Working on changing an anti

[mack69]

Hi all, just wanted to share with you all a conversation I had with my mom and dad (I'm 49 by the way) who have always been big time anti gun folks. My family and I are going to travel up to their summer home in the North Woods of Wisconsin. There are a couple of great outdoor ranges in the area that I really want to check out so I decided that I was going to bring my shooting gear and a few guns to shoot. Seeing as we will be staying in mom and dad's house I asked if they would have any issues with me bringing my shooting gear up. Explaining about the outdoor ranges I want to check out. Mom and dad said that depends on the shooting gear. I explained that I will be bringing a few handguns, all are legit and legal. No scary assault weapons. (I don't have any). We then got into conversation regarding having guns my house with my kids around (2 boys 17 and 15 and 2 very young and very inquisitive children (girl 4 and boy 20 months). I told them that my kids are aware of my guns (the older boys go with me to the range) and know they are not toys and do not touch them. I also said that it is better that they know about guns, how they work and how dangerous they can be. And that they learn the 4 + 1 rules of firearms safety and proper firearm handling early on. Mom asked where I keep the guns at home and I explained that they are always in the safe at home but always in a ready state. I also mentioned that when we visit them the guns will be unloaded and locked at all times. I told them how much I enjoy shooting and working with my firearms and that I am planning on some time in the near future attempting to compete in matches just not sure what and when. Mom and dad handled it very well I thought as I was expecting them to be ranting and raving. They did not. I answered their questions and they asked alot of them. I have been trying to get mrs mack to come shoot with me too and am hoping she will be joining me on at least one of the range visits then more when we get home if she enjoys it. I may even invite my dad to come too. I'll let you all know how it all shakes out when I get back.....mack

 

[Darkside]

mack69, Invite your father or mother to tag along to the range and watch "the kids play" The offer may be declined but at least you offered. If the offer is accepted he/they may become courious, notice that it isn't as bad as the media makes it out to be, and join in.(one more on our side).

They may think "well if the kids can do this, I can." If not, they may just sit back and watch the kids have some fun.

Darkside

 

[notbubba]

Make sure you have ear protection for your folks if they do say yes and go to the range with you.

If you have any .22 make sure you bring at least one.
The newbies that I've taken shooting have enjoyed shooting a .22 semi auto pistol the most.

 

[GigaBuist]

Well, you're 49, so I'm not sure why I , as a 24 year old would chime in here, but I will.

Since you're my dad's age (actually a wee bit older) I presume your parents are the same age as my grandparents. Around 70'ish -- a litlte under, a little over. I'm frankly AMAZED that they're anti-gun. Around here, where I grewup at least, that was -the- group that always had arms about them. Typically for hunting, though I find out my grand father did have a CCW back in the "may issue" days since he owned a business. Not even sure if he owns a handgun to this day.

I have an overly protective mother myself, and I know that won't ever go away. If I'm 60 years old she'll be 83 and still think I'm just a kid. That's the way it works. She was initially worried about me owning handguns, since she herself was never brought up around them. She wasn't anti-gun, but she wasn't pro-gun either. However upon having children with my father being away (truck driver in the eariy years) she slept with shotgun shells in her nightgown and a 20 gauge next to the bed. She's pretty much scared of firearms, but she'll do what it takes ot protect her babies.

I'd take the self defense angle. Let them know that they're there for enjoyment, but just like martial arts, they're really there for protection. Be thankful that you enjoy practicing them. It's not only a valuable skillset to obtain, but it's ejoyable to do so. You like firearms, you like training with them. You fear that you'll ever need them, but if you have to you can. You're passing that onto your children.

Odds are, being your mother and father, they don't want firearms around because they're worried about YOUR safety. They're still thinking that they can protect you from the "evil gun" by not having them around when you're with them. It's natural, but not logical. Odds are you're always around them (I know I am) -- so it's natural to bring them along with you.

My own mother was worried about my safety once she found out about my gun collecting habbit. Eventually she realized that she brought me up to be rsponsible and that I wouldn't do anything stupid with them -- and consequently she found comfort in knowning that I was armed to the teeth and even though she couldn't protect me I was certainly able to protect myself. And a whole city block, but that's besides the point

 

[twoblink]

http://www.achtung.com/rkba/TotheRange.html

I have a big writeup on it. Take a swim through it, it will help you.

Remember to double up on the hearing. To me, that's about 50% of the fear factor right there..

and also, try an outdoor range if possible, not an indoor one, as the noise is horrible in an indoor range.

Tell the rangemaster and the tables or lanes around you, that you have a newbie with you..

Most will act accordingly, and you might even ask them not to shoot their big guns, or if they would be willing to move a lane or two over for ya.

I have never, in my life, found shooters at the range unwilling to do these basic things for people who are bringing newbies.

Good luck. Report back.

