Who taught you how to shoot?

[Lt. G]

My dad, the best and now I'm teaching my son.

 

[txgolfer45]

Learned rifle shooting at summer camp. Learned handgun shooting from a friend who competes in IDPA at a National level. Still need more handgun training!!

Scott

 

[Nando Aqui]

1. My Dad, the basics with a pellet rifle, when I was about 8
2. A Winchester rep & showman gave me one lesson on skeet, and had me break 15/25 the first time I had ever held a shotgun.
3. From books to shoot a pistol
4. Then I taught my sons to shoot a rifle, shotgun and pistol - and we practiced and hunted a lot
5. Then my sons taught me even more after they became Marines!
6. Books again - continuing...
7. And now... from you guys!

Alex

 

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

So far, this answer is unique.

An NRA instructor, whom I didn't know before I took lessons.

I had a BB gun when I was a kid, and remember going out with my dad to shoot rifle two or three times, but I don't think I really learned much.

- pdmoderator

 

[FPrice]

The U S Air Force. They started it and it just got better from there.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Ron in PA, AKA "Dad" taught me how to shoot.

He can still beat the pants off me, especially with a pistol.

 

[Dionysusigma]

Azrael256, friend from college...with a crappy Marksman BB pistol, Wincester 30-30, and a couple o' shotguns.

 

[taoshooter]

Had a friend with a gun that let me 'try' it. That's was all there was until I joined my first gun club and got a lot of advice, etc. And, bought tons of books and videos.

But in the long run I'd have to say it was practice that taught me the most.

 

[WAGCEVP]

My husband taught me the basics, I taught myself the rest

 

[jimbo]

Nobody taught me to shoot. And it really shows.:banghead:

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Have to credit my sister's ex-husband for getting me into guns. He was 9 years older than me. With him I shot my first gun, (Mossberg .22) first shotgun, (12 ga single ) and first pistol. (Ruger RST-4) The pistol left such an impression on me that years later, my first handgun was an RST-6. I still miss him at times. As far as skill and safety, I was pretty much self-taught.

 

[Darrin]

Learned from my Pop when I was 6. I'm 28 now and teaching him a few things!

He taught me on his first rifle. That rifle became my first rifle. Maybe one of these days I'll have a kid to pass on the knowledge and the rifle.

 

[Sean Cloherty]

Boy Scouts of America in the Sovereign State of New Hampshire. It was a great range and was well run. Thinking back I really enjoyed the ancient single shot bolt action .22s they featured at Parker Mountain and Camp Sachem.

My dad never really showed and interest until I showed him my CMP M1. He literally hadn't touched a firearm in 50 years and he still made me look like a monkey on the 100 yard range. Although he had fun and is really good, it just isn't his cup of tea so we don't often go.

 

[Bowlcut]

Dad taught me. Taught me on Grandpa's favorite .22lr winchester. I now have that rifle. I dont know how often it will make it to the range tho, turning it over and seeing Grandpa's initals in the stock E.H. just wells me up. Dad let me "brrow" it when I went home for fathers day. Got to hear stories about him and grandpa hitting crows with it across the field, "back when they both could see".

Dad no longer shoots for fun. Fathers day was the first time he had shot his .380 in probaly over a year he says. He carries it everyday, just never shoots. He can still hit something out to about 25/30 yards on first shot, dang eye site on him is going. But guess he could defend himself and my stepmom.

I never got to shoot much as a kid. We went "rabbit hunnin" once on thanksgiving in our field when i was like 6. We shot clay's once or twice out at the gun club. Played with the 22's a bit. But that was about it, he never wanted to shoot much. But putting my Mosin in his hands had him giggleing tho. Fathers day was a good weekend....

 

[Deepdiver]

No one.... I was born with two full hands

Actually, my dad started me out young, then gave me a 38 spec. when I was 16......it's been down hill ever since ($ wise).

 

[Rupestris]

I learned in high school!
yep. In 1986 I was in the JROTC at Southwestern High School in Detroit. Part of the class was firearm safety and shooting bolt action (.22 shorts) rifles at the schools indoor 25 yard range in 3 basic positions.
After that my uncle was kind enough to show me how to shoot handguns and shotguns.
Rupe

 

[Hardtarget]

My first teacher was my Dad...rifle,shotgun, then pistol. Later, an older cousin showed me varmit rifle. Later on, my Brother in law taught me fine points about pistol shooting. I can't say I have ever been able to put to use all the lessons, but I've had fun all my life. My marksmanship is far from fine tuned...I just don't embarass myself very often.
Mark.

 

[Chugach]

My dad (long passed) and my brother. Started on BB guns, went to everything else as quickly as physical size and maturity allowed: single shot shotgun, single shot .22, .38 Special, .45 ACP, double-barreled 12 gauge, 6.5mm Carcarno, 9mm in surplus Astra.

One of the things I enjoy the most is talking to my brother about firearms and shooting. Unfortunately, we're half a country apart. Makes for some memorable range sessions when we do get together...

 

[duckfoot]

The United States Marine Corps

 

[capnrik]

So, where is Tamara?

 

[Seeker]

you were 'spose ta have somone teach ya?

 

[chaim]

The United States Army taught me to shoot a rifle. With pistols it was a combination of self-learning, books, and friendly range folk. The "formal" class I took at a DC area range was more safety centered, though there was some sight picture, hold, and stance stuff and the like. Of course, by then all the classroom stuff I already knew anyway and this class had no structured range time (you had to shoot, but there were no instructors on the firing line).

Man some of you who learned as kids have me jealous. Dad is an anti (he grew up a hunter in western PA only a few minutes from the WV border, but he changed). I actually wanted to go to a military school as a kid (not to learn to shoot but that would have been a nice side benefit)- not allowed. I also wasn't allowed to join the Boy Scouts (too "traditional values") and in Cub Scouts when we went to the Scout camp one summer dad came with us and I was one of the only guys who wasn't allowed to use the rifle range (dad wouldn't allow it and he made a stink trying to get the den leader to not allow any of the kids to do it- lucky for me he didn't succeed).

 

[50 Freak]

A really nice Long Beach CA police officer I met at a indoor range I went to with friends. Was a little kid at the time and this was a great opportunity to try the "cool" guns.

Anyways, saw on TV 8 years later that is officer was shot and killed effecting a traffic stop.

The perp was never caught. May he burn in hell.

 

[sw442642]

NRA courses at a local range

 

[The Plainsman]

My dear ol' Pappy, at about age 10 (been so long ago, it's hard to remember for sure) We shot his Winchester Model 69 .22cal., that he bought in 1935 for the princely sum of $16, earned as a gandy-dancer for the Rock Island RR at 10 cents/hr. I now own that rifle, complete with the custom forestock that my dad put on it (with his initials) and the Redfield peep sight.

Many and many a good memory of plinkin' with that rifle. And we moved onward and upward from there.

P.S. How many of you here know what a gandy-dancer was/is?