What "type" of gun do you use to introduce newbies? - Page 2

RETG · June 26, 2020, 03:09 PM

Many years ago when actually helping some friends start a handgun training course, for beginners weighted plastic guns.

aarondhgraham · June 26, 2020, 03:45 PM

For a formal training course,,,
Especially with a roomful of newbies,,,
I could certainly see some value in using plastic guns.

But for a less formal one-on-one range trip,,,
That would be BORING!

But then again,,,
I grew up with some form of toy gun in my hand.

I have often wondered if that gave me and all my contemporaries,,,
Some type of familiarity/insight in basic gun handling.

I did not grow up with a parent who taught me proper gun handling,,,
I was simply given access to guns and warned not to do anything stupid.

It's a wonder I only have one BB gun scar on my body.

The first formal training I ever received was when I was in the US Air Force,,,
I made friends with the base range-master while stationed in Germany,,,
He taught me a lot of good behavior that I lacked beforehand.

With a SA/DA .38 revolver,,,
Thus starting my love affair with the S&W Model 15.

Aarond

.

triplebike · June 26, 2020, 04:27 PM

Was at the range today and a few lanes away was a guy & woman (maybe his mom) getting ready to shoot. Just by the her look I was pretty sure it was her 1st time. He was shooting a 9mm , not sure which brand. I noticed that after her 1st shots she was bandaging her hand. I asked her if the slide bit her and she replied that it did. Luckily it wasn't too bad. I asked her if it was her 1st time shooting and she confirmed that it was. At that point I convinced the male to let her try my Ruger SR22. After the 1st mag fired she had a big smile on her face, after the second mag she said it was time to go gun shopping. Kinda made my day to see her actually enjoying herself.

DaveBj · June 26, 2020, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onward Allusion

Always a DA/SA revolver with exposed hammer chambered in 22LR.

Good choice. Don't be like my son; he took me pistol-shooting for the first time, and put a .357 magnum in my hand!

(I also agree with one-shot-at-a-time for an absolute beginner.)

D

Double K · June 26, 2020, 05:07 PM

It depends on who the person is and what I believe there interests might be, I always default to a Smith 317 D/A 22lr revolver with CCI quiet 22 ammunition though.
If it's a young sports minded type of person especially a girl a couple of rounds of skeet with a 410 O/U is a great choice, we start off by shooting singles at stations 1 and 6 until they can hit the targets then shoot the other stations.
My son was dating a young girl when he was a teenager, 3 rounds of skeet one afternoon turned her into a shotgunning fanatic. She ended up buying a gun and shooting league's as a lifetime passion. She had never touched a gun before I handed her my Citori that afternoon. My kid didn't marry her.

**44 AMP** · June 26, 2020, 06:02 PM

Since we're talking handguns here, there are some additional things to keep in mind, some already mentioned.

There are two "groups" of newbies to handgun shooting, those who have never shot anything before, and those who have, but are new to handguns.

Obviously, the person with rifle/shotgun experience can start at a more advanced level than the complete beginner.

Like a number of folks of my generation, I was taught how to shoot, as a youth, by my family. And, while toy guns were allowed, my parents, unlike many, strictly forbid BB guns. They felt that a BB gun, combined with other neighborhood kids with BB guns would teach irresponsible behavior. I believe they were right.

I learned to shoot with my mother's .22 rifle. JC Higgens, single shot bolt action which had to be manually cocked for each shot. My Dad was an NRA Hunter Safety instructor. I was involved with set up and pack up of the class material (including several guns) and having to sit through the class time from the time I was big enough to carry a box of papers.

My 14th birthday present was my own Winchester .22 rifle. And, it was about that time I began to shoot my Dad's pistols.

SO, when teaching a handgun beginner, adjustment for existing skill, if any, can be made. A light recoiling pistol with no moving parts that can bite is a good choice. This usually means a revolver (unless you have a single shot). The more complex semi auto should wait, though it may not need to wait long.

The revolver, and particularly the single action tend to curb the young shooter's desire to just blaze away they way TV has taught them for years.

