Black Majik
Member
Good job man!
Great advices so far!
There are three goals for her first time. 1) Safety 2) Make sure she has fun! (thats the point right? ) 3) Make sure she wants to come back again! My procedure is usually the same each time I take out a new female shooter. Firstly, you'll want to have her double up on hearing protection, meaning plugs and earmuffs. People flinch due to recoil AND the noise.
Discuss the 4 rules over lunch or something. Somewhere BEFORE arriving to the range. Make sure she understands the concept of the 4 rules.
Casually explain to her a few "range rules." These are range rules I tell my new shooters for my protection and everyone elses.
1) If she is firing and you need to tell her something, have her lean her head towards your voice and have her keep the muzzle downrange.
2) Watch her finger placement. Yes, it is part of the 4 rules, but it is critical she pays attention to her finger placement. I have them place their finger on the frame
3) Understand the action of the firearm before shooting. Cant just give her the gun and tell her how to shoot.
4) If she has a question, or is finished, unload magazine first, chamber 2nd, then show me clear
5) Never bring the firearm off the bench
Of course, you don't want to overwhelm her with all these rules. She's eager to shoot, and you're eager to teach her. But don't be afraid to be firm and serious.
I believe for her first time don't have her shoot the Mosin Nagant and 870. The 870 will turn her off on shooting, I guarantee it. She ain't a recoil junky yet. Find out from her first range trip how she responds to recoil. Everyone is different, some love it and others stick with anything 9mm and under. This is your opportunity to find out.
For myself, I usually stick to autoloaders, and limit the range session to .22's, 9mm, and .45. I start them on .22s for basic fundamentals such as stance, sight picture, and grip (make sure she doesn't teacup the grip). Watch her thumb, some new shooters will place their thumb BEHIND the slide. OUCH!
Give her one round to start out, and let her get comfortable with the recoil. Once you feel she can progress, give her a few more rounds per magazine. (This is a good time to teach her proper terminology, j/k!).
Most will get tired of the .22 in short order, so move them up to either 9mm or .38 spl. Let them shoot that awhile, then ask if they would like to try something bigger. Don't go past .45 ACP, but really its your judgement call. Remember, don't have them experience high recoiling firearms yet, see how they respond. In my experience most women find the .45 ACP intimidating their first times out. But they do enjoy it. The recoil is more of a push, and you can explain the recoil characteristics. If they're scared to shoot it, don't push them.
Give words of encouragement. Tell her how she's doing, and how she can improve. Teach her the concepts of trigger slack, and how to prep the trigger, and break the shot. Have her dry fire a few times after she's been shooting. Tell her the concept of flinching and how she can try to over come it. Make sure her shots count. Her confidence level will go higher when she sees she's doing well. So it is your responsibility to teach her well!
If you're unsure of how to go about taking her out, I've written a few range reports on here you can read and see how you would like to approach this.
Grace's first time
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=179079
Lynne's first time
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=141050
Kristal's first time
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=173181
Debbie's first time
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=196964
Hope those help to give you ideas for her range session. Remeber to make sure she has fun. This isn't class, its an activity.
Happy shooting!
Great advices so far!
There are three goals for her first time. 1) Safety 2) Make sure she has fun! (thats the point right? ) 3) Make sure she wants to come back again! My procedure is usually the same each time I take out a new female shooter. Firstly, you'll want to have her double up on hearing protection, meaning plugs and earmuffs. People flinch due to recoil AND the noise.
Discuss the 4 rules over lunch or something. Somewhere BEFORE arriving to the range. Make sure she understands the concept of the 4 rules.
Casually explain to her a few "range rules." These are range rules I tell my new shooters for my protection and everyone elses.
1) If she is firing and you need to tell her something, have her lean her head towards your voice and have her keep the muzzle downrange.
2) Watch her finger placement. Yes, it is part of the 4 rules, but it is critical she pays attention to her finger placement. I have them place their finger on the frame
3) Understand the action of the firearm before shooting. Cant just give her the gun and tell her how to shoot.
4) If she has a question, or is finished, unload magazine first, chamber 2nd, then show me clear
5) Never bring the firearm off the bench
Of course, you don't want to overwhelm her with all these rules. She's eager to shoot, and you're eager to teach her. But don't be afraid to be firm and serious.
I believe for her first time don't have her shoot the Mosin Nagant and 870. The 870 will turn her off on shooting, I guarantee it. She ain't a recoil junky yet. Find out from her first range trip how she responds to recoil. Everyone is different, some love it and others stick with anything 9mm and under. This is your opportunity to find out.
For myself, I usually stick to autoloaders, and limit the range session to .22's, 9mm, and .45. I start them on .22s for basic fundamentals such as stance, sight picture, and grip (make sure she doesn't teacup the grip). Watch her thumb, some new shooters will place their thumb BEHIND the slide. OUCH!
Give her one round to start out, and let her get comfortable with the recoil. Once you feel she can progress, give her a few more rounds per magazine. (This is a good time to teach her proper terminology, j/k!).
Most will get tired of the .22 in short order, so move them up to either 9mm or .38 spl. Let them shoot that awhile, then ask if they would like to try something bigger. Don't go past .45 ACP, but really its your judgement call. Remember, don't have them experience high recoiling firearms yet, see how they respond. In my experience most women find the .45 ACP intimidating their first times out. But they do enjoy it. The recoil is more of a push, and you can explain the recoil characteristics. If they're scared to shoot it, don't push them.
Give words of encouragement. Tell her how she's doing, and how she can improve. Teach her the concepts of trigger slack, and how to prep the trigger, and break the shot. Have her dry fire a few times after she's been shooting. Tell her the concept of flinching and how she can try to over come it. Make sure her shots count. Her confidence level will go higher when she sees she's doing well. So it is your responsibility to teach her well!
If you're unsure of how to go about taking her out, I've written a few range reports on here you can read and see how you would like to approach this.
Grace's first time
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=179079
Lynne's first time
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=141050
Kristal's first time
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=173181
Debbie's first time
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=196964
Hope those help to give you ideas for her range session. Remeber to make sure she has fun. This isn't class, its an activity.
Happy shooting!
i know but it is true. you let her shoot that a few times and i can almost guarantee that she will flich even when she is shooting the smaller caliber, less recoil having guns. i would take the .22's let her start with those. everyone needs to learn the basics, and it will be alot easier for her to do that if her mind isn't on the next time she gets the crap kicked out of her, then when she is ready to move on i would let her, to the .38 and the sks maybe, and leave it at that for the first time to the range, if she handles that then by all means, use the shotguns, and work your way up. the last thing you want them to do is get scared and all flinchy, then they shoot horrible, and they get all mad because they can't hit what they are aimming at and they have no confidence and they never want to shoot again.Just a big mess and alot of drama and you don't want to be the reason they never want to shoot again right? 
