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Old December 24, 2012, 01:20 PM   #26
Xfire68
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Getting frustrated when they miss and think that it will take a lifetime to learn how to get good at it.

Also safety issues are a big problem. I preach it to them and give them a printed safety guild before any go shooting with me but, it's not instilled in their heads yet and mistakes are made. If they just don't have any common sense I won't take them shooting .
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Old December 24, 2012, 03:22 PM   #27
m&p45acp10+1
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The biggest problems I see at the range with new shooters are mostly safty related.

1. Not keeping the finger off the trigger when not shooting. Most times while walking to, and from the shooting area.

2. Not locking the weapon open, or opening the cylinder while walking to, and from the firing line.

As far as shooting form.

1. Not leaning forward enough to keep the gun from pushing them around. Most times they are leaning too far back.

2. Flinching (Many new shooters that follow basic advice do great for the first couple of shots. Then after the loud bang catches up to them, they shake, and flinch.

3. Limp wristing. I have seen this happen a whole lot.
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Old December 24, 2012, 06:36 PM   #28
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amen to dry firing. Most casual shooters do not take the time to learn the fundamentals.

Dry firing is an inexpensive way to learn all of the fundamentals.

Learning/teaching a new shooter is like learning the golf swing. One needs to concentrate on a single element of the process at each session.

They also need to understand groups. They always try for a bulls eye. As SSG Schongert always said. Forget the Bulls eye get a good group and we will adjust to the X.
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Old December 24, 2012, 06:45 PM   #29
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This may sound a bit odd but trying to start shooting a defensive handgun from 40 yrds away and expecting they will hit anything then getting discouraged because they cant.
I dont even work with anyone trying to teach them anything outside of about 15 yrds to begin with and mostly closer. If they want to learn to shoot bad guys at 40 or 50 yards they can work on that on their own time.
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Old December 25, 2012, 10:33 PM   #30
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Trigger squeeze and muzzle control. If you don't the two together nothing else is going to work!
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Old December 26, 2012, 09:21 AM   #31
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1)Keeping their booger picker off the bang switch till a sight picture is established.
2)Keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
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Old December 26, 2012, 03:15 PM   #32
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Mainly...safety issues. Especially, the "Lord of the Range" types ---who come to the range thinking --- that there stuff "don't stink", that is....everything {in relation to breaking the range rules, known or unbeknownst to them} that they do on the range is beyond a safety recall; even though what they do sometimes, is a danger to themselves or too other's on the range or beyond.

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Old December 26, 2012, 03:30 PM   #33
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Muzzle awareness!
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Old December 28, 2012, 10:32 PM   #34
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Lots of good ones in this thread, especially muzzle control and keeping the finger off the trigger. I want to add two more:

1. Engage the safety or decock after firing!!! I'm talking about the newbie with a semi-auto pistol who fires 3 or 4 shots at a target and then pauses to see where he's hitting, while holding the gun down by his side cocked and finger on the trigger. Seen it many times when teaching new people.

My main one, though:

2. Get over your fear of the gun. I see many newbies who pull the trigger slowly, taking 30+ seconds to fire a shot, as if a nuclear bomb will go off when the hammer falls. They grimace, clench their teeth, squint, twist their heads back, etc. When it finally fires, they stand there with that deer-in-the-headlights expression.

I explain this to them. One exercise I like to do with new people is have them stand there and empty 2 or 3 clips, just rapid fire, one shot after another, and do it with a COMPLETELY relaxed, perfectly straight face. No lip-twitching, no blinking, no nothing. Just hold it up and go bang bang bang, appearing to be utterly bored to death. This really helps a lot of people.
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Old December 29, 2012, 10:19 AM   #35
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Quote:
New & Old Shooters alike,

Getting them to understand the value of DRY FIRING. Hours upon hours of dry firing.
+1000

And understanding the value of the .22LR.

It looks fun and is fun so they want to jump to the CF's and rapid fire before learning the basics.

One of my old sig lines is "The .22, it's how we learn to shoot."
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Old December 29, 2012, 11:50 AM   #36
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Sight picture & trigger control

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Old December 31, 2012, 06:01 PM   #37
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Lack of experience. But that can be cured with time, and some dedication. What tweaks me is the long time gun owner with little or no experience.
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Old December 31, 2012, 09:40 PM   #38
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Muzzle control, finger on the trigger. General safety stuff.
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Old January 1, 2013, 12:12 AM   #39
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Most common is trying to turn around on the line with a loaded gun in their hand after the first shot.

Next is trigger control/flinching after subsequent shots.
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Old January 1, 2013, 12:37 AM   #40
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Quote:
Most common is trying to turn around on the line with a loaded gun in their hand after the first shot.

Next is trigger control/flinching after subsequent shots.
My experiences to a tee.
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Old January 2, 2013, 11:26 PM   #41
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Quote:
One exercise I like to do with new people is have them stand there and empty 2 or 3 clips, just rapid fire, one shot after another, and do it with a COMPLETELY relaxed, perfectly straight face. No lip-twitching, no blinking, no nothing. Just hold it up and go bang bang bang, appearing to be utterly bored to death. This really helps a lot of people.
Roger that!