It also re-enforces awareness of the difference between TV & movies and real guns in the real world. You certainly can teach a beginner with a semi auto, if that's all there is, but if you can use a single shot or a revolver, I think that's a better place to take their first steps on the path.

Pahoo · June 26, 2020, 07:15 PM

Quote:

There are two "groups" of newbies to handgun shooting, those who have never shot anything before, and those who have, but are new to handguns.

I know it's hard to believe but last week at one of my local GS's, A man, in his 50's came in that and told the owner that he wanted to get a handgun for he and his wife. The dealer was happy to obliged and asked the customer; What he know about firearms. With no second thought, the customer said; "absolutely nothing" but wanted to know enough on what to buy for he and his wife. The dealer was surprised and started into an introduction lesson right then and there. still can't figure out how a man in his 50's is totally uninformed. You have to start from the beginning. ….

Quote:

For a formal training course,,,
Especially with a roomful of newbies,,,
I could certainly see some value in using plastic guns.

I totally agree and frequently use a plastic/laser pistol and long-gun for group classes. ……

Be Safe !!!

rc · June 26, 2020, 07:43 PM

I think an air gun with open sights or a 22 rifle is the best first gun. Teach sight alinement and trigger squeeze from a bench. Then worry about offhand shooting with a rifle before moving to something like a pistol or revolver. Bad habits developed early are persistent!

Wag · June 26, 2020, 08:29 PM

Single shot, bolt action rifle in 22LR. Always. Even a quick half hour or 45 minutes is all it takes to get them going on the basics.

After that, a 22LR pistol or revolver, depending on how they did with the rifle. If that works well, then a heavy 9mm pistol. I have a P89DC that works very well for that.

Sometimes, a 38 spl works well after the 22LR pistol but it always depends on the person and how they're doing at the early stages. Regardless, we are always able to adjust as needed to the circumstances.

Anyhoo, it seems to work well for men or women and even children.

--Wag--

TXAZ · June 26, 2020, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aarondhgraham

What "type" of gun do you use to introduce newbies?

What type of guns do you prefer to use when introducing a newbie?

Aarond

.

Simple. I don’t think the type matters. The kind of hand gun that can be loaded with 1 round per shot for the first few shots is my recommendation.
I’ve attempted to teach many but had two literally freak out (Millennials ask a Boomer) on pulling the trigger the first time.
The first young man fired the shot, the .380 went straight up in the air and he started yelling “get it off me” and was dancing / shaking / gyrating as if a pit bull had latched him.
The second was less dramatic but clearly an uncomfortable shooter who froze and said “take it” with some authority after bouncing out 2 shots.
Hard to predict such a reaction but either could have turned out bad.

bamaranger · June 28, 2020, 01:21 AM

Ruger Bearcat

jetinteriorguy · June 28, 2020, 06:24 AM

Ruger MK II, 5” stainless bull barrel target model. I feel it teaches how a safety works. How to load and shoot a semi auto pistol. How to load a magazine. How to respect a light trigger, in other words finger on the trigger only when ready to shoot. How to acquire a good sight picture. And very important for a beginner, how to shoot accurately. Since this is a very easy gun to shoot relatively accurately, it’s very encouraging for beginners when they have good results from the start.

peacefulgary · June 29, 2020, 03:02 AM

For me it depends: If the newbie is an adult who has never shot a firearm, but they want to buy a self defense handgun, and they want it ASAP, then I recommend a polymer 9mm like a Glock or a S&W M&P or something similar.

I started out as kid with BB/pellet guns, then a 410 single-shot shotgun, then .22 rifles, and then .22 and .38 revolvers.
My father was a revolver fan (probably from watching John Wayne, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, etc...but these days, I just don't care for revolvers.

Hal · June 29, 2020, 05:32 AM

Raw newbies - I always start them with a .22 rifle. My ancient Marlin/Glenfield M60.

jackstrawIII · June 29, 2020, 01:01 PM

I think it's interesting that so many of you would put a DA revolver into the hands of a newbie. In my experience, revolvers are about 10x more difficult for people to shoot than semi auto pistols... especially younger folks or women with weaker hands.

