It was a SIG P232, way back in the day, the first handgun I ever shot. I remember how sleek that pistol was, the recoil compared to my air pistols, and how the experience made me want to come back for more. I was an absolute novice as my target likely indicated, but the experience hit a bullseye in my interest. I was only around 12 or 13 when I first used a center-fire pistol, and here I am, decades later, more hooked than ever. My first experience is not uncommon with new shooters. Unfortunately, there are first-time experiences at the shooting range that will also be the last time at the range. You probably know people who have only gone to the range once because they were discouraged, had a terrible instructor, or the experience was literally painful because of the recoil. Here are four ways you can help someone have a memorable experience if you are tasked with taking a newbie to the shooting range.
Caliber
The pistol I used was chambered in .380. While you can start a person with a .22 or an air pistol for fundamentals, you must jump to a true self-defense caliber at some point. With modern technology in firearms and ammunition, the 9mm is the perfect choice, and with a properly sized pistol for the shooter (smaller framed pistols for smaller framed folks and full-size pistols for full-sized folks), the experience will be enjoyable. Remember, the larger the pistol, the less felt recoil, so use what makes the most sense and delivers the most comfort in hand. How many times have you seen someone hand a newcomer a pistol chambered in a hot round or magnum caliber? Even seasoned shooters will suffer from recoil anticipation, and for the newcomer, this is much more amplified. Recently, I took my girlfriend to the range, and she performed extremely well with a SIG P365XL. In a podcast with Lena Miculek recently, she explained how she selected the P365 for her Rose program. It’s an ideal starting point chambered in an ideal round.
Distance to Target
Assuming you’ve provided all the fundamental safety information and you’ve ensured your new shooter can safely operate their firearm dry, the time has come to paste targets and go hot. It’s easy for a newcomer to push a target out 7, 10, 25 yards or more, but 3 yards is a mile to a newcomer. It is important to give your newbie the satisfaction of hitting their target. Of course, break them of the habit early on of looking through their sight or dot and watching impact after impact with each trigger press. There is time to walk them back and challenge them as their skills improve. There is no sense in causing them the frustration of missing their target time and time again. Three yards is a good baseline with a large bullseye target. I avoid having students work directly on top of the target at a “bad breath” distance because a common comment is, “well, anyone could hit it from there.” Three yards is just enough to be out of arms reach but far enough to challenge a newcomer.
Positive Feedback
Feedback should be more than just a “good” or “nice” comment. Those single-word comments are the worst kind of feedback around, conveying almost no message whatsoever. When a student does something positive, they should know, and you should verbalize what they did and why it is correct. Feedback should be clear, and it should be immediate. You can build up a student’s confidence with feedback and break them down with the wrong reinforcement. For a student who is brand new to shooting, it makes sense to make them comfortable. Perhaps they are stressed or worried about making a mistake. Even if they foul up an aspect of what is expected, correct them in a measured way and make sure they know you’re there to make them better. As the instructor, you need to stay positive and remember that the student will know from your actions, more than your words, how their presence at the range affects your day.
Show Growth
As long as students follow fundamentals and understand how to apply what you coach them through, they will show growth. You can use many different standards to show the students they are improving. Perhaps they don’t start off hitting the 10 ring. Maybe all they are capable of is a tight grouping in the 8 ring. Let them know that grouping shows consistency. You can show growth by scoring the bullseye target out of 10 points for each shot, or you can use something as simple as “hit the vitals” if you’re using a silhouette target. You can track how long it takes for a student to shoot five good shots at the bullseye and then time them again at the end of the day to show how they improved their rate of fire and maintained accuracy. Don’t end the training day on a low note. Make sure you show the student they are growing in their capability, they are becoming stronger, and that you’re proud of them for how far they’ve come. It is O.K. to demo (as you and any instructor should) what they will do next time because, between the end of their training session and the next, you want your students to visualize success. Get in their head and make them want to return to the range.
It doesn’t take much to plant the seed when it comes to shooting sports and firearms training. However, there are ways to ruin the harvest that you can avoid with good practices. Remember you were a new shooter at one point, and if you’re looking to share what you love with someone, set them up for success. Don’t be surprised if your new shooter is a natural or displays beginner’s luck. I was surprised on that recent range trip, with my newbie shooting all 10 rings with a single line breaker with two hands, her right hand only, and then her left hand only. Maybe I should be worried, or maybe I shouldn’t. I don’t have to worry about her lack of interest in shooting, her capability to hit her target, or the certainty that I made her want to come back to the range for more.