Teaching those who have no experience with firearms and dealing with a pushy husband.

[jrbfishn]

When I teach, other than safety, I have only ONE absolute. Grip. After that, I try to get people relaxed. And keep them that way. I try to keep everything fun. I am less concerned with accuracy at first than I am consistancy and confidence. I do teach stance, but that no matter what I teach them they will have to adapt it to their body.
Above all, I try not to be judgemental or condecending of them. I want them relaxed, consistant, confident and above all, have fun.
One thing I stress, no matter why you go to the range, end the day with fun. Take something you can shoot cheap and easy and just BLAST. A couple of mag dumps, rapid fire a 22lr at a soda can or something. Do something just for the hell of it. If all you do is work at it, it gets very tedious very fast.
It is not hard to do. The mechanics of shooting are easy and not magical. Relax, be confident and consistant. With those 3, accuracy WILL follow. Be patiant.

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[jrbfishn]

Quick story.
My wife had never fired a gun. Ever. For a wedding present, I took both families to the range. Finally talked my wife into trying a 22lr single shot rifle. Showed her how it worked, how to aim,,all the normal stuff. Get positioned at a table and line up her shots. Got her shooting. Gave her encouragement, not pointing out mistakes, and just let her shoot. And have fun. After about 25 rounds I sat at the spectators tables in the shade.
For someone that was nervous and did not want to shoot, she went through over 300 rounds that day. Did pretty good too. And had fun.

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[red442joe]

Curious... what is your hypothesis of why that is?

In my experience; no machismo.

Joe

 

[MountainGirl]

In my experience; no machismo.

Joe

That.

p.s...I went back and fixed my post. I shoot 90% with my bow. Nowhere near that with guns. Sorry, no excuses for sloppy posting.

 

[Chewbacca7685]

When I teach, other than safety, I have only ONE absolute. Grip. After that, I try to get people relaxed. And keep them that way. I try to keep everything fun. I am less concerned with accuracy at first than I am consistancy and confidence. I do teach stance, but that no matter what I teach them they will have to adapt it to their body.
Above all, I try not to be judgemental or condecending of them. I want them relaxed, consistant, confident and above all, have fun.
One thing I stress, no matter why you go to the range, end the day with fun. Take something you can shoot cheap and easy and just BLAST. A couple of mag dumps, rapid fire a 22lr at a soda can or something. Do something just for the hell of it. If all you do is work at it, it gets very tedious very fast.
It is not hard to do. The mechanics of shooting are easy and not magical. Relax, be confident and consistant. With those 3, accuracy WILL follow. Be patiant.

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This is the way. With my wife I just keep an eye on safety and grip otherwise I just let her shoot and tell her where she’s hitting. If she’s hitting the plate, that’s all that matters for now. If she asks about something I’ll answer otherwise I just try to provide encouragement. When we get to go more often she wants to try some basic drills and stuff it stays relaxed and fun. And like you said, we always end the trip on something fun or at least a good hit.

Side note about family. We were at an indoor range a couple months ago and there was a guy with his young boy in the booth next to us. We’d constantly hear him yelling at the kid “how many shots did you fire” “how many rounds are left in the mag” “don’t lie” etc. and they were shooting at least a 9mm. Then he would take a video for social media and be as nice as he could be. We’d see the boy wander off the line while the dad was shooting and watch us since we were smiling and having fun and mostly shooting 22 that day. He didn’t look happy at all. We wanted to see if we could invite him to shoot one of our 22s but decided to stay out of it. I told the wife that kid is going to hate going shooting. She agreed.


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[benenglish]

...that kid is going to hate going shooting...

Clueless adults can insidiously hurt children in ways so mind-bogglingly numerous that no one can ever account for them all.

The scenario you described breaks my heart.

 

[jrbfishn]

Mine too.
As long as the kid is being safe and hitting even close, if they are having fun, I am happy as hell. Praise what they do good, encourage to improve what they need too to gain confidence. But above all, have fun.
Many people think I am kidding or weird when they ask how much they owe me for teaching their wife or kid how to shoot. Nothing. Not a dime.
The pride and smile of accomplishment is worth more than their money.
Those that know mw well know I love that look on kids especially.


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[Moonpie]

This post reminds me of an episode I personally witnessed at the local gun club.
Father & son team show up at the bench next to mine. 100yd range.
Dad about 40. Son maybe 10yrs old.
Dad pulls out a Bubba deer blaster bolt gun.
Lightweight hunting rifle in some 30 cal mag caliber. Huge scope on it. Scope set WAY high.
Only gun he brought.
Starts in on the boy to shoot it. Boy cranks of a shot and gets the snot knocked out of him by recoil.
Boy now afraid of the gun. Dad is roaring and carrying on about the boy being a wimp. Dad demands son get back on the bench and "shoot like a man."
Boy is literally crying and afraid to shoot the rifle. He does a couple of times doing the Hold it way forward off my shoulder and closed eye thing.
Of course target is safe. No holes in it. Ol' Dad is raging like a fool.
That boy was traumatized. Probably never touched a rifle again. I have no idea.
It was an awful scene. I regret to this day I didn't say something.