I always start folks on a striker fired 22 semi pistol of some sort. They are far and away (in my experience) the simplest and most intuitive type of handgun (since this is the handgun forum) for someone to learn on. There's no cocking/decocking, long triggers, etc. It's just point and click.

Then we build from there.

aarondhgraham · June 29, 2020, 02:54 PM

"There's no cocking/decocking, long triggers, etc. It's just point and click.

Then we build from there."

Because I desire to teach them a little more about guns in general I guess,,,
Not just familiarize them with the easiest type of handgun to shoot.

For example I want them to physically experience what happens,,,
When you manually cock the hammer on a revolver,,,
Then decide not to shoot that round.

I want them to understand that you now have a round out of sequence.

Remember my friend,,,
I'm not trying to change anyone's mind here,,,
In starting this thread I really wanted to read different opinions.

If a person said to me, I need a handgun TODAY for protection,,,
I need to buy one today and learn how to shoot it today,,,
I'd probably say, Let's get you a GLOCK and some ammo.

But when I take a newbie out to the range,,,
I want to turn them into a knowledgeable gun handler.

Every kid I know who learned to drive with an automatic,,,
Had trouble transitioning to a manual shift.

Every kid I know who learned to drive with a manual shift,,,
Had no trouble transitioning to an automatic.

Same with archery,,,
Learn on a self bow and then transitioning to a compound is easy,,,
Start out on a compound and it's not so easy to learn to shoot a recurve.

Just my not-so-humble opinion.

Aarond

.

peacefulgary · June 29, 2020, 05:24 PM

It's all good and well to start a new shooter out slowly and work your way up to more and more powerful calibers.
And if you have the time to teach, and if you have the guns to let them learn on, and if the newbie can afford the ammo (or if you're willing to provid the ammo)...THAT'S GREAT.

But most of us lead busy lives with our free time being demanded by family and friends and home projects, and internet forums, ect...
Taking the slow and steady path might not be a viable option.

Even the U.S. military went to automatic transmissions because it didn't take as much training time to teach a soldier how to proficiently drive an automatic vs a manual.
Training time is always limited, and there is so much to learn for a new Soldier.

HiBC · June 30, 2020, 01:28 AM

I'm of the single shot bolt action 22 rifle clan. If handguns are the next step,open iron sights would be OK.

I'll give some reasons.

A new shooter has a lot of new thing to focus on. Simplifying it makes it easier to do a few things well.
Safety considerations.Muzzle discipline with a long gun is easer to keep track of. Sweeps happen quick with a handgun.
Its easier to keep track of "Loaded or clear" with a bolt SS 22 with the bolt either open or its hot.
By making safety as simple as possible,its more likely there will be no dangerous incident,and its really OK if our newbie is able to avoid having a stressed coach or RO "explain things" after a pistol sweeps someone.

The basics of shooting. Natural point of aim. Breathing. Sight alignment trigger control. Follow through.

All of them apply to both rifle and handgun shooting.

Its far easier to learn from success beginning with a rifle.

A person can't focus on too many new things at once.

Whether slung up,prone or even bench and bag,at 50 feet,the initial sight alignment,breathing,and trigger control can be its own focus. And the feeling of hitting "Bullseyes" is encouraging!!
Mostly keeping them inside the 8 ring on a 50 ft target might be an achievable goal.

Then step up to prone. Success there can lead to sitting,etc.

When our shooter can keep them in the black standing at 50 feet....Its a level of competence with the basics.

Now we can apply all those fundamentals...practiced,understood fundamentals ,to the more difficult handgun.

Even with a 22,the bounce of recoil covers up many sins.

Ammo is cheap,and,using ear protection,the flinch experience is unnecessary

(That will come later!!)

By this time,range safety should be more well ingrained.

Realisticlly,next step would be based on available firearms.A single action revolver is a good choice. So is 22,though 32 or 38 target wadcutters will do.

IMO,nothing wrong with going two handed hold.

Once again,take the time to master keeping them in the black on an appropriate NRAbullseye target,one hand or two,with cheap,very mild ammo.

