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My outspoken support of firearms might just win us a convert! I had a coworker just comment on me about something that happened at his sisters house (near Dallas). Both of them are interested in learning how to use a shotgun (maybe handgun) for home defense. I think I might need to actually take the NRA PPIH course soon.

Good work.

- Jim

You could attend the PPIH with them.
It's a good course.

Venus Pax wrote:You could attend the PPIH with them.
It's a good course.

Well, I am going to take them to the range a time or two first. But I just found a local PPIH (and other NRA course) instructor about a mile from my house. I will be taking them now that I have a place I can do it locally. The question is when, instead of if.

Kalrog wrote:But I just found a local PPIH (and other NRA course) instructor about a mile from my house. I will be taking them now that I have a place I can do it locally. The question is when, instead of if.

Good job. I also am very outspoken. Teach a lot of folks & have had several complete turn arounds. Good job.

The first range session is coming up pretty soon with this couple and I wanted to get some advice to make things go better. Checklist ideas:

1. Pre-check all firearms
2. Have ammo on hand for everything
3. Have eyes and ears for everyone
4. Start familiarization as far away from other shooters as possible (noise/attention thing)
5. Start with the .22 rifle for shooting

Then here is where it gets into some questions.

1. The husband is leaning towards a handgun, but the wife is leaning towards a shotgun (no experience in either case). Do I move from rifle to shotgun? That would mean LOTS of changes because I really don't want them to have to shoot slugs at a bench when learning... and shotgunning really should be done standing up. But that is a whole different ball game.
2. Do I go from rifle to handguns? More similarities in the shooting. It can be slow fire at paper targets. See if they like that and then move to shotgun?
3. I am planning on doing a 2 on 1 session - both of the couple at the range with me, but only 1 with a gun at any point (and I wouldn't shoot that day - just instruct). Opinions?
4. Anything else that might make things easier and/or better?

Assuming all the standard safety and gun handling is incorporated into the experience, I would recommend doing some things to really inspire new firearms enthusiasts to want to continue to be firearms enthusiasts:

For new shotgunners I think about the most encouraging start is with a .410 gun, 10 yards (or less), using clay targets suspended by wires, or just hanging on a stake suspended above the ground. There's nothing like seeing real results on the business end of the gun for a new shooter that also has to deal with the unexpected pain from the butt end of the gun for the first few times. There's absolutely no reason that shotgunning should be anything but a pleasurable experience, and seeing the destruction of the target is the objective of the exercise.

Rifle or pistol should be the same. New shooters want, and need to see results early in their training. There's nothing like clays that break easily, or explode into dust, or ballons that just disappear when hit to give new shooters the feeling of confidence to work up to bullseye paper targets.

IMHO, do not try to incorporate multiple firearms in one training session. Even in one training event horizon. You didn't learn to handle a bicycle, motorcycle, and car at the same time, and your students shouldn't expect to learn multiple types of firearms at the same time.

Farnam recommends you start with the handgun, and I agree. It's the most flexible tool, and the one most people are likely to own and carry.

Since you said you'd located an NRA instructor, I gotta say that I think the best course of action would be to have them take an NRA Basic Pistol course before anything else. The course covers all the handgun fundamentals, and is not in the least intimidating to new shooters. In fact, it is designed as instruction to ease new shooters into handgunning the RIGHT way.

Just my humble opinion, sights, sights, sights. As soon as I turned 21 (legal age to purchase a handgun in Texas, at least 20 years ago) I went out and bought a revolver with really "plain jane" sights: notched rear, blade front. Of course I had no instruction and it might have made all the difference in the world but I tried to teach my self (pride or ignorance) and I went to the range at least twice a week for a few months and still could barely keep my groups on the target. Well the gun salesman at the range was good at his job, Glocks had just come out back then. He came up to me and handed me a G17 with standard Glock sights. And in an instant I got my groups down to at least 12 inches! I thought it was a magic gun, and of course purchased it right then and there (interesting side note: retail price 20 years ago was $500.00, last year paid same for G27). Well I don't regret the purchase, have been a Glock fan ever since, however I now realize that it was the SIGHTS that made such a great improvement in my ablility, not the gun itself. So give them good sights on whatever they shoot first and spare them the frustration I experienced. They will become tack drivers in no time!
Sorry to ramble on but I'm so good at it. Today I had a chance to pop into a range and get some much needed practice. It really brought memories of my first few times at a range, and its funny that I would come home and find your post. Today at the range I had a guy about twice as tall as me on my left, and he must have been holding his .45 a little counter clockwise because while I was getting back into my grove it was raining hot empty shells down on me and my bald head. I thought about moving over a lane but then I figured it was a good training aid (to shoot while under stress). To help your new converts just remember your first time at the range, how LOUD the others shooters guns were, particularly the ones in the neighboring booths. My own shots were jolting enought, but when the guy next to me shot I would jump from the shock. That takes a lot of getting used to. So perhaps they could spend some time just observing/getting used to the noise first. I'm sure a true training course takes this all into account so this might all be "moot". But I've seen potential new gun owners get overwhelmed and scared on their first visit and give the whole idea up and I would hate to see that happen to anyone else. Thankyou, that is all.

I appreciate the info! And while I do think that professional training is a great idea for them, I also know that they aren't ready for that yet. They need to pick what they want to go with and then start getting more comfortable with it - including NRA courses. Not that the courses would be too advanced or anything like that, just that they want to go with a friend first and at least learn the basics. I am hoping to be able to get them to the point that they choose a firearm and purchase it. Then send them off to those more qualified than I to do further instruction.