 

[leVieux]

I've been a member at a range and know a few instructors plus the owner. My wife said she wanted to learn to shoot and I mentioned it to her current instructor. We dropped by on a Saturday, they met and set up next day for a one-on-one, classroom first of course, then the range. He chose a Glock 44 (22 caliber) from the rental section and said she was a natural as I was busy taking videos and pics from behind a large window. I learned from him and my own observations that it's not usualy a good idea for a husband or boy friend to try and teach his woman how to shoot. Most men in that situation have been shooting for years and automatically think they are a good instructor. Women have a natural built-in resistance to her man to begin with, that Mars and Venus thing. When he starts trying to teach her something, whether about cars or something around the house, the flags go up. Trying to teach her about gun safety and shooting, all she sees is condescension. However, another man as instructor is different. How many stories the instructors have heard about the guy taking her out to the country to fire his 9mm or 44 magnum for her first experience. Bad idea ! I told her instructor to let her try my 9mm after several lessons as I stayed behind the window observing. After a few shots she wanted her Glock 22 caliber back. She was doing just fine until I interjected saying she should move on up and get something more powerful, that a 22 won't stop the bad guy. .Now she doesn't seem to like going anymore. Guys, butt out and let her take her time with her instructor she has learned to trust

<>

I don’t mind teaching, but my expertise w/ handguns was 45 years ago. Its been decades since I fired over 50 rounds from a pistol in a week.

If an instructor is involved, I leave them alone for the lessons. That said, not all ‘’instructors’’ are equal.

We now have so many qualified and ‘’good’’ instructors; choose wisely.

<>

 

[Cool 'Horn Luke]

This post reminds me of an episode I personally witnessed at the local gun club.
Father & son team show up at the bench next to mine. 100yd range.
Dad about 40. Son maybe 10yrs old.
Dad pulls out a Bubba deer blaster bolt gun.
Lightweight hunting rifle in some 30 cal mag caliber. Huge scope on it. Scope set WAY high.
Only gun he brought.
Starts in on the boy to shoot it. Boy cranks of a shot and gets the snot knocked out of him by recoil.
Boy now afraid of the gun. Dad is roaring and carrying on about the boy being a wimp. Dad demands son get back on the bench and "shoot like a man."
Boy is literally crying and afraid to shoot the rifle. He does a couple of times doing the Hold it way forward off my shoulder and closed eye thing.
Of course target is safe. No holes in it. Ol' Dad is raging like a fool.
That boy was traumatized. Probably never touched a rifle again. I have no idea.
It was an awful scene. I regret to this day I didn't say something.

What shame. Some people just aren't cut out to be a parent. Probably best you didn't say anything, would've just blown up in your face.

 

[Chewbacca7685]

This post reminds me of an episode I personally witnessed at the local gun club.
Father & son team show up at the bench next to mine. 100yd range.
Dad about 40. Son maybe 10yrs old.
Dad pulls out a Bubba deer blaster bolt gun.
Lightweight hunting rifle in some 30 cal mag caliber. Huge scope on it. Scope set WAY high.
Only gun he brought.
Starts in on the boy to shoot it. Boy cranks of a shot and gets the snot knocked out of him by recoil.
Boy now afraid of the gun. Dad is roaring and carrying on about the boy being a wimp. Dad demands son get back on the bench and "shoot like a man."
Boy is literally crying and afraid to shoot the rifle. He does a couple of times doing the Hold it way forward off my shoulder and closed eye thing.
Of course target is safe. No holes in it. Ol' Dad is raging like a fool.
That boy was traumatized. Probably never touched a rifle again. I have no idea.
It was an awful scene. I regret to this day I didn't say something.

It’s such a shame that in that one moment, he may have created not only someone who doesn’t like shooting, but even a future vote against us or at least someone who’ll be willfully ignorant to what firearms represent to us. Im sure he started with good intentions but some people just need to have enough self awareness to realize they need to let someone else do the teaching right off the bat.


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[Ausländer]

I've taught more than a few NRA classes (yes, I know they are basic) and we ALWAYS separated folks who came to the class together once we got to the practical handling and live fire portions of the course.

Regarding some other comments, I would agree that women were the better students and the better shot in many cases. Most men came in thinking they knew what they were doing, were .mil/.gov/LE, just didn't want to be embarrassed, had bad habits, etc.. many different reasons. Those that came in with that attitude didn't pay attention and probably didn't learn very much.

The majority of the women (even the ones that didn't want to be there) listened to everything you said and took it literally. Example: If you said to drop the magazine, they would drop it - guys tended to pull them out and put them in their pocket or on the bench.

There are always exceptions, but this has been my experience so far. YMMV

 

[Charley]

Wife carries a Kel-Tec P32, based on size and recoil. Her house gun is a Makarov. She often quotes Scarlett Ohara's comments about her using a gun for defense..."I can shoot straight, as long as I don't have to shoot too far."

