Specifc questions for beginner to ask instructor

[TrakHack]

I have recently acquired a Colt Cobra for the purpose of being completely prepared for the worst while trailering horses. I know where to place the bullet in the horse's head to euthanize it, but that's about all I know about guns in general.

I have arranged for private beginner handgun instruction with a guy here who does CCW training as well. My first session is tomorrow, and when I asked what I should bring, he said "Come with your questions".

I read the "revolver checkout" thread, but it was a little over my head. Ok, some of it was a lot over my head. I have some very basic questions like learning the gun's parts, how to clean and maintain it, the basics of safe handling the gun and shooting it, and how different types of ammunition behave but I really have NO clue on the other things I should ask.

So, thinking about introducing a beginner to both gun use in general as well as using revolvers specifically, what in your opinion are the "must know" things (beyond the four sacred safety rules, which I have already memorized)?

On the horse bulletin board I post on people have a tendency to eat clueless beginners alive, so I will reiterate that I have hired an experienced professional to help me. I trust that he will teach me what I need to know, but I wanted to appeal to this very knowledgeable group as well.

Thanks it advance.

 

[Lucky Derby]

Welcome. Its a shame what your horse board does to beginners. How are newbys supposed to learn?

In any event it sounds like you are off to a good start and a Colt Cobra is a fine little revolver. Some things you want to be sure to familarize yourself with, beyond what you have already mentioned, are the gun lawws of your state and any state you are traveling in.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Steve_NEPhila]

You are willing to learn, that is more then enough for you to be on the right path. All you should really focus on is how to safely handle, load, unload and shoot your revolver. You will also need good leather, a cheap holster is more of a liability then an asset. As for holsters, I recommend the sourdough pancake at
www.simplyrugged.com
I have three of them and they are fantastic.

There are great videos on youtube that will help educate you on some of the finer points. Check out the youtube channel for "midwayusa" and "fmgpubs" these are quality channels with good information. Have fun.

 

[lonegunman]

Ask anything you can possibly think of, if you need to write down every random thought and edit them later, go ahead and do that. There are no stupid questions.

You should be aware of your backstop at all times and aware that bullets do not always go where expected or do what is expected of them. If you plan is to shoot something with a thick skull, remember bullets can skirt around the inside of a skull and exit in the interesting places. Bad shots can also do a lot to upset a large animal, so be sure and do it right the first time.

What ever your plans, spend some time at the range and shoot a few boxes of ammo over a couple of sessions to get a good idea how to use the gun. Go by yourself after you finished your training, much like flying solo in a plane.

 

[GP100man]

I gain confidence in a persons ability when asking a person to handle there revolver/pistol or longgun when they do not put there finger on the trigger until instructed to shoot at a target .

The 1 ?? to ask is how to safely handle the revolver around yourself & others & still use it .

Familiarization will come with practicing & following safe firearm handlin rules!

 

[TrakHack]

Thanks for the replies so far!

Welcome. Its a shame what your horse board does to beginners. How are newbys supposed to learn?

In the particular part of the horse world I'm in, they are either supposed to consult with a trainer before making any decisions (down to what color of riding apparel to get) or get out of horses because if they have basic questions they can't possibly be a good owner. I'm being a bit dramatic here, but there are a decent number of "You sound like you don't know what you're doing, are you sure you should be getting/breeding/trailering a horse?" I love my horse, but horse people often fray my last nerve.

I like the silver dollar pancake holster! I'm only 5'5" and fairly short-waisted so I'm not sure how things will fit. I've read most of the "cornered cat" website and it sounds like finding the right holster can involve a bit of trial and error.

I'm going to get a start on my list.

 

[PinoyInFL]

As already mentioned here, you should check out the gun laws in your state. You said you intend to use the revolver while trailering horses. If this is to happen in a public place, you may have to get a license to carry. In some states, open carry is not allowed so you will have to conceal the revolver. Good luck.

 

[Trebor]

With firearms instructors and beginners "there are no stupid questions."

We'd rather have you ask something that you think may be completely stupid than have you not learn because you were afraid of ridicule if you asked.

No one is born knowing this stuff, just as no one is born knowing how to care for and ride a horse, so we all have to learn somewhere.

Just to give you an idea, I've had students who didn't understand the difference between the "cartridge" and the "bullet" until after they shot a revolver and we recovered the empty shell cases from the cylinder. They thought the whole assembly of "casing + bullet" went downrange as a unit.

