Introducing New Shooter To Handguns

[Clay1]

I had a very interesting experience this weekend and thought that I would share it. It is interesting in the Chinese sense of the word.

I am almost evangelical in my promoting of the shooting sports and never miss an opportunity to introduce someone who is new to the hobby or new to firearms. I have shown many people how to shoot in the past. My son's girlfriend was with us this weekend and had never shot any type of firearm ever.

I went over basic stance, grip, sight picture, trigger control, muzzle control and safety in the house before we ever went outside with the gun. I had her dry fire the weapon, my G34, a couple of times so that she would get a feel for when the trigger would actually fire.

At the line, ready to shoot, last minute safety instructions given. I fire a round so that she could hear what the report would be like so that it wouldn't be a surprise. I put a magazine in the gun and chambered a round. Then I felt that I didn't have any experience with this shooter so I removed the magazine, making the gun in effect a single shot. I'm standing close to the shooter so I could control her arm if need be, but everything went well on the dry firing so I think this is going to be just like any other introduction.

Stance if fine, finger outside of the trigger guard is great, she aims and releases the shot. When the gun goes off she screams, jumps straight back and points the muzzle at her feet. She actually jumped so far that I had to put my arm out so that she didn't end up up range of me and partically catch her. Damn, young girls can move fast.

The point of this post is that my initial precaution of loading one single round in that gun until the shooter became more familiar with the situation could have diverted a nightmarish outcome.

She went on (with another instruction on muzzle control) to shoot more and hit her target just fine. I just felt like posting this for any of you who might want to initiate any brand spanking new shooter out there. Single shot is the only way to go until some history is there.

[3quartertime]

Great info, thank you...

[mpolans]

Another thing to do is to start folks off with a .22 ...no recoil means less chance of flinching (and it's cheaper!) Red dots also make it easier/less discouraging.

Ruger Mk IIs with a ProPoint are great for starting folks shooting.

Edited November 26, 2005 by mpolans