New on CTD blog: How to introduce new shooters, efficiently.

2 Responses to New on CTD blog: How to introduce new shooters, efficiently.

1. BritishHistorian says:

   March 6, 2012 at 12:20 am

   2 comments, based on my own very first range trips with friends:

   1. Bring several different types of guns. Both just to get the new shooter familiar with the range of firearms, and because people have very different hand sizes, arm length etc and just “taste”. You may find that, for instance, that they struggle with positions, etc with a .22 rifle, but surprise themselves by shooting a handgun well. (I’ve spent too much of my first 4 years as a shooter with handguns, because I enjoy them, and need to concentrate more on rifle practice. But a cheap .22 pistol is what got me shooting).

   2 .22’s are wonderful. But bring one or 2 centerfires, just so the shooter can say they’ve shot them. This may be more of a guy thing, but those who’ve never shot can still quote “Dirty Harry”… I probably shot a couple hundred rounds of .22 on my first range trip. But it was the 12 rounds of .44 Mag and the 30 rounds of .223 in the AR-15 that I made sure I got the photos of. Remember, having fun is what will make people think seriously about doing this again…

   I was very, very fortunate in befriending the local gun nut (ex-military, serious collector) in the first year after I moved to the USA from Britain (having never shot before). One day, he took me into his gun vault and said “so, what do you want to take out to the range?

   We drove out with 8 handguns (.22 revolver and pistol, .357 revolver. .44 Mag revolver, Berretta 92 and Walther PPK) and 3 rifles (.22 semi, AR-15, M1 Garand). We drove out to a local rock quarry and shot rocks, clays and golf balls. I’ve never looked back.

   Oh, and my favorite gun that day? S&W 317 Snubnose .22 revolver. My carry gun today? S&W Mod 38 Airweight .38 Special Snubnose revolver.
2. anonymous says:

   March 9, 2012 at 7:02 am

   You forgot one of the most important things needed to help introduce new shooters: friends who own land that you can shoot on.

   As you wrote on your blog a few months ago

   https://blog.olegvolk.net/2011/10/30/help-me-find-a-new-informal-range/
   Help me find a new informal range
   Posted on October 30, 2011 by Oleg Volk
   Usually, I shoot on farms that belong to friends. That’s perfect for teaching new shooters, as nobody else shoots near us, reactive targets like clays are possible, and photography is easy.
   The problem is that one of these farms is an hour from me, the other an hour and a half. They aren’t always available.
   …
   Oleg Volk says:
   October 30, 2011 at 11:10 pm
   The trouble with the indoor ranges is the increased noise level. Also, most formal ranges don’t allow movement, unconventional targets or calling a ceasefire to be able to explain a technique without shouting.

   Let’s face it: most shooting ranges are inconveniently located and suck. If the gun culture went out of its way to make the experience of going to a shooting range as unpleasant as possible, it could hardly do a better job than it is now.

   (This comment was originally posted at http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/?p=19471#comment-21305, but doesn’t appear now for some reason)

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