help with a friend

[daddysuperfly]

So i have a friend who i'm trying to get to come to the range with me. I'll be happy if he comes once, and then decides not to go anymore.

We were talking last night and i've been gentle about the issue. he says he'll go if can hold the gun sideways like a "gansta" and if he can shoot a "sniper rifle".

How to i gently B-slap him and convince him to come try my 22 stuff. I have a sig mosquito and a 10/22. He says he's worried about looking stupid and hitting himself in the face with the gun or something.... it's not EC .500, so i'm not sure where he get's that idea from.

I think he's watched too many movies, and is a white suburban kid who wishes he were a ganster for some reason.

 

[IPSC_DRL]

Sorry, but it sounds as if we're all better off if he never steps foot on a range.

 

[DickWanner]

So i have a friend who i'm trying to get to come to the range with me. I'll be happy if he comes once, and then decides not to go anymore.

We were talking last night and i've been gentle about the issue. he says he'll go if can hold the gun sideways like a "gansta" and if he can shoot a "sniper rifle".

How to i gently B-slap him and convince him to come try my 22 stuff. I have a sig mosquito and a 10/22. He says he's worried about looking stupid and hitting himself in the face with the gun or something.... it's not EC .500, so i'm not sure where he get's that idea from.

I think he's watched too many movies, and is a white suburban kid who wishes he were a ganster for some reason.

Well if he won't listen to instruction on the proper use of a firearm, then is he really mature/responsible enough to go to the range? If he thinks holding the gun sideways is cool, then show him some youtube's of competition shooters like Todd Jarrett or something. I'm not saying to drop interest in taking the kid shooting, but approach him from a mature and respectable point of view and let him decide what happens next.

 

[DickWanner]

Sorry, but it sounds as if we're all better off if he never steps foot on a range.

Because obviously you were never new to or had misconceptions about anything. What the hell is up with the 'holier-than-thou' elitist attitude that's been plagueing the forums lately?...

 

[s4mt3k]

Tell him to come to the range with you just to watch. Tell him you don't want him to shoot until he sees how it's done. I think after a few shots he's gonna want to do it right and participate. Who can resist haha!

 

[rwl1955]

Because obviously you were never new to or had misconceptions about anything. What the hell is up with the 'holier-than-thou' elitist attitude that's been plagueing the forums lately?...

Because any white suburban kid who wishes he was a "gangsta" is an immature idiot. I`d wait till he hopefully outgrows his "gangsta" phase and takes firearms seriously.

 

[DickWanner]

Because any white suburban kid who wishes he was a "gangsta" is an immature idiot. I`d wait till he hopefully outgrows his "gangsta" phase and takes firearms seriously.

Like I said, elitist attitude. You're making all kinds of accusations towards the OP's friend without any first hand knowledge of who he really is.

 

[EddieCoyle]

How old is he?

 

[Marcus5aurelius]

Just make sure that he can follows the basic rules and knows how to properly handle a firearm before you bring him on a range. Last thing we want to see in the news is gangsta with gun shoots himself or someone else at local range. They're looking for any excuse at all to close down ranges now.

 

[IPSC_DRL]

"Well if he won't listen to instruction on the proper use of a firearm, then is he really mature/responsible enough to go to the range?"

Maybe that would have been a better way of phrasing it, however we are saying the same thing Dick.

Elitist? I'd have you ask some of the 22 students I had at the range last weekend if that were accurate.

Misconceptions indeed.

Michael.

 

[DickWanner]

"Well if he won't listen to instruction on the proper use of a firearm, then is he really mature/responsible enough to go to the range?"

Maybe that would have been a better way of phrasing it, however we are saying the same thing Dick.

Elitist? I'd have you ask some of the 22 students I had at the range last weekend if that were accurate.

Misconceptions indeed.

Michael.

No, we're not saying the same thing. You were implying that he should never become involved with shooting. I simply said that if he's not mature enough then try to guide him before you give up. I don't know you from Adam so it doesn't matter to me how many students you had at the range or whatever.

