Introducing a Brit to shooting

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zdc1775

zdc1775

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My wife just informed me that the MIL's best friend from childhood is coming to visit her in May. Long story short MIL showed her friend a picture of my wife and I at the range, and now she wants us to teach her to shoot. Obviously I have no problem with this and know how to explain the fundamentals to her. What I am now so sure about is where to take her to shoot. I have family that owns land that we occasionally shoot handguns and .22 rifles at but I don't feel comfortable shooting any centerfire rifles there. We usually just go to the WMA ranges here to shoot them but we both have hunting licenses which are required.
So with all that said where can we take her in North Alabama so she will be able to shoot our handguns and possibly an AR as that is what she really wants to shoot. She will only be here for two weeks before she starts traveling to other areas of the country and this is something she really wants to do, but I definately want to stay legal.
 
Here in Idaho we can shoot anywhere on BLM land as long as you are shooting into an embankment and have ensured that there is nothing downrange past the embankment that a stray bullet could hit.

I don't know about Alabama, but I would call your state land resource office, I'm sure you can find a number to call on either the link below or search google for, "Alabama BLM Land" and I'm sure you will find a number to call and ask your questions.

Outdoor Alabama

Most states will have a local map of the area showing BLM land and you could ask what their rules are on target shooting. I would imagine it would be much similar to Idaho's rules.

Just make sure you clean up everything (targets, casings, trash, etc) after you are done, so that we don't lose our ability to enjoy OUR land.

Good for you taking her out shooting, those poor Brits have lost much of their rights, it will be good for her to get a taste of what freedom is left in this country.
 
I've actually been on that website the past hour or so and they only list the WMA shooting ranges. But thanks. I will keep looking.

ETA: This will actually be the second Brit that I will be taking shooting for the first time. First one was my wife.
 
How far north are you in Alabama? Larry's Pistol and Pawn in Hunstville has an indoor range. Don't know what all you can shoot there.

Jim
 
Depending on where you are, you might consider the Hurricane Creek range in Bankhead National Forest. You can shoot pretty much anything there, as far as I know.
 
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As a Brit-American I have taken many of my British friends shooting over the years when they visit. I have noticed that outdoor ranges tend to generate a considerably better reaction than indoor ranges for first timers. If you can, go to a well regulated outdoor range. One time I was in the phoenix area over the holidays to see the in-laws and a friend of mine from the UK happened to be in Scottsdale area on business for a couple of days. The in-laws have a decent collection so we all went out to the Ben Avery range and literally had a blast. Well regulated ranges teach the ignorant about how safe firearms can be if all the safety rules are followed and it gives them a great impression. Not to say you can't do it yourself by any means, it's just the overall first impression.

Another thing to consider is if you have a soft firing rifle like a .22 or .223, get them on it. You mentioned the AR and that would be perfect. Variety is the spice of life and some people don't really care for handguns but take a real shine to rifles or the other way around, too.

If the weather is right, I can't recommend good out door ranges enough when it comes to good first impressions.

ZDC. I'm the other way around. My wife is American, and I'm dual Brit-American now. The more I see mixed Brit-American couples the more I notice they tend to end up in the US rather than the UK. There's a saying in the UK that I've heard occasionally, especially from professor/academics, and that their #1 export to the US is university graduates. There's actually a surprisingly large illegal Brit immigrant population in the US. The thing is that since most of them hold decent jobs in various sectors of industry their immigration status either isn't thoroughly checked when their visa expires, flat out ignored by their company due to their position, or the company that they work for actively tries to protect them from deportation while they get the paperwork done. There's also no language and little cultural barrier so it isn't obvious either.
 
I hope you and these new Brits to the US will help us fight what happened to their rights over in Britain, and not turn us into them. But if your any barometer as to who is coming over here, I would welcome them.
 
Well to be honest her parents, dad was USAF, brought her over here when she was about ten so I can't claim credit for that. But she is almost as adament about protecting the Second Ammendment as I am.
Also her parents live in a little town just south of Decatur and we now live outside New Market
 
RIsom said:
Depending on where you are, you might consider the Hurricane Creek range in Wheeler Wildlife refuge. You can shoot pretty much anything there, as far as I know.
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I have lived in this area most of my life and have never heard of this. Will have to look it up.
 
Knew a Brit couple, she was a nurse, no citizenship, he had dual. She loved motown music and had vinyl dating back decades. I was seriously impressed a white Brit had an obsession with it.

We hit if off (my wife too) and had the best slamming cultural talks anyone could have! All in fun, as nobody took anything seriously.

We flew RC aircraft (giant scale).

Wouldn't mind seeing more Brits realize the gig is up, on their island, and move here for culture shock! Oh, and leave the degenerates there! ;-]

Don't settle in metro areas. Been there, done that. Never again.

Oh, they were from Liverpool.
 
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Off topic, but Brits who grew up in the 50s and 60s LOVE motown music. My father, ex Royal Marine with an incredibly stiff upper lip, is a sucker for that kind of music. Just look at Adele. She's from Tottenham and her style is very motown-like.
 
Duh, sorry, I meant Bankhead National Forest, not Wheeler. Sorry about that. You can google it and find out the location....it's way out in the woods, but the one time I went it seemed like a decent place.
 
RIsom said:
Duh, sorry, I meant Bankhead National Forest, not Wheeler. Sorry about that. You can google it and find out the location....it's way out in the woods, but the one time I went it seemed like a decent place.
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I did google it and it brought back a memory of my, now deceased, step-grandfather taking me to a shooting range when I was about 6 or 7 for me to sight in the rifle he had bought for me to use that year for deer season. He called it "Goose Creek" and as far as I know it was the first time I was ever on a real shooting range. Can't believe I forgot about that place.
 
I live in North Alabama and understand. You must not live close to Huntsville or you would know about the indoor range at Larry's Pawnshop. They accommodate rifles as well.

However, the only "hunting" license you need to shoot at the WMA's is a $16 license that anyone can get. Just stop by the courthouse on the way to the range and have your friend buy a license. You don't have to live in Alabama to get one. And of course you pay for the license yourself.

Also, check out this range in Madison County:

http://shooting-range.findthebest.com/l/7/Madison-County-Shooting-Sports-Association
 
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JellyJar said:
I live in North Alabama and understand. You must not live close to Huntsville or you would know about the indoor range at Larry's Pawnshop. They accommodate rifles as well.

However, the only "hunting" license you need to shoot at the WMA's is a $16 license that anyone can get. Just stop by the courthouse on the way to the range and have your friend buy a license. You don't have to live in Alabama to get one. And of course you pay for the license yourself.

Also, check out this range in Madison County:

http://shooting-range.findthebest.com/l/7/Madison-County-Shooting-Sports-Association
Click to expand...
Actually I do live close to and work in Huntsville I just hate indoor ranges. What is the name of the license that you are talking about. I must have overlooked it as I would much prefer to take her to Skyline or even Swan Creek than Larry's.

Also didn't know about the other range and I drive by that park everyday to and from work.
 
Sorry, I let my license expire so I threw it away. Just go to the courthouse and ask for a hunting license for a WMA. Last time I bough one it only cost $16.

I found this link about fishing and hunting licenses but don't know if the one I am talking about is here.

http://www.outdooralabama.com/licenses/
 
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