Took a young coworker shooting.

[piller]

Sunday, I took a young coworker to the gun range. Maria is a 20 year old Pharmacy Tech. in Nursing School to be an RN. She shot a Henry .22 lr, a .45 auto, and a .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk. She is brave. Really nice kid. Her Dad now wants to go shooting, and her Mom is wanting to learn. I may have started their family on the journey to being shooters and gun owners. Take a kid shooting and you might have a positive impact on more than just the kid.

[claybob86]

Good for you! Was that her first time shooting ever? Going from .22 to big bores on the first session is really something.

[Blaine]

[JerryB]

Good job Piller, reckon you hit the jackpot. Now you can get busy reloading for the next trip.

[RIHMFIRE]

good job! the more, the better!

[Griff]

Good job Piller, reckon you hit the jackpot. Now you can get busy reloading for the next trip.

+1.

[Sixgun]

Very few of us started in our game by ourselves. Someone planted the seed. Good for you Piller---6

[Chuck 100 yd]

Good job !

[GunnyMack]

I've always marveled at the fact that people that have never had the opportunity to try shooting look down upon us, until they try it! They realize how much fun it is, how SAFE it is and how rewarding it is. Many an anti has see the light!
I used to help out with Young Hunter Education, I can just about remember every kids face the first time they broke a clay bird in the air. Don't know who was more proud, me- them or their parents!
Good job Pillar. I hope you bring your co workers whole family into our fold!

[AJMD429]

Good for you! Was that her first time shooting ever? Going from .22 to big bores on the first session is really something.

I find that if they start with my Ruger 96/22, off a bench, the integrally-suppressed 22 LR levergun with red-dot sight gives them confidence when they hit the 6" gong at 50 yards that they "never thought they could hit", and do it typically 9 or 10 out of their first 10 shots.

I do that a second magazine-full, then transition them to a peep-sighted Ruger 77/22, to see how bolt-actions work (they always like the leverguns better), and then transition to a 10/22 with a 4x scope.

By then they've fired 60-80 rounds of 22 LR and hit everything, with gradually increasing noise, but still no recoil. They are having FUN at that point.

Next, we stand up and shoot at a 20" gong at about 15 yards (angled to deflect bullets) with a 22 LR revolver (Charter Arms Pathfinder) in single, then double-action mode. Then a Ruger Mark-II with aperture sights (both front and rear - they always prefer that over the patridge blade of the revolver).

At this point, I have them go back to the 96/22, but shoot standing (they may rest against an upright post at the end of the bench if they want), to gain more long-distance confidence, and get used to the levergun concept again.

After that, I get out the little 16" Rossi 92 in 357 Mag, and we shoot some 38 Specials. It has Marbles Bullseye sights, and they love those as well, usually.

The next is usually a 9mm or 45 ACP carbine of some sort, then we do the handguns in 38 Special and 9mm or 45 ACP. By then they are immune to noise, and learning that "Recoil is Fun"...

After that, we take a break, and I encourage them to shoot whatever their favorite gun was some more.

Then, we will cap it all off with "something really powerful", which depends mostly on their body build and weight.

Sometimes it will be my Marlin 444, or Big Horn Armory 500 S&W, a 'Tanker' Garand, or a 12 gauge pump shotgun, or just an AR-15 for the long gun, and usually if they want more than my 1911 in a handgun, it will be a Redhawk 44 Magnum.

The secret is to get PLENTY of rounds downrange with a quiet and low-recoil firearm, then gradually introduce noise first, then recoil.

I should title this post "How to Create an Addict..."

[fordwannabe]

My reward for being a good boy when I was 5 years old was a half a box of 22's and a single shot rifle that was tied to the pier in my Grandparents back yard. My grandmother would use that to get the bestest behavior out of little Tommy. Fast forward 47 years, little Tommy now is 6 feet one, weighs right at 300 pounds and still feel rewarded with half a box of 22's. According to Doc I must be afflicted. Well done Pillar.
My Mom told me when I went to nursing school ,after that I wouldn't be as into guns as I was then. My response..I'M getting a degree ....not a lobotomy. Only difference is now I can afford cooler toys. Thanks Jack.

[Ysabel Kid]

Piller, thanks for doing this! If we all can do the same, or at least "neutralize" someone on the fence (I mean make them at least truly neutral in the debate versus tools of the anti-gunners), we can hold off the tide of the leftists...

[piller]

The family was sort of anti gun. I think the video she had me take of her shooting made a lot of difference. She had gone shooting before with me. That time was only .22lr, and she really likes my Henry .22lr levergun. This time she wanted to try more. She did well.

[AJMD429]

I think "leverguns" are IDEAL for these newbies, especially if they have an anti-gun background.

Semiautos are all "assault weapons" in their mind, and bolt-actions are all "sniper weapons", but lever actions are ones they see as basically harmless relics enjoyed by those who like John Wayne movies.

When in a low-noise, low-recoil chambering, any anticipation and fear will dissipate, and if the sights facilitate hitting a reactive target that isn't human-shaped, they will have enough success to start having fun right away.

All this 'duty' we feel to make sure we educate newbies ALSO gives us an excuse to buy more 22 LR's...

[piller]

She wants a Henry in .22lr now.