Got a chance to introduce some 'newbs' to shooting today...
My sister mentioned a few weeks ago that she was thinking of getting a gun for home defense. She knows very little about guns, and her only experience shooting was shooting a .22lr bolt gun when she was about 8. Since then, she has been like my mother - afraid of guns, intimidated by them and just uninterested in the topic of guns. She, like most of my family, is a rather liberal person and really hasn't understood up to this point why anyone really needed or wanted to own guns. But events over the last year or so has begun to make her realize that she needs to be responsible for her safety and that of her children.
My nephew, 12yo, is a big fan of playing FPS games and is familiar with guns primarily from using them in the games. He's been curious for a while now what it would be like to shoot 'real' guns. I'm a bit surprised his father (my former BIL) has never taken him out as he is a gun owner, but to date, he hasn't taken him out. So, my sister asked if I would take them both out to shoot. We did that today.
I 'assigned' them both 2 YT videos on gun safety, emphasizing the 4 basic rules - they watched them both twice.
I brought a number of guns from .22lr pistol and rifle, to my wife's SP101, a G19 and M&P 9c. I also brought a shotgun and an AR as well.
We started with the .22lr (Ruger MKIII Target), which they both really enjoyed. My nephew was doing really well hitting the target, he seemed to naturally adjust to the sight picture. After several mags, we moved on to the M&P 15-22 - which they both equally enjoyed. But the main point of this trip was to allow my sister to try some handguns that might work for self defense. I started low and worked up with the steps I had available. .38sp was next.
Next we moved on to my wife's SP101, loaded up with some standard .38's Both agreed it wasn't for them. If you've shot an SP101, you know, even with a .38 load, it kind of punches you a bit in the palm of your hand. I spared them shooting .357's
Next up was the M&P9c. The recoil was a bit surprising to them both (they watched me shoot it first), so it took a bit of time for them to adjust. Note: I never pushed them to shoot anything they were uncomfortable with, so they had complete control over what they wanted to shoot. After a number of rounds, they really didn't care for the M&9c either as the grip was a bit short (even with a finger extension.
Moving to the G19 was the ticket. My nephew took some shots, but by then was feeling the effects of recoil a bit and wanted to take a break. My sister worked through 2 magazines, even loading one herself, and deciding she really liked that the best.
Before we ended the day, I pulled out the AR so they could try an "evil black rifle". My sister looked a bit apprehensive, but I set up and shot it first, and they decided they wanted to try it. As it's a bit heavy, I set up a bench rest for them. My nephew went first, fired one shot and said he was done...until about 30 seconds later when he decided he wanted to do some more. My sister was unsure, but wanted to try anyway. She pulled the trigger on that first shot and got this big grin on her face - "that was fun!" - she proceeded to finish another 15 rounds on her own and had a huge smile on her face when she was done. It was her favorite gun of the day...imagine that
Before they left, we talked a bit of the politics of guns (briefly, just wanted to point out that the AR wasn't the scary gun the politicians are making it out to be) and what is involved in purchasing a gun. I recommended she not make a decision based on this one trip, but to get to a gun store or two and put her hands on some more guns, and, if necessary, go to a range where she can rent some other guns. I told her the decision is very personal, and she needs to be very certain that it's the right gun for her, not just a gun someone else recommended. We also talked about her getting some good training once she gets a gun, an idea she is definitely on board with.
Anyway, I think she got a good glimpse today not only of the fact that guns are not nearly as 'scary' as she thought, but they can be fun, and are certainly a good tool for protecting her family.
She told me later my nephew was so happy after we finished shooting, that he was jumping up and down out of excitement. Next up, she wants to come back and bring my niece next time.
I just hope this serves to add a few more pro-gun folks to the ranks
My sister mentioned a few weeks ago that she was thinking of getting a gun for home defense. She knows very little about guns, and her only experience shooting was shooting a .22lr bolt gun when she was about 8. Since then, she has been like my mother - afraid of guns, intimidated by them and just uninterested in the topic of guns. She, like most of my family, is a rather liberal person and really hasn't understood up to this point why anyone really needed or wanted to own guns. But events over the last year or so has begun to make her realize that she needs to be responsible for her safety and that of her children.
My nephew, 12yo, is a big fan of playing FPS games and is familiar with guns primarily from using them in the games. He's been curious for a while now what it would be like to shoot 'real' guns. I'm a bit surprised his father (my former BIL) has never taken him out as he is a gun owner, but to date, he hasn't taken him out. So, my sister asked if I would take them both out to shoot. We did that today.
I 'assigned' them both 2 YT videos on gun safety, emphasizing the 4 basic rules - they watched them both twice.
I brought a number of guns from .22lr pistol and rifle, to my wife's SP101, a G19 and M&P 9c. I also brought a shotgun and an AR as well.
We started with the .22lr (Ruger MKIII Target), which they both really enjoyed. My nephew was doing really well hitting the target, he seemed to naturally adjust to the sight picture. After several mags, we moved on to the M&P 15-22 - which they both equally enjoyed. But the main point of this trip was to allow my sister to try some handguns that might work for self defense. I started low and worked up with the steps I had available. .38sp was next.
Next we moved on to my wife's SP101, loaded up with some standard .38's Both agreed it wasn't for them. If you've shot an SP101, you know, even with a .38 load, it kind of punches you a bit in the palm of your hand. I spared them shooting .357's
Next up was the M&P9c. The recoil was a bit surprising to them both (they watched me shoot it first), so it took a bit of time for them to adjust. Note: I never pushed them to shoot anything they were uncomfortable with, so they had complete control over what they wanted to shoot. After a number of rounds, they really didn't care for the M&9c either as the grip was a bit short (even with a finger extension.
Moving to the G19 was the ticket. My nephew took some shots, but by then was feeling the effects of recoil a bit and wanted to take a break. My sister worked through 2 magazines, even loading one herself, and deciding she really liked that the best.
Before we ended the day, I pulled out the AR so they could try an "evil black rifle". My sister looked a bit apprehensive, but I set up and shot it first, and they decided they wanted to try it. As it's a bit heavy, I set up a bench rest for them. My nephew went first, fired one shot and said he was done...until about 30 seconds later when he decided he wanted to do some more
. My sister was unsure, but wanted to try anyway. She pulled the trigger on that first shot and got this big grin on her face - "that was fun!" - she proceeded to finish another 15 rounds on her own and had a huge smile on her face when she was done. It was her favorite gun of the day...imagine that Before they left, we talked a bit of the politics of guns (briefly, just wanted to point out that the AR wasn't the scary gun the politicians are making it out to be) and what is involved in purchasing a gun. I recommended she not make a decision based on this one trip, but to get to a gun store or two and put her hands on some more guns, and, if necessary, go to a range where she can rent some other guns. I told her the decision is very personal, and she needs to be very certain that it's the right gun for her, not just a gun someone else recommended. We also talked about her getting some good training once she gets a gun, an idea she is definitely on board with.
Anyway, I think she got a good glimpse today not only of the fact that guns are not nearly as 'scary' as she thought, but they can be fun, and are certainly a good tool for protecting her family.
She told me later my nephew was so happy after we finished shooting, that he was jumping up and down out of excitement. Next up, she wants to come back and bring my niece next time.
I just hope this serves to add a few more pro-gun folks to the ranks
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