Things I Learn From Newbie Shooters

[Medic624]

He was actually perfectly fine the rest of the time - just had one little brain-fart, which I brought to his attention at the time. No biggie, as far as I was concerned, and he carried on shooting just fine - but his poor little ego was apparently crushed enough to come and find me 15 minutes later and start screaming. I honestly though he was going to stamp his foot or something - lunatic.

If this is how he responds to a RO offering a friendly reminder imagine how he would act if someone said, "I don't believe I WAS speeding officer"

[Iunnrais]

The whole "lets give my wife or girlfriend an air weight .357 or .500. It will be great fun when she shoots one shot then drops it on the floor. Let's put it on Youtube!"

This one caused about 20 years worth of no-guns from my wife thanks to someone she went out with in High School.

Luckily a trip to the range and a rented .22 finally cured the issue last year.

She's now upgraded to her own 9mm and puts a hurting on our ammo supply when we go out. It's nice to have her with me when we go out to the range.

[mjoplin]

My scariest one was at a local north-Houston range that had a ladies CHL class going on in the lanes to the left. The instructor wasn't keeping an eye on them. The young lady to the left of me was constantly sweeping a revolver she was obviously uncomfortable with. The final straw was when there was a constant spray of splinters from the ceiling as she put 5 shots WELL above the target... No RO, nobody watching (including the instructor), my wife and I made a hasty retreat out of there.

[74novaman]

Seen that a lot as well - where they use the front-sight only. The boyfriend/husband/whatever never bothered to show them how the front and rear sights should be aligned...

But Andy, all the cool guy say to focus on the front sight!?! Who cares about that pesky rear one.....


*Just a tad tongue in cheek in case my sarcasm doesn't come across well.

I can see it now

*Guy whos acting like a manly man* "See honey, you just stare at the front sight and shoot. Thats what you should be focusing on"

*Gf/wife/whatever that actually listens to advice unlike manly man giving said advice* "Okay honey!"

*bang bang* "holes in ceiling".

*GF/wife/whatever who did exactly as she was told* "Darn, guns are so hard to use!"

[WildBill]

Seen that a lot as well - where they use the front-sight only. The boyfriend/husband/whatever never bothered to show them how the front and rear sights should be aligned...

That happened to me once. A friend of mine borrowed her father's pistol and wanted to go the range to learn to shoot. Since she was very pretty, I agreed.

After watching her shoot a couple of targets I asked her if she was lining up the sights. "What do you mean lining up?", she asked. After drawing a quick diagram she kept them all on the target. She was a quick study.

[MasterOfNone]

Seen that a lot as well - where they use the front-sight only. The boyfriend/husband/whatever never bothered to show them how the front and rear sights should be aligned...

That happened to me once. A friend of mine borrowed her father's pistol and wanted to go the range to learn to shoot. Since she was very pretty, I agreed.

After watching her shoot a couple of targets I asked her if she was lining up the sights. "What do you mean lining up?", she asked. After drawing a quick diagram she kept them all on the target. She was a quick study.

And I bet you were watching the gun the whole time.

[WildBill]

Seen that a lot as well - where they use the front-sight only. The boyfriend/husband/whatever never bothered to show them how the front and rear sights should be aligned...

That happened to me once. A friend of mine borrowed her father's pistol and wanted to go the range to learn to shoot. Since she was very pretty, I agreed.

After watching her shoot a couple of targets I asked her if she was lining up the sights. "What do you mean lining up?", she asked. After drawing a quick diagram she kept them all on the target. She was a quick study.

And I bet you were watching the gun the whole time.

I knew I would get in trouble because of that comment.

Of course I was. I am the only person here who is professional enough handle that task.

I might add that I started her out with a .22LR High Standard Semiautomatic pistol. It was not until she could consistantly keep on target with the .22 that she tried the 1911.

[x007x]

I would picture the desert eagle guy doing this..

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[Steve133]

A buddy of mine used to shoot at a range where a guy pulled the "impress the girlfriend by showing off how awesome and manly your gun is" trick by loading up all the chambers in a .44 magnum revolver (I think it was a Smith model 29 - it was double-action, whatever it was), handing it to her, and, figuring that she'd wind up like the girl in Desert Eagle video, stood behind her to coolly catch her when the recoil knocked her back.

It... didn't end well.

She did lose control of the weapon, but as the recoil drove it up over her head, she accidentally pulled the trigger again - I'll leave you to guess what happened to the top of the boyfriend's head after that.

Most of these yahoos I can just ignore, but some are downright dangerous.

[mot7981]

I check this post from time to time and always end up thinking the same thing. Most of these stories would be really funny if they weren't so scary.

[RogueUSMC]

I also learned, that after showing a 60+ year old lady how to shoot steel plates at 10 yards with her .38 S&W snub-nose - hitting 4/5 plates in DA mode - that some ladies learn so quickly that they will then shoot 5/5 plates also in DA, totally destroying their instructor

In my CHL class, I had to load my mother in law's magazines and assist in charging her weapon in the various strings of fire...then had to throw my target away so she wouldn't compare hers to mine...

[alvins]

my favorite ranges are the one who ask to see my NFA paperwork and still dont know what they are looking at it so they call the police. lost a customer forever.

[race4beer]

A buddy of mine used to shoot at a range where a guy pulled the "impress the girlfriend by showing off how awesome and manly your gun is" trick by loading up all the chambers in a .44 magnum revolver (I think it was a Smith model 29 - it was double-action, whatever it was), handing it to her, and, figuring that she'd wind up like the girl in Desert Eagle video, stood behind her to coolly catch her when the recoil knocked her back.

It... didn't end well.

She did lose control of the weapon, but as the recoil drove it up over her head, she accidentally pulled the trigger again - I'll leave you to guess what happened to the top of the boyfriend's head after that.

Most of these yahoos I can just ignore, but some are downright dangerous.

Wow, just WOW..

My personal rule is if someone (anyone for that matter) is shooting one of my guns for the first time - I load 1 round in it only, and will only load 1 round at a time until they are comfortable and I am sure that nobody is going to "catch" a followup shot from the recoil.

[ajwakeboarder]

A buddy of mine used to shoot at a range where a guy pulled the "impress the girlfriend by showing off how awesome and manly your gun is" trick by loading up all the chambers in a .44 magnum revolver (I think it was a Smith model 29 - it was double-action, whatever it was), handing it to her, and, figuring that she'd wind up like the girl in Desert Eagle video, stood behind her to coolly catch her when the recoil knocked her back.

It... didn't end well.

She did lose control of the weapon, but as the recoil drove it up over her head, she accidentally pulled the trigger again - I'll leave you to guess what happened to the top of the boyfriend's head after that.

Most of these yahoos I can just ignore, but some are downright dangerous.

Wow, just WOW..

My personal rule is if someone (anyone for that matter) is shooting one of my guns for the first time - I load 1 round in it only, and will only load 1 round at a time until they are comfortable and I am sure that nobody is going to "catch" a followup shot from the recoil.

especially if they are a new shooter