Zaydok Allen
Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2011
- Messages
- 13,274
I learned something.
I brought a variety of handguns with me to shoot so she could get the full experience. The first thing we did was go over safety and range rules, then proper firearm handling, then getting a good sight picture, then trigger squeeze. All went well in those regards. She couldn't hit much, but the first time to me is more about getting comfortable with handling and firing guns in general. It's worth the wasted ammo and you have to start somewhere.
I would have started her out on a .22, but I no longer have one. So I thought ok, lets go to the standard pressure 38 specials. She was firing a Ruger SP101 with a 3" bbl. She did ok. She squeezed off a .357 too, just to feel the difference.
Next up was a S&W full size E series 1911. Learning a semiauto was a bit challenging for her, but she enjoyed the 3 dot sights and greater ease of hitting the target with a longer bbl. She handled the recoil like a champ too. Then I let her shoot some .45 colt out of a S&W 460V. She did ok with that too, but the gun was a bit heavy for her. I let her watch me pop off a few .454 Casulls and a few 460's. I asked her if she wanted to try it, and the answer was "NO!" as expected. I did not press her on this at all as I don't think you should ever pressure a new shooter to do something they are uncomfortable with. It just ruins the experience. I've seen way to many youtube videos of jerks telling their girlfriend to shoot a Dessert Eagle or a X frame and they end up smacking themselves in the head. That's just mean.
We ran out of time to try any other guns, but we all had fun. When I asked her what she liked best, she told me the 1911 was her favorite. She said the sights were much easier for her too pick up and as I stated, I think the longer bbl helped her hit the target more too, so that added to her like of it.
So what did I learn? When you are teaching someone to shoot for the first time it is important to think about the ease that a guns shoots with, the ease of the sight aquisition, the ease of the trigger pull (obviously a single action 1911 is pretty light), AND the cartridge. The least punishing cartridge is not necessarily the most important part. The ease of use of the platform is just as important.
I'm always glad to teach a new shooter.
I brought a variety of handguns with me to shoot so she could get the full experience. The first thing we did was go over safety and range rules, then proper firearm handling, then getting a good sight picture, then trigger squeeze. All went well in those regards. She couldn't hit much, but the first time to me is more about getting comfortable with handling and firing guns in general. It's worth the wasted ammo and you have to start somewhere.
I would have started her out on a .22, but I no longer have one. So I thought ok, lets go to the standard pressure 38 specials. She was firing a Ruger SP101 with a 3" bbl. She did ok. She squeezed off a .357 too, just to feel the difference.
Next up was a S&W full size E series 1911. Learning a semiauto was a bit challenging for her, but she enjoyed the 3 dot sights and greater ease of hitting the target with a longer bbl. She handled the recoil like a champ too. Then I let her shoot some .45 colt out of a S&W 460V. She did ok with that too, but the gun was a bit heavy for her. I let her watch me pop off a few .454 Casulls and a few 460's. I asked her if she wanted to try it, and the answer was "NO!" as expected. I did not press her on this at all as I don't think you should ever pressure a new shooter to do something they are uncomfortable with. It just ruins the experience. I've seen way to many youtube videos of jerks telling their girlfriend to shoot a Dessert Eagle or a X frame and they end up smacking themselves in the head. That's just mean.
We ran out of time to try any other guns, but we all had fun. When I asked her what she liked best, she told me the 1911 was her favorite. She said the sights were much easier for her too pick up and as I stated, I think the longer bbl helped her hit the target more too, so that added to her like of it.
So what did I learn? When you are teaching someone to shoot for the first time it is important to think about the ease that a guns shoots with, the ease of the sight aquisition, the ease of the trigger pull (obviously a single action 1911 is pretty light), AND the cartridge. The least punishing cartridge is not necessarily the most important part. The ease of use of the platform is just as important.
I'm always glad to teach a new shooter.
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