I've learned one important thing. That is to never trust a n00b to the range again. A while back I took a friend to the range, one who had claimed to be an ace, due to shooting like one a few years back. So HE claimed. Well when we got there I fired off 20 rounds, then set the XD-40 down on the shooting table and asked him if he knew what to do. He said yes, so then I backed away. Well... That's when everything went bad.
He picks up one of the magazines and starts to load, then he starts cursing quietly at himself. I ask what's wrong, then look. Oh boy, he was loading the bullets backwards into the magazine. I quickly tell him to stop loading, then take it from him and show him how to properly load. At this point he looks at me in frustration and anger, saying he's used to revolvers, not semi-autos. So after loading one of the mags, I tell him to now load the other. The genius loads 4 rounds correctly, then DOES THE SAME DAMN THING on the 5th round. So again I tell him to STOP, and take it away from him. At this point I'm getting angry.
So now his pride is tarnished and he says "screw it man, just shoot alone, I'll just watch since you think I'm such a screw up!!!" Then I quickly tell him beginners luck, and that I'll just load for him. So then I load up the mags and put them back on the table with the gun and tell him to go ahead. At this point the slide is locked back with both mags sitting next to it.
Now this is where it gets scary... He walks up to the range, picks up the gun, PUTS HIS FINGER ON THE TRIGGER, then pops in the mag, releases the slide, which his wrist is arched sideways, pointing close at the guy down range. At this point my heart has skipped a beat as I panic for a second. I quickly tell him to point it straight down the range and to keep his finger off the trigger until he's ready to shoot. Then the second mag he loaded, he thankfully loaded the gun while pointing it correctly downrange, but still had is damn finger on the trigger.
From my experience I don't think I'll ever take a newbie to the range again. The who ordeal was terrifying. It's clear even if you tell someone how to do it properly they still screw it up!!!!
He picks up one of the magazines and starts to load, then he starts cursing quietly at himself. I ask what's wrong, then look. Oh boy, he was loading the bullets backwards into the magazine. I quickly tell him to stop loading, then take it from him and show him how to properly load. At this point he looks at me in frustration and anger, saying he's used to revolvers, not semi-autos. So after loading one of the mags, I tell him to now load the other. The genius loads 4 rounds correctly, then DOES THE SAME DAMN THING on the 5th round. So again I tell him to STOP, and take it away from him. At this point I'm getting angry.
So now his pride is tarnished and he says "screw it man, just shoot alone, I'll just watch since you think I'm such a screw up!!!" Then I quickly tell him beginners luck, and that I'll just load for him. So then I load up the mags and put them back on the table with the gun and tell him to go ahead. At this point the slide is locked back with both mags sitting next to it.
Now this is where it gets scary... He walks up to the range, picks up the gun, PUTS HIS FINGER ON THE TRIGGER, then pops in the mag, releases the slide, which his wrist is arched sideways, pointing close at the guy down range. At this point my heart has skipped a beat as I panic for a second. I quickly tell him to point it straight down the range and to keep his finger off the trigger until he's ready to shoot. Then the second mag he loaded, he thankfully loaded the gun while pointing it correctly downrange, but still had is damn finger on the trigger.
From my experience I don't think I'll ever take a newbie to the range again. The who ordeal was terrifying. It's clear even if you tell someone how to do it properly they still screw it up!!!!