Taking a first-time shooter to the range

[svxapeal]

As a newish shooter and a woman shooter to boot, I say let her decide what to shoot. If you ONLY stick to the .22 she may become bored. We (women) are not some strange breed that need to be coddled, we can make decent choices on what we can handle. I do agree though on impressing on her the importance of safety.

Caryn

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Oh, great -- a Newish American Princess.

 

[John Wayne]

Having recently introduced my girlfriend to shooting, I would add:

-Reactive targets make shooting more fun

-With each new gun/caliber, only load ONE round into the magazine/cylinder until the new shooter has a feel for the gun

-Proper hearing protection is a must: new shooters may be unfamiliar with fitting earplugs and may not know that muffs require a good seal to be effective

-Allow the new shooter to watch you shoot the gun first. This way they're not surprised when they see a moving parts or a casing ejected

-Everyone is different. Start off with small, light-recoiling "quiet" calibers like the .22 short or LR and move up at the shooter's request. Some people enjoy shooting guns that make a big fireball, but many do not. The last thing you want is to have them flinching and anticipating recoil from the start.

-Make sure your equipment is in proper working order. Nothing is more embarassing to you, or boring for a new shooter, than to have a gun malfunction while trying to become familiar with it. With that said, be sure to cover what to do in such an instance.

Best of luck!

 

[exflatlander]

I just asked her what she wanted to do this weekend and her immediately reply was "go to the gun range" - I get the feeling she is looking forward to it

I am going to start her with the .22 but I assume that will get boring fast so we will at least move on to the Beretta 9mm.

 

[jorb]

My better half voiced a desire to try one of my pistols. She has already been schooled on gun safety and handling so a refresher was all that was needed there. We went to a local indoor range and she did Very Well.
Bought her a KHAR 9mm and she loves it. Shoots Glock 19 as well. I was impressed when a hot cartridge hit her in the face and got caught in the temple of her glasses. Just kept shooting. Much better that a lot of people I took to ranges in 20 plus years in the Army.

 

[TexasRifleman]

If you ONLY stick to the .22 she may become bored.

That's an interesting statement.

I've been shooting for over 30 years and I'm not bored with the .22.

If someone is going to get bored with it in a couple of hours maybe shooting isn't for them

 

[Grey_Mana]

Baby steps-

If she is afraid, bring a sandbag and let her shoot supported to start with.
Less to worry about.

Likewise, having her load one bullet at a time is fine, as it reduces worries.

 

[withdrawn34]

I would say, just do the basic 4 safety rules, how to verify a gun is unloaded/loaded, and then make her load two shots herself. Then fire. Keep it simple at first, then you can go on.

It would be overwhelming to go over mechanics and SA/DA for anyone's first time, unless they were reading up on everything first.

 

[FoMoGo]

If someone is going to get bored with it in a couple of hours maybe shooting isn't for them

She learned to pistol shoot with a S&W 629 and 240 gr hunting loads... she is spoiled for recoil
We head to the range for hours... .44s, .45s, 12 ga, Mosin Nagant, Savage Mako .22...
She just likes big booms and big recoil... sold her .357 because it didnt kick enough.
Some people can sit for hours doing needle point, some can sit for hours shooting a .22.
I can sit for hours with the .22 rifle busting clay pidgins at 150 yards... and then taking out the small pieces with it.
But I dont usually spend any more than an hour with a .22 pistol.
I tend to like my pistols to jump around also.


Jim

 

[TexasRifleman]

She learned to pistol shoot with a S&W 629 and 240 gr hunting loads... she is spoiled for recoil

This thread is about a person who has never fired a firearm before.

The idea that such a person should be moved up from the .22 quickly because they might get bored is kind of silly.

If you were taking flying lessons would you be ready to move to the F18 after a couple of hours in a Cessna because you were "bored"?

 

[zombienerd]

If you were taking flying lessons would you be ready to move to the F18 after a couple of hours in a Cessna because you were "bored"?

Did you really just ask that??

I've taken a few flying lessons, and I'd hop in an F/A-18 in a freaking heartbeat just to get the chance.

Has nothing to do with boredom, it has to do with wanting to sample various qualities of the same fun...

