Newbie Got Schooled (Is Shooting Really Like Golf?)

Today marks the 29th day since I started shooting. I celebrated by taking a 3-hour course at the range, "Introduction to Handguns." I found it very informative, but frustrating as well.

The first thing the instructor advised me was to shoot my M&P Pro until I got proficient with it, and only then move to my CC pistol, a Sig P938. I had been using the Sig as my primary, thinking I needed to get proficient with that, first.

I learned a lot about grip; I had my supporting hand thumb too far back on the frame; that my supporting hand thumb and index finger on my strong hand should effectively be parallel to one another.

Trigger pull is the issue I have the most trouble getting. I've been one of those "low and left" shooters, which I've learned is mostly trigger pull and sympathetic reflex. I was given a couple of training tips, too:

• Dry fire at home (and maybe even at the range) balancing a spent cartridge on the barrel of the gun. Do it so you can pull the trigger without dropping the casing. When you get good enough, move the casing onto the front sight (if it will fit).
• Use snap caps along with live rounds, in a random pattern, so that I won't know when shooting when a round will be live or blank. This should let me focus more on the aim than anticipating the shot. There is a term he used for this interspersing of snap caps and live rounds, but I can't recall it.

I did learn that private instruction is available, and I might just do that. I'll be traveling to no-man's land (California) in a couple of weeks, so I won't be able to do that until I return.

Has anyone followed a shooting trajectory along these lines? I don't want to be a competition-quality shooter, but I do want to consistently hit a tight group on target. That's not wrong, is it?

It's kind of like golf...

I've been shooting for over 65 years so my trajectory is different. But you are off to a great start to get instruction and training. And there are some similarities to golf: stance, grip, follow through. Maybe others. I'm not a golfer but that's what guys tell me.

fpuhan said:

It's kind of like golf...

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Well, if you show up to shoot in pastel plaid pants, a sleeveless sweater, and a knitted cap w/ a fluffy ball on top it and you have someone else carry your handgun then, yes, it is kinda is like golf.

Otherwise, no, it is not like golf.

I've played golf for 50 years. Golf is indeed quite a bit like shooting. You're trying to put an object to a specific spot and from various distances. This takes precision and eye to hand coordination. To hit a tin can at 100 yards or to put a ball in a hole from 10 feet are probably equal. Hiting an X from 300 yards, 1000 yards takes precision much like hitting a driver 280 yards into a fairway, even more so if you work it left to right into a dogleg. I've played a lot of golf and in 50 years I've had three hole in ones. Two from about 170 yards. It's all from that part of the mind that strives for perfection.

Making a putt for a dollar is comparable to hitting the target when you really need to.

They are alike in that both are incredibly expensive hobbies.

Because you are on your 29th day of shooting, a piece of advise, do your dry firing carefully, especially at home! If you handle the gun at home, cleaning, dry firing as you said, remove ALL ammunition from the room you are doing the dry firing, clear weapon, and above all do not point the weapon at anything you do not wish to destroy!

An unintended discharge is only a finger pull away! Unintended discharges, unloaded guns, etc. have harmed or killed many people! No one is immune to a lapse in memory, so be aware. Some very famous gunhandlers, LEOs, gunwriters, trainers, armorer's, etc. have had fatal accidents with firearms.
Only one unintended discharge has happened to me, SO FAR, and it turned me off to one of the most popular and respected, firearm types ever.

Be careful out there - Phil Esterhaus

There are a few differences....

I find golf to be expensive for what I get out of it. Shooting and reloading can get expensive, but I feel good about what I get out of it.

The atmosphere and the people. I don't care for the country club golf crowd. The shooting bunch is like here. And I'm glad I don't have a job where I'm obligated to play golf with

One positive for golfing is that you can find a golf course ANYWHERE, while shooting ranges are getting fewer.

Shooting and reloading has much more technical stuff to play with over golfing.

The haven't invented indoor golf yet but I can shoot or reload when it's raining.

I'm tolerable shootier.......and an intolerable golf player. My wife it worse than me. I can get her to shoot, but I've can't get her to play golf,

finesse_r said:

They are alike in that both are incredibly expensive hobbies.

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When I played golf(poorly) I lost a lot of golf-balls.

The first thing the instructor advised me was to shoot my M&P Pro until I got proficient with it, and only then move to my CC pistol, a Sig P938. I had been using the Sig as my primary, thinking I needed to get proficient with that, first

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.
I was a Cop 35 years. I was a Range Officer 15 years. I was an instructor at a private company for 3 years. Why would you put all of your first effort into the gun you will NOT be carrying? Unless he has stock in the company?

walkinghorse said:

Because you are on your 29th day of shooting, a piece of advise, do your dry firing carefully, especially at home! If you handle the gun at home, cleaning, dry firing as you said, remove ALL ammunition from the room you are doing the dry firing, clear weapon, and above all do not point the weapon at anything you do not wish to destroy!

An unintended discharge is only a finger pull away! Unintended discharges, unloaded guns, etc. have harmed or killed many people! No one is immune to a lapse in memory, so be aware. Some very famous gunhandlers, LEOs, gunwriters, trainers, armorer's, etc. have had fatal accidents with firearms.
Only one unintended discharge has happened to me, SO FAR, and it turned me off to one of the most popular and respected, firearm types ever.

Be careful out there - Phil Esterhaus

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Extremely good advice, and it's cardinal, so no matter how many times it's said, it's pertinent.

Yes, I said "cardinal." As in the Cardinal rule: ALWAYS ASSUME A FIREARM IS LOADED. As part of training my "muscle memory," every time I pick up my pistol, I remove the magazine, snap the slide and make sure it's empty. Even if it was just five minutes ago that I was handling it.

I want my checking to become automatic. The five rules as listed by my instructor are:

1. Treat every firearm as if it's loaded.
2. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger.
3. Never point at anything you do not intend to destroy/kill.
4. Keep the safety engaged.
5. Know your target and what's behind it and in front of it.

Not listed, but I think as equally important, is that when handing a gun to someone, it should be done in a manner that could not in any way seem threatening or dangerous (e.g., barrel down, slide open, hand nowhere near the trigger assembly/held by the slide)

FastFossil said:

When I played golf(poorly) I lost a lot of golf-balls.

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Me too. In fact I also lost almost as many golf balls as I do bullets, and they cost about as much as quality bullets.

Good advise on the shooting end of it so I will address the "like golf" side of it. I am of the opinion that shooting is nothing like golf as there are no sights on a golf club!

Good luck and may you have a lifetime of fun shooting. I can pick up any firearm and be somewhat proficient with it. Golf clubs, not so much....with any of them. Man, I wish I knew the proper form to hitting an iron shot off the ground.