aray
07-17-2010, 11:51 PM
It’s been a few weeks, but I wanted to report on my recent trip to the range with my wife & kid (she’s 11) in tow. It was their first trip to the range as well as their first time to shoot a real firearm.
First, let me say “thanks” to everyone who offered suggestions to me in http://kahrtalk.com/general-discussion/2340-teaching-others-shoot.html#post25167 Your recommendations were great, and helped make their experience much better.
I started getting them ready weeks before, talking up the trip, reviewing the four rules of gun safety, etc. Besides that, we had also been shooting at paper targets in the backyard with an air rifle. That was helpful not just to keep their interest up, but also to help them understand sights and alignment. Thanks to your suggestions, I added balloon targets.
What a blast! (No pun intended.) They really enjoyed “blowing things up” and watching them break. Air balloons were a lot of fun, but by far their favorites were the water balloons. They made a very satisfying “pop” then “splash” as the water dropped off of the elevated stand and onto the deck below. That was really a big hit.
Now on to the range. The one closest to my house has a policy of no targets closer than 25’. Dunno why; I’m guessing it is so you don’t shoot the target clip so close to the line or something. But I had worked with them on holding the gun and sighting it, and was not concerned that they’d shoot so badly that they would be taking out the target clip. Plus this was their first time to the range. I knew they’d score better if the targets were closer, and would thus be more likely to continue in the sport than they would if they got frustrated over frequent misses at a longer range. So I cheated, and started them out at about 10’ and hoped the range control officer wouldn’t notice or wouldn’t say anything.
Following your suggestions, I started them off with a .22 revolver, to ease them into guns with very minor recoil. As I was loading, however, the lady in the lane right next to ours opened up with a 357. Making matters worse, we were in the last lane up against the concrete wall, so the sound & concussion were intense. My daughter flinched and grimaced. Sigh. I had warned her that might happen, but Murphy & I are on first name basis, so I was disappointed but hardly surprised.
Well, I got her through that, and she began firing. She did pretty well for her first time, if I do say so myself. The groups were reasonably tight for a first timer 11 year old, but they were consistently low and to the right. She was pleased & really liked the gun. (She has a very good grip & body stance, by the way. A real natural. She picked it right up.)
1970
Then it was my wife’s turn. She didn’t do as well as my kid with the .22. She had chosen a silhouette target, and most of the rounds landed in the dark area high and to the left, although some hit their mark. But again, it was her first time firing a handgun, much less any real firearm, so it was an acceptable performance.
1971
About that time, the range control officer noticed our targets were in too close. She curtly told us to move them back. I didn’t complain, as I’m assuming (guessing?) there had to be a safety component behind those rules, but I was disappointed.
Then on to the 9mms. My plan was to start with the Beretta 92FS first, then move to the Kahr CW9. The rationale behind that sequence was that the Beretta has slightly less felt recoil than the Kahr, and my daughter was a bit fearful of the 9mm recoil. I had warned her to expect it to be worse than the .22.
I hope I didn’t go overboard, because she only fired about three rounds through the Beretta, and she wanted to quit. I guess it was just too much gun for her. I asked her if she wanted to shoot the Kahr, because before going to the range she had really liked the feel of the CW9 in her hand. Nope, no dice. Well, of course, I knew this was about her & not about me so naturally I told her she could stop any time she wanted, and she did.
My wife, on the other hand, really loved the Beretta. Indeed she shot far better with the Beretta at 25’ than she did with the .22 at 10’! Odd, but life is like that sometimes. I had her on a 10 round magazine, and she placed 7 of the 10 shots into the silhouette on her first attempt at 25'. I was very happy with that performance for a first timer. The Kahr on the other hand – not so much. I think the long trigger pull and her novice trigger technique just did her in.
1972
One final thing. Like the 25’ minimum rule, this range also has a “no pictures” rule. Again, so I cheated a bit, and snuck in cell phone camera. Hey, it’s my wife & kid’s first trip to the range and first time to fire a gun. Now I know why that have that rule: we’ve all seen “hit pieces” on Second Amendment rights by the lamestream media. But come on now, a geezer like me, snapping a couple of pics of his wife and 11 year old daughter on a dated non-smart cell phone camera? Hardly the stuff you’d expect to see from an undercover TV reporter now is it? Alas, Ms. Grumpy range officer caught me again, and was even more stern with me this time. I tried politely to appeal to her common sense, but she was having none of it, so I just let it go. It didn’t exactly ruin the whole experience, but it did leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. Fortunately I had gotten off a couple of shots before she verbally body slammed me, for which I’m grateful to have been able to record the precious memories. But it was quite sad.
1973 1974
Anyway, overall it was a great experience. My wife loved the Beretta & my kid wants me to buy her a .22 now (we had rented the .22 from the range). No immediate plans to go back (we’re focused on going camping out of state shortly – I get to CCW for my first time – yeah!) but I’m sure we’ll be back soon.
