Took Out Two New Shooters

elkhunter11 · #1 03-03-2016, 12:06 PM

A step son and his friend have been asking to go shooting for a while now, so yesterday I took them to the local range. I took along my S&W Model 41, my Volquartsen 22lr, and my Anschuts 54MS-R.
We started with the handgun at 10 meters, and they were both shocked at how difficult it was to shoot a handgun accurately. They both play a lot of video games, and they had assumed that they would do much better.
I then had them shooting the Volquartsen at 50m and they did much better with five shots under 1" , and some under 3/4". I then had them shooting the Anschutz, at 50m, and they both managed five shots in 1/2" to 5/8", once they got used to the two stage trigger.
To finish up, we moved to 100m, and they both shot under 1-1/2" with the Anschutz.
For the first time that either of them had discharged a firearm, they both did quite well.
Now they want to go out ground squirrel shooting, and I have informed them that I will take them, but they must both complete their PAL course first.
I will also get them out to shoot shotguns, but again, that will happen after they complete their courses.

Scotty454 · #2 03-03-2016, 12:11 PM

Nice

It's always easier in video games. Long range especially. Press down the "hold breath" button, and the reticle stops moving completely! Lol

antmai · #3 03-03-2016, 02:21 PM

Given the amount of rage that gets built up on the forum sometimes, I thought to myself....
How bad were they? and I wouldn't be broadcasting that I 'took out' two new shooters!

JD848 · #4 03-03-2016, 03:19 PM

Good for you elk11,biggest problem is to many video games,getting them out there and planting that seed in those boy's mind is the first step on teaching them the enjoyment of shooting then the outdoors.

gitrdun · #5 03-03-2016, 04:20 PM

I have no idea where you're going with this. ??????

elkhunter11 · #6 03-03-2016, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitrdun

I have no idea where you're going with this. ??????

I got them away from the video games for a couple of hours, now I am working on getting them to get their PALs. With luck, they will choose the real thing over those silly video games.

Purple Farmer · #7 03-03-2016, 04:47 PM

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Took an 11 year old daughter of a friends out two weeks ago after my 4 year old asked her why she had never shot a gun. A great experience for her and for me. Santa has already noted what she wants for xmas.

roper1 · #8 03-03-2016, 08:35 PM

Very well done, Elk. First, a little bonding with the stepson, second, some time out of the house, third, some new shooters to help grow our sport, fourth, some time spent with responsible adults & firearms, seems compatible to me.
Fifth, handgun & .22 great places to pique interest.

With my kids, nieces, nephews, all new shooters, I do safelyallow them to .22 blast some shat, popcans full of water, plinker targets(visishots), balloons just some jackaround stuff to keep it interesting. A little Tannerite for diversion.

Again, thanks for taking them out!!!

JD848 · #9 03-03-2016, 11:11 PM

The coolest thing you can do in life is teaching a young person in this f///kup world we live in, is how to hunt ,fish,how to handle a rifle in order to be able to survive and provide food for themselves and the list can go on, but the biggest factors is getting them to learn and love the outdoors,it's a romance that never ends and a healthy one to boot.Good for you ELK ,plus from what I read you have plenty of knowledge in this area which makes it ten times better,if they learn the correct way they will later on in life teach someone else the correct way.

roger · #10 03-04-2016, 06:48 AM

Right on elk!
I got the 7 yeAR old grandson out in this nice weat her with a little single shot 22 I bought off chuck.
little guy has a hundred rounds through it and only four or five holes in the target in total. But so what.
He just loves it. Cheap little gun, cheap bullets, the target lasts forever at this rate .priceless.
learning and listening to the rules means more to him when he knows he wont be shooting if they get abused. We also read the operators/safety manuals for the gun (or skidsteer or a new aircompresser or whatever else we are doing that day).
as long as we are doing it together. He calls it boytime and it's the high lite of his day.

elkhunter11 · #11 03-04-2016, 08:24 AM

The hardest part these days seems to be getting youth to put down those silly video games long enough to try actual shooting. Many younger people have the attitude that they can't be bothered to try actual shooting, because they can do the same thing on a video game. The experiences with an actual handgun convinced these two young men that their video games are not very realistic. Now that they are interested in actual shooting, a few hours in a field of ground squirrels should just increase their interest. I am not convinced that they will ever want to hunt game animals, but if I can get them outside and away from the video games for a while, I will consider it a victory.