I will typically follow that kind of drill with putting some kind of HUGE target, like a 24 inch circle, at 3 yards. "Just hit the circle anywhere". Then based on how they do with that, consider making the circle smaller OR making the distance greater.

My most common seen problem, perhaps like most, is muzzle discipline. If I sense that's going to be a continued problem, I quickly go to "one round only" drills. Doesn't cure the problem, but makes me feel less anxious.


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Old January 5, 2013, 12:00 AM   #42
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face time....

A common problem with new shooters or service members is holding the handgun to close to the face. With a semi auto pistol, it can be painful!
I had a US Army MP Sgt in my unit tell the story of a young 2LT who had a M9 slide smack him in the face. Stupid!

Part of the problem is that people watch TV shows or movies then think they can do the exact same. When they twist a semi auto to the side, you know they watched to much of The Wire on HBO, .
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Old January 8, 2013, 11:02 AM   #43
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Too much pride in not listening to what I'm telling them to make it better. Whether it's jerking the trigger, limp wristing, anticipation of recoil and forcing the gun down..etc.
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Old January 8, 2013, 02:00 PM   #44
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Quote:
Too much pride in not listening to what I'm telling them to make it better. Whether it's jerking the trigger, limp wristing, anticipation of recoil and forcing the gun down..etc.
That's a tough nut to crack in any kind of instruction. Unfortunately, students with that kind of approach seem to want to think that if they simply practice it (incorrectly) a bazillion times, it will somehow magically resolve itself into being correct. Male students are worse than fem students, in any subject, shooting related or otherwise.


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Old January 8, 2013, 05:55 PM   #45
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male vs female students/recruits...

I agree with Sgt L.
I've heard often that cadre & firearm instructors prefer untrained women over men(trained or untrained) because they listen more, do not have bad habits or poor shooting methods & they retain more from classroom instruction.
I'm no AMU level target shooter or ACE/Tier 1 type super-commando but I do know a few stances/methods/firing positions. I can learn from a qualified instructor but most already expect you to know the basics.
Tactics & gun handling are not difficult to learn. The important part is using the firearm skills under extreme stress or in a target match.
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Old January 8, 2013, 10:04 PM   #46
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Two Primary Problems

1. Most males have seen all the cool movies and have learned the technique already. Also, most American males think the ability to shoot - especially a handgun - is part of their genetic makeup. This can be even worse with men with some form of prior training (that didn't seem to help much, either.)

2. Hearing protection. Many guys are 'too tough' to wear hearing protection and therefore have a horrible flinch.


The best results I've had with 1. is demonstrating I can hit what I intend to hit. It usually works, but sometimes slower than other times.

2. is cured by asking them if they want to have hearing next year. Or simply getting them to 'try it' and they realize shooting is much easier when one is not anticipating being stabbed in both ears with pencils.

Neither work perfectly and women are much easier to teach.
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Old January 10, 2013, 09:52 PM   #47
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Kraig,

Especially the re-set on a glock trigger!

Quote:
New & Old Shooters alike,

Getting them to understand the value of DRY FIRING. Hours upon hours of dry firing.
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Old January 10, 2013, 10:57 PM   #48
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With my kids the thing i saw early was flinching. SoI started training them with a Suppressed 22lr. It has made a world of difference.
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all 26 of my guns are 45/70 govt, 357 mag, 22 or 12 ga... I believe in keeping it simple. Wish my wife did as well...
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Old January 11, 2013, 07:52 AM   #49
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safety
at our club we have very strict rules, when people are going down range to change a target or put up a target all guns are to be locked open and a chamber indicator in place. This applies to both the long gun range and hand gun range. With new shooters if often happens that they forget to lock the bolt open or they forget the chamber indicator. Another is we have a white line painted on the black top behind the firing line and anyone not going down range is to be behind that line, some forget this and when others turn and start to walk back to the firing line after changing their target some guy is at the firing line getting his gun ready to shoot again. With some guys these rules take a few scoldings to sink in. We had one member trying to fix his rifle while others were down range, I kindly told him that he needed to be behind the line and his rifle secured while others were down range, he replied that he was a cop and knew how to handle guns. I politely told him that was no excuse to break the rules. He dropped his rifle abruptly on the shooting bench and stepped back behind the line. He was kind of POed. Later as he was leaving the range he came over to me and apologized for his behavior and attitude. We have since become good friends, he was just having a bad day with his rifle jamming and his mind just wasn't on safety. He is an excellent marksman and has taught me a couple things that have helped me to shoot better.
New shooters often need some help and guidance. I believe it is our responsibility as experienced shooters to help them out.

Last edited by rebs; January 11, 2013 at 07:57 AM.
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Old January 14, 2013, 12:27 AM   #50
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I'm somewhat new to proper techniques of shooting, and would love to go to a training to help better my shooting abilities. But, one safety thing i've noticed about myself and others is that when a person grabs a gun there finger ends up on the trigger. I've broken the bad habbit, but it seems natural to put your finger there when it shouldn't be there until you are ready to aim and shoot.
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