Taking the mildly anti girlfriend to the range(1st time). suggestions?

C

Clead

New member
Hey guys, any suggestions for making it an easier experience for both of us? I'm fairly new to shooting myself as well, so I can't offer her much "expert" advice. She has never fired a gun in her life, but we're bringing along a couple of .22 rifles and the Ruger MkII Target that I bought for her. We've gone over the range rules and she seems to be serious about doing things properly so that's a plus. I've gone over the Weaver and Isoceles styles, and she is familiar with the controls of the MkII now. Is that enough to get us started? Any suggestions for when she's actually shooting for the first time? Any help appreciated.
Clead
 
Clead,

Sticking with the rimfires the first time out is a good idea. If she likes shooting them, she'll have the larger calibers to look forward to on the next trip. Start with the rifles, then the handgun. Rifles are easier to be safe with (and to supervise). Start shooting off the bench so she can get the feel of the trigger and controls and have some success hitting the target. Then maybe try sitting or kneeling and work up to standing. Same goes with the handgun but you can probably omit the sitting and kneeling. Start simple then move to more difficult skills. You want her to have fun, and success makes things much more fun. Give her feedback, both positive and corrective, but don't overload her on information. Just make sure she's got the safety stuff down and then teach her the basics.

If you want someone to come back for more, here's the three things you need to do:
1) Structure the environment for success
2) Keep practice sessions short at first
3) Make the activity fun

Yeah, I taught school for a few years. Can you tell?

One more important thing, if you run into a situation that you're unsure of or don't have experience with, by all means ask the rangemaster or somebody who is qualified. Better safe than sorry. And if she does like shooting, encourage her to take a class for some formal training.

Sub

[This message has been edited by Sub MOA (edited September 02, 2000).]
 
Single load all firearms for first timers. They tend to turn around and point the gun at you in the excitement of that first shot.
Good Luck!
 
HIGHLY recommend wearing foam earplugs under muffs. The noise indoors (or outdoors for that matter) can be VERY disconcerting!

Keep the first few targets within 15ft.

Go very very slow, and don't be afraid to ask for help from the most obviously superior shooter(s) that may also be at the range (normallly NOT L.E.).

And remember that sight alignment and trigger control are the critical components of handgun shooting (front sight front sight front sight......).

Keep it light, keep it fun, keep it safe!

(and let us know how it goes.....)

------------------
"All my ammo is factory ammo"
 
Another idea I've had success with is some kind of "reactive" target, if possible. Clay pigeons (trap targets) make great "instant feedback" targets, and people seem to get a real kick out of watching .22's vaporize them. Much more satisfying than small holes in black paper. If you cannot use something like this, then simple Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C targets (available at any Wal-mart) give the best "feedback" for simple paper targets.

Make it fun, and she'll be hooked.
 
What everyone else has said, plus try to link up with a few nice, experienced shooters. I know there have been several TFL threads that indicate many impolite -- even wild -- people at ranges, but my experience is just the opposite. Virtually all folks who shoot are VERY good people. Not only will both of you probably learn some helpful marksmanship techniques, but this will inherently contradict any idea your girlfriend may have that all of us are "nuts". Have fun!

[This message has been edited by RWK (edited September 02, 2000).]
 
If you can, use a revolver instead of the Mk II at first. The flying brass can be scary for some newbies. They sometimes think they are taking fire or the firearm has exploded.

IF YOU DO USE THE MK II CHECK HER GRIP JUST BEFORE SHE SHOOTS. Insure she has not placed her hands where the bolt will cycle and cut her. I made this mistake with my brother and he bleed quite nicely for several hours. Not a good way to win new shooters
 
While proper shooting and saftey tecniques are very important, make the primary focus of the first outting fun. Keep it light and informal.

------------------
Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
 
I took a mildly anti but intelligent and thoughtful woman to the range "so she'd have some impirical, personal experiance."

Handed her a Ruger SBH in 44 mag, cranked up near max and told her to hang on to it.

Bang!

She went out shopping for one the next day.
 
Teach safety, safety, safety. Especially that aspect of shooting semi-autos: to unload, REMOVE MAGAZINE, then RACK THE SLIDE and always check the chamber to make certain there is no cartridge inside.

Always start a new shooter on .22LR handguns or rifles... and have fun.

Best of luck. J.B.
 
Hope she doesn't find out about your other girlfriend just before she handles the gun for the first time. They tend to aim low :)
 
My first time shooting I shot a lever action .22, a bolt action .22, a .22 Ruger Single Six, a .44 Ruger Super Blakhawk, and a Colt .38 snubbie, but those are good too :)
 
Yes, my suggestion is if she doesn't come around, even after you patiently spend the time and effort to demonstrate the error of her thinking, DROP HER!. You'll thank yourself later.
 
Good TFL advice all around, as usual.

1. Safety first. This includes loading only a single round for the first few shots until the surprise wears off a bit. Then load 3, then 5 or 10 if she wants to...ask her.

