Learning to shoot

[ivanwi11iams]

In my adventures of learning to shoot, I've watched quite a few videos starring Jerry Miculek.

Now I just bloody want to go shooting like Jerry Miculek! If only!
What are some of the way you've learned to shoot properly?

 

[ivanwi11iams]

This is just some serious shooting!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChSazF41q-s

 

[TucsonMTB]

Yes, I too am very impressed with Mr. Miculek.

For me, a mentor always helps, even if their advice is not perfect. He or she can point out what you are doing right and wrong while observing your shooting.

When my wife and I started shooting, we were fortunate to have fellow club member take an interest in us who has lots of experience both as competitive shooter and as an instructor. Trust me when I say you do NOT want to try to teach your wife to shoot.

Over the years, my shooting has become pretty good, thanks to positive criticism, usually invited, from many fellow shooters at our outdoor Pima Pistol Club range.

On a good day, my wife can often out shoot me. That's a good thing.

 

[Rastoff]

The NRA basic Pistol Class is excellent. A good instructor can teach it in about 6 or 7 hours.

 

[PastureOfMuppets]

YouTube videos are useful, but hands on instructors will raise your game a lot faster and safer.

+1 for starting out with NRA basic. You need the fundamentals to build on to get good.

 

[Fishinfool]

Load six rounds. Fire at target, concentrating on grip, sight alignment, and trigger pull.

Repeat ten thousand times.....

Larry

 

[ivanwi11iams]

Load six rounds. Fire at target, concentrating on grip, sight alignment, and trigger pull.



Repeat ten thousand times.....



Larry

LOL point taken.
As a beginner how far down range should one set the target?

 

[Ranger17]

since i'm still learning myself i begin each range trip at 5 yds then work my way out. I've had it told to me that it is best to start at a shorter distance and then move the targets out. Seems to work for me anyway; after all if i cant hit where i want at 5 yds, i'm only going to have more trouble at 10-20 yds.
I may end the session at a longer then normal distance for fun (talking with my .22's) but frankly my eyesight and accuracy seems to top out at 10-15 yds so far anyway.

 

[Eightblack]

I'm relatively new to handguns and I chose a company called Gunsite. Plenty of reviews on the web and they have been around for ages. I'm doing their pistol course in November.

 

[TucsonMTB]

As a beginner how far down range should one set the target?

For me, it depends on the type of handgun.

For double action, short sight plane, J-frame revolvers, about 7 yard works well. Closer is fine if your range allows it. Because it relies on earthen berms as back stops, our outdoor range mandates 7 yards or more at most of the shooting stations.

Larger, single action semi-automatics (e.g. 1911's) are just fine for us at 15 yards. The easier to use, single action trigger and effective sights make that distance practical and fun. It helps that the large .45 caliber holes are easy to spot. That said, closer targets are still worthwhile, especially at first.

Take your time and don't be shy about using some kind of a rest until you are comfortable with the sights and where the POI (Point of Impact) is relative to POA (Point of Aim) which seems to vary to gun to gun and even with changes in ammunition.

Binoculars can be useful if your eyes are older, like mine.

 

[Bumbury]

LOL point taken.
As a beginner how far down range should one set the target?

When im at the indoor range and if im shooting my shield9mm i useally will set the target at 7 yards as a standard.. praticing the possable threats you will meet carrying the shield the 5 to 10 yard setting is a good range...
Your range/distance to the target in your lane useally will vary depending on what your shooting.. pistol, rifle or shoty... and what you decide your practicing for the day... with a pistol i will start out with the 7 yard mark for a bit move to the 10/15 yard to get a bit of disatance shooting and for kicks to see how the gun/me is shooting i go all the way to the end 75'/25 yards
My range will allow you to draw and fire with a double tap with your HG (you have to take a 1hr safety course with them tho) so when i do that i range the target at 5 yards
Be creative/pratice with your distances at the range so you get familiar with your weapon at different distances so you enhance your skills

 

[g8rb8]

"Trust me when I say you do NOT want to try to teach your wife to shoot." TucsonMTB

"Load six rounds. Fire at target, concentrating on grip, sight alignment, and trigger pull. Repeat ten thousand times.....Larry"

"As a beginner how far down range should one set the target?"
naviwilliams

The advice from the above forum members is good but I might disagree with Tucson MTB as my marriage survived my teaching my wife to shoot. I am not an expert but by default I end up being the guy to teach family and friends the fundamentals of shooting. We are all plinkers. Most of my life I've taught various subjects and it seems most people learn best if you can keep it simple. For someone learning to shoot, after safety, the single most important thing to learn and practice is trigger control (IMO), a slow, steady, smooth, gradual squeezing on the trigger until after the shot is fired. For revolvers double action shooting will reinforce good trigger control. Success is very important. Consider starting with a .22 pistol. Start at 3-5 yards and do not move the target further out until you can consistently place all you shots in a small group, about 3" or less. When you become proficient at a distance then move the target back 1-2 yards at a time allowing your groups to get bigger by about 1/2" for each 1-2 yards you move the target back so that by 15 yards you might allow yourself a 5-6" group. Below is the first day of target shooting for my wife with the main coaching being trigger control - 6 rounds at 10 yards and 6 rounds at 12 yards.
John
Scoundrel and Ne'er-Do-Well in Training

 

[Watchdog]

What are some of the way you've learned to shoot properly?

My dad taught me firearms safety and how to shoot when I got my first air rifle back in the fifties..."It's a Daisy!" Dad typed up a list of ten things he called "The Ten Commandments of the Gun" and made me sign it before he even handed me the gun.

I later graduated to shooting dad's old Stevens 66 bolt action .22 that he'd bought in 1930. I still have the rifle, by the way. He taught me proper sight picture and breath control. Dad was a crack shot, having hunted small game with that .22 during the Great Depression to help feed his brothers and sisters.

Later in life, I picked up techniques from doing a lot of reading and practicing with the handguns I'd bought. Askins, Keith, Skelton, Jordan, and Cooper were all my "book mentors". The Weaver Stance was a revelation to me, and as I've aged I've modified it here and there to accomodate my own little shooting quirks.

Once I grew up, I became basically a self-taught shooter.

That said, dad's lessons and his "commandments" are just as valid today as they were fifty-five years ago.

 

[TucsonMTB]

The advice from the above forum members is good but I might disagree with Tucson MTB as my marriage survived my teaching my wife to shoot. I am not an expert but by default I end up being the guy to teach family and friends the fundamentals of shooting. . . .

You, kind sir, are the sort of mentor we should all seek out.

 

[revolver club prez]

In my adventures of learning to shoot, I've watched quite a few videos starring Jerry Miculek.

Now I just bloody want to go shooting like Jerry Miculek! If only!
What are some of the way you've learned to shoot properly?

In my shooting career , I have had to figure out the elements of marksman ship. Frist , the position of your feet governs where you will point your gun . If you shoot one handed or two it makes no difference . Next your grip , with the second and third finger of your shooting hand are the ones that grip the revolver or pistol , the little finger and thumb are just along for the ride . when you use your non shooting hand to support the gun your four fingers cup your shooting hand , keeping your thumbs tucked together .

 

[snubbyfan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIwVK_FxGZk