Then step up to a 9mm duty full size auto,or a mid size frame DA 38/357 with mild loads,

And begin to intro the SD sort of shooting,including speed.

A shallow table saw kerf in a chunk of 2x4 makes a good groove to stand Ritz cracker in.,or saltines.

I understand,for some folks the realization hits them "I want a gun" You can buy that.

But there is no "Instant Pudding solution " to becoming competent with that firearm.

There is not a guitar in the world that will make you a rock star just for owning it.

Its just an undeniable reality that learning to play a guitar takes some time and effort.

While I will concede,its possible to start a new shooter with a 9mm,or 38/357. an M-4...or ,as Veterans likely know,a Garand and a 1911.

Even if I only had a weekend to teach someone basic competence with a 9mm handgun we would start out shooting at least 50 or 100 rds of 22 through a single shot rifle. Its the simplest,least cluttered way to focus on natural point of aim,sight alignment,breathing,and trigger control.

Without those,it can be difficult to hit a queen sized mattress at 30 feet for a new shooter with a handgun.

stephen426 · June 30, 2020, 09:20 AM

For someone who has never shot before, I always demonstrate with an airsoft gun. I go over gun safety, grip, stance, sight alignment, breathing and trigger pull.

When we go to live fire, I start with my Browning Buckmark. The idea is to build confidence and minimize the flinch reflex. I then move to a full sized 9mm from there. If I see they are comfortable and not flinching, I move to .45 acp. I don't shoot much .40 S&W these days. I sometimes bring my Ruger GP100 and will start on .38 Special before going to .357 mag. I am not a big revolver fan so I don't always bring it.

I hate watching video where people give new shooters very powerful guns. Why scare new shooters and risk injury? It is irresponsible and dangerous.

Arrowhead37 · July 1, 2020, 09:08 AM

I start with the gun they will use, a 22 rimfire. My last two have been kids and I used a Ruger SR22 because it was small enough for them to grip well. First off is the safety lecture and demonstration with the gun empty and then each got to handle it and demonstrate that the safety lecture "took". Then each got to shoot it loaded with a single round and this was the procedure until I was satisfied they would follow safety rules. Then they got to load two rounds for awhile and then finally went to a full magazine. The oldest is large enough now to hold any of my various rimfire handguns but she still likes the little Ruger with the red dot sight. It's a bit embarrassing to admit that she can out shoot me with the little thing now. That fact may just be one of the reasons she likes it. The younger one still has some growing to do before larger guns are an option.

I haven't introduced any adults to pistol shooting in years but if I did it would start with a 22 rimfire and size would depend on the adult's size.

aarondhgraham · July 1, 2020, 09:40 AM

I'm enjoying reading the reasons behind each person's preference,,,
In many cases they make perfect sense to me.

Most of the different opinions seem to revolve around different training goals.

Thanks for responding gentlemen,,,
I'm being exposed to new ideas here.

Aarond

.

JDBerg · July 2, 2020, 05:11 AM

I remember taking the NRA Basic Handgun Safety course years ago with a BHP rental gun. The instructor advised to try out every type of handgun you can for at least 6 months before you committed to a first purchase. I probably tried a dozen different guns for more than 6 months before I got a deal on a decent Sig P228 and to this day I know what that instructor said back then was really good advice and I know I made a good first choice.

OneFreeTexan · July 2, 2020, 08:16 PM

Right now I am helping a lady,, in her 40’s, I guess, decide on her carry gun. She’s fairly strong, so can shoot any handgun. I’ve had her try everything from 22LR to a 45....She thinks the 45 is way too heavy,,,,she says she doesn’t have to hit the bad guy with it, cause the shock wave will kill him...She can put a full mag thru it with no problem and for some reason always ends up with the giggles.
However, right now she is favoring what she called ‘the ray gun’. A Remington R51, she likes the way it fits her hand, the slight recoil and the easy to aim....She is trying several others, but always goes back to that one.

kymasabe · July 3, 2020, 05:00 AM

Walther P22 or one of my Charter Arms .38's with exposed hammer. When bumping up to the .38, I start with Magtech .38 shorts, then eventually graduate up to cowboy loads, and then wadcutters.

