New shooter

[Kevin G]

I’ve taken a young fellow, mid-late 20s to the range a few times. He’s relatively new to the area, a civil engineer who takes instruction very well. Shooting experience was a little bit of sand pits with college buddies.
I’ve purposely timed our sessions for when a good friend of mine is RSO, she’s an excellent instructress, a former school teacher. I back off and enjoy the experience as I believe two instructors is one too many.
I’ve brought a variety of handguns in several calibers, at this point he’s attracted to .22’s. He’s shot a 617, 17-5, a couple of vintage High Standard Supermatics and a model 41. At this point, surprise surprise, he prefers the model 41.
It’s really fun watching a motivated student.
Kevin G

 

[Bekeart]

AMEN!

two instructors is one too many

Good choice of pistols.

 

[Faulkner]

Good choice in handgun preference too.

 

[boykinlp]

I’ve taken a young fellow, mid-late 20s to the range a few times. He’s relatively new to the area, a civil engineer who takes instruction very well. Shooting experience was a little bit of sand pits with college buddies.
I’ve purposely timed our sessions for when a good friend of mine is RSO, she’s an excellent instructress, a former school teacher. I back off and enjoy the experience as I believe two instructors is one too many.
I’ve brought a variety of handguns in several calibers, at this point he’s attracted to .22’s. He’s shot a 617, 17-5, a couple of vintage High Standard Supermatics and a model 41. At this point, surprise surprise, he prefers the model 41.
It’s really fun watching a motivated student.
Kevin G

I love reading posts like this!
Larry

 

[kamloops67]

I have done this a number of times myself , like a firearm ambassador lol
Helping people start out in our sport is the most sure way of perpetuating it .even if they don’t become an enthusiast, they will have an understanding of the hobby and be more accepting or tolerant of others enjoying their legal pastime

 

[Rustyt1953]

...like a firearms ambassador...
Helping people start out in our sport is the most sure way of perpetuating it.

Truth! That is a great analogy. Using kindness, wit and gentle humor I paint as welcoming and reassuring a picture as I can to those new to firearms.

Kevin, kudos for being such an ambassador and paying it forward.

 

[somorris]

Way to go, Kevin!

 

[Golddollar]

This reminds me of a story from years ago I enjoy telling. I had a friend Ron in the Jaycees with me. Somehow I got to telling him about shooting bowling pins at the local club. Keep in mind that on paper, Ron's political associations would not appear to show him with any kind of interest in shooting, to put it mildly. But, Ron asked me if I would take him to the range to try shooting bowling pins. Without hesitation I said I would. So one day I picked him up and we went to the range. I took my S&W Model 624 in .44 Special, which I figured would be effective on the pins without a lot of recoil.

After a crash course about safety and how to aim a handgun, I let Ron start shooting at the pins. He started hitting the pins and taking them off the table. He had a ball. At one point he got a hammer bite on his hand, but to him, it was a battle scar to show off. He ended up taking one of the shot pins home as a trophy. I haven't seen him now in years but it sure is a great memory of taking a new shooter out to the range.

 

[gjgalligan]

About a month ago my son asked me to take his fiance (and him) shooting when they were here in Michigan from Denver CO. She is 43 and her only shooting experience was with a BB gun as a kid.
So I was ready to go when they got here and we went to the my sportsman club on a Friday afternoon and had the place all to ourselves.
Started with a 617 and followed with a 22a. Moved up to a lcr & sp101 in 32 S&W long. Next up was a Sig 365 and a p239 (9mm). Then I had her shoot my 342pd and a Model 66 (mild loads of 38spl).
I wanted to give an idea of the difference between revolvers & semi autos.
She finally said here arms were getting tired after about 2.5 hrs so just before we quit I let her shoot my p320 9mm with a red dot just to see how a red dot works.
I was calling her Annie Oakly by the time we were done! She did real well with ALL the guns for a first time shooter.
Only bad trait she showed was, like most women, she wants to lean back at the hips instead of forward. I sat behind her and just reminded here to lean forward when she slipped up.

I had as much, maybe more, fun teaching her then if I had been shooting myself!

My son was a couple of lanes over burning dad's ammo by himself.

Of course I got to do all the gun cleaning myself.