whats your most common problem with new shooters?
- Thread starter sfmedic
- Start date
David Blinder
New member
Preconceived notions based upon what they have seen on TV/movies, read or been told by their Uncle Bill who has a friend whose cousin was a Recon Ranger on the Delta SEAL team.
Good instructors, training....
The same goes to firearm instructors/teaching cadre. I'm required by state div policy to qualify once a year. I've seen a few good instructors & a lot of bad ones.
Training cadre should avoid; "war stories", personal opinions, gripes, and other meaningless remarks. New students or shooting range members can become confused, annoyed or get the wrong impression.
Many students take a "be like Daddy" mindset & wrongly assume they can shoot weapons or use tactics way beyond their skill set(s).
In 2008, I took a armed class with a veteran instructor who packed a S-A 1911a1 .45acp. Of course, 3 or 4 of the students then wanted to get 1911a1 models too! Surprise!
Bad habits or poor skill levels come from students who get in way over their heads or try to do to much to soon.
Clyde
The same goes to firearm instructors/teaching cadre. I'm required by state div policy to qualify once a year. I've seen a few good instructors & a lot of bad ones.
Training cadre should avoid; "war stories", personal opinions, gripes, and other meaningless remarks. New students or shooting range members can become confused, annoyed or get the wrong impression.
Many students take a "be like Daddy" mindset & wrongly assume they can shoot weapons or use tactics way beyond their skill set(s).
In 2008, I took a armed class with a veteran instructor who packed a S-A 1911a1 .45acp. Of course, 3 or 4 of the students then wanted to get 1911a1 models too! Surprise!
Bad habits or poor skill levels come from students who get in way over their heads or try to do to much to soon.
Clyde
ChasingWhitetail91
New member
Trying to get people to keep their finger off the trigger till they are on target and ready to shoot is a big one I can think of. As far as mantras go, mine has always been the Mel Gibson classic, "aim small, miss small".
Getting frustrated when they miss and think that it will take a lifetime to learn how to get good at it.
Also safety issues are a big problem. I preach it to them and give them a printed safety guild before any go shooting with me but, it's not instilled in their heads yet and mistakes are made. If they just don't have any common sense I won't take them shooting .
Also safety issues are a big problem. I preach it to them and give them a printed safety guild before any go shooting with me but, it's not instilled in their heads yet and mistakes are made. If they just don't have any common sense I won't take them shooting .
m&p45acp10+1
New member
The biggest problems I see at the range with new shooters are mostly safty related.
1. Not keeping the finger off the trigger when not shooting. Most times while walking to, and from the shooting area.
2. Not locking the weapon open, or opening the cylinder while walking to, and from the firing line.
As far as shooting form.
1. Not leaning forward enough to keep the gun from pushing them around. Most times they are leaning too far back.
2. Flinching (Many new shooters that follow basic advice do great for the first couple of shots. Then after the loud bang catches up to them, they shake, and flinch.
3. Limp wristing. I have seen this happen a whole lot.
1. Not keeping the finger off the trigger when not shooting. Most times while walking to, and from the shooting area.
2. Not locking the weapon open, or opening the cylinder while walking to, and from the firing line.
As far as shooting form.
1. Not leaning forward enough to keep the gun from pushing them around. Most times they are leaning too far back.
2. Flinching (Many new shooters that follow basic advice do great for the first couple of shots. Then after the loud bang catches up to them, they shake, and flinch.
3. Limp wristing. I have seen this happen a whole lot.
amen to dry firing. Most casual shooters do not take the time to learn the fundamentals.
Dry firing is an inexpensive way to learn all of the fundamentals.
Learning/teaching a new shooter is like learning the golf swing. One needs to concentrate on a single element of the process at each session.
They also need to understand groups. They always try for a bulls eye. As SSG Schongert always said. Forget the Bulls eye get a good group and we will adjust to the X.
Dry firing is an inexpensive way to learn all of the fundamentals.
Learning/teaching a new shooter is like learning the golf swing. One needs to concentrate on a single element of the process at each session.
They also need to understand groups. They always try for a bulls eye. As SSG Schongert always said. Forget the Bulls eye get a good group and we will adjust to the X.
This may sound a bit odd but trying to start shooting a defensive handgun from 40 yrds away and expecting they will hit anything then getting discouraged because they cant.
I dont even work with anyone trying to teach them anything outside of about 15 yrds to begin with and mostly closer. If they want to learn to shoot bad guys at 40 or 50 yards they can work on that on their own time.
I dont even work with anyone trying to teach them anything outside of about 15 yrds to begin with and mostly closer. If they want to learn to shoot bad guys at 40 or 50 yards they can work on that on their own time.
igousigloo
New member
Trigger squeeze and muzzle control. If you don't the two together nothing else is going to work!
Mainly...safety issues. Especially, the "Lord of the Range" types ---who come to the range thinking --- that there stuff "don't stink", that is....everything {in relation to breaking the range rules, known or unbeknownst to them} that they do on the range is beyond a safety recall; even though what they do sometimes, is a danger to themselves or too other's on the range or beyond.
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Lots of good ones in this thread, especially muzzle control and keeping the finger off the trigger. I want to add two more:
1. Engage the safety or decock after firing!!! I'm talking about the newbie with a semi-auto pistol who fires 3 or 4 shots at a target and then pauses to see where he's hitting, while holding the gun down by his side cocked and finger on the trigger. Seen it many times when teaching new people.
My main one, though:
2. Get over your fear of the gun. I see many newbies who pull the trigger slowly, taking 30+ seconds to fire a shot, as if a nuclear bomb will go off when the hammer falls. They grimace, clench their teeth, squint, twist their heads back, etc. When it finally fires, they stand there with that deer-in-the-headlights expression.
I explain this to them. One exercise I like to do with new people is have them stand there and empty 2 or 3 clips, just rapid fire, one shot after another, and do it with a COMPLETELY relaxed, perfectly straight face. No lip-twitching, no blinking, no nothing. Just hold it up and go bang bang bang, appearing to be utterly bored to death. This really helps a lot of people.
1. Engage the safety or decock after firing!!! I'm talking about the newbie with a semi-auto pistol who fires 3 or 4 shots at a target and then pauses to see where he's hitting, while holding the gun down by his side cocked and finger on the trigger. Seen it many times when teaching new people.
My main one, though:
2. Get over your fear of the gun. I see many newbies who pull the trigger slowly, taking 30+ seconds to fire a shot, as if a nuclear bomb will go off when the hammer falls. They grimace, clench their teeth, squint, twist their heads back, etc. When it finally fires, they stand there with that deer-in-the-headlights expression.
I explain this to them. One exercise I like to do with new people is have them stand there and empty 2 or 3 clips, just rapid fire, one shot after another, and do it with a COMPLETELY relaxed, perfectly straight face. No lip-twitching, no blinking, no nothing. Just hold it up and go bang bang bang, appearing to be utterly bored to death. This really helps a lot of people.
