OP
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1KPerDay
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Well it went really well and they all had a great time. Thanks for the help.
Teaching youth group gun safety: what key points?
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I always cringe when they aim it at me.
Demystifying it all is absolutely a good idea. I reverse things...from ''you are young & dumb'' to...the gun laying here only knows one thing, BANG or NO BANG. Not the person holding it is 12, 22, or 58.
Guns speak one language, how the holder allows that language to speak is another matter.
I also reverse the shooting, and, just like with a 35 year old, promote DRY FIRE DRILLS.
And keep it fun! Recent discussions were, ''when I was your age'' LoL i.e. kids have BB guns and want rifles shotguns, pistols. ''Act adult.'' But once older, you'll end up appreaciate a good....BB gun again
TAKE PICTURES FOR THEM
UPDATE b4 posting/ p.s. glad your 1st day went well
entropy
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Yup I said it that way too, after reading them TAB-K (the way WI DNR teaches the 4 rules) as written; the booger hook part gets a giggle, and they try to catch each other so they can say booger hook.
RavenTai
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I started my oldest son at 8yo, 10 rules would have been too much, he is 12 now and can quote them any time he is questioned, and I am very proud of his gun handling, always safety first, his younger sister is starting the training now. Her personality is more problematic, she tends to follow whatever comes into her mind at that moment. She has not graduated to her 22lr yet, still stuck with the daisy bb gun.
J-Bar
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Many excellent points above.
When training a new shooter my first statement is, “Forget everything you have seen on TV and in the movies about handling and shooting guns. They don’t do it safely.”
After the instruction session, show some movie clips and have them tell you what the shooter is doing right and what he’s doing wrong.
I find it drives home the safety awareness nicely.
When training a new shooter my first statement is, “Forget everything you have seen on TV and in the movies about handling and shooting guns. They don’t do it safely.”
After the instruction session, show some movie clips and have them tell you what the shooter is doing right and what he’s doing wrong.
I find it drives home the safety awareness nicely.
.38 Special
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Jeff Cooper wrote of practicing snap-shooting by dry-firing at his tv. He noted that he has been "chided for violating rule #3" but "can live without my televisor but not without my rifle skill". Of course, he also had "not yet blown anything away", which probably makes a difference in one's attitude about such things.
No dry firing at the dog!
SSN Vet
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Guns are just like power tools.... they are not toys and are not to be played with. You don't need to fear them, but rather, treat them with respect and you'll have the correct mindset.
My personal corollary to Cooper's rule #1... treat all guns as if they are loaded, is that you must know how the mechanism works in order to be competent to check a gun empty.
Exhibit A of this corollary is any auto-loading pistol.... you MUST drop the mag first... and then check the chamber.
My personal corollary to Cooper's rule #1... treat all guns as if they are loaded, is that you must know how the mechanism works in order to be competent to check a gun empty.
Exhibit A of this corollary is any auto-loading pistol.... you MUST drop the mag first... and then check the chamber.
Kevin5098
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Cooper's wording of Rule #1 was actually "All guns are always loaded". Here is an interesting article explaining the difference and why the original wording is preferable. https://tenicor.com/blogs/news/rule-1-all-guns-are-always-loaded
My problem with Cooper's Rule #1 is that we are dealing with young people, and when you tell them something that is obviously not true, the rest of your statements are suspect. I do not ask them to believe something that isn't true, or may or may not be true. If you treat them all as loaded you don't have to guess or wonder. I don't buy the premise of that article, and I don't ask kids to interpret Cooper's philosophy or use of the language--they have enough other challenges.
Another idea is to use the NRA's rules. That's what they'll hear at Boy Scout camps.
The Cooper four are the new rules, relatively speaking. Speaking as an instructor, his rules aren't the only problems with the Cooper/Gunsite/Frontsite/Other Newcomer curriculums.
The Cooper four are the new rules, relatively speaking. Speaking as an instructor, his rules aren't the only problems with the Cooper/Gunsite/Frontsite/Other Newcomer curriculums.
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I'm not one to contradict the good Colonel, but to say "all guns are always loaded" doesn't make sense to the guy at the bench working on them. He unloads them, and knows they are unloaded, thus he can put his eyeball in front of the muzzle and stare down the barrel, or pull the trigger in his shop, without violating good gun safety practice.
I prefer to say "all guns are always loaded, until proven otherwise"... and you can't prove otherwise unless you know how that particular mechanism works.
Buzznrose
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I usually use Clint Smith's video, but John Lovell may connect better with a group of young folks:
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