Taking a hoplophobe to the range.

[Archaic]

If she's willing to go for it, then by all means go for it. Just remember - mankind's greatest fear is NOT death, its embarrassment. Whatever you do, don't single her out or let any of your more experienced shooters make her feel uncomfortable. Also, remember - that for her, the hearing protection is not just for when she shoots but to keep her comfortable while others are shooting. It might be a good idea to get her in line near the front, especially if you have other inexperienced shooters to sheep heard.

Also, remember - there may be others there that are just as inexperienced or nervous as her that have not spoken up about it. You need to most of all keep yourself and your group safe. Don't take anybody that you have not personnaly shot with at their word about their shooting experience.

If its a real range, BE SURE the range master understands that you will have a group of potentially novice shooters in tow BEFORE you show up.

Have fun, kill lots of paper, recruit us some new shooters!

 

[Monsterbishi]

The others have covered the bulk of the situation, here's what I do with folks who have fears/etc.

1. Don't make their first range trip a group one, go when it is as quiet as possible, and do it one-on-one. If fear prevents her from going the first try, no pressure, do lunch instead - a good chance to talk shop, bring some targets along, show her the distances involved, etc.

2. Good AND comfortable hearing/eye protection.

3. Safety briefing - convey the rules, but take care in the explanation as to why they are that way, don't make the briefing sound like a primer for doom eternal!

4. Take one firearm, a bolt/lever/pump action .22lr, with subsonic ammo, suppressed if possible.(bit difficult/pricey for you US folks - but worthwhile), leave it in the case until the briefing.

5. If she does get some trigger time in, don't let her just shoot downrange, set a goal, ie shoot a five shot group - assess how she's going, maybe even call it a day after that to let her process it all mentally.

Converted hoplophobes make the best new shooters, you'll see the biggest grins and they'll bring twice as many people to the sport as a 'normal' shooter.

 

[nyrifleman]

All of the above have been good points. I would summarize as following:

1) Hearing protection.
2) Don't pressure her into shooting at all unless she expresses interest.
3) Start off with .22 and don't pressure her into trying anything heavier. A heavy caliber is THE way to turn someone off to shooting forever

 

[doc2rn]

First, the 4 rules and an empty firearm to explain things like keeping the buger picker off the bang switch.
Second, see if she is willing to discuss it with a close female acquaintence who is going shooting too. If she wants to just socialize that is a start, because at least she will be present with the group.
Third, and most important start with a rimfire! Don't hand her a .44 Mag to see if she whacks herself (or let anyone else for that matter)! If your going to bust clays take a .410 or 20g.
Fourth, make it a point to include her, even if all she wants to do is learn how to load a magazine. Some move faster than others. My daughter started by pulling the lever on my reloading press and has moved up to airsoft and rimfires.

 

[liberty -r- death]

My son was pretty timid when he was young, and has never cared much for any loud noise. I leraned he was not affraid of the gun, but the sound. Which for him made sense given every toy he had that made noise had to have the batteries removed for him to enjoy playing with it.

Got to the range one on one, and not in a group. Go to an outdoor range. Noise is much less outside. Especially if you have some on using a large caliber gun near by. Double up on hearing protection for her, ear plugs and muffs if the noise bothers her. Consider staring her with a BB gun. If not a BB gun start with the 22lr. Cover safety and range rules. Then cover them agian and have her repeat or convey them back. Do dry runs with no ammo to start to let her get familiar with gun safety and the action of the gun. Then start by only loading one round at a time for the first several shots. Then add a couple more and see how she does. Before you know it she'll probably want the gun fully loaded.

Baby steps and understanding are whats needed to build confidence and reduce fear. You also have be ready for the fact that she may not get over her fear, but she will at least have faced it.

 

[aaronu]

Just wanted to mention/remind folks of the incident at Wade's Gun Shop in Bellevue a few years ago.

A church outing. Big guy takes a young lady. After shooting for a bit, the "coach" decides the lady is ready for something more and hands her a .44 Magnum. Long story short, she fires at the target, gets unnerved (or ??? -- I wasn't there). She points the gun over her shoulder and puts the next round into his throat. He dies, she's likely traumatized, Wade's gets a black eye. Not to mention, I don't know if the well-meaning church social group has any further desire to go shooting. Over something completely avoidable.

My son's first outing, he shot my Stevens Favorite .22 single shot, then graduated to his Remington 12C .22 pump (gift from Grandpa), loaded one round at a time and on to a Ruger 10/22 -- again loaded one round at a time where he learned to keep it downrange while inserting a magazine. He had a BLAST and therefore I did too.

My team at work went shooting. We went to Wade's as well. We were making a video game and wanted to get some of the developers and artists exposure to actual firearms. Some of them had never seen one in person, let alone touched one.