2. Fun, fun, fun

3. Structure the outing for success on her part without alot of coaching on your part. If she can't hit anything without a 45-minute instruction from you, the target is too far away or too small.

Shoot-N-C targets are also great idea, and keep 'em close.

Did I mention to keep it fun? :)


- gabe
 
I most emphatically do not agree with giving a "newbie" a .44 Maggie with max loads. For every one who goes out to buy a .44, a hundred will give up shooting entirely. I agree with sticking to a .22.

Range rules permitting or if the "range" is informal, one good idea with women is to issue a challenge. "I know you can't hit that target (or can, or whatever)". The woman, feeling she has to prove herself on behalf of all womanhood, will try to hit the target. You praise even bad shots, and keep up the friendly challenges. This keeps her mind on the idea of a gun as a sporting instrument and something to have fun with, not a deadly weapon.

In most cases, it is not a good idea to talk about self-defense or killing. Stick to the fun.

Jim
 
Hmmmm.

I'll echo previous advice, and then add some of my own:

1. keep it fun.
2. focus on safety.

Two no-brainers if ever there were ones, but the first is far too easy to forget and the second can have icky consequences.

A few more notes:

3. Look at this from her point of view. There she is in this boiling cauldron of testosterone, nervous about the possibility of shooting herself, someone else, the floor, the ceiling...anything but the target...she's worried about the bang, worried about the recoil, worried about looking like a fool. Add in her (mildly) anti leanings and she is probably very uncomfortable indeed. Make her comfortable. What I'd do is go to an isolated booth (if possible) and go slowly.

4. That said, don't treat her like an idiot. You can go overboard with anything. ;)

5. First time out? Spend more time worrying about the VERY basics (gun downrange, fingers out of the way of the slide, hey look! you hit the paper! Not bad!) and let form and technique be damned. If she asks for tips, by all means give them...but if she's perfectly content turning money into noise, let her be.

6. As was said, for God's sake don't mention anything about self defense or killing. On the best of days thats a SERIOUS, uncomfortable topic for any of us...don't burden her with that along with everything else. If she asks, answer questions...but I'd take the 'sport' angle if I could.

7. Take stock of your surroundings. If you have a bunch of people at the range that she would enjoy speaking with, then mingle. If you have a bunch of...well, you know...the firearms enthusiasts that make most of us cringe- keep them at bay.

8. If she gets tired or is not having fun, stop. End of story. You can't make a person enjoy themselves. Remember, you're easing her into this. My then-girlfriend didn't enjoy her first few range sessions. It took me about 3 years to get my now-wife to shoot my P232 .380 the way she does now- rather well indeed. Softly, softly.

9. Avoid showing off. It annoys the womenfolk.

10. Think about how thrilled you would be to receive one-on-one instruction from a needlepoint expert.

11. Recall how thrilled you were to be instructed by her in the correct way to do something that you knew nothing about.

12. Don't end the outing with "See? That was fun. when do you want to go again?" If she really enjoyed it, she'll ask. If she doesn't ask again, casually mention that you're going again, and ask her if she wants to go...but give it a few weeks.

Have fun!
Mike

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"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein

[This message has been edited by Coronach (edited September 02, 2000).]
 
Make sure she wears a top that covers her neck. Nothing can turn her off faster than a hot spent casing going down her top! It happened to my wife, and from some previous threads, it's happened to others as well. Other than that, what everybody else said.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Clead:
Hey guys, any suggestions for making it an easier experience for both of us? I'm fairly new to shooting myself as well, so I can't offer her much "expert" advice. She has never fired a gun in her life, but we're bringing along a couple of .22 rifles and the Ruger MkII Target that I bought for her. We've gone over the range rules and she seems to be serious about doing things properly so that's a plus. I've gone over the Weaver and Isoceles styles, and she is familiar with the controls of the MkII now. Is that enough to get us started? Any suggestions for when she's actually shooting for the first time? Any help appreciated.
Clead[/quote]

Clead,

You've gotten enough advice, almost all of it good or better. I'd like to ask you to let us know how the two of you made out. Did she seem to enjoy it? Does she want to go back and do it again?

Frosty
 
I'm suprised nobody mentioned a brimmed hat of some sort. A baseball cap, or most any other will work. Ejected brass can pop up in the air off an automatic, and if she has glasses, sometimes hot brass can come down and land inside the glasses. This should be avoided at all costs. Also, take some safety glasses, preferably ones with Lexan(the same thing they make those transparent ballistic shields out of). Snowboarding goggles usually are made of this, but I'm sure some shooting goggles are too. You do not want her to get hurt, if she does it will make it a lot harder to get her to ever go back.

As said above, no pressure is the best approach.

------------------
The Alcove

I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
Maybe I should add that I know this woman well enough to know that she's going to think shooting a big gun is a hoot -- just like she likes riding motorcycles at 100 mph.
 
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