One of the greatest joys I have as a range safety officer at Fishhawk is seeing new shooters leave the
range with a smile and plans to return again and again to the joys of shooting. On the other hand, it is a
horrible to see one leaving distressed, miserable and unlikely to ever try shooting again. What makes
the difference? It often boils down to noise, blast, recoil, an inappropriate gun and a lack of prep before
the range trip.
Prep is a big deal. Before you bring a new shooter, explain the basic safety rules, particularly the
importance of keeping the muzzle in a safe direction. Have them handle the gun. Show them how to
operate the mechanisms. How does the trigger feel when they press it for firing? Let them dry fire it.
How is it loaded? Show them using dummy rounds if possible. What is involved in making it safe for a
cold range? Show how to unload it. Demonstrate how to lock the action open and lay the weapon on
the bench so the safety officer can verify it is clear. Let them do all of these enough times to feel
comfortable. Repetition is a key element of learning. Skill is based upon repetition. If they are already at
least a little comfortable with all this, there will be less to deal with on range day.
Don’t forget to explain sight picture and the way to press the trigger as well as determining the
dominant eye.
Remember that hand strength and dexterity vary. What might be easy for you could be incredibly
difficult for others, especially the first few times they try it. One tip is if a semi-automatic pistol has an
external hammer and the shooter is having trouble running the slide, cock the hammer first. I do this
with my 1911’s most of the time. It just makes it easier.
Patience is important. Experienced people sometimes forget what it was like to be inexperienced.
All of us like to do things correctly and the less correction we need from the authority figure, those guys
in the red shirts, the happier we are. By preparing the new shooter for what to expect, you will eliminate
most, if not all, of the issues that might call for corrections. After muzzle control, the biggest safety issue
is keeping the finger straight, off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until the sights come onto the
target.
If at all possible, bring new shooters to the range on a week day. Things are quieter than on weekends
and holidays. We can space shooters farther apart which means less noise and less muzzle blast. Noise
and muzzle blast isn’t fun for most of us and bothers most new shooters.
Another advantage of the slower days is that safety officers will have more time to help. I am sure I
speak for every FishHawk RSO when I write that we always work hard to make time for this. That said, a
busy holiday or weekend makes it harder to help the new folks as much as we want.
Consider the gun the new shooter will be trying for their first shots. The .22 is always the best. A .22 has
low recoil and muzzle blast and is usually easy to manipulate. Modern compact pistols designed for
concealed carry are less than optimal. They need to be powerful, light weight and have short barrels for
concealment. These attributes enhance muzzle blast and recoil. Being small, they are harder to hold and
the controls are often tiny to enhance concealability which means they are difficult to manipulate. Short
slides require powerful recoil springs, so they are tough to operate.

A full size, steel framed 9mm is another good choice. Steel is heavier than plastic and heavier guns recoil
less. Surprisingly to many, a full-sized steel 1911 in .45 has worked pretty well for a number of petite
shooters in my experience, though a 9mm 1911 would be better yet. The Smith & Wesson EZ series of
guns also seem to work well as the slide require little effort to operate. One new shooter kept mine for
her entire range session as she said it was so much nicer to shoot than the micro-9mm her friend
brought for her. She left happy and planned to buy one.
Revolvers are great guns and work well for many, but the long, heavy trigger is a problem for some. Yes,
you can cock most revolvers for a very nice trigger pull, but in most self-defense situations, you won’t
have time. You might be able shoot it brilliantly, but will the new shooter be able to? Have them try it
and watch how steadily they can hold it during the trigger press.
Never forget that the great gun for one person could be awful for the next and vice versa. That’s why
there are so many different ones. People are different and the manufacturers try to accommodate all of
us.
Please, please, don’t try to show off your hottest, most powerful gun. We have a fantastic clientele, but
every once in a while, someone can’t resist showing off their biggest, meanest blaster. Resist the
temptation, at least on the first few trips to the range. There are guns I won’t shoot because I know they
will not be pleasant. It is best not to impose hand cannons on new shooters. And no magnums, period,
exclamation mark. Offer them later if they want.
If you do your prep, you will discover issues before the range trip. If there are, it may indicate more
work more at home before you go or a different gun is needed.
Don’t hesitate to ask for space away from other shooters if it is available.
We should ask the new shooter why they are going to the range. There are five main reasons to shoot.
First is because it is fun. Second is for hunting. Third is because someone we care about wants us to try
it, fourth it is required by a profession such as law enforcement and finally, the big elephant in the room,
self-protection.
The person who wants to shoot for fun is the easiest to motivate. Hunters are motivated to harvest their
game. Self-defense shooters also have motivation. The ones who are shooting because we want them to
are the hardest to keep motivated. Figure out what is going on with your new shooter and what is
required to keep them interested. Positive reinforcement will always help. I joke with wives and
girlfriends about how they deserve a good dinner and bottle of wine after the range trip. In reality, it is
good idea if someone is shooting to please you and spend time with you, to make them feel special.
They love you enough to shoot with you. Love them enough to show your appreciation by doing
something they enjoy with them.
I love seeing parents do a great job introducing their kids to shooting and I often learn so much from
them. One started off his daughter with an Airsoft pistol, transitioned to a .22 and finally she ran rounds
through his Glock 19. He was one of several parents who have made my day. Another is a retired
member of a very elite military unit and a third is part of an inspector general’s unit of a federal
organization. Those were just three of the great ones.

Never forget that shooting is both simple and complex. Making the gun go bang is easy. Being safe and
getting good hits requires conscious work and thought. Above all, it requires patience, especially from
the teacher. Teaching is one of the most rewarding things we can do, especially for those we care about.