewhere that has targets that are relatively close in....say 7 yards. Unless they are naturally good shots, further distances may just frustrate them when they find out it's not like the movies where the bullets magically go where you want them to. Nothing hooks a new shooter like a good first impression. That way they really get a feel for what they are doing when they can very easily see where there shots are going. Good ear and eye protection is a must.......especially ear......nothing fun about learning to flinch because of muzzle blast. Start them off with the light stuff so they acclimate to the dynamics of muzzle blast and reciol. Don't go with the ultra light snub nose 44 mag!!!! Reactive targets can be fun, but it can be difficult to gauge where you're going wrong when you miss, whereas on paper you see all. |
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Something scoped with cheap ammo with little recoil. A bolt action 223 is excellent. I was at the range a few years ago where one guy was "trying" to teach his wife to shoot, with a 300 Winchester or something like that. I think She was more afraid of him than the gun. I offered to teach their kids - about 9- 10 years old - to shoot a scoped 223 bolt action. Target was a gong 7 x 10 inches at 130 yards. Looks waaaaaay out there. The one 10 year old missed the first shot off the bench, and then connected with I think EVERY succeeding round. Kid was pretty proud of himself and grew increasingly more confident with every magazine load. :) Yeah, I still remember the LOOK I got from the mom. EDIT: I took my east indian roomie shooting one time. She wanted to shoot my Casull after seeing one of the loaded rounds - tired of shooting 22LR. She was about 5' tall, 100 lbs. - tiny even for an indian. She gleefully went through several cylinders of stout 45 colt, and then got hold of the real deal 454 rounds I tried to hide. WHAM! She got a good impression of the top strap of the gun on her forehead, dropped it on the rocks, bled a lot, and then cried all the way home. |
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What range here in MN are you taking him to? I wish that more places out here allowed Reactive or junk targets. Since he's a first timer, I'd first discuss the safety basics (ten commandments of gun safety, and other common sense rules). Emphasize other common sense stuff like *ALWAYS* keep your finger off trigger, and *ALWAYS* check a firearm if it's loaded if the moment one touches your hands. Even if you know it's unloaded, and even if someone tells you its unloaded. Ignorance is the cause of most ADs and NDs. I've been teaching newbies here at the U of M campus and converting liberals for about 4 years now. I cannot stress the safety issues enough. A newbie pointed a loaded Glock 19 at me with her finger on the trigger this past Dec 28th in front of several MN AR15.com members, and I nearly soiled myself. This is all good advice thus far. TomJef gives sound advice regarding the handguns, but don't forget to keep the gun unloaded when teaching them the function of the firearm, and when teaching them proper stance (for handgun) and grip. Sighting isn't that important, just tell them how to aim, and then after they've shot 2-3 rds and are comfortable, then begin coaching them on better aiming, trigger control (smooth squeezing, not jerking), and increasing accuracy. |
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Hey Wipeout, Let me know what you think of my Minnesota Converts Proposal in our Hometown Forums here: [url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=28&t=167694[/url] Post your Vote in the poll about this idea. Then we can see how much we can expand the shooting scene in Minnesota over time... |
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Personally, I ALWAYS start them off on a .22LR bolt rifle, then a .22 revolver, with a target out at about 25 yds. - Rifle gives them the basics of sight picture, trigger control, easy mechanics, and much more forgiving when they are off-target; cartridge doesn't give a case of forehead crease, no recoil in a good .22 rifle, and little to no muzzle blast to scare them off. - After they are comfortable with the rifle, I give them the pistol. Easier to explain sight picture now (since they've done the rifle thing), easy mechanics again, same-same with recoil and muzzle blast. - Move up to the AR15 on rifle, let them get their giggles with that. Low recoil, small yet powerful cartridge (not intimidating like a .300 win mag), very low-threat, esp. to women shooters ("look, the bullet's not much bigger than that .22 you just shot!') - Next up would be a .380 Makarov, also slightly bigger case, but not threatening. The idea is to walk them slowly up through the power levels, and don't move up until they're comfortable. No sense scaring them away! I normally stop at the 9mm the first time, and before they're tired. Don't go for a marathon 4-hr range session the first time, and tease them with something for the next time ("Next time we come out, I'll let you shoot the .460 Weatherby!") Also, stress safety, safety, safety. I would take newbies out to a range near Colorado Springs, and would always carry a holstered revolver, mainly because of the occasional undesireable out at the range. But, I would always tell the newbie when the subject came up, "I carry it because I know I can draw and drop you before you do anything stupid and hurt someone else!" then chuckle and tell them the real reason. It gets a laugh, but let them know how serious I was about safety. If you can find a place that does reactive targets, think about using shotgun clays, eggs are always a good choice, and apples do a great job of exploding. Plus, all those things are relatively challenging to hit and biodegradable to boot. Happy shooting, and see if they have a friend to bring out next time! |
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1. Start with as "easy-going" a pistol as possible. (From whatever is availabe in your arsenal). 2. Only give him the gun with 1 round. This way, after he fires when he swings the gun around wildly, it will be empty. 3. Don't compromise on enforcing safety, just to make it seem like a more fun experience. |
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Something without a lot of recoil, and shoot something they can hit and get some confidence built up. Not really following my own advice, I recently took out my future son-in-law. Took an AR, as I was packed and ready to go when he happened to show up at the house. Damn if he wasn't hitting 100 yard targets better than I was.. (Have to leave him behind next time) ;) MournSword |
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Quoted: Hey Wipeout, Let me know what you think of my Minnesota Converts Proposal in our Hometown Forums here: [url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=28&t=167694[/url] Post your Vote in the poll about this idea. Then we can see how much we can expand the shooting scene in Minnesota over time... That sounds really great. I will be taking him probably to the Southern Minnesota Sportsmans club, I really don't like that range too much but its the only one within about 50 miles of here. Thats why I was think of taking him to my uncles place, I can set my own range rules and would be able to shoot reactive stuff which would proabably be more fun for a first timer. I will be discusing saftey with him even before we head to the range and then just a quick overview of saftey, and then let him get used to being around the rifles, kinda going at his own pace as I don't want tomake him uncomfortable. Why can't it be warmer here? lol |
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When I took my teen age daughter out for the first time, I thought we just shoot up a brick of .22 LR in my Buckmark. She was previously taught the four basic safety rules of firearms. After we did a review, we began to shoot. I only have six magazines and could hardly reload them fast enough for her. She really liked shooting at frozen water filled milk jugs at about 30 feet. Soon, we were out of ammo. We then went onto shooting my 9mm. She took to it really well. At this point we were shoot out to 25 yards. I only brought 250 rounds to the range, so it didn't last long. She was having a blast. (I got to shoot 30 rounds...) Next, we moved to the rifle bays and brought out the AR-15. I was shooting IPSC targets at 100 yds, when my daughter asked if she could shoot the AR-15. Shoot off of sandbags, she was hitting the center of mass. After six 30 round magazines, she had the biggest smile I've ever seen on her. She now has a cardboard IPSC target with no middle. Pretty amazing for a first time shooter. She put the target on her bedroom wall. Introducing a person to shooting and seeing them really enjoy themselves is one of the most satisfing experiences. I now have a shooting partner that wants to go out to the range anytime. |
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Quoted: A newbie pointed a loaded Glock 19 at me with her finger on the trigger this past Dec 28th in front of several MN AR15.com members, and I nearly soiled myself. Yeah, I wont quite ever forget that either! A possible tragedy such as that would have wrecked every birthday from then on. =( I am in TOTAL agreement of the "one cartridge in the magazine" trick until the newbie knows ALL the rules and follows them. |