Looking for Mentor Near Billerica, MA

[stealth2600]

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to the forums so if I’m posting this in the wrong thread, please let me apologize in advanced. I’m trying to find a mentor and new friends who’d be willing to give me a little bit of coaching on proper pistol technique and just general firearms handling. I transplanted to Billerica about 5 years ago and unfortunately I don’t have any friends who own firearms who I could ask questions to or get advice from. I am in the process of joining the Woburn Sportsmen Association and I hope to make some more friends though this organization when I become a full member, but that likely won’t happen until the New Year. I do have my LTC and I currently own a Sig Sauer P320. Anyways, if you’d be interested in meeting up with me sometime to go over the basics and do some pistol shooting, please let me know. I’d really appreciate the help!

Kind Regards,
Matt

 

[Deleted member 67409]

Show up to some competitions at your new club and get to know everyone.

 

[Warm_Garand]

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to the forums so if I’m posting this in the wrong thread, please let me apologize in advanced. I’m trying to find a mentor and new friends who’d be willing to give me a little bit of coaching on proper pistol technique and just general firearms handling. I transplanted to Billerica about 5 years ago and unfortunately I don’t have any friends who own firearms who I could ask questions to or get advice from. I am in the process of joining the Woburn Sportsmen Association and I hope to make some more friends though this organization when I become a full member, but that likely won’t happen until the New Year. I do have my LTC and I currently own a Sig Sauer P320. Anyways, if you’d be interested in meeting up with me sometime to go over the basics and do some pistol shooting, please let me know. I’d really appreciate the help!

Kind Regards,
Matt

Hey, Matt. The IDPA guys all get together to shoot regularly at their various clubs, and I hear that they are a good bunch of guys.

IDPA practices are open to all, and people will help you along. They are VERY conscious of safety, and they will be very good mentors.

Some of them will probably pop in to let you know where and when they meet.

You can probably find someone to work with you one on one.

And hopefully you laid in tons of cheap Walmart ammo as it was getting closed out.

All the best.

 

[headednorth]

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to the forums so if I’m posting this in the wrong thread, please let me apologize in advanced. I’m trying to find a mentor and new friends who’d be willing to give me a little bit of coaching on proper pistol technique and just general firearms handling. I transplanted to Billerica about 5 years ago and unfortunately I don’t have any friends who own firearms who I could ask questions to or get advice from. I am in the process of joining the Woburn Sportsmen Association and I hope to make some more friends though this organization when I become a full member, but that likely won’t happen until the New Year. I do have my LTC and I currently own a Sig Sauer P320. Anyways, if you’d be interested in meeting up with me sometime to go over the basics and do some pistol shooting, please let me know. I’d really appreciate the help!

Kind Regards,
Matt

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Mass Firearms School is a gun range in Holliston, MA, that offers the Mass Basic Firearms Safety Course for your License to Carry. Apply for your MA LTC.

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Pistol

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[MisterHappy]

I was a member at WSA, years ago. I changed clubs because I moved, not for any "Bad blood," or anything.

Show up at a few meetings and events, and let them know that you're a new member, and a new shooter.

If the club is as it was, you'll get plenty of folks that will be willing to help you. With any luck, WSA people on here will give you more details, specific to the club. Most gun people are good folks, and welcoming - we were all new, once.

Oh, in case Woodsy is not around, "Go Green." (This is an inside joke-ish thing, but once you find the forum useful, ponying up a few bucks is worth it. Welcome.)

 

[enbloc]

Welcome Matt! I'm sure that you will begin your journey here with great joy and many acquaintances.
Be Truthful, be kind and develop a great sense of humor and you will find yourself among Brothers and Sisters.

Only other thing I'll add is start posting! This is how We will get to know you and mentor you.
We want you to succeed...
~Enbloc

 

[Asaltweapon]

WSA is a decent active club. Shot many rounds there on their trap range. Nice people in my experience. Being part of the Boston clubs I never crossed paths with any pistol shooters

 

[42!]

