Any range coaches on here?
I could use a little help....
I took my girlfriend shooting the other day. We've went once before, last fall. At that point in time I was more concerned with her looks than getting rounds on target, I thought she looked pretty good with my AR-15 but her shooting was terrible. I don't think she even hit the paper.....
Anyways, this time I wanted to focus more on the basics and try to get some measure of accuracy out of her. This time I only let her shoot my .22, since ammo is dirt cheap and I didn't have to worry about ear protection.
This time I was able to get her on the paper, at about 20 yards, but couldn't even come close to getting a group. I tried to show her some shooting positions I learned in the Corps, but she was unable to get into them. Appearently, her arms are too short....
She was able to get in the prone, and was able to hit the paper but she was shaking badly. When I say shaking, I don't mean as in she's afraid of the gun, she's just naturally shaky. Normally, I would think that using a hasty sling would help, but there isn't a sling on that rifle nor is there a swivel to put one on it....I don't want to switch to another rifle because ammo is too expensive for me right now.
Compounding the problem was her own frustration....it gets old shooting at something and not hitting it.
Basically, I'm trying to figure out how to reduce her shaking and improve her confidence. I've thought about getting a bipod or some shooting sticks but haven't settled on anything....
Any suggestions?
I took my girlfriend shooting the other day. We've went once before, last fall. At that point in time I was more concerned with her looks than getting rounds on target, I thought she looked pretty good with my AR-15 but her shooting was terrible. I don't think she even hit the paper.....
Anyways, this time I wanted to focus more on the basics and try to get some measure of accuracy out of her. This time I only let her shoot my .22, since ammo is dirt cheap and I didn't have to worry about ear protection.
This time I was able to get her on the paper, at about 20 yards, but couldn't even come close to getting a group. I tried to show her some shooting positions I learned in the Corps, but she was unable to get into them. Appearently, her arms are too short....
She was able to get in the prone, and was able to hit the paper but she was shaking badly. When I say shaking, I don't mean as in she's afraid of the gun, she's just naturally shaky. Normally, I would think that using a hasty sling would help, but there isn't a sling on that rifle nor is there a swivel to put one on it....I don't want to switch to another rifle because ammo is too expensive for me right now.
Compounding the problem was her own frustration....it gets old shooting at something and not hitting it.
Basically, I'm trying to figure out how to reduce her shaking and improve her confidence. I've thought about getting a bipod or some shooting sticks but haven't settled on anything....
Any suggestions?
0
-
work on sight alignment 1st, make sure ther is not an eye dominace issue or something else.
a .22 rifle in bags might be easiest0 -
I'd have her shoot at close by soda cans, from the hip. Just to let her know that this is supposed to be fun.
She'll come around.
And...stick to the .22.
D.0 -
I couldn't hit a darn thing with the AR until my instructor told me to put the tip of my nose on the charging handle for every shot. After that, my groups began to tighten respectably. 0 -
Actually, when i train someone i usually start them out with a open sighted weapon. I find that it is easier for them to steady the gun and therefore they shoot better groups.
Normaly when a new shooter is given a weapon with a scope they tend to watch the crosshairs and not the target. And with any scoped weapon the more you increase the magnification the more crosshair movement you will see. This only increases the problem with novice shooters. So, The lower the magnification the less movement you will see through the scope. Which is why i normaly suggest a open sight weapon to begin with. With open sights there is no magnification, Therefore there is very little sight movement.0 -
I've met very few husbands/boyfriends that could teach their wives/girlfriends to shoot. As a marine you have more practical shooting experience than most so that is not the problem. Hire an instructor, a women if at all possible. 0 -
that is the best advice elk!
always get another teacher to avoid the drama!!!0 -
I've taught all my wives, Sons, both Daughters and a whole bunch of others.
Today, every one of them can outshoot me...Shouldn't have taught some of 'em!!
D.0 -
Along with some bags, put her on a bench. Sitting is way more comfortable than alot of other shooting position.
Also, did you do the dime trick on the end of the muzzle while praticing your breathing and trigger pull in the Corp? That would help as well.
And finally do what Doug Wilson suggested so she keeps having fun. Water filled jugs and such at close range can really help keep her interest in shooting.0 -
Thanks for the validation, Sarge. In my experience, many folks are scared of the firearm, whether they admit it or not.
D.0 -
Thanks for the quick responses guys......I'll try to address them as best I can
1) Eye dominance: I remember going over this subject on the rifle range, but can't remember how to test for it...care to refresh my memory?
2) I like the suggestion of shooting cans from the hip to keep things fun....only problem is my 22 is a single shot. I could switch to the AR or maybe my M1 Carbine, but I shudder at the cost of the wasted rounds.
3) I'd hire a shooting instructor, but unfortunately I'm a poor college student. I'd put her through a CCW class just to get more familiarity with weapons handling, but she's afraid of pistols
4) I'd set her on a benchrest, but I don't have one handy. I might be able to borrow one, I'll check into it.0 -
Eye dominance: Have her make an equilateral triangle (all sides equal) with her thumbs and index fingers. Holding it out in front of her, have her look at you through it with both eyes open. Look back through the triangle at her, you will be looking at the dominant eye.
(although, I still like the "point your finger" at an object and closing one eye at a time, see which eye does NOT cause the object to move method too.)
I also 2nd the idea of shooting off a bench and sand bags. 20 yards is 60 feet, you might want to move the target in to build confidence before progressing to a greater range.
Try to not give her too many things to think about at first (breathing, heart beat, etc) and just have her concentrate on Sight Picture and Sight allignment.0 -
I'd suggest the "First time no quals form up behind the latrine for corrective PT" approach.
