Taking a friend to the range tomorrow for the first time!

[Pro2A]

...and he is from New Jersey and has never held a gun in his life, but he seems very eager to learn. Today I printed him out 10 rules of gun safety and went over them with him and instructed him to go over them tonight. Tomorrow I plan on re-iterating those gun safety points with unloaded firearms while teaching him the basic fundamentals and allowing him to get familiar with the guns he will be shooting before we even put live ammo into the mix.

This is a one day thing so it's not like he will be back multiple times. We will have a few hours and I hope by the end of our trip he can have a few holes in the paper downrange.

Does anyone have any pointers for mentoring a first timer that I have not already pointed out above?

[jcabin]

This is how the guys over on the pa ZRT forum train, maybe you could take some tips?

[Statkowski]

I do hope the idiots inside the car had some decent hearing protection.

Then again, they're idiots. Let's just hope they don't reproduce.

[Rodolfo Fierro]

Good move on going over the safety rules first. Next is the nomenclature of the guns parts. Determine his/her dominant eye. Then use some snap caps and have them hold the gun and dry fire at a target. If you doubt that they got a point then repeat it in a different way. Have them keep their feet apart the same distance as their sholders are wide. For breathing I like a full breath, in and out, followed by another one in and half out. This gives 5-8 seconds to try and be still. Teach him/her to pick the gun up with their trigger finger along the frame, not in the trigger gaurd! Have them try to keep the gun steady as they pull the trigger. When you go on to the range WATCH THE GUN (not the target). If they seem to be flinching, then mix a snap cap or two in the magazine or cylinder. Students never beleive that they are flinching without seeing it.

[Yoder]

Trust me on this one: LOAD ONLY 1 ROUND the first time he shoots the gun. After a couple shots with only one round in the gun and nothing stupid happens, then load it up. The recoil surprises people and sometimes they do stupid things even when the know better. I've seen people turn completely around finger on the trigger to tell you how cool it was. Best one was a Japanese guy, he fired one shot then turned the gun on himself to look down the barrel of a loaded gun in amazement. I thought I was going to see his brains splatter on the wall.

[tlgpa]

Trust me on this one: LOAD ONLY 1 ROUND the first time he shoots the gun. After a couple shots with only one round in the gun and nothing stupid happens, then load it up.

This would be my advice as well.
Of course it mostly applies to semi autos. Not as important in a bolt action rifle or revolver.

[Yoder]

This would be my advice as well.
Of course it mostly applies to semi autos. Not as important in a bolt action rifle or revolver.

Same would apply with a revolver. When you pull the trigger the cylinder advances and it's ready to go. If it's SA then not as much of a worry.

[tlgpa]

Same would apply with a revolver. When you pull the trigger the cylinder advances and it's ready to go. If it's SA then not as much of a worry.

Yes but you still have to pull the trigger enough to advance the cylinder an cock the hammer. Not nearly as easy to accidentally fire off a 2nd or 3rd round as in a semi auto.

[rwb1500]

Trust me on this one: LOAD ONLY 1 ROUND the first time he shoots the gun. After a couple shots with only one round in the gun and nothing stupid happens, then load it up. The recoil surprises people and sometimes they do stupid things even when the know better. I've seen people turn completely around finger on the trigger to tell you how cool it was. Best one was a Japanese guy, he fired one shot then turned the gun on himself to look down the barrel of a loaded gun in amazement. I thought I was going to see his brains splatter on the wall.

Agreed. I usually do this with my girlfriend when I get a new gun if I think recoil or muzzle blast will be an issue. She knows how to handle a gun safely, but sometimes I worry she will be scared by something that recoils a lot and do something stupid. Thankfully she never has.

With new shooters I like to give a 45 minute lecture before we even touch any hardware, but I'm a bit anal. Plus, I don't want any injuries\ bad experiences on my hands. It sounds like you're doing it right. Just don't hand them a light weight .44 magnum for their first time on the firing line. .22 pistols are good for many things...