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Top Tips for Teaching New Shooters (Do’s and Don’ts)

By: Author Jeff Campbell

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Hundreds of thousands of beginner shooters have entered the legions of gun aficionados in the last few years. There are numerous and varied reasons for it, but the point is that you most likely know an individual who has lately “entered the gun realm” and desires and requires quality firearms instruction.

Teaching novice shooters the fundamentals, improving their skills, and enjoying the sport is extremely important. If you are looking for the right kind of arms, you might want to explore the HoldRightEdge.com site.

Whether you are a weapons training specialist or simply a regular person teaching your buddies or children to shoot or improve their aim, there are a few do’s & don’ts that you might want to look into.

The DO’s

Here are the DO’s for teaching new shooters.

Teach Them Gun Safety

It is imperative and the first step to learning to shoot. The critical point to remember is:

  1. Unless you directly, promptly, and directly verify differently, handle every gun as though it is loaded.
  2. Don’t ever aim a gun’s head or barrel at something you aren’t ready to shoot. The shooter’s toes, arms, etc., and other person’s limbs are included in this.
  3. Unless your eyes are on your mark and you’re ready to fire, keep your hand off of the trigger.
  4. Ensure you know what you’re aiming towards and what is behind it. Shooting practice on the summit of a hillside, for example, is risky because you never know where precisely the bullet might land.

Our moral responsibility is to teach new learners about gun safety because gun violence is a huge issue where gun control plays a part, but that is another discussion.

Use Ear Protection That Fits Properly

Practicing shooting can be overwhelming if you don’t use the proper ear protection. You must always wear sufficient eye protection whenever you are practicing or are in a venue where someone else is shooting.

Whether it’s in the form of earplugs or over-ear muffs, ear protection for shooting is critical and should be chosen depending on the gun caliber being used.

Here is another helpful hint for rookie shooters: the bang of the shot is typically a very stressful aspect of shooting. It is a smart idea to utilize BOTH the in-ear plugs and over-ear muffs while training a newbie, especially if you’re teaching a newbie in an indoor facility. Electronic earmuffs enhance ambient sounds (such as conversation) while automatically cutting out the high-decibel sounds (such as gunshots) and can make life much easier.

Practice Someplace Where There Are Fewer Distractions

Depending on your area and preferences, you could instruct a newbie at a professional enclosed firing range or a renowned outdoors range. A highly crowded inside spectrum could be scary and perplexing for rookie shooters, and it might be challenging for them to comprehend your critical instructions. Make an appointment for a private meeting or go to a range alone.

If you’re shooting outdoors, be sure you’re using a safe backdrop, shooting legally, & cleaning up after yourself. Fewer distractions mean more focus and better practice.

Take a Start With an Appropriate Gun

If you are starting to train a newbie, we strongly advise them to begin light-recoiling. Rifles of 22 caliber or pellet rifles are the best choice. For various reasons, a suitably sized single-shot & bolt action rifle is excellent for beginners, whether adults or young learners.

The single-shot gun has a higher safety margin, and the essential manual of guns is easy to understand. Furthermore, hitting the target using a rifle is intrinsically more straightforward than the handgun.

The DONTs

Here are the DONT’s for teaching new shooters.

Guns to NOT Use

DO NOT begin with the pocket-sized or smaller revolvers (such as the LCR Ruger’s series). They are often unpleasant to fire, can provoke the shooters to “tense up,” and could even injure new shooters.

NEVER Give a Novice a Gun That Hard Recoils

YouTube is full of fools who get their naive, novice partners or kids to try firing 12-gauge mag slugs or the deadly sport rifles so that everyone laughs and criticizes the newbie, who is probably horrified and perhaps wounded.

Don’t be the person who does it. It is not funny and highly irresponsible.

Nothing beneficial can come of this. If you do this, the beginner shooter wouldn’t trust you again and will most likely acquire a terrible reflex that will require much work to overcome.

Conclusion

Teaching somebody to shoot is a huge responsibility, and it is never a joke. Take it seriously and be sincere with your students. Learning to shoot can be an overwhelming experience, but it can be fun and exciting with a good instructor. Ensure safety and never compromise because it is the kind of sport where even a slight irresponsible behavior can do fatal damage, so be safe and have fun.

 

 

Jeff Campbell
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