Keep it light and fun. Some of us (me) forget that shooting is recreational for most folks.
Other point is to bring a good camera. Lots of folks like to see pics of themselves shooting, especially if it's new or a one time thing.
Keep it light and fun. Some of us (me) forget that shooting is recreational for most folks.
Other point is to bring a good camera. Lots of folks like to see pics of themselves shooting, especially if it's new or a one time thing.
It's good to mention that the ear protection and range noise may mean you have to yell, and the fact that you're yelling doesn't mean you're angry.
Thanks everyone; you all raised good points. I'll make sure I ascertain what she would like to get out of it, and work from there in the balance of fun and learning. One round at a time is also wise advice, especially with a semiauto or a DA revolver.
As for your point about instructor credentials, Todd, I completely understand what you're saying, and I agree that it would be ideal for every new shooter's first range session to be in the company of an instructor. However, I don't see it as necessary at all, especially if the goal is more "fun" than "skill". As long as the person instructing can convey and enforce basic safety rules and techniques, and keep it fun and realistic, it's a shame not to introduce someone to shooting.
ETA: The range in question is a members only outdoor range, and it is very likely that we will have the place to ourselves.
Last edited by Le Français; 11-19-2011 at 10:17 PM. Reason: my grammar is weak
I agree with the:
1) Safety
2) Fun!
crowd. If this is their first time, and you only have a couple of hours, they aren't going to be great no matter how you teach them. So, building strong safety instincts, and making sure that they have fun (for example, picking targets they will be successful with that blow up nicely) is probably the best thing to do.
I also strongly suggest started with the firearm on a bag (not a pro bench rest, just a bag) so that they don't have to worry about stance or anything---just sights and trigger. After that seems easy, have them stand but brace their support arm on a post/tree or something. After that---offhand shooting at fun, larger targets.
When I start new shooters with pistols, I never use red dots (which some people disagree with). Dots mean that people watch the target, and ingraining that early means they have a REALLY hard time later getting any sort of front sight focus. I tend to stick with iron sights on rifles for the same reason, though it is less of an issue considering how many rifles are shot these days with scopes and dots of various types.
As with anything, being safe and learning how to stay safe should be the first steps. I use a lot of examples of safety violations, related accidents and humor when getting the rules of safety across to the new shooter. I also like to set up a target (melon, tube of hamburger, ammo can full of water, etc) and shoot it, I do this to drive home the dangers involved with firearms and why safety is so important.
As for instruction on the fundamentals, make it as fun as you can. Try and keep it just you and the new shooter (keep the know-it-all and their advice away). Keep the instruction short and sweet, don’t over load the shooter with information or bounce around with too many topics. The idea is to make it a safe, fun and an accomplishment type experience. Always finish the session off with an easy, rewarding course of fire that allows the new shooter to walk away with an outstanding performance/experience to remember. If their interest grows from there, than by all means pile it on and pass on every bit of knowledge you have. However, if the experience was great but the interest is not there, at least you know you did everything you can do to spark it.
I wish you well with this and thank you for taking the initiative in preparing and introducing a new person to shooting.
Thank you very much, Joseph.Originally Posted by Joseph Bell
The range session is a go for this afternoon, and I'll let you all know how it went. One thing is sure: it will be much better than it would have been if I had not started this thread. For that I'm grateful.
So with absolutely no intent to direct this toward Le Français or anyone else in particular, I just spent 90 minutes at the range reinforcing my believe that far too many unqualified people think "bring a friend to the range" is cool without ever giving a moment's thought to safety.
First, apparently there was a big gun show this weekend. If I'd known that, it would have been the final straw breaking my already weak motivation to hit the range today in the first place. The first day (Monday) and evening (Wednesday) that the range is open after a gun show is like a carnival of the absurd. I finally left after the fifth person pointed a gun at me. Fifth. Five. One two three four five people in an hour and a half.
Four of the five were either brand new shooters there to have fun with an idiot "instructor" whose idea of safety was little more than "I aint never shot nobody on accident." The other was a patron who, for the third time in a row, had to receive severe remedial attention from the range staff because he just literally cannot get it through his frakking head that pointing loaded guns at strangers on the range is BAD.
What do you think it would have taken for any of the aforementioned muzzlers to get booted? Or is there no hard and fast tipping point and it's all range staff discretion?
I was pretty close to hitting the range today, I'm glad I didn't.
I'm not privy to that information. If they have a bright line, I've never personally witnessed it. The repeat offender today was so bad that I actually went to the ROs and tattled on him rather than waste my time (again) trying to deal with it myself (again) so instead the ROs talked to him (again) and then the very next thing he did was put his loaded gun down on the table pointed right at me. So I complained (again). And they told him to be careful (again).
There may have been threats of ejection with the final RO visit, however, because the offender shaped up and behaved the rest of the day until he was done, when he then muzzled everyone (including his shooting buddy) every time he put a gun away in his range bag.
Yes, you are.
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