Addiction

[rpenmanparker]

I am going to try something here. It may work. It may not. Hopefully the moderators will be okay with it and just let it go on.

I am a member of a bicycling forum on which we have a permanent thread called like this one, "Addiction". There is no topic, no question, no reason for it to exist. So you can't get off topic or go off on a tangent. The tangent is the whole idea. Basically it is a true forum, a place for a running discussion of whatever you might like. Gun stuff for sure, but no reason to stop at that. Food works too. Movies. Whatever.

I just ask that everyone adhere to the rule to completely avoid the legal, constitutional, 2A stuff for other threads. No politics, no religion, no grievances. Surely you get the idea. If you don't adhere to this rule, this won't last very long.

What happens if this works is that it becomes like a clubhouse. You drop in from time to time to see what is going on, what folks are talking about. Some people become regulars, some folks don't understand it. All good.

So let's behave ourselves and see if we can make this work. I will say it would help if a moderator would join in with us. Having a sheriff around town really can keep the thing on track despite how undefined that track is.

 

[rpenmanparker]

I am going shooting tomorrow with my 42-year old daughter for the first time. She loved archery as a kid at camp but has never shot a gun. I plan to take my Browning 1911-22 to start her off with and my Ruger SR1911 9mm Commander for a bit stiffer stuff. Anyone have any suggestions for how to work through the process. I mean I know that safe handling is the first order of business. And I was thinking of just letting her shoot a few rounds downrange not even aiming at a target to get the hang of the recoil, noise, etc. and maybe avoid a flinch response. Other ideas?

 

[Labguy47]

I am going shooting tomorrow with my 42-year old daughter for the first time. She loved archery as a kid at camp but has never shot a gun. I plan to take my Browning 1911-22 to start her off with and my Ruger SR1911 9mm Commander for a bit stiffer stuff. Anyone have any suggestions for how to work through the process. I mean I know that safe handling is the first order of business. And I was thinking of just letting her shoot a few rounds downrange not even aiming at a target to get the hang of the recoil, noise, etc. and maybe avoid a flinch response. Other ideas?

I'm guessing better late than never, I started my daughter at 9 with some basics like never point a gun at anything you do not intend to shoot. Keep your booger picker off the bang switch until your ready to engage the target. Treat all guns as if they are loaded at all times. But above all keep it fun for her or you will wind up alienating her. I let my daughter dominate my Ruger 77/22 the whole trip if that's what she loves (and trust me she does) it will also open up a dialogue between the two of you. Its amazing and you will want to repeat the incident. My daughter doesn't realize it but she lets out all her pent up agitation out while we are at the range and she is burning up a brick of .22 WMR.

 

[badkarmamib]

I would have one in the chamber, and an empty mag. With a 1911, if it surprises you, it is very easy to pull the trigger a second time without realizing it.

 

[Gridley]

I'm guessing better late than never, I started my daughter at 9 with some basics like never point a gun at anything you do not intend to shoot. Keep your booger picker off the bang switch until your ready to engage the target. Treat all guns as if they are loaded at all times. But above all keep it fun for her or you will wind up alienating her. I let my daughter dominate my Ruger 77/22 the whole trip if that's what she loves (and trust me she does) it will also open up a dialogue between the two of you. Its amazing and you will want to repeat the incident. My daughter doesn't realize it but she lets out all her pent up agitation out while we are at the range and she is burning up a brick of .22 WMR.

Agree that the trick with new shooters is to keep them interested while still hammering the safety rules into them.

A lot is going to depend on the character of your daughter. Does she like gadgets? She might be interested in a short discussion of how a rimfire cartridge works (bullet, powder, primer, etc.), and how the pistol cycles them.
If she seems hesitant, it may be helpful to fire a round or two downrange yourself so she can get adjusted to the noise, movement, etc. without having to deal with them directly.
When teaching new shooters I do go a bit into stance, sight alignment, etc. after the safety talk but before letting them shoot just so I'm setting them up for success. I also stress that such things are technique, and that they'll need to find what works for them - unlike the safety rules which are hard rules.
My $0.02. Have fun!

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

Yes,making sure they're interested (like letting them dominate their favorite gun of yours) while still hammering into them the importance of safety along the way is the best way to teach a kid the joy of the shooting sports.

As for addiction, sometimes I wonder if I've become more of a 'reloader who shoots' more than a 'shooter who reloads'. I'm starting to enjoy the whole hobby of reloading than I enjoy going out to the range. As of right now, I only need a 40 s&w mold and 45 mold and I'll be covered for every caliber. There's something about it that comforts me so.. being able to reload everything, even the calibers I don't personally own a gun for (but friends and family do) and they let me test my loads. In return they get to have a bunch of free ammo.
Just the other day I actually found out I could use the RCBS seating dies for crimping as well... by unscrewing the seater rod in the center. I feel so dumb because I bought a seperate crimp die for all my other calibers. But if you think about it, having a seperate crimp die is useful because then you don't have to readjust the bullet seater every time you load

 

[Frank Ettin]

The topic of ways to introduce newcomers to shooting is interesting and would be a worthwhile discussion. Over the years there have been a number of such discussions here on THR. If the OP is really interested in exploring that topic he should start an appropriately entitled thread in either Strategies, Tactics and Training or General Discussion.

BUT we do not do wide open, non-firearm related discussions here on THR. See The Rules:

1. All topics and posts must be related to firearms or 'Right to Keep and Bear Arms' (RKBA) issues.