Cosmodragoon · July 4, 2020, 02:30 AM

Yes, definitely DA/SA revolver with exposed hammer. I like standard-pressure .38 special from a ~4" K or L frame. Really spend some time with it and talk them through what is happening with some electronic muffs.

Then for fun, once they have the hang of it and want to try, you can bump up to .357 magnum with reactive targets like water jugs, cheap soda, or overripe fruit.

June 26, 2020, 03:09 PM	#26
RETG Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2009 Location: Somewhere in Idaho, near WY Posts: 507	Many years ago when actually helping some friends start a handgun training course, for beginners weighted plastic guns. __________________ I give MY OPINION (not often) based on many years shooting at, other than paper targets. I will not debate my experience vs. your experience based on dreams and "what ifs." I'm 73; I'm too damn old to care.

June 26, 2020, 03:45 PM	#27
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	For a formal training course,,, Especially with a roomful of newbies,,, I could certainly see some value in using plastic guns. But for a less formal one-on-one range trip,,, That would be BORING! But then again,,, I grew up with some form of toy gun in my hand. I have often wondered if that gave me and all my contemporaries,,, Some type of familiarity/insight in basic gun handling. I did not grow up with a parent who taught me proper gun handling,,, I was simply given access to guns and warned not to do anything stupid. It's a wonder I only have one BB gun scar on my body. The first formal training I ever received was when I was in the US Air Force,,, I made friends with the base range-master while stationed in Germany,,, He taught me a lot of good behavior that I lacked beforehand. With a SA/DA .38 revolver,,, Thus starting my love affair with the S&W Model 15. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

June 26, 2020, 06:02 PM	#31
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,820	Since we're talking handguns here, there are some additional things to keep in mind, some already mentioned. There are two "groups" of newbies to handgun shooting, those who have never shot anything before, and those who have, but are new to handguns. Obviously, the person with rifle/shotgun experience can start at a more advanced level than the complete beginner. Like a number of folks of my generation, I was taught how to shoot, as a youth, by my family. And, while toy guns were allowed, my parents, unlike many, strictly forbid BB guns. They felt that a BB gun, combined with other neighborhood kids with BB guns would teach irresponsible behavior. I believe they were right. I learned to shoot with my mother's .22 rifle. JC Higgens, single shot bolt action which had to be manually cocked for each shot. My Dad was an NRA Hunter Safety instructor. I was involved with set up and pack up of the class material (including several guns) and having to sit through the class time from the time I was big enough to carry a box of papers. My 14th birthday present was my own Winchester .22 rifle. And, it was about that time I began to shoot my Dad's pistols. SO, when teaching a handgun beginner, adjustment for existing skill, if any, can be made. A light recoiling pistol with no moving parts that can bite is a good choice. This usually means a revolver (unless you have a single shot). The more complex semi auto should wait, though it may not need to wait long. The revolver, and particularly the single action tend to curb the young shooter's desire to just blaze away they way TV has taught them for years. It also re-enforces awareness of the difference between TV & movies and real guns in the real world. You certainly can teach a beginner with a semi auto, if that's all there is, but if you can use a single shot or a revolver, I think that's a better place to take their first steps on the path. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

June 26, 2020, 08:29 PM	#34
Wag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 988	Single shot, bolt action rifle in 22LR. Always. Even a quick half hour or 45 minutes is all it takes to get them going on the basics. After that, a 22LR pistol or revolver, depending on how they did with the rifle. If that works well, then a heavy 9mm pistol. I have a P89DC that works very well for that. Sometimes, a 38 spl works well after the 22LR pistol but it always depends on the person and how they're doing at the early stages. Regardless, we are always able to adjust as needed to the circumstances. Anyhoo, it seems to work well for men or women and even children. --Wag-- __________________ "Great genius will always encounter fierce opposition from mediocre minds." --Albert Einstein.