She tried a friend's Glock 19 once, absolutely hated it.

 

[General Zod]

This post reminds me of an episode I personally witnessed at the local gun club.
Father & son team show up at the bench next to mine. 100yd range.
Dad about 40. Son maybe 10yrs old.
Dad pulls out a Bubba deer blaster bolt gun.
Lightweight hunting rifle in some 30 cal mag caliber. Huge scope on it. Scope set WAY high.
Only gun he brought.
Starts in on the boy to shoot it. Boy cranks of a shot and gets the snot knocked out of him by recoil.
Boy now afraid of the gun. Dad is roaring and carrying on about the boy being a wimp. Dad demands son get back on the bench and "shoot like a man."
Boy is literally crying and afraid to shoot the rifle. He does a couple of times doing the Hold it way forward off my shoulder and closed eye thing.
Of course target is safe. No holes in it. Ol' Dad is raging like a fool.
That boy was traumatized. Probably never touched a rifle again. I have no idea.
It was an awful scene. I regret to this day I didn't say something.

The first gun I shot (I think I was 8) was a .380 cal Llama IIIA, with minimal instruction from my father, completely unprepared for recoil and the noise. I didn't freak out or anything, but I didn't like it and had enough with that single shot that hit nowhere near the target. Dad didn't make a big deal of it (a miracle, that) and I suspect my mother jumped on him later for putting the pistol in my hand with me unprepared and unaware that I would be shooting that day.

Next birthday rolled around, and I got my first BB gun (a pneumatic Daisy pistol). Dad taught me to shoot it, and Mom taught me to aim and hit my target. Got another BB gun that Christmas - a Daisy rifle. A couple of years later, a Crosman "Colt Python" CO2 pellet pistol and a Daisy "Powerline" break-barrel rifle. Around that time, I was confident in my shooting skills and asked my dad about maybe trying a real firearm again. So he broke out...his Winchester 74 semiauto .22 rifle. And I had a great time shooting cans with it. Then the M1 Carbine. Then...the Llama IIIA, which became by go-to hiking gun all through my teenage years.

A lot of teaching a kid to shoot is having the kid ready to give it a try instead of telling them they're ready...and starting with an appropriate firearm.

 

[Axxe55]

The first gun I shot (I think I was 8) was a .380 cal Llama IIIA, with minimal instruction from my father, completely unprepared for recoil and the noise. I didn't freak out or anything, but I didn't like it and had enough with that single shot that hit nowhere near the target. Dad didn't make a big deal of it (a miracle, that) and I suspect my mother jumped on him later for putting the pistol in my hand with me unprepared and unaware that I would be shooting that day.

Next birthday rolled around, and I got my first BB gun (a pneumatic Daisy pistol). Dad taught me to shoot it, and Mom taught me to aim and hit my target. Got another BB gun that Christmas - a Daisy rifle. A couple of years later, a Crosman "Colt Python" CO2 pellet pistol and a Daisy "Powerline" break-barrel rifle. Around that time, I was confident in my shooting skills and asked my dad about maybe trying a real firearm again. So he broke out...his Winchester 74 semiauto .22 rifle. And I had a great time shooting cans with it. Then the M1 Carbine. Then...the Llama IIIA, which became by go-to hiking gun all through my teenage years.

A lot of teaching a kid to shoot is having the kid ready to give it a try instead of telling them they're ready...and starting with an appropriate firearm.

some of these remind me of idiot husbands and boyfriends who think it's funny to stick some large bore pistol into a women's hands and watchher try and shoot the thing!

 

[Chewbacca7685]

some of these remind me of idiot husbands and boyfriends who think it's funny to stick some large bore pistol into a women's hands and watchher try and shoot the thing!

I do enjoy watching that classic video of some skinny broad in a bra bopping herself in the head with a desert eagle.


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[V-Tach]

Few things piss me off more than folks putting a gun in someone's hand who isn't experienced enough to shoot it. safely. I don't find women getting hurt funny....at all.......

jmho.....

 

[red442joe]

Mine too.
As long as the kid is being safe and hitting even close, if they are having fun, I am happy as hell. Praise what they do good, encourage to improve what they need too to gain confidence. But above all, have fun.
Many people think I am kidding or weird when they ask how much they owe me for teaching their wife or kid how to shoot. Nothing. Not a dime.
The pride and smile of accomplishment is worth more than their money.
Those that know mw well know I love that look on kids especially.


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This^^^

Joe

 

[SARGE67]

My son several years ago was introducing his wife to shotguns out on their acreage in Kaufman County. He had loaded some easy bird shot and fired off several rounds to show her how easy it was. He then reloaded for her but the first round was a 00 Buck he slipped in. She is a tiny gal and it knocked her on her butt (literally) as it would anyone unsuspecting. He thought it was hilarious, laughing his azz off, she saw no humor at all. I had to once again inform my son he's a dumb azz.......

 

[SARGE67]

https://texasguntalk.com/attachments/92a0063c-47fb-4e73-a7bf-63b32de964f7-gif.340223/