I had another student who thought you bought pistol magazines pre-loaded and had to buy a new one everytime you fired all the rounds in the last magazine.

I'm not making fun of them. Just letting you know that its good to realize what you don't know and ask questions until you do understand.

As to what questions you should ask, make sure you understand safety, the general operation of a revolver, and how you clean the gun (thoroughly) and how you lubricate the gun (sparingly).

Ask about effective calibers so you understand the differences between a .22 LR target revolver and a .38 Special or .357 Magnum revolver that can be used for target shooting or self defense.

Ask about revolver speedloaders.

Make sure you know how to shoot a double action revolver in double action mode. Don't just them single action all the time.

 

[BCRider]

To be a safe user the questions you shoudl be asking if he doesn't follow this path of instruction are;

1. Safety- how to handle the gun in a safe manner so you don't point it where it should not point and so you don't handle it in a way that risks discharging when not intended. The reference to not putting your finger into the trigger guard until time to shoot is one aspect of this. How to handle it when not shooting and how to hold it safely when shooting are others.
2. How to hold the gun when shooting. The proper grip is essential to getting the bullet to fly in the direction you want.
3. Shoot rounds that don't make you flinch. If you don't pracitice frequently you will be surprised at how hard it is to shoot a gun straight. It's called "flinching" and it leads to shooting groups that look like someone threw a handful of rocks at the target. Now your primary concern is euthanizing a horse which will be done at fairly close range. But even so if you don't practice your shooting until you don't flinch you could easily find yourself missing the exact point and angle that is needed to do the job if you flinch at the time you shoot.
4. How you use the gun will determine how you carry it. But generally a holster is the best option. Should you ever need to use the gun for a mercy kill it is likely that it was due to a crash. As such there will be wreckage involved and perhaps some climbing down a slope. You'll need both hands to deal with such things and a holster becomes the method of choice for holding the gun while you get into position. Ask about factors for positioning yourself next to the horse so that any movement from the animal won't suddenly put you at risk or risk hitting the gun as you are shooting. It's not the usual stand and shoot scenario so I'm sure there would be some questions worth asking on that account.

Other than this don't just buy the gun, take the lessons and then think you've got it all wrapped up. From your post here I gather this is your first gun purchase. You may have shot before but now it's YOUR gun and you've set a standard for shooting to perform the task you have for yourself. This will take some commitment on an ongoing basis to stay proficient with the gun. You'll need to shoot enough that you learn to avoid a flinch issue. You'll be shooting at short range but even so a strong flinch could easily result in a wound rather than the instantly fatal shot you're after. That level of control will require some significant practice at first and then enough to stay up to that level on an ongoing basis. A flinch will be the big issue and is often the hardest to avoid. You can see this for yourself if you load up and leave one empty chamber in the cylinder. Then while exercising muzzle control lower the gun below your line of vision and give the cylinder a bit of a spin so you have no idea where the empty is located. Then stop the spin and close the gun. When you hit the empty if the gun stays on target and doesn't pull down or shudder from a flinch inducing grip tightening up then you've got it. There's going to be enough anxiety and adrenaline if you ever need to do a mercy kill that you at least want to be confident that you won't pull the shot and end up with a wound. So it pays to shoot enough at first to learn to shoot well at target distances and then to shoot maybe a box a month to make sure you still "got it".

Best of luck and here's hoping you never need to use it for anything other than ventilating paper and tin cans.

 

[TrakHack]

Update - first session with the instructor was great.

I won't go through the blow-by-blow of the entire lesson as it would probably bore you to tears, but my main take-aways that are not things that I have already read or knew about are (in no particular order):
1) I am right-handed but left-eyed.
2) When I'm working with the gun and it's pointed in a safe direction, I should think about moving my body around the gun, not move the gun to what could be an unsafe direction.
3) Knowing what to do in your mind and doing it are two very different things (not a surprise because it's the same with riding, but something I definitely experienced).
4) In a crisis situation you are only half as good as you are on your best day.
5) After handling several guns, it is clear a gun is much easier to safely handle when its size is a good match for your hands (I never thought my hands were that small, but I guess they are).
6) This is all about fine-motor skill and muscle memory, and everything requires practice, practice, practice.
7) My instructor likes to put me in "test" situations, like positioning me at the table in such a way that it was really hard to keep the muzzle pointed the way it was supposed to go while loading and unloading (my left arm was kind of blocked by the table, and my back was somewhat against a wall). After a couple tries I said "This isn't working. Can I switch sides with you?" to which he agreed, and all was good. He said he wanted to see how I would react to a situation where it was difficult to keep the gun pointed in a safe direction, and said it was good that I changed my environment.