June 28, 2020, 01:21 AM	#36
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,303	single action revolver/.22 Ruger Bearcat

June 26, 2020, 04:27 PM	#28
triplebike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: Eastern, Pa Posts: 301	Was at the range today and a few lanes away was a guy & woman (maybe his mom) getting ready to shoot. Just by the her look I was pretty sure it was her 1st time. He was shooting a 9mm , not sure which brand. I noticed that after her 1st shots she was bandaging her hand. I asked her if the slide bit her and she replied that it did. Luckily it wasn't too bad. I asked her if it was her 1st time shooting and she confirmed that it was. At that point I convinced the male to let her try my Ruger SR22. After the 1st mag fired she had a big smile on her face, after the second mag she said it was time to go gun shopping. Kinda made my day to see her actually enjoying herself.

June 26, 2020, 05:07 PM	#30
Double K Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2020 Location: Colorado Posts: 486	It depends on who the person is and what I believe there interests might be, I always default to a Smith 317 D/A 22lr revolver with CCI quiet 22 ammunition though. If it's a young sports minded type of person especially a girl a couple of rounds of skeet with a 410 O/U is a great choice, we start off by shooting singles at stations 1 and 6 until they can hit the targets then shoot the other stations. My son was dating a young girl when he was a teenager, 3 rounds of skeet one afternoon turned her into a shotgunning fanatic. She ended up buying a gun and shooting league's as a lifetime passion. She had never touched a gun before I handed her my Citori that afternoon. My kid didn't marry her.

June 26, 2020, 07:43 PM	#33
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,765	I think an air gun with open sights or a 22 rifle is the best first gun. Teach sight alinement and trigger squeeze from a bench. Then worry about offhand shooting with a rifle before moving to something like a pistol or revolver. Bad habits developed early are persistent!

June 28, 2020, 06:24 AM	#37
jetinteriorguy Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2013 Posts: 3,173	Ruger MK II, 5” stainless bull barrel target model. I feel it teaches how a safety works. How to load and shoot a semi auto pistol. How to load a magazine. How to respect a light trigger, in other words finger on the trigger only when ready to shoot. How to acquire a good sight picture. And very important for a beginner, how to shoot accurately. Since this is a very easy gun to shoot relatively accurately, it’s very encouraging for beginners when they have good results from the start.

June 29, 2020, 03:02 AM	#38
peacefulgary Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 714	For me it depends: If the newbie is an adult who has never shot a firearm, but they want to buy a self defense handgun, and they want it ASAP, then I recommend a polymer 9mm like a Glock or a S&W M&P or something similar. I started out as kid with BB/pellet guns, then a 410 single-shot shotgun, then .22 rifles, and then .22 and .38 revolvers. My father was a revolver fan (probably from watching John Wayne, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, etc...but these days, I just don't care for revolvers.

June 29, 2020, 05:32 AM	#39
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Raw newbies - I always start them with a .22 rifle. My ancient Marlin/Glenfield M60.

June 29, 2020, 01:01 PM	#40
jackstrawIII Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2016 Location: Upstate NY. Posts: 901	I think it's interesting that so many of you would put a DA revolver into the hands of a newbie. In my experience, revolvers are about 10x more difficult for people to shoot than semi auto pistols... especially younger folks or women with weaker hands. I always start folks on a striker fired 22 semi pistol of some sort. They are far and away (in my experience) the simplest and most intuitive type of handgun (since this is the handgun forum) for someone to learn on. There's no cocking/decocking, long triggers, etc. It's just point and click. Then we build from there. __________________ In God we trust.

June 29, 2020, 02:54 PM	#41
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	Why I start with a DA/SA revolver. "There's no cocking/decocking, long triggers, etc. It's just point and click. Then we build from there." Because I desire to teach them a little more about guns in general I guess,,, Not just familiarize them with the easiest type of handgun to shoot. For example I want them to physically experience what happens,,, When you manually cock the hammer on a revolver,,, Then decide not to shoot that round. I want them to understand that you now have a round out of sequence. Remember my friend,,, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind here,,, In starting this thread I really wanted to read different opinions. If a person said to me, I need a handgun TODAY for protection,,, I need to buy one today and learn how to shoot it today,,, I'd probably say, Let's get you a GLOCK and some ammo. But when I take a newbie out to the range,,, I want to turn them into a knowledgeable gun handler. Every kid I know who learned to drive with an automatic,,, Had trouble transitioning to a manual shift. Every kid I know who learned to drive with a manual shift,,, Had no trouble transitioning to an automatic. Same with archery,,, Learn on a self bow and then transitioning to a compound is easy,,, Start out on a compound and it's not so easy to learn to shoot a recurve. Just my not-so-humble opinion. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