And have a thick skin, we all mean well but sometimes the comments can be brutal. And don't shy away from any of the get togethers, you'd be surprised how nice some people are in person, even when you argue on-line.

And go green.
If you do, someone might tell you about the secret handshake

 

[headednorth]

>dont take anything (too) personal
>read the stickies
>dont say anything online that you wouldnt say to someones face
>learn the difference between guilty and not guilty

 

[Dench]

I would definitely head on upto Sig Academy and do Handgun 101-103. You'd be off to a really strong start and wouldn't get any weird habits from people at the local range.

it's where I should of started a long time ago. Would of saved a lot of trouble

 

[TomMontana]

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to the forums so if I’m posting this in the wrong thread, please let me apologize in advanced. I’m trying to find a mentor and new friends who’d be willing to give me a little bit of coaching on proper pistol technique and just general firearms handling. I transplanted to Billerica about 5 years ago and unfortunately I don’t have any friends who own firearms who I could ask questions to or get advice from. I am in the process of joining the Woburn Sportsmen Association and I hope to make some more friends though this organization when I become a full member, but that likely won’t happen until the New Year. I do have my LTC and I currently own a Sig Sauer P320. Anyways, if you’d be interested in meeting up with me sometime to go over the basics and do some pistol shooting, please let me know. I’d really appreciate the help!

Kind Regards,
Matt

Edit your post and change your name to Mattie. You'll get twenty dudes offering free personal lessons and friendship, instead of recommendations for professional training.

 

[Warm_Garand]

Looking to get some trigger time in tomorrow?

Looks like it's going to be gusty wind--but that shouldn't matter too much for pistol.

I shoot at Harvard Sportsmen's Club. It would be about a half hour drive from Billerica.

We could work on target pistol and safe range habits generally.

Let me know if that might work for you. I'll check back later.

 

[Warm_Garand]

Edit your post and change your name to Mattie. You'll get twenty dudes offering free personal lessons and friendship, instead of recommendations for professional training.

Right?

 

[vickers]

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to the forums so if I’m posting this in the wrong thread, please let me apologize in advanced. I’m trying to find a mentor and new friends who’d be willing to give me a little bit of coaching on proper pistol technique and just general firearms handling. I transplanted to Billerica about 5 years ago and unfortunately I don’t have any friends who own firearms who I could ask questions to or get advice from. I am in the process of joining the Woburn Sportsmen Association and I hope to make some more friends though this organization when I become a full member, but that likely won’t happen until the New Year. I do have my LTC and I currently own a Sig Sauer P320. Anyways, if you’d be interested in meeting up with me sometime to go over the basics and do some pistol shooting, please let me know. I’d really appreciate the help!

Kind Regards,
Matt

Matt, I help run the IDPA program at Woburn Sportsmen's Association. IDPA practice is a really good way to get familiar with your pistol and work on safety and shooting proficiency. We normally run IDPA practices on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month Spring-Fall. We are on hiatus for the Winter until April 26th when we resume practices. We are also adding practices for the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays each month for 2020 starting May 6th. You don't have to commit to doing IDPA to attend practices either.

Several of the guys go to the indoor range often so if you want to meet there some time I am sure we can give you some pointers in the interim, PM me and I might be able to set something up.

If you are curious about IDPA and our practices, check out the link below...
https://www.woburnactionshooters.org/faq.html

 

[stealth2600]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I wasn't sure what to expect when I posted this thread earlier, but I was happy to see so many great pieces of advice already! I have to admit, being a new shooter is intimidating, especially when you don't have a friend or family member to lean on for support or to ask questions too. I take my responsibilities as a firearms owner very seriously. I know that its my duty to seek out the correct training so that I can be a responsible and safe firearms owner and that's why I decided to ask for some help here. My experience is pretty limited, I've shot pistols (.22 and 9mm) a few times with an old friend who was a police officer and I've also used .22 rifles and did skeet a couple times when I was a Boy Scout, but that was a very long time ago now. I really appreciate everyone posting up, I'm shocked by how much useful information has been shared with me in only a few hours.

