Some thoughts on dealing with new shooters

[blackhawknj]

I have read that gun sales are way up, records being set for background checks, on other boards members have said inventories in their local LGS are down and looking for that "Grail" gun has become more challenging. And it means more gun owners who need to be educated on the 2A and the RKBA and a real opportunity for us.
1. New shooters are not stupid, they ignorant and untrained. They have gotten their exposure to firearms from movies, TV, video games, not from a parent or family member, in a Scouting group or young shooters program. And as an Army veteran I dismiss the value of military training and "experience", the Army I served in 1967-1971 did a poor job of teaching firearms handling and marksmanship.
2. I am a fanatic when it comes to observing and enforcing safety rules, but in civilian life an approach other than "the DI chewing out the recruit " is called for.
3. I see scornful references to the "tacticool" shooters. Not my style, but as long as they practice good safety and firearms handling and are willing to listen to suggestions, they are welcome. If anyone needs to be "purged" from the shooting sports it is the fudds, the grumps and the curmudgeons, with their bad attitudes, bad tempers and arrogance and conceit and egotism. I read
an article in American Rifleman a little while back which said the new manager of a range found that some old timers were alienating younger shooters and he banished them till they learned their manners.

[togor]

There are are old timers and old grouches and they're not the same thing.

The caveat "....as long as they practice good safety and firearms handling and are willing to listen..." leaves a lot of open ground.

One of my kids is a pediatric resident, gets some shifts in the ER in a red state city. Already has seen a fair share of child GSWs. "Stray bullets?" I ask (thinking maybe gang activity). That's the minority. The majority are just dumb accidents, kid-on-kid, or adult-on-kid. Some from the 'hood, some from the trailer parks outside of town. Few from the suburbs. Meeting an 8-year-old who will spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair because of firearms carelessness is sobering.

[S.A. Boggs]

Before I got sick and taught basic handgun the first 30-45 minutes was teaching handgun safety and the "price to pay" for shooting that round. I let them know in no uncertain terms about firing any projectile and the legal obligations of that round. A few then didn't want the class and and left.
Sam

[lyman]

I have read that gun sales are way up, records being set for background checks, on other boards members have said inventories in their local LGS are down and looking for that "Grail" gun has become more challenging. And it means more gun owners who need to be educated on the 2A and the RKBA and a real opportunity for us.
1. New shooters are not stupid, they ignorant and untrained. They have gotten their exposure to firearms from movies, TV, video games, not from a parent or family member, in a Scouting group or young shooters program. And as an Army veteran I dismiss the value of military training and "experience", the Army I served in 1967-1971 did a poor job of teaching firearms handling and marksmanship.
2. I am a fanatic when it comes to observing and enforcing safety rules, but in civilian life an approach other than "the DI chewing out the recruit " is called for.
3. I see scornful references to the "tacticool" shooters. Not my style, but as long as they practice good safety and firearms handling and are willing to listen to suggestions, they are welcome. If anyone needs to be "purged" from the shooting sports it is the fudds, the grumps and the curmudgeons, with their bad attitudes, bad tempers and arrogance and conceit and egotism. I read
an article in American Rifleman a little while back which said the new manager of a range found that some old timers were alienating younger shooters and he banished them till they learned their manners.

when I shot Service Rifle regularly, or club would hold matches the first Sat every month,

in Oct and Nov, we opened the range to the public for sight in days, and the November dates were the same as our match
notices posted that the sight in days would start on Sat at the end of the regularly scheduled match, and at noon or 1pm on the other days,

at 11:45 the hunters would pull up, and start unloading,
keep in mind, our 2nd relay was still going on, usually in Rapid Prone, or if running fast, slow prone,

had one guy set up on a bench, started shooting after the range was called cold,
others, all of which were not members, would start bitching if we were scoring or even pulling targets, cause we were taking up their valuable time,,,


felt sorry for the members that would be there to act as a RSO and to keep an eye on things,

[dryheat]

There are are old timers and old grouches and they're not the same thing.

The caveat "....as long as they practice good safety and firearms handling and are willing to listen..." leaves a lot of open ground.

One of my kids is a pediatric resident, gets some shifts in the ER in a red state city. Already has seen a fair share of child GSWs. "Stray bullets?" I ask (thinking maybe gang activity). That's the minority. The majority are just dumb accidents, kid-on-kid, or adult-on-kid. Some from the 'hood, some from the trailer parks outside of town. Few from the suburbs. Meeting an 8-year-old who will spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair because of firearms carelessness is sobering.

That just never seems to happen in my neighborhood.