June 29, 2020, 05:24 PM	#42
peacefulgary Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 714	It's all good and well to start a new shooter out slowly and work your way up to more and more powerful calibers. And if you have the time to teach, and if you have the guns to let them learn on, and if the newbie can afford the ammo (or if you're willing to provid the ammo)...THAT'S GREAT. But most of us lead busy lives with our free time being demanded by family and friends and home projects, and internet forums, ect... Taking the slow and steady path might not be a viable option. Even the U.S. military went to automatic transmissions because it didn't take as much training time to teach a soldier how to proficiently drive an automatic vs a manual. Training time is always limited, and there is so much to learn for a new Soldier.

June 30, 2020, 01:28 AM	#43
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	I'm of the single shot bolt action 22 rifle clan. If handguns are the next step,open iron sights would be OK. I'll give some reasons. A new shooter has a lot of new thing to focus on. Simplifying it makes it easier to do a few things well. Safety considerations.Muzzle discipline with a long gun is easer to keep track of. Sweeps happen quick with a handgun. Its easier to keep track of "Loaded or clear" with a bolt SS 22 with the bolt either open or its hot. By making safety as simple as possible,its more likely there will be no dangerous incident,and its really OK if our newbie is able to avoid having a stressed coach or RO "explain things" after a pistol sweeps someone. The basics of shooting. Natural point of aim. Breathing. Sight alignment trigger control. Follow through. All of them apply to both rifle and handgun shooting. Its far easier to learn from success beginning with a rifle. A person can't focus on too many new things at once. Whether slung up,prone or even bench and bag,at 50 feet,the initial sight alignment,breathing,and trigger control can be its own focus. And the feeling of hitting "Bullseyes" is encouraging!! Mostly keeping them inside the 8 ring on a 50 ft target might be an achievable goal. Then step up to prone. Success there can lead to sitting,etc. When our shooter can keep them in the black standing at 50 feet....Its a level of competence with the basics. Now we can apply all those fundamentals...practiced,understood fundamentals ,to the more difficult handgun. Even with a 22,the bounce of recoil covers up many sins. Ammo is cheap,and,using ear protection,the flinch experience is unnecessary (That will come later!!) By this time,range safety should be more well ingrained. Realisticlly,next step would be based on available firearms.A single action revolver is a good choice. So is 22,though 32 or 38 target wadcutters will do. IMO,nothing wrong with going two handed hold. Once again,take the time to master keeping them in the black on an appropriate NRAbullseye target,one hand or two,with cheap,very mild ammo. Then step up to a 9mm duty full size auto,or a mid size frame DA 38/357 with mild loads, And begin to intro the SD sort of shooting,including speed. A shallow table saw kerf in a chunk of 2x4 makes a good groove to stand Ritz cracker in.,or saltines. I understand,for some folks the realization hits them "I want a gun" You can buy that. But there is no "Instant Pudding solution " to becoming competent with that firearm. There is not a guitar in the world that will make you a rock star just for owning it. Its just an undeniable reality that learning to play a guitar takes some time and effort. While I will concede,its possible to start a new shooter with a 9mm,or 38/357. an M-4...or ,as Veterans likely know,a Garand and a 1911. Even if I only had a weekend to teach someone basic competence with a 9mm handgun we would start out shooting at least 50 or 100 rds of 22 through a single shot rifle. Its the simplest,least cluttered way to focus on natural point of aim,sight alignment,breathing,and trigger control. Without those,it can be difficult to hit a queen sized mattress at 30 feet for a new shooter with a handgun. Last edited by HiBC; July 3, 2020 at 09:59 AM.

