Took my sales partner to the range on Friday. She wanted to learn how to shoot a handgun in case we go to another customer event at the range, that way she wouldn't look (as) awkward in front of customers and would have half a chance at being able to conduct business at the range and not just trying to figure out how to not shoot herself.
We actually had a classroom session in the office, I used the CA DOJ handbook and we reviewed safety and the various types of pistols and jargon, and what BS she might have picked up from the media. Next up was a dry fire practice session at home where should could work on loading/unloading/etc with some snap caps to get the feel of the mechanics without the noise of the range around her as well as working on sight picture, stance, grip, etc.
Finally we went to the local range where she rented a Ruger Mk 3 and gave it a try for real. She had a little trouble at first because she was using a full sized 1911 dry and the ruger has that half sized slide and the .22s are oddly harder for a novice to load than the .45s. After a while she was up and running and putting her shots in a 7" circle at 7 yards. I thought that was pretty good considering it was the first time she had ever touched a live firearm of any type and was pretty freaked out about the concept in general having grown up in ultra-liberal land.
She declined to try the 1911, and I think that was a smart choice. This way she's got positive memories of the trip and isn't afraid of recoil.
Oh, and just a tip. Ladies, when someone is taking you to the range and they say "wear jeans and sensible shoes", 4" heels are not sensible no matter how well you can walk in them. Yea, I know I said train like you fight but maybe get a few more rounds down range before adding crazy footwear into the mix.
That's my second new shooter in 12 months, I think Jim Scoutten would approve.
We actually had a classroom session in the office, I used the CA DOJ handbook and we reviewed safety and the various types of pistols and jargon, and what BS she might have picked up from the media. Next up was a dry fire practice session at home where should could work on loading/unloading/etc with some snap caps to get the feel of the mechanics without the noise of the range around her as well as working on sight picture, stance, grip, etc.
Finally we went to the local range where she rented a Ruger Mk 3 and gave it a try for real. She had a little trouble at first because she was using a full sized 1911 dry and the ruger has that half sized slide and the .22s are oddly harder for a novice to load than the .45s. After a while she was up and running and putting her shots in a 7" circle at 7 yards. I thought that was pretty good considering it was the first time she had ever touched a live firearm of any type and was pretty freaked out about the concept in general having grown up in ultra-liberal land.
She declined to try the 1911, and I think that was a smart choice. This way she's got positive memories of the trip and isn't afraid of recoil.
Oh, and just a tip. Ladies, when someone is taking you to the range and they say "wear jeans and sensible shoes", 4" heels are not sensible no matter how well you can walk in them. Yea, I know I said train like you fight but maybe get a few more rounds down range before adding crazy footwear into the mix.
That's my second new shooter in 12 months, I think Jim Scoutten would approve.
