I was at the range the other day. A young man was teaching a woman the ropes.
She was very unsure of herself, skittish and fearful of the guns he had brought along. That was understandable since he was starting her out with a Detonics Combat Master, a short barrel handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge.
(Please click on all images to see if there is a larger version.)
Her flinching only got worse, so he told her that he would put her on something smaller and less challenging. This time it was a Taurus titanium frame .357 Magnum, an extremely light gun that even I have found uncomfortable to shoot. Judging by the sound, he at least had the good sense to load it with .38 Special cartridges instead of the more powerful .357.
I see stuff like this every so often, and it always bothers me.
Self defense instructors are people too, and like everyone else we have our own biases and convictions. We want people to enjoy the shooting sports, and which is why we devote ourselves to starting them on the path to safe gun ownership. Like anyone who finds great rewards in any activity, we are extremely hopeful that our students will be able to discover their own personal satisfactions in this hobby of ours.
That is where the danger lies. When we find that one gun or that one technique that yields the best results, we want to share it. It would be great if a student could also realize the same satisfaction that we feel.
But that isn't our job, and we are doing a disservice to our students by pushing our own preferences. In fact, there is only two things an experienced shooter should do when teaching a beginner.
The first is to make sure that they know how to handle firearms in a safe manner. The second is to stand back and make sure that they don't screw up and forget the safety rules while they feel their own way.
Make suggestions, sure, but always be careful that they are indeed suggestions instead of commands. If they choose something that works for them, then praise their decision even if it wouldn't work for you. If you often instruct others, then try to provide alternatives to your own choices. (For example, I own a few revolvers I use in the class even though I prefer and always carry autoloaders.)
So what happened at the range? I approached the pair and offered to let them use the .22 handgun I had brought along. The guy curtly refused, his lip curling in disdain.
He thought I was intruding where I didn't have any right, which is probably true. But I still wish he had taken me up on my offer, for his student's sake.
Comments (10)
Would his reaction have been the same had the .22 been one of the several 1911 conversions out there? They wouldn't exist were there not a purpose for them. Would his lip curled in disdain had you suggested someone not get their first driving lesson in a 427 Cobra?
Posted by triticale | October 26, 2006 8:22 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:22
Would his reaction have been the same had the .22 been one of the several 1911 conversions out there?
Probably. Seemed to me that he was most upset that I was stealing his thunder while he was doing the mighty pistolero reoutine for his girlfriend. No matter what I did, I was going to get a lip-curl.
James
Posted by James R. Rummel | October 26, 2006 10:42 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 22:42
I saw that not long ago also. Some guy was trying to get his very petite girlfriend to shoot one of those tiny Glocks. I don't know exactly which model, but it was recoiling on her something fierce. She really needed a .22 or a big old clunky .38 special.
Posted by AlanDP | October 27, 2006 6:28 AM
Posted on October 27, 2006 06:28
My wife and I will be taking a female friend of ours out for her first shooting lesson tomorrow actually.
One thing I always do, before I ever go to the range with a student, is sit them down in a comfortable setting, and show them how to safely handle weapons, ammunition, and their own bodies around firearms. I give them as much time as they need, in a place where they feel safe and unintimidated; and I let them ask as many questions as they want.
I also run them through what we're going to do, and talk about during our trip to the range. Finally, I warn them that I WILL yell at them if they are doing something dangerous; but the yelling will be "trigger", "muzzle", or "stop"; and is absolutely and only for their safety.
The range is no place for someone with no expierience other than television to handle their first firearm; they are often scared enough as it is; and with all the noise and unfamiliar things and pressure... some jsut shut down and can't handle it.
Posted by Chris Byrne | October 27, 2006 1:31 PM
Posted on October 27, 2006 13:31
I am by no means an "instructor", but I have taken quite a few women over the years on their "first shoot." Some I was romantically inclined to, others were truly just friends or acquaintances who felt like they needed to own a gun for security and know how to make it go boom.
My observations have been something like:
1. Everyone needs to proceed at their own pace. Sometimes, in the beginning, they just need to squint up and hold on for a few rounds til they figure out it isn't near as bad as they thought it would be.
2. Women are no different than men, in that they will "act" as expected to by an "instructor". I always had them shoot at silhoutettes and at center mass, instead of trying to hit bullseyes. If we could get some center mass hits at 7', which is about 95% of pistol defensive shooting anyhow, we all did high fives and felt good about it and moved back 5 feet. Much better than trying to hit those pesky pie plates at 20 feet the first rounds downrange.
3. Women really can, and do, shoot competently. It is usually the man, in the teaching situation, that is the weak link, as observed in the blog posting.
Posted by Porta's Cat | October 28, 2006 10:25 AM
Posted on October 28, 2006 10:25
Great post. I agree with you 100%. The thing i love about the 357 revolver (full size) is that you can bring someone along gradually, but they keep shooting the same gun: 38 wadcutters, standard 38s, 38 +P, full house magnums. Everything stays the same except the recoil.
Posted by craig henry | October 28, 2006 1:20 PM
Posted on October 28, 2006 13:20
My first day shooting I tried two guns. The second was that Taurus 317 titanium frame, which I quickly grew to dislike. My musings here.
Posted by David V.S. | October 28, 2006 9:52 PM
Posted on October 28, 2006 21:52
The second was that Taurus 317 titanium frame, which I quickly grew to dislike.
I clicked on over to your blog and read your impressions of the Taurus 617. I also note that you say that I don't like it.
This isn't exactly true. I have found it to be uncomfortable to shoot, and I certainly think it is inappropriate for a beginner, but it is well designed for it's intended purpose as well as being a quality handgun at a reasonable price. No one who chooses this gun as a self defense weapon will hear any complaints from me.
James
Posted by James R. Rummel | October 28, 2006 10:15 PM
Posted on October 28, 2006 22:15
Ah. I'll correct what I said. Thanks.
Posted by David V.S. | October 29, 2006 3:17 PM
Posted on October 29, 2006 15:17
That jackass was using the range session to teach some things other than shooting.
Like look how dangerous I am. Look what I can make you do. Look how I can segregate you from bystanders who see you suffering at my hands. Look at what you will put up with.
And, look how self defense is beyond your ability.
Posted by staghounds | November 2, 2006 7:59 AM
Posted on November 2, 2006 07:59