June 30, 2020, 09:20 AM	#44
stephen426 Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2005 Posts: 3,840	For someone who has never shot before, I always demonstrate with an airsoft gun. I go over gun safety, grip, stance, sight alignment, breathing and trigger pull. When we go to live fire, I start with my Browning Buckmark. The idea is to build confidence and minimize the flinch reflex. I then move to a full sized 9mm from there. If I see they are comfortable and not flinching, I move to .45 acp. I don't shoot much .40 S&W these days. I sometimes bring my Ruger GP100 and will start on .38 Special before going to .357 mag. I am not a big revolver fan so I don't always bring it. I hate watching video where people give new shooters very powerful guns. Why scare new shooters and risk injury? It is irresponsible and dangerous. __________________ The ATF should be a convenience store instead of a government agency!

July 1, 2020, 09:08 AM	#45
Arrowhead37 Member Join Date: May 14, 2020 Posts: 25	I start with the gun they will use, a 22 rimfire. My last two have been kids and I used a Ruger SR22 because it was small enough for them to grip well. First off is the safety lecture and demonstration with the gun empty and then each got to handle it and demonstrate that the safety lecture "took". Then each got to shoot it loaded with a single round and this was the procedure until I was satisfied they would follow safety rules. Then they got to load two rounds for awhile and then finally went to a full magazine. The oldest is large enough now to hold any of my various rimfire handguns but she still likes the little Ruger with the red dot sight. It's a bit embarrassing to admit that she can out shoot me with the little thing now. That fact may just be one of the reasons she likes it. The younger one still has some growing to do before larger guns are an option. I haven't introduced any adults to pistol shooting in years but if I did it would start with a 22 rimfire and size would depend on the adult's size.

July 1, 2020, 09:40 AM	#46
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	I'm enjoying reading the reasons behind each person's preference,,, In many cases they make perfect sense to me. Most of the different opinions seem to revolve around different training goals. Thanks for responding gentlemen,,, I'm being exposed to new ideas here. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

July 2, 2020, 05:11 AM	#47
JDBerg Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2015 Location: PA Posts: 1,835	I remember taking the NRA Basic Handgun Safety course years ago with a BHP rental gun. The instructor advised to try out every type of handgun you can for at least 6 months before you committed to a first purchase. I probably tried a dozen different guns for more than 6 months before I got a deal on a decent Sig P228 and to this day I know what that instructor said back then was really good advice and I know I made a good first choice. __________________ Words to Live By: Before You Pray - Believe; Before You Speak - Listen; Before You Spend - Earn; Before You Write - Think; Before You Quit - Try; Before You Die - Live

July 2, 2020, 08:16 PM	#48
OneFreeTexan Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2002 Location: West, Texas Posts: 280	Right now I am helping a lady,, in her 40’s, I guess, decide on her carry gun. She’s fairly strong, so can shoot any handgun. I’ve had her try everything from 22LR to a 45....She thinks the 45 is way too heavy,,,,she says she doesn’t have to hit the bad guy with it, cause the shock wave will kill him...She can put a full mag thru it with no problem and for some reason always ends up with the giggles. However, right now she is favoring what she called ‘the ray gun’. A Remington R51, she likes the way it fits her hand, the slight recoil and the easy to aim....She is trying several others, but always goes back to that one.

July 3, 2020, 05:00 AM	#49
kymasabe Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2005 Location: SW Florida Posts: 2,747	Walther P22 or one of my Charter Arms .38's with exposed hammer. When bumping up to the .38, I start with Magtech .38 shorts, then eventually graduate up to cowboy loads, and then wadcutters. __________________ God's creatures big and small, eat them one, eat them all.

July 4, 2020, 02:30 AM	#50
Cosmodragoon Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2013 Location: Northeastern US Posts: 1,869	Yes, definitely DA/SA revolver with exposed hammer. I like standard-pressure .38 special from a ~4" K or L frame. Really spend some time with it and talk them through what is happening with some electronic muffs. Then for fun, once they have the hang of it and want to try, you can bump up to .357 magnum with reactive targets like water jugs, cheap soda, or overripe fruit.