Thanks again for all of your great help & suggestions. They made a good time even better.
First, let me say “thanks” to everyone who offered suggestions to me in http://kahrtalk.com/general-discussion/2340-teaching-others-shoot.html#post25167 Your recommendations were great, and helped make their experience much better.
I started getting them ready weeks before, talking up the trip, reviewing the four rules of gun safety, etc. Besides that, we had also been shooting at paper targets in the backyard with an air rifle. That was helpful not just to keep their interest up, but also to help them understand sights and alignment. Thanks to your suggestions, I added balloon targets.
What a blast! (No pun intended.) They really enjoyed “blowing things up” and watching them break. Air balloons were a lot of fun, but by far their favorites were the water balloons. They made a very satisfying “pop” then “splash” as the water dropped off of the elevated stand and onto the deck below. That was really a big hit.
Now on to the range. The one closest to my house has a policy of no targets closer than 25’. Dunno why; I’m guessing it is so you don’t shoot the target clip so close to the line or something. But I had worked with them on holding the gun and sighting it, and was not concerned that they’d shoot so badly that they would be taking out the target clip. Plus this was their first time to the range. I knew they’d score better if the targets were closer, and would thus be more likely to continue in the sport than they would if they got frustrated over frequent misses at a longer range. So I cheated, and started them out at about 10’ and hoped the range control officer wouldn’t notice or wouldn’t say anything.
Following your suggestions, I started them off with a .22 revolver, to ease them into guns with very minor recoil. As I was loading, however, the lady in the lane right next to ours opened up with a 357. Making matters worse, we were in the last lane up against the concrete wall, so the sound & concussion were intense. My daughter flinched and grimaced. Sigh. I had warned her that might happen, but Murphy & I are on first name basis, so I was disappointed but hardly surprised.
Well, I got her through that, and she began firing. She did pretty well for her first time, if I do say so myself. The groups were reasonably tight for a first timer 11 year old, but they were consistently low and to the right. She was pleased & really liked the gun. (She has a very good grip & body stance, by the way. A real natural. She picked it right up.)
1970
Then it was my wife’s turn. She didn’t do as well as my kid with the .22. She had chosen a silhouette target, and most of the rounds landed in the dark area high and to the left, although some hit their mark. But again, it was her first time firing a handgun, much less any real firearm, so it was an acceptable performance.
1971
About that time, the range control officer noticed our targets were in too close. She curtly told us to move them back. I didn’t complain, as I’m assuming (guessing?) there had to be a safety component behind those rules, but I was disappointed.
Then on to the 9mms. My plan was to start with the Beretta 92FS first, then move to the Kahr CW9. The rationale behind that sequence was that the Beretta has slightly less felt recoil than the Kahr, and my daughter was a bit fearful of the 9mm recoil. I had warned her to expect it to be worse than the .22.
I hope I didn’t go overboard, because she only fired about three rounds through the Beretta, and she wanted to quit. I guess it was just too much gun for her. I asked her if she wanted to shoot the Kahr, because before going to the range she had really liked the feel of the CW9 in her hand. Nope, no dice. Well, of course, I knew this was about her & not about me so naturally I told her she could stop any time she wanted, and she did.
My wife, on the other hand, really loved the Beretta. Indeed she shot far better with the Beretta at 25’ than she did with the .22 at 10’! Odd, but life is like that sometimes. I had her on a 10 round magazine, and she placed 7 of the 10 shots into the silhouette on her first attempt at 25'. I was very happy with that performance for a first timer. The Kahr on the other hand – not so much. I think the long trigger pull and her novice trigger technique just did her in.
1972
One final thing. Like the 25’ minimum rule, this range also has a “no pictures” rule. Again, so I cheated a bit, and snuck in cell phone camera. Hey, it’s my wife & kid’s first trip to the range and first time to fire a gun. Now I know why that have that rule: we’ve all seen “hit pieces” on Second Amendment rights by the lamestream media. But come on now, a geezer like me, snapping a couple of pics of his wife and 11 year old daughter on a dated non-smart cell phone camera? Hardly the stuff you’d expect to see from an undercover TV reporter now is it? Alas, Ms. Grumpy range officer caught me again, and was even more stern with me this time. I tried politely to appeal to her common sense, but she was having none of it, so I just let it go. It didn’t exactly ruin the whole experience, but it did leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. Fortunately I had gotten off a couple of shots before she verbally body slammed me, for which I’m grateful to have been able to record the precious memories. But it was quite sad.
1973 1974
Anyway, overall it was a great experience. My wife loved the Beretta & my kid wants me to buy her a .22 now (we had rented the .22 from the range). No immediate plans to go back (we’re focused on going camping out of state shortly – I get to CCW for my first time – yeah!) but I’m sure we’ll be back soon.
Thanks again for all of your great help & suggestions. They made a good time even better.