This is EXACTLY the sort of thing we should be encouraging:
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/voices/index.ssf/2008/03/fenton_press_columnist_learns.html
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/voices/index.ssf/2008/03/fenton_press_columnist_learns.html
Fenton Press columnist learns how to shoot a gun
by Julia Zaher | The Fenton Press
Monday March 10, 2008, 11:56 AM
This year I decided to break out of my somewhat predictable routine and learn new skills.
One of those skills is shooting. Yes, a gun ... with real bullets. Some people are afraid of guns. It would be scary to drive a car too if you never took driver's training.
So a week ago I took my first gun class, the NRA's First Steps Pistol Orientation, at Fenton Lakes Sportsman's Club on Butcher Road in Fenton.
Before I go any further, let me just dislodge any preconceived notions you may have of the National Rifle Association. In recent years many have come to think of the NRA as a political organization.
The group does fight to protect the rights of gun owners.
But the backbone of the NRA is its gun safety and shooting courses. So if you're one of those people who flinch when the NRA is mentioned, think of them as driver's safety instructors.
Four of us, two men and two women, took the four-hour class.
The other three brought their own firearms. I'm waiting for George Bush to send me that $600 tax rebate to buy mine.
Years ago I owned a revolver that I never shot. Eventually I sold it.
My experience may not be all that uncommon.
One man in the class owned a semiautomatic pistol for 15 years without ever shooting it.
Another is from a family of shooters but didn't know much about the sport.
One woman came with her husband who wants her to learn to handle a gun for self defense.
Friends at work have said I'm learning to shoot to meet a man. Yep. I'm not going to meet the love of my life at a scrapbooking weekend.
NRA training counselor Dan DiRienzo, Jr. of Waterford was our instructor. Dan is the chief instructor at Fenton Lakes and his enthusiasm for shooting and for teaching newcomers is evident.
An active competitive shooter, Dan shoots about 10,000 rounds a year.
That's a lot of lead.
The first thing you learn is safety. Dan gave us a brochure on gun safety. In big red letters were the three rules for safe gun handling: Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction (not at your foot, your TV or another person); Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot; Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
We've all heard the horror stories about gun mishaps. Dan refuses to call them "accidents."
"Somebody got careless," he told us.
It's true. Guns don't just shoot themselves. Just following the three basic safety rules would eliminate most tragedies.
We learned the parts of the gun, how to load and unload, how to handle guns safely.
After three hours of classroom instruction we headed to the range for some practice.
Wearing eye and ear protection, we shot at targets made from paper plates. I missed the plate completely with the first two shots.
But Dan watched and pinpointed my major problem. I was jerking on the trigger instead of gently pulling back.
Guns are loud. When you first shoot, it can be a bit startling.
But after six rounds of shooting I was hitting the plates pretty consistently. I was also feeling pretty good about myself.
I went to gun class. I learned to handle a gun safely. I met new friends. I got introduced to a new sport and a new way to meet people. All of this jolted me out of my somewhat boring treadmill existence.
And like a kid in grade school, I proudly took my shot up paper plates home to show my dad.
Julia Zaher is a reporter for The Grand Blanc News who also writes a regular column for The Fenton Press. E-mail Julia or call her at (810) 766-6284. Your suggestions for future columns are always welcome.
