Firearm phobics: not beyond reach...

[DL]

Hi all,

Newbie-slash-lurker here for the past couple of months. I wanted to pass on an experience I had last weekend and get you guys' take on it.

A bored friend called and asked if I was doing anything. I just happened to be getting ready to head out to the range with a hunting rifle and a couple of pistols. (Okay, Ruger .30-06, .41 mag revolver, .40 S&W).

My friend is a classic left-coast liberal, bright in many ways, but with a limited worldview, and no experience with firearms other than what he's seen on TV and in the movies. In other words, he's never seen anyone handle a firearm without a gunfight or some gruesome murder taking place as a direct consequence.

I told him I was headed for the gun range, and would he like to come along? Ulp. He was brave - or he didn't want me thinking he was a *complete* wuss - so he showed up at the house an hour later.

My experience with such individuals is that upon finding themselves in the presence of firearms, they go through a couple of stages of reaction. First is nervousness and apprehension. Then, after you show them the basics of how to check the guns to make sure they're not loaded, etc., they begin to handle the firearms and start to relax a little. Then they relax too much: shortly thereafter they're pointing the things in random directions while making Rambo noises and affecting tough-guy postures.

Just like the movies, I guess. You always have to explain the "careful where you point it" rule a couple of times. At one point he was aiming the rifle (I'd removed the bolt) out the window to see through the scope. He had his finger on the trigger. I said, "that gun's loaded, you know." It wasn't, of course, but it scared him so bad he almost dropped it. And it got the point across and he was much more careful after that.

I know that none of these are guns you start a new shooter on, so I ran downstairs and grabbed a .22 rifle, and off we went to the range. Long story short - he's called me twice since then to ask when we're going again. He got good with the .22 real quick, and even fired 7 or 8 rounds out of the .30-06 and proclaimed that it "felt more like a rifle." He tried his hand at the .41 magnum from about 8 yards, and he nailed the bulls-eye a couple of times. For some reason, he wasn't flinching *at all*, I checked by leaving a couple of empties in the revolver cylinder and the gun didn't budge when squeezed the trigger on them.

Anyway, I think we have a convert. Nobody changes overnight, but at least now I think there will be a little nagging voice of doubt in the back of his mind when the "all guns are bad" crowd is making noise.

I'd love to hear other experiences, and especially if anyone has advice. I work as a computer programmer, and though a couple of us are experienced hunters, others in the group get nervous expressions on their faces when they overhear us swapping tall-tales. Funny how if someone doesn't like dogs or cats, they express mild distaste or whatever. But when they don't like guns, you get this phobic reaction of horror and anxiety. Oh well, a little at a time...

DL

 

[westcangunner]

Possible Converts

Good work DL,

Here is an experience I just had with a group of senior managers with our Company. Just last week we had our annual "managers" meeting in Ft Lauderdale. 19 in all, most from Canada, and NONE even remotly familure with firearms. I'm sorta the "western redneck" and our local Florida guy is a shooter and owns several firearms. Him and I shoot every time I'm stateside.

These guys had a choice on Saturday to float back to Miami on the Big Bosses boat (he has a kewl boat) or come with us to the Delray Shooting Center (if you guys dont know this place its a GREAT place, Thanks Eli) To our suprise 9 of them decided to come and see what this was all about.

When we arrived at the range and after they got over the shock of being in a real gun store and seeing the many hand guns and evil assualt weapons (remember these guys are from Canada) we took them into a private range and spent about a half hour going over the safety rules, an orientation of sorts on stances, aiming procedures, more safety stuff, the operation of the handguns, followed by even more safety stuff. It really didn't take that much until all were comfortable around a pretty new experiance. At this time we just had a Ruger 22 with a reddot scope, a 9mm Glock, (they all wanted to see a Glock) and a Kimber custom target in 45acp.

We had a contest with the 22 (target set at like 20 ft) and it was suprising to see how good these beginners were, one of the guys shot a 96X4x out of the gate. All the guys were able to hold the black, the target carriers were safe and no-one shot the baffles, so we opened up the Glock and Kimber ranges. A pile of lead headed down range, and the hot brass was flying. The Kimber was a BIG hit, and was by far the longest line.

Meanwhile I was stuffing 9mms into the MP5 mag, and when I brought it out and gave a demo of its operations and unloaded the 30 shots down range, all I could see was "large wide eyes" and a look of total shock as they reacted to something they had only see on TV or in the movies. Well, 2000 rounds later and a 100 bucks worth of targets all had a good time. It was hard explaining that the red "F" on the safety didnt stand for "FUN".

To keep things under conrol with the MP5 and the UZI we had another contest to see who could keep all 30 shots in the "blue" (center of mass) at about 10 yards. Again it was suprising how well everyone did. Nobody sprayed the carriers and all the baffles and lights lived, so all in all it was a good day.

This managers meeting is already a "ledgend" because of this field trip, and we have already been asked to book the range again for next year.

Did this convert any anti's ??? probably not, but it may very well have helped these guys from becoming one. They all had a VERY positive experiance, and had a TON of fun. Already one of the guys who was there, and is now visiting our office out west, is hounding me to take him shooting this weekend.

Thanks to Eli and the guys at Delray, they really helped make this a positive experiance.


WCG

 

[Dave R]

Attaboy, DL and WCG. You two are doing great work on the "evangelical" front. Good examples of why the rest of us shooters need not be so shy about our sport.

 

[kgs]

Without going into great detail about my "convert" experiences, let's just say I have changed the opinions of a few people who considered themselves "anti-gun." What happens, sadly, is they only see the "bad" side of firearms no thanks to the jack ***** in the media who perpetuate such drivel.

Once people understand the respect that goes hand in hand with firearm ownership and usage, that's when they get hooked.

I am taking my new girlfriend to the range this weekend for the first time. She has never had exposure to firearms before and I plan to teach her all about safety and shooting. Once she feels comfortable enough, I am going to let her fire my AR. Let's just say that she is very enthused about the idea. And I can guarantee she will want to do it again. They always do!


kgs.

 

[wildcat]

I have found that shooting clay pidgions is a great way for the timid to start.I let them use my Remington 1100 with #7 shot, and throw all strait away targets.Almost anyone with good hand eye cordnation can master it in less than a box of shells.Low recoil and the satisfaction of breaking things all to h*** is a winning combo.