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Thread: My Daughter Wants Me to Teach Her to Shoot. Help Me Out

  1. #1
    Tactical Nobody Guerrero's Avatar
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    My Daughter Wants Me to Teach Her to Shoot. Help Me Out

    My teen daughter asked me to teach her to shoot, which came as a bit of a shock as I didn't prompt/push at all (well... ok, not much, but she did ask out of the blue... and the fact that my wife is pretty anti-gun, but begrudgingly accepts that we have them in the house).

    I feel fairly confident that I can muddle through the "Four Rules" ok, using @SouthNarc's expanded explanations to help out some.

    But, what then?

    I'm going to take her to a rural area on some friend's land where we can be outside, unhurried, be around friends, and avoid the whole gun-range environment.

    My first problem is that I only own a couple guns, and I want to introduce them in a way that won't make her apprehensive, especially about recoil/muzzle blast. Last summer, we shot up an aluminum can with a BB gun as an introduction. I was going to use:
    -a bolt-action .22LR (my mom's "squirrel popper")
    -an AR-15
    -a Beretta PX4CC
    Unfortunately, I don't own .22 handgun or anything like that. In what order should I do the guns? Obviously the BA .22 first, but what next?

    Other than the Four Rules, what else should I teach? How about stance? Should I have her shoot prone with the rifles and standing with the pistol?

    I obviously want this to be a positive experience, so help me out.

    Thanks.
    Last edited by Guerrero; 07-18-2018 at 02:00 PM.
    "The victor is not victorious if the vanquished does not consider himself so."
    ― Ennius

  2. #2
    Member ubervic's Avatar
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    I went through this a year or so ago with my then 20-yr-old daughter, my 15-yr-old daughter, and my wife. All know how much I enjoy the shooting sports, so they were very open to learning once I offered a mild invitation. I think they looked at it as getting to know more about what I like to do more than anything else.

    I spent about an hour in my finished basement with them before going to the range. The idea was to go over the Four Rules and to show them what to do and what not to do, everything from how to load a semi-auto, to sight picture / sight alignment, to general gun handling, to range etiquette. This was when i had a SIG SP2022 (TDA), and they all learned the difference between double-action and single-action.

    Once we got to the range, they all did great, exhibiting proper muzzle & trigger discipline, and even showing great form in hold, stance and follow-through. My wife, who always complains about her lack or coordination and skills, shot an absolute bullseye at 5 yds on her first trigger press. I was very proud of all, and they all found it very exciting.

    Even though they may not become avid shooters, they looked at it (and I treated it) as learning a new skill and making it fun. No pressure from me, only big, big positive feedback and praise when they performed as trained. They all got a big kick out of it.

    This weekend my two girls will attend a shotgun shooting class!

  3. #3
    Member Zincwarrior's Avatar
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    Oct 2016
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    Central Texas
    Get a bunch of water/Gatorade/cola plastic bottles and milk jugs. Fill them with water. Let her explode them. She will be a gun nut forever.

    Edit start with the .22. end with the AR.
    Last edited by Zincwarrior; 07-18-2018 at 01:46 PM.

  4. #4
    Looks to me like you now have the outstanding reason (notice I didn't say excuse!) to purchase a Ruger SR22, or S&W M&P Compact .22, or Ruger 22/45...Any of which is great way to introduce a new shooter to the pistol..Lighter weight, low recoil and noise... Great inexpensive practice and skill building..

    Have fun with her!!

    Semper Fi
    73
    Ed

  5. #5
    Member Peally's Avatar
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    Mar 2014
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    Wisconsin, USA
    Take it slow, safe, and have fun with it. Nothing wrong with a .22 and nothing wrong with taking a long time to move up to bigger calibres.
    Semper Gumby, Always Flexible

  6. #6
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    After the 4 rules, I like to spend time talking about realistic safety scenarios...

    -- When and under what circumstances are you allowed to handle any gun?
    ----- Parent expectations
    ----- Local laws
    -- What should you do if you are someplace with friends and a gun is introduced into the situation?
    -- What should you say to friends about dad/parents having guns?
    -- What are the potential ramifications of discussing guns in various public/private settings?
    -- Etc.

    Then.... empty gun handling.
    -- Parts of a gun and what they do
    -- Loading a magazine
    -- Slide manipulation (no live magazines!)
    -- Empty magazine manipulation
    -- Dry fire (following 4 rules)

    -- Other stuff that's relevant to you..

    Range time.
    "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." - Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Constitution, Draft 1, 1776

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Peally View Post
    Take it slow, safe, and have fun with it. Nothing wrong with a .22 and nothing wrong with taking a long time to move up to bigger calibres.
    So much this right here. One of my first dates with my wife was a sort of double date with another couple where we went shooting. (The other couple we're mutual friends that had introduced us). My wife had never shot at all before. I brought along a 22 rifle for her to use. The other guy decided it'd be great to have her shoot a 40 S&W pistol......to say Jared's future wife was not a fan was an understatement, and I had some difficulty getting her to shoot anything not a 22 for quite a while.

    In my own experience, when I was a kid, dad kept me on 22's for probably 18 months before I finally pestered him enough to let me shoot a center fire.

    The first range sessions should be about safety, responsibility, comfort, and fun, IMO. A rimfire manages the last two better than anything else without compromising the first two.

  8. #8
    Site Supporter
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    Erie County, NY
    Been there and I did have a 22 handgun but we went up to Glock 19 in the first session.

    Besides the rules, grip, sight picture and stance - I recommend:

    1. Drive fire the guns at home and do basic manipulations with empty magazines.
    2. For the first shot, only load ONE round! Do that a few times.
    3. Don't go for more than one shooting position - I'd skip prone for later.
    4. Have the targets close enough to get some easy reinforcement. William Tell for later.

    Is there a rental range nearby? So one could get a mild starter pistol?

  9. #9
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    Apr 2016
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    Santa Fe, NM
    22 LR rifle for now.

    they are cheap to shoot (more shooting!), almost no recoil, so she won't develop a bad flinch, and accurate enough to see results.

    nothing wrong with shooting at paper at 10-20 yards to start. when she can keep them all in the 10 ring, time to move the target back a bit.

    you could certainly show her one of your pistols, let her shoot just a few rounds, and then back to the 22 for now.

    that's what my progression was when i was a kid. years of 22 rifle. learn the basics, have fun, develop good habits and improve skills. only hits count, misses are just wasted ammo.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glenn E. Meyer View Post
    Been there and I did have a 22 handgun but we went up to Glock 19 in the first session.

    Besides the rules, grip, sight picture and stance - I recommend:

    1. Drive fire the guns at home and do basic manipulations with empty magazines.
    2. For the first shot, only load ONE round! Do that a few times.
    3. Don't go for more than one shooting position - I'd skip prone for later.
    4. Have the targets close enough to get some easy reinforcement. William Tell for later.

    Is there a rental range nearby? So one could get a mild starter pistol?
    All of this but especially #2.

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