How have YOU introduced someone to shooting?

[normanvin]

i took a guy from work with me one year. we went to the boss's place to shoot clay birds. his wife screamed at him afterwards"shes one of those anti's".

he know own about a half a dozen pieces and has a ccw.

[Emptymag]

Thought I'd revive this again.

It's nice to hear about folks introducing someone to the world of firearms.
I enjoy seeing the different ways that it can happen... maybe someone else will be inspired by YOUR story?

(Any new stories from those who've posted before?)

[axmdr40]

<click> <click> <BOOM>


just kidding!

[PA_SIGpacker]

I took one of my wife's co-workers to the RAF range in Bristol. He had NEVER used a handgun, only a 22 rifle once as a kid. I reviewed safety and range operations with him and then familiarized him with the guns we'd be shooting. He ended up shooting better than half of the people there that night and had a total blast. He constantly asks when we're going again.

The best part of the evening was the look on his face when I took out my carry gun for us to shoot and he hadn't realized I was carrying.... I say this because he lives in NJ! Need I say more?

[Wynder]

I'm stoked.

My 14 year-old nephew is coming down from PA to visit me here in Delaware and our big thing for the weekend (Dec 1) is going to be hitting the range to teach him how to shoot. My sister is all about it and her recently divorced ex-husband (we'd gotten along during their marriage and he trusts me) is perfectly fine with it, so it's all a go!

I sent an email to my sister with a document to print out for him -- basically a cannibalization of this great blog post on rules, etiquette and other details. He knows there WILL be a verbal test before we hit the range...

I have it kind of planned out like this. When he gets here Friday night, I'll pull out my XD and have him hold it. Let him point it in a safe direction, work the slide, pull the trigger, explore the safeties until he's kinda 'bored' with it... he hasn't lived in an anti-family... quite the opposite, his dad was into deer hunting, but I figure it'll help take away the fascination that he, as a kid who has never really used a gun before, may have.

After that, I'll pull out the pad and show him how to disassembly, clean and reassemble going over some of the rules at this point. Once it's put back together, show him proper grip, figure out his dominant eye and how to get a good sight picture, breathing and trigger pull.

After that, I think he'll be ready for a good session the next morning at the range!
Start off with one round in the mag for the first 5 or 6 shots, then do five at a time, I figure 200 rounds or so of ammo will be a fun shoot... I'd LOVE to get a couple of 9mm blanks so I can teach him how to handle/clear malfunctions, but I refuse to buy overpriced dummies, so I'll have to see if someone can make me up a few, heh.

If you guys have any feedback or good techniques for teaching, please let me know!

[Emptymag]

Wynder,
Sounds great!


Only one thing I can suggest... Click here.
I tried not to do it, but I can't help myself!


Good luck with the new shooter!

[knight0334]

2 introductions for me.

1. An ex-fiancee' from many years ago: Her and I remained friends(after a short hate era), presently sorta seeing her again(not sure what is go'n on there).. well, she had always been very anti-gun. Raised in DC, acclimated to their media. After she had a bad spell with a violent boyfriend in the last year - she turned 180 degrees and pleaded with me to help her. So I gathered up some of my guns and went over to her house. I then taught her safe handling, firearm manipulation, and basic CYA laws. Then after a quick bit of range time - I offered her the choice of one of my pieces - so she ended up with my Bersa Thunder 380. She also applied for her LTCF within 2 weeks of the pistol transfer and now carries it. Whenever her and I stop in a gun shop to look she says something like "oh look, we can get matching his/hers guns".

2. The above ex's son: just a couple weeks ago I finally got permission to teach "Nik" how to shoot and the safety involved. Typical youth shoot happiness. He got to shoot 38spl snubbies, 22rf revolvers/rifles, 223 rifles, and some shotguns. He constantly nags me to take him back out.

[Wynder]

Originally Posted by Emptymag

Wynder,
Sounds great!


Only one thing I can suggest... Click here.
I tried not to do it, but I can't help myself!


Good luck with the new shooter!

BAH. I'm always careful about that, too -- edited.

[Duck]

Well, now you all know Bugman since he's gone to group shoots. He asked Bill about shooting, we took him to the range, and the rest is history. He's already bought a WASR-10 and has his LTCF.

SlickNick is another we introduced. I kept talking up shooting at work, about how much fun it is, and how great the group shoots are. She shot for the first time at a group shoot. Since then, she's also bought a gun and has her LTCF.

And then there's me. Bill and me got engaged, and I was of the frame of mind that I didn't care if he had them, I wasn't going to touch them. Then he had me shoot the AR-15 on New Years (into a safe backstop, aka shingle pile), and I've been hooked ever since.

[dogngun]

My wife was anti gun but was never exposed to firearms or even to any talk about firearms in any positive way.
Years ago, we were working in a drug rehab program for adolescents, and several of our "kids"threatened us (we know where you live,etc.).
At the time, we lived on an isolated farm house.
I bought a used .357 magnum revolver and taught my wife to shoot it by setting up small targets in the back yard.
After she found she could actually hit something with the gun, she loved it.

We were shooting several years later, and she shot my old S&W Model 15.
I never got it back, but I do get to clean it from time to time.

mark