My instructor said a nice option for practice is a .22 due to the lighter recoil as well as reduced cost of ammunition. Since I was thinking about getting another gun to shoot frequently for practice anyway because the .38 is in a really nice condition, I decided to start shopping for a .22. And then I found out that the Cobra was made in this caliber... Although it is more than I want to spend, and although I know accuracy is sacrified with a shorter barrel, I WANT a .22 Cobra. There aren't many material things in life that I really WANT, but when there are, I get them. Pics of the .38 and the .22 below (apologies for the different sizes, I was having issues with the upload).

 

[Zombiphobia]

Depending on the type of class..

CCW-- What's your experience/ background?

 

[TrakHack]

My specific experience with CCW to date is I know the laws of the state I live in and which states have "transferable" CCW permissions with mine. My primary interest in having a CCW permit is to be legal when I have the gun with me. I have a class scheduled at the end of this month to get this done.

My general background with CCW is what I remember from reading Masaad Ayoob's "The Truth About Self Protection" about 15 years ago, with the take-away being the best self-protection you can have is to be trained in martial arts, and for home protection you are better off with a large dog, baseball bat, and/or shotgun than with just a handgun. My sister and mother both have handguns for home protection, but I really think they would be better off going with the large dog and shotgun combo.

Until the horse trailer accident, I didn't feel like I had a need to have a gun. I don't have plans at this time to carry on a daily basis, but if that changes I'll definitely pursue training focused on "real life" situations.

 

[BCRider]

It sounds like your instructor is a good one. He's making you think for yourself and that's never a bad thing. And it sounds like you're catching what he's throwing. So good on you as well.

Even being quite new to the whole shooting thing myself it didn't take me long to realize that if a .22 handgun isn't the first handgun we get it should darn well be the second one. They are great guns to work on the finer details of trigger control and can be an excellent gun to use for working out any flinching issues. And they are just plain fun to shoot in their own right. So in no way should you feel guilty about wanting that Cobra. I say go for it and use it for both fun and practice.

Guns CAN be used for sport as well as defense. It seems like a lot of folks forget about this aspect. But the good part about having it as a sport that you enjoy is that you'll practice more. Speaking of treating shooting as a sport if you want to have a lot of fun with a gun and get some valid practice at the same time then look into IDPA matches in your area. As you wrote it's one thing to stand and perforate paper in your own sweet time and it's another to have to dodge, think and shoot all at once under stress. While a match such as IDPA will never duplicate the hyper shot of adrenaline you'll get in an actual attacker confrontation or in the event of another horse trailer accident it does give you a glimpse at what it's like due to the stress of the timer behind you and the need to think about a lot of factors while running and gunning your way through a typical stage. You get to practice holster draws, muzzle control in an often confusing environment, practice trigger control and trigger discipline both while shooting and while handling the gun and learning to think on your feet under as much overall stress as any practice style of shooting can provide. And again it's just frankly fun as well. Youtube on "idpa" for some examples and see if it's something you think you'd like.

 

[earplug]

I had the same type job and carried a revolver like your Colt.
As you have hired a instructor to teach you firearm skills, you are on your way.
Be sure and think about ways to keep your firearm clean yet accessible.
Ask about the many ways to carry a weapon, and what works with your build, clothing and work.

 

[earplug]

Colt 22LR revolver

I would stay away from a Colt if possible.
They don't make them anymore and repair is a problem.
You can buy parts for a Smith and Wesson online and most drop in.
Old Colts and older S&W needed a bit of hand fitting.

 

[TrakHack]

I live about 45 minutes from this guy: http://www.cylinder-slide.com, and I'm hopeful he will be able to fix any problems I encounter.

I know these Colts are not being made any more and that is some of the appeal for me. I figure if I regret the purchase of either Colt I will be able to get most of my money out if them. I would have loved a Diamondback, but they are more expensive than the .22 Cobra and I would still have the repair challenge.

I wish the LCR were made in .22. I'm guessing if I get another .22 it will be an SP101.