But then again, it never worked that well for me.[:D]0 -
Rack Ops
There are a lot of good ideas that have been given here for your consideration. I would agree that you need to have her shoot off a bench first, and if, at a later time, the two of you decide to attempt the intensive type training you received as a Marine marksman, then go for it.
Even with the bench, she should understand that body contact with the rifle must be consistent. Be it Shoulder-Weld, Cheek-Weld, or contct made with either hand such as Grip and Finger Placement. Again, just like in the Corps, all physical contact points of the body to the rifle, to include the sling if used, needs to be exact each and every time if one is to achieve putting shots through the same hole.
Find out if she is Right or Left Eye Dominant. One way to do this is to have her extend both arms straight out in front of her with elbows locked, palms of both hands facing forward, with the hands clasped together so that a Triangle Like Opening is formed by the thumbs, forefinger, and web of the hands. She can use this Window like the Peep Sight of a rifle to look through with Both eyes open at a make believe target. Then select a make believe target for her, like a small object in the room such as a small picture on the wall, a doorknob, etc. Once she has her arms extended and her make believe target in sight, tell her to shut her left eye. If her make believe target stays in her sight in this Window, then she is Right Eye dominant. Which means she should assume a shooting position like a right handed shooter. If her make believe target disappears from her sight (Window), she is Left Eye Dominant, so have her open both eyes again, pick up her make believe target in her sight (Window) once more, and then have her shut her right eye, so that she sees her target will remain in position once her right eye is closed. If she is Left Eye Dominant, then she should assume a Left Handed Shooting position when preparing to fire.
While away from the range, teach her about other things like:
Sight Alignment, Sight Picture, Type Hold:
You can begin by drawing her a picture of Sight Alignment with the type sights on the piece she will be using. Next draw her a picture of the desired Sight Picture that will show the type target design that will be the objective of her fired shots. To do this make sure you explain the type Hold you want her to use which illustrates when the shot must break. One is the Navy Hold where the tip of the front sight is held at 6 O'Clock, or Center Hold which means that the tip of the front sight is held in the center of the target for a Point of Aim, Point of Impact, hit.
Have her be aware of her normal breathing pattern, the inhaling, exhaling, and the pause stage. Talk to her about BRASS, and how to execute it properly:
B - Breath (Inhale in a silghtly pronounced manner - There are two schools of thought here, one is to let out half of the air in the lungs, or let most all of it out to where the Pause Phase of the Normal Breathing Pattern begins, before cutting the breathing off at the throat, before entering the Pause Stage of Normal Breathing. The cutting off of the breath should also be felt in the diaphragm.)
R - Relax (Once the breathing has stopped the Relax Phase has begun, this is the time to steady the Hold. Some instructors teach placing the Middle of the pad of the first joint of the trigger finger at the Center of the trigger at this point in time.)
A - Aim (Pick up the Sight Picture Hold and steady it immediately.)
S - Slack (Take up the Slack in the trigger by applying a squeeze, Staright to the rear, if using a Two Stage Trigger. If using a Single Stage Trigger, start the squeeze, Straight to the rear, when the desired Hold is achieved, and follow the below procedures as shown in the Squeeze Stage of BRASS.)
S - Squeeze (Start the squeeze, Straight to the rear, on the trigger immediately upon picking up the desired Hold. Stop the squeeze on the trigger each time the Hold is lost, but maintain the pressure on the trigger that has been applied. Repeat this cycle until the shot breaks. Ideally, one should try to achieve a rock solid Hold immediately, and break the shot within 1 to three seconds, like that of an accomplished shooter. For Beginning shooters, have them practice breaking the shot as soon as possible with a slow, steady squeeze in accordance with the explained procedure. Hopefully, the shot will break within 3 to 8 seconds. Teach her to release the pressure on the trigger if the shot does not break within 8 seconds. After she is breathing normal again, repeat the process until the shot breaks.)
With the above in mind make sure she understands that once she is in the firing position with her Body Alignment, and she has fined tuned her Natural Point of Aim with a dry run on the Breathing stage of BRASS, then the next step could be...Relax, Aim, Slack, and Squeeze...DING!
Whatever you do make sure you have FUN!
oorah.0 -
Kimi really has put a good program together.
How many hours did you spend with your rifle, before you qualified?
Figure on spending at least 4 times that long with a non-military person in initial training.
My biggest suggestion is to just take it slow and easy, correct gently, and don't criticise.
Your single shot .22 sure can be fired from the hip, and I still recommend you do that.
I would also suggest that you don't light off your really noisy firearms like the M1 Carbine or your AR. Even shooting the .22, you should both wear hearing protection. Believe me - a guy whose right ear is almost shot completely deaf - even a .22 can wreck your ears.
It's really great to see one young person teaching another young person about firearms and shooting. Try to inject some of the Glorious history of America during your conversations to and from the range.
Be patient with her, and thoughtful in what you say to her.
Hope you get wherever you want to go with her.
Doug0 -
Aside from kimi's extremely well thought out and instructional post, I would also just like to add, for what it's worth, that practice makes perfect. Good shooting doesn't occur over night and it takes some folks longer than others.
Be patient and good luck (with her shooting as well as your relationship with her[;)][:D]).0 -
Along with the above good advice, you both should still be wearing hearing protection while shooting .22s. It will damage your hearing. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by PC800
Along with the above good advice, you both should still be wearing hearing protection while shooting .22s. It will damage your hearing.
I just read through this whole thread and was going to post somthing about hearing protection is still needed even with a 22 rimfire. But I wont since you already did[:D]0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
17 comments