If someone was going to teach you how to drive for the first time... In front of you was a Yugo, a Ford Contour, A Corvette, and a Lamborghini, Which one would you want to try out?

 

[shooting4life]

I think you are on the right path. Start at home with safety; I will spend at least 1 to 2 hours on safety alone. At the range I hardly shoot at all with a new shooter. I will usually shoot once so they can get a feel for the sound and then let them shoot for the rest of the time. I always start out with a 22 and spend the fast majority of the shooting session with the 22 and see if they want to try something else out towards the end. I have found that new shooters to know how much ammo can cost so they can burn through 100 dollars of ammo pretty quick so the 22 is the way to go.

I have found with new women shooters that if you bring another woman who already knows how to shoot that teaching them is much easier. Whenever I broach the shooting gap with women I always have my fiancé their to chime in and tell them how fun it is, works like a charm every time.

 

[John Wayne]

Oh yeah and wear a hat! Getting hit in the face with a hot casing is bad enough but it really sucks to have one get caught in between your safety glasses and eyebrow.

 

[Shooter88]

Reminds me of the first time I took my girlfriend to the range. She was a little reluctant at first; now my 10/22 is "hers", and given the amount she shoots I'm expecting the rifling to be worn smooth in about six months

 

[MisterPX]

Remember that she is the focus of your range trip (as if she isn't already ). Don't get distracted and go wandering off. Stick with teh 22, ask her if she'd like to try the 9. If she handles it and says so, fine, if she doesn't like it, go back to 22.

 

[FoMoGo]

The idea that such a person should be moved up from the .22 quickly because they might get bored is kind of silly.

Reread the post.
It was said to bring something else in case she got bored and wanted to try another pistol.
Nowhere did it say they should be moved up.
I have a son who will shoot anything in front of him... and one who only shoots .22s.
Options are fun... options are what makes the world go around.
Forcing a person to experience on thing is kind of silly.


Jim

 

[svxapeal]

I never said I bored of the .22. What I did say...or imply...was that options are best. I love my .22...but I don't want to be limited to just that all day at the range. My first time at the range I was lucky enough to be able to chose what I wanted to shoot...seems it is the same way at sponsored hand gun training classes. You can opt to bring a .22 or a .44mag if you are so inclined. First time shooter or not...if she learns the basics of safety...why should she be limited on what to practice with? I know that when I was shooting at Smith and Wesson my first time there...they were allowing first timers to shoot .22, .38 and 9mm. Are you saying that they should have ONLY allowed .22s? That seems silly to me....

Caryn

 

[BothellBob]

What I would add, for the totally new shooter:
Start with a single shot 22 rifle.
When you move to a pistol it's load one, shoot one, until your shooter is comfortable and proficient with those activities.
Shoot from a rest until some degree of accuracy is achieved. If possible, keep the target close (20ft).
Eye protection, ear protection, hot brass dance protection (even if you are shooting a revolver, flying brass from the next lane is attracted to open cleavage).
-BothellBob

 

[exflatlander]

So, today was the day.

I spent some time with her at home discussing safety and handling an dry firing the .22 revolver and the Beretta.

Everything is good, she seems a little nervous but wants to give it a try.

We get to the range, great only one other shooter at one end so I figure we can go to the other far end and do our thing.

We put ears and eyes on and enter the range. The other shooter gives me the nod and we take our stall and get ready.

The other shooter fires off his .357 and she flinches a little but says she is ok and will get used to the noise.

We start shooting and she is doing ok, getting used to the heavy .22 revolver. Was hittig hight and left at first but consistent so I help her adjust and she is drawing in closer to the center of the target.....

..and then our range mate decides it is time to impress the lady and pulls out his high cap .45 and empties it as fast as he can, before reloading and doing it again.

She is visibly spooked now. I try to reign her in. She agrees to try the 9mm and as she is lining up for the first shot speedy starts up again unloading into the same shot-up target. (He easily went through a box of 50 in less than 10 minutes).

She takes the single shot but I can tell there is no enjoyment being had. She says she doesn't want to shoot any more so we leave.

I spend the ride home explaining that this tool is the poster-boy for the anti-gunners out there and that most guys are respectful and are actually trying to hit the target in front of them and not just making noise.

She says she would try it again but we'll have to hope for an empty range or a warm day and try the outdoor range.