 

[daddysuperfly]

How old is he?

he's 26 or so.

I don't think he's a danger, and i'll be there to supervise. I think once I show him the basics, and to understand the basic rules of safety he'd be fine.

I was more looking for how to coax him into going. when he mentioned the sideways gun, i just gave a "you're kidding" look and didn't say much more. I'm trying to build him up to the idea and not break him down.

I'm hoping once i show him the basics, he won't think they go off all on their own and wake up in the night to come shoot you while your sleeping.

 

[Titan]

It doesn't sound to me like he has any interest in shooting.

It sounds like he's resisting being talked into going and is putting up his own pre-conditions.

I say leave him be and we'll all likely be better off for it.

 

[daddysuperfly]

It doesn't sound to me like he has any interest in shooting.

It sounds like he's resisting being talked into going and is putting up his own pre-conditions.

possibly, i just wanted to show him what it actually was and that i'm not some nut job because i like to hit the range every weekend. you can be normal and shoot guns.... although that idea seems shocking to some.

 

[EddieCoyle]

he's 26 or so.

Wow.

I wouldn't take him unless he agreed to learn the right way.

Until then, he's a danger to you and anyone else at the range whether you want to admit it or not.

You can 'supervise' all you want, but you can't prevent him from turning the gun 'gansta style', firing a shot, and taking a piece of brass between his glasses and eyelid. Do you want to be standing next to him then?

Let me know ahead of time if you're going to be taking him to either HSC or Shirley.

 

[daddysuperfly]

You can 'supervise' all you want, but you can't prevent him from turning the gun 'gansta style', firing a shot, and taking a piece of brass between his glasses and eyelid. Do you want to be standing next to him then>

maybe not. but if it does pan out, maybe i'll bring a video camera.

thanks for the suggestions guys. sounds like i'll just give up on him and let him think i'm nuts.

 

[wolf223]

i would show him the right way to shoot and if he doesn't want to learn proper technique, then don't take him. -end of discussion

i've had a friends teenage son with me at the range a few weeks back and he asked if he could shoot my G17 "sideways"... but he's 16...

so after some "serious" shooting, i knew it was burning him. so i loaded ONE round in the mag and let him do it. not accurate at all.... i was right behind him and he was good....

*please don't flame me, i'm sensative...

 

[Tim94gt]

i would show him the right way to shoot and if he doesn't want to learn proper technique, then don't take him. -end of discussion

That is good advice.

i've had a friends teenage son with me at the range a few weeks back and he asked if he could shoot my G17 "sideways"... but he's 16...

so after some "serious" shooting, i knew it was burning him. so i loaded ONE round in the mag and let him do it. not accurate at all.... i was right behind him and he was good....

*please don't flame me, i'm sensative...

Sometimes you have to let people learn the hard way I guess. Did he at least hit paper?

 

[jenlynn724]

Some people shouldn't be at the range, he sounds like one of them..

 

[MisterHappy]

This is a toughie.

If he's really a "gangsta" wannabe, then the last thing that we want is him with a gun.

That being said, it's possible that his sum total of firearms knowledge is from Hollywood, and that's his frame of reference. There are a LOT of people with absolutely no clue about guns, and we, the Wise Ones must bear that in mind ( A friend's wife kept asking him if the things done with guns in a vampire book were realistic - he's not a shooter, so he asked me to bring the Mrs and him to the range. Not everyone has that opportunity!)

I'd revisit the issue: Explain that it's a range, not the 'hood, and that if he wants to try it the right way, he'll enjoy it. Mention that there are damn few good shooters that hod "gangsta style" and for good reason!

He may have been calling your bluff, or he may be a loose nut. Or, he may just need someone to show the right, safe way to do it!

 

[DickWanner]

This is a toughie.

If he's really a "gangsta" wannabe, then the last thing that we want is him with a gun.