 

[mack69]

Update

Hi guys....Just back from vacation and have to say I was really happy that things went like they did. I went to the outdoor range 3 of the 6 days I was up at mom and dad's. The first on my own, the next I took mrsmack who has never shot a gun before. Went through all the basics of handling the guns, sighting and lots of attention on the 4+1 rules of safety. Then mrsmack chose my Beretta 9mm to shoot first. Had her load 1 round in the mag and go. She hit the paper plate darn near center, had her load up a few more and next thing you know she was off....Mrsmack didn't like my Ruger GP100 .357 even though I loaded up some low end 38's for her. The gun was too heavy for her. Too much recoil too. Then I had her try my DW PMA-S, she liked the way it felt but still thought it was a bit too much for her. Her only complaint regarding shooting was that the recoil hurt her hands...(she does have delicate hands.) I told her I would get her shooting gloves for the next time and will be shopping for a smaller gun for her. hehehehehe....
As I was cleaning my guns on the back porch, my dad kept coming out to look...He came back the third time and then stayed and started asking questions about the guns, what kind they were, what caliber, etc. Then asked why I felt the need for them. I explained the many reasons including home/self defense. He said he didn't understand that one...as that is the job of police to protect us. I gave him a scenario of someone breaking into my home, violently and how I would handle it. I asked him where the police were to protect me and mine....and stated that my first priority was protecting my family and myself by nuetralizing the danger. My second was to contact the police. We talked alot about the dangers etc. He had been a close bystander in a AD when he was 8 or 9 that killed a family friend so I understand his fear and told him so. He stayed by as I finished cleaning the last gun up. Two days later I was getting my gear together to go one last time to the range. It was getting on in the evening and the range closed at sunset. As I was saying bye to wife, kids, mom and dad he said hang on. Then asked if he could come along....I said absolutely dad....We chatted a bit on the way....then got there and unloaded my gear. There were only two other guys there shooting skeet doubles on the far side of the range. I gave dad a set of ear muffs (my electronic muffs) and started explaining how things went. I laid out the 3 handguns I brought with along with ammo magazines, speed loaders etc for each. He mentioned that it seemed I was being very methodical taking time to lay things out and check over my gear before I started and also asked whether I was doing that for him or if this was what I always did. I told him pretty much it was always the same even if I was by myself and that you don't just whip it out of the bag and start shooting.
I went through a rotation of shooting all three guns demonstrating how they functioned, safety features of each one sights etc. Dad seemed very interested...I asked if he would like to try to shoot one. He shrugged then said sure. He chose the GP100 .357 revo first. I ran him through how the gun functioned, loading/unloading, sighting and again the 4+1 rules of gun safety making sure he understood everything and requesting that at any time he was not clear to stop, make the weapon safe, put it down and ask. He then picked up and loaded the 357 aimed at the target and fired. He didn't hit the target but that wasn't my aim at this point as I wanted him to see that shooting is usually organized, thought out and fun. 6 rounds and he was off, asked to shoot the Beretta 9mm I again loaded 1 round at a time until he was fairly comfortable then had him load a magazine. He shot 15 rounds and actually started to hit the targets. Then dad asked to shoot the 1911, same drill loaded one round at a time till he was comfortable then he put 2 mags through the gun. I shot a bit more and so did he we were actually having fun...He was asking how far each would shoot and I'd say..."see that big boulder way up there?? (prolly near 200 yards or so out and up) watch....pling, pling, poof poof.....Wow was all he said. I asked the skeet fellas down the range if I could have a few disks they said sure and gave me about a dozen. I placed them on top of the target rails on the 10 yrd, 25 yrd 50 yrd target fences and afew on the ground leaning....We then proceeded to plink at them as well....I was alot of fun......I then got out the 3x5 index cards and stapled them all around the target fence posts and then shot 4 mags myself. Dad was having a great time....He didn't hit alot of targets but he did shoot..... alot...I may even get him to go with me again. Now my mom...that is a whole other story.....though she was asking mrsmack how she felt about having loaded guns in her house with the kids around. Mrsmack stated that she was fine with it as they were always in the safe and that the kids were used to seeing the guns and understand (as well as small children can) that they do not touch them. Mrsmack also mentioned to mom "wouldn't you feel much better knowing that your son's family was well protected from danger if it comes crashing in? Mom said yeah but...Well we'll continue to work on mom....
Sorry this was so long but.........thanks....mack......

 

[Sawdust]

Wonderful story, mack. Good on ya.

I'll bet even your mom joins you at the range one day.

Sawdust

 

[rayra]

sounds like a well executed discussion and outings, but I'm very surprised to read your age - I'm curious to know why such a discussion didn't occur decades ago? Are you 'new' to firearms yourself?

 

[mack69]

Re:

rayra, not new to guns or shooting. I started a bit late back when I was 17 as I was working for a repo man and a junk yard and carried car parts and lots of cash. Needed to carry a handgun for those special moments when the losers would get down right nasty or the BG's decided they wanted to take my load. Had lots of guns over the years and shot alot. But a nasty divorce took my playthings away in the early 90's. Just got back in the saddle so to speak earlier this year after my best friend gave me a gift of a NIB Beretta 92FS Centurion 9mm after my home was broken into over the holidays. Got me started all over again....mack

 

[WhiteKnight]

you don't just whip it out of the bag and start shooting.

That's never a good idea.

 

[stealthmode]

i like that story glad to hear families shooting together