I would definitely head on upto Sig Academy and do Handgun 101-103. You'd be off to a really strong start and wouldn't get any weird habits from people at the local range.

it's where I should of started a long time ago. Would of saved a lot of trouble

I was not aware of the Sig Academy, that's an excellent recommendation and I appreciate you sharing it. I just checked for the next Handgun 101 course and unfortunately there doesn't appear to be any available slots until mid/late January. I am going to take your advice on this though and register for one, I think that's a great idea.

Matt, I help run the IDPA program at Woburn Sportsmen's Association. IDPA practice is a really good way to get familiar with your pistol and work on safety and shooting proficiency. We normally run IDPA practices on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month Spring-Fall. We are on hiatus for the Winter until April 26th when we resume practices. We are also adding practices for the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays each month for 2020 starting May 6th. You don't have to commit to doing IDPA to attend practices either.

Several of the guys go to the indoor range often so if you want to meet there some time I am sure we can give you some pointers in the interim, PM me and I might be able to set something up.

If you are curious about IDPA and our practices, check out the link below...
https://www.woburnactionshooters.org/faq.html

I was actually reading about IDPA at WSA earlier today! I'd love to participate in practice with you all. I literally live about a mile up the road from WSA and Sundays are usually a good day for me, excepts around the holidays with all the family gatherings. I'll send you a PM, maybe we can figure out a time to meet up before practices start up again. I really appreciate you offering to help me out!

Looking to get some trigger time in tomorrow?

Looks like it's going to be gusty wind--but that shouldn't matter too much for pistol.

I shoot at Harvard Sportsmen's Club. It would be about a half hour drive from Billerica.

We could work on target pistol and safe range habits generally.

Let me know if that might work for you. I'll check back later.

Thanks so much for offering to take me out. Unfortunately tomorrow I have family duties that I need to take care of, but I'd definitely be interested in a future meeting at a time that's convenient for you!

A huge thanks to all of you for being so welcoming, it means a lot and I really appreciate the warmness of the community. I look forward to getting to know you all better. As recommended, I have gone Green!

 

[Warm_Garand]

Thanks so much for offering to take me out. Unfortunately tomorrow I have family duties that I need to take care of, but I'd definitely be interested in a future meeting at a time that's convenient for you!

A huge thanks to all of you for being so welcoming, it means a lot and I really appreciate the warmness of the community. I look forward to getting to know you all better.
[/QUOTE]

Actually these guys are mostly a**h***s--but there are a couple decent hands.

Tie in with the IDPA guys. You'll learn a lot.

All the best.

 

[headednorth]

@stealth2600
I started in a situation a lot like yours it sounds like. I had some relatives out of state who were shooters and a co-worker who was a gun owner but hadnt shot in 25 years. So no one I could really go shooting with. I took pistol and rifle courses at Sig, a gun law course at GOAL, ccw course at MFS, and attended a couple of Appleseed events. Also took intro Trap and Skeet at my club. One thing I can say from my own experience is the people I have met have all been very friendly, welcoming and willing to help new shooters. I cant think of a single instance of anyone acting like an assh*le or talking down to me. In MA at least, we're an oppressed minority of sorts so I think that builds camaraderie among gun owners.

Take a beginners class somewhere to learn the basics and then join a club and pursue whatever interests you. All anyone really cares about is that you handle your firearms in a safe and responsible manner. As long as you do that, in my experience, people will be welcoming of you and will be more than happy to help you.

Also make an effort to become informed about the various groups fighting to preserve our rights and think about joining and donating.

GOAL - Home

goal.org

Commonwealth Second Amendment

Commonwealth Second Amendment (Comm2A) is a Massachusetts based non-profit dedicated to preserving and expanding the rights of firearms owners in the northeast. We are dedicated to promoting a better understanding of rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. In...

comm2a.org

GOA | The only no compromise gun lobby in Washington

The only no compromise gun lobby in Washington

gunowners.org

Second Amendment Foundation

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) is dedicated to promoting a better understanding about our Constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms. To that end, we carry on many educational and legal action programs designed to better inform the public about the gun control debate.

www.saf.org

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