Taking a new shooter out tomorrow

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UnknownSailor

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I'm gonna go over the 4 safety rules, proper sight picture, weaver stance, and start him off on my 22/45. When he gets comfortable with that, I'll start him on my 686+ loaded with .38 special wadcutters. We'll take it by ear after that.

What am I missing?
 
ONE round in the mag for the first time. ONE ROUND! Then more if he demonstrates a basic understanding of gun safety.

I learned this the hard way. Brought my sister out to the range. Went over everything the night before: safety, stance, grip, sight picture, eye dominance, etc. So she steps up to the line w/ a full mag in my Glock 19, and her first shot ever is a bullseye. She's so excited, she turns around w/ gun in hand and covers everyone except me. I'm in bullet-time mode, contorting my body around to avoid being covered while gently grabbing the pistol out of her hands. No harm done, important lesson learned.
 
Maintaining a proper grip while shooting can be important for safety. Recoil makes some new shooters feel the need to drastically shift their grip around between shots.

I think it would be a good idea to let him do some dryfiring with that 686 in order to get a feel for trigger and breath control.

Sounds like a fun time. Have a blast!
 
I think you're on the right path. I'd make sure both of you have eye and ear protection, and talk about both a minute or two. I'd be inclined to start a newbie with a .22 caliber rifle, although I'll admit I didn't in the years before I had one.

Best of success to both of you!
 
If you can use a reactive target, do so. Newbies like to see something explode or move around when it gets hit.
 
Try the newbie out AWAY from the "big guns". I have noticed that people who have never been around firearms tend to jump when the big bores go off. Even if the newbie has ear plugs AND muffs on.
 
I agree with the one round the first few times firing. There is no telling what any one individual will do when the round fires.

Plus the person can load one more cartridge by themselves and fire again. Practicing the movements of handling a firearm as well as safety.

Opening the cylinder or removing the magazine and loading one round is good practice for the beginner.

And I use a .22 as it won't recoil like bigger calibers causing a flinch to develope.

The first round a beginner fires I think is the most important.

Vick
 
Alright,

I got back about an hour ago.

I started him off with the 22/45. After 3 five round mags or so (beginnings of a grin forming), he went up to my 686+ with .38 special wadcutters.

The grin got bigger. :)

He then stepped up to my CZ-40b, and then my P-14.

What really got him drooling was my AR. :D

He even tried a cylinder full of full house 158grn .357 mag loads. I quote: "Whoa!'

Issues I told him he needs to work on: trigger control, leaning back in his stance. He consistantly threw rounds low, but grouped ok, which tells me he was anticipating recoil.

His stated purpose was to find out what he likes, and get some advice on what to buy. Now he really wants an AR, but feels they are to expensive (mine is tricked out, and I told him how much I paid for all the do-dads). I said to find a range close by that offers rental guns, and try them on first, then try them out.

All in all, he had a good time, and I discovered how much fun those .38 wadcutters were. Almost like the .22!
 
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