That being said, it's possible that his sum total of firearms knowledge is from Hollywood, and that's his frame of reference. There are a LOT of people with absolutely no clue about guns, and we, the Wise Ones must bear that in mind ( A friend's wife kept asking him if the things done with guns in a vampire book were realistic - he's not a shooter, so he asked me to bring the Mrs and him to the range. Not everyone has that opportunity!)

I'd revisit the issue: Explain that it's a range, not the 'hood, and that if he wants to try it the right way, he'll enjoy it. Mention that there are damn few good shooters that hod "gangsta style" and for good reason!

He may have been calling your bluff, or he may be a loose nut. Or, he may just need someone to show the right, safe way to do it!

Good points all around. In the end you just have to go with your gut on this

 

[wolf223]

That is good advice.



Sometimes you have to let people learn the hard way I guess. Did he at least hit paper?

barely. @ 7yds

it's one of those things... they see it on TV ect.. but after he saw this it's NOT realistic to even aim, control a gun like that, he was cured (if you may)....

everything from changing the mag to clearing a jam is totally eF'd if you hold and shoot like that. so i think he walked away with the real deal lesson on "gansta" style...

 

[DJMc]

Offer to take a woman he knows and finds attractrive. If he is not single, just take his woman. Once you get her to go, then he's a cinch.

Before I get someone on the range, for the first time, I like to run them through thigns with empty firearms. Then I build up towards larger calibers.

 

[seanc]

I have to go against the grain here.. Presuming you take him to an empty range and there is nobody else around. I would put him @ 10-15' from the berm with a target set up. Give him 1 bullet to try his "gangsta" thing. If he has no experience with pistols then he will almost certainly miss. After you tell him his shot from 10' was 4' left and 2' feet high, he'll have hopefully learned and be willing to listen and take instruction. If not, pack it all up and take him home.

Either way, a learning experience. If he listens and learns great. If not, then from that point on anytime he sees or talks about guns, you can remind him of what a complete ass he made out of himself.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I don't like to take somebody that has to be talked into it.

 

[smurf447]

make sure to act surprised when the ejected brass flies up and burns his nose

 

[right_to_bear_arms]

I don't like to take somebody that has to be talked into it.

Agreed. Granted I have limited experience so far. But I have already had 2 or 3 friends ask me to take them and I will happily take them this summer (after a little safety course at home). I won't try and talk anyone into going though. The most I have done is to say "if you ever want to go to the range and try shooting I will take you".
Also, I won't take anyone until I get a nice Ruger .22 this summer. No way am I paying for a noob to shoot a sand berm with my G23. .40 is too expensive.

 

[rwl1955]

If he`s a 26 yr`s. old and hasn`t outgrown the "gangsta" thing then he is very immature. Not on my range. I`ve had to bitch slap plenty of privates when they do stupid things on the range but this guy`s not in the military.

 

[HTRN]

We were talking last night and i've been gentle about the issue. he says he'll go if can hold the gun sideways like a "gansta" and if he can shoot a "sniper rifle".

I would just tell him that if this is the case, it's probably best for him to not go. Leave it at that, when he comes to you asking to actually learn (now that he sees that you have no faith in his ability) sit him down with the NRA basic pistol book, and give him a quick summary. Teach him safety, form, and reinforce proper attitude. Let him handle an unloaded firearm, before you take him anywhere. Make sure he has the proper respect and again attitude.

Then, maybe take him to the range.
Load a mag with a single round, start with one shot and see how it goes. Rinse and repeat.

If he has the wrong attitude, keep him away from the range and your firearms.

 

[Redbos99]

I just dont shoot with folks who are not safe and will not listen to some direction, period. It is kind of letting folks into your house. If you dont trust them, they should not be there. I dont care if they are friends, family, whomever. I do however invite newbies to the range all the time though. I figure all the great knowledge that my Dad's friends passed down to me, its my duty to get new shooters involved so this sport does not go down the tubes.