Protection - good quality hearing protection is a must - muffs ideal; glasses or quality goggles as well
Targets - at 25 yards 6" gong and 2" flip-up set, then at 100 yards 18" gong, old water heater at 50 yards, a few pop cans filled with water.
Bench/Rest - enough that they fire long guns first without having to ‘aim’ much
1. Rimfire - shooting at 25 yards 6" gong and 2" flip-up set, then at 100 yards 18" gong
a) Long guns - shoot off rest first
1. Lever action, Red-dot sight - Ruger 96/22
2. Bolt action, Peep sight - Ruger 77/22
3. Semiauto, Scope sight (4x) - Ruger 10/22 with traditional wood stock
4. Semiauto, Red-dot and Laser sight, night light - Ruger 10/22 with Tapco “AR” style stock
(Pause & teach about looks vs. action type, and discuss “assault weapons” laws and their stupidity)
b) Hand guns
1. Single action, Notch/blade sight - Ruger Single Six
2. Double action, Patridge sights - Charter Arms Pathfinder
3. Semiauto, Patridge & Crimson Trace Laser sights - Ruger Mark II
(By this time, the newcomer will be very comfortable with guns and shooting)
2. Centerfire - shooting at 50 yards 8" gong, then at 100 yards 18" gong
a) Long guns - shoot off rest first
1. Lever action, .357 Mag, Peep sight - Marlin 1894 (using .38 Spl loads)
2. Bolt action, .223 Rem, Scope (4-16x) - Remington 788
(By this time, the newcomer has a taste for ‘power’ and 'accuracy' and is beginning to enjoy it)
b) Hand guns (all Patridge sights)
1. DA Revolver, .357 Mag, 6" ported barrel - Taurus Tracker (using .38 Spl loads)
2. DA Revolver, .357 Mag, 2" - Ruger SP 101 (using .38 Spl loads)
3.,DA Revolver, 357 Mag, 6" ported barrel - Taurus Tracker (using .357 mag loads)
4. Semiauto, 9mm Luger, 4" - Taurus PT-92
(Now the average newcomer is hitting torso-sized tarrgets at 25-20 yards easily)
3. Big time - now we're done with the 'formal' instruction, and just having FUN blasting away...
a) Long guns
1. Semiauto, Red-dot or Peep - Bushmaster AR-15 (using .22LR)
2. Semiauto, Red-dot or Peep - Bushmaster AR-15 (using .223 Rem)
3. Lever action, Peep sight - Marlin 336 (using .45-70)
4. Semiauto, Peep sight - Springfield Garand (.30-06)
(This is just to get them a feel for ‘rock & roll’ and understand that the AR can be a good kids’ gun)
b) Hand guns
1. DA Revolver, .44 Mag, 7" - Ruger Redhawk (using 180 gr. loads)
(Cap the day off by letting the newbie shoot the 100 yard gong or 50 yard tank with a serious handgun!)
Dozens of times we've had people go from never having shot a gun at all, to hitting torso-sized target (water heater) at 50 yards with handguns, and 18" gongs at 100 yards with rifles. Seeing that they can shoot the legendary .44 Magnum at 50-100 yards and hit a gong or tank only a couple hours after firing their first-ever shot with a .22LR from a rest, gives them a feeling of mastery and confidence.
Enjoy...!
At least he was of the rough-and-tough sort rather than the crybaby sort, so we just bandaged it up and kept going. Still, not a fun thing to happen, and would be especially not fun for a pretty lady.