I don't think I even fired a gun myself. I could not do it all but I made sure that every shooting novice was paired with someone who had shot before. I repeated firearms rules probably a hundred times. I even had to draw pictures for a few people on what the sight picture should look like. Then I zeroed in on those showing anxiety. I made sure they had ear plugs *and* gun muffs. Two people just sat behind the firing line and watched. The third person was willing to fire something small, so I got her a .22 rifle, one round at a time -- no pressure. "Keep it down range -- good. OK I'm stepping back now. When I do, you will disengage the safety, aim, put your finger on the trigger and sqeeze gently... very good. Put it down now. Keep it downrange. I'm stepping up again..."

It all worked out, but the biggest hurdle was not shooting a .22, but rather hearing Joe Yokel down at the end firing a .500 S&W or whatever. The first coaching was to ask ppl to relax and try to take loud gunshots in stride. That's why the multiple earplugs.

Cheers,

Aaron

 

[KevininPa]

I don't know the....

......dynamics of your relationship with this woman, but I second or third the idea of taking her to a private range with .22s first. A whole group of people, let alone a familiar peer group might be a bit much for her first outing. If you and her know each other in more of an "associated" type of way rather than a close friendship, have her bring a friend of hers. After some firearm basic training and getting her on the paper, do some can-plinking if shooting someplace where you can do that. Making things bounce always brings a smile. Above all, don't push. If she wants to, she wants to. If she doesn't, she doesn't. You said she's pro-2A, let's keep her that way. When she's ready to shoot or move to a larger caliber, she will.

 

[Wanderling]

Show her respect. She's not anti, she has a fear of guns and while it's fine to try and help her overcome it, the last thing you want to do is to make her feel being under pressure. It's not any different than a fear of heights. Sometimes it can be overcome but most times it's better to respectfully leave hee alone.

 

[dprice3844444]

eye protection also

 

[gilgsn]

Hello, I would consider treating the problem before going to the range, and even before showing her a weapon. Here is how I would do it: I would take a .22 handgun and take it apart. Then, in a private setting, introduce her to the part separately... Barrel, slide, grips, etc. Let her handle the separate parts, then explain how they go together. Let her assemble the gun. She will then end-up with a gun in her hand, gradually. Ask her how she thinks it works, to avoid letting her mind wander about unpleasant gun related thoughts. Have her then take is apart again, maybe clean it, then put it back together again. Have another session when you do that again, but then explain more of the safety issues and shooting position and range procedures. When you go to the range, do the same thing, give it to her in pieces... Put ONE round in the gun after she assembles it, and let her shoot...

 

[Ignition Override]

You guys' comments are all excellent.

If not already suggested, maybe first let her shoot a bb or pellet gun, in an area where gun owners won't make fun of her?
Then ask whether she wants to try a .22 rifle with an experienced lady who does things in a very relaxed manner.

liberty -r- death:
My son had a few ear infections when he was little, and is a bit sensitive to inside range noise.
He had no interest in even trying a Beretta 9mm as a teenager. The loud noises, even at outdoor ranges might be a common but often unconscious reason as to why a huge number of people simply don't like guns. It's the one specific thing which I don't like.

 

[EnfieldEnthusiast]

So I am part of a church group that has decided to go to the range. One member, let's call her Jessica, has never touched a gun before or even seen one outside of television. She said she did not want to go to the range because of a fear she had as a child of being shot, which has followed her into adulthood.

Well just reassure her of how safe the shooting range environment is & be there for her,every step of the way.Perhaps start her off with a basic,airgun,progressing onto a Co2-powered rifle,like a Crossman,etc,until she gets to a low-powered,bullet-firing gun.Give her lengthy lectures on every aspect of shooting-sports(Like Health&Safety regulations,types of weapons,disciplines,etc,even if it might seem to be boring and OTT,but it might make all the difference,though.I've managed to change some anti-gun persons attitudes towards civillian,firearm ownership,by using this method of approach,as it comes across as more of a professional attitude,to someone,whom may regard most gun owners as stupid,redneck morons.
I personally think that detailed explainations of range-weapons & their sole-purposes,for their manufacture are important things to explain too.For example,the Browning Hi-Power Mark 3 Practical,for practical-pistol shooting & the Fabarm shotguns,for skeet & practical shotgun.Hopefully,she will accept shooting for what it is & can be assured of no negative thoughts,on the range,the next time around-as everyone plays by the rules & has fun-and idiots who act like buffoons on the range,get booted out,as no one tolerates any morons with guns.
I know from experience in my own country,how people are taken in with lies in the media & even some gun owners & pro-gun,pro-gun defense,advocates over here,have changed their minds after tragedies like Dunblane & Cumbria,so what Ive said,is just a precautionary measure.

 

[valnar]

Oh yah, and when telling her she needs eye & ear protection, don't say things like "OMG, you'll be deaf and blind without these! 'Must wear them!!"

You want to be somewhere between nonchalant and stern, but not towards either extreme.

 

[xXxplosive]

Did you have to diaper her before she went...........just askin'.....?