Wanna learn to shoot.


timewinder

timewinder

Tinder Gatherer
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Messages
15
Likes
0
Location
Peoria-ish Il.
So, fun fact: I've shot exactly one round in my entire life.

I mean to rectify this grave error, but not sure exactly where to start, deeper into the roots of my family tree we've got hunters and other folks that sling lead wherever they want it to go, but sadly I'm a few days travel from them, so any suggestions beyond "Find a range and have some fun!" would be greatly appreciated (I am getting my local licenses and whatnot taken care of, but I'm seriously at a loss as to where I wanna start this particular obsession: handguns, rifles, shotguns, blunderbussi (is that plural?))

Have at me!
 
You should get a .22lr pistol and rifle. You can learn the basics on how to aim and shoot on these, plus ammo is super cheap and the recoil is not an issue so you can focus on the basics.

Ruger 10/22 is a good beginner rifle
1103.jpg

Ruger .22/45 is a good beginner pistol (one downside is it is hard to put back together after you take it apart)
10107.jpg


It is also a good idea to get a pellet rifle so you can further practice the basics and shoot in your back yard.
It is also important to know why you want to shoot and how you intend to shoot.
 
Last edited:
Agreed-learning the basics on both a .22 caliber pistol and rifle are going to save you a TON of money spent on centerfire ammo. Plus the recoil is manageable and it is easy to work on basic skills without having to worry about beating up your shoulder.

For a .22 caliber rifle, I suggest a Savage Mk II or a CZ 472.

For .22 caliber pistols... well, I'd suggest something with a single action trigger. Much easier to learn on a 3lb pull than it is to learn on an 8-10lb.
 
May just give that a go. SWMBO just told me she's got some deer hunting folk on her side that might be compelled to teach me a thing or two, might take her up on that. But practice makes less than terrible, no?
 
The perfect program for some one in your position is to seek out an apple seed shoot. Dont liten to anyone that cant sit down and drop rounds on a paper plate at 500 yards, more often then not the interenet is full of a lot of opinion and very little actual shooting. With all that said the apple seed shoots will get you man target effective to about 500-600 yards fora cheap price. If you really cant afford the 70 bucks it cost to go to one of there shoots then PM me and ill mail you a free pass or 2.

http://www.appleseedinfo.org/ here is the sight to tell you about the program

this is not tactical comabt shooting, its fundementals, but they are the building block for everything else.
 
It's been so long since I've even heard one mentioned that I completely forgot they even existed. An Appleseed shoot is exactly what you're looking for. Personally, I would recommend a bolt action over a semi-auto for learning on. Most importantly you'll learn how a firearm operates, have more manual control of what the rifle is doing and what condition it's in, and also teach you the necessity for proper shot placement. The 1022 can be modified into an excellent shooter, but it can also become a corny plastic semi-auto leadslinger, and the factory trigger isn't very good. A nice, light predictable trigger is very important to learning the basics correctly.
 
timewinder said:
So, fun fact: I've shot exactly one round in my entire life.

I mean to rectify this grave error, but not sure exactly where to start, deeper into the roots of my family tree we've got hunters and other folks that sling lead wherever they want it to go, but sadly I'm a few days travel from them, so any suggestions beyond "Find a range and have some fun!" would be greatly appreciated (I am getting my local licenses and whatnot taken care of, but I'm seriously at a loss as to where I wanna start this particular obsession: handguns, rifles, shotguns, blunderbussi (is that plural?))

Have at me!
Click to expand...

If you are wanting to learn to shoot, get one of these in
.22 cal. You can shoot them in most basements/houses with
a proper trap. Most backyards (where legal) and they shoot very well.
(where the trigger breaks)

http://www.archerairguns.com/QB78-Deluxe-Chinese-Air-Rifle-p/ibqb78d.htm

Don't let the "made in China" fool you. These are a very refined
copy of a Crosman 160 which has been out of production for many years.
Uses two 12 gram powerlets, (about 15 bucks for 25) can get about
70-80 shots from the two. A tin of 500 decent pellets will run you
about 8 bucks.

Fit and finish are very good, trigger with a few easy adjustments are
very nice.

You have to learn the basics before you talk about going out and shooting
500+ yards. Of course, anyone can go out and shoot those distances,
but why?

I have shot NRA high power, both "across the course."
(200 yard slow fire standing, 200 yard sitting rapid fire, 300 yard rapid
fire prone, and either 500 or 600 yard prone slow fire.)
And 1000 yard matches for many years.

I shoot across the course matches using a aperture rear and post front
sight AR in service rifle class.
The 1000 yard is shot with both scope and or front and rear aperture.
(very little difference in the scores of the two)

Would never consider taking anyone out who has fired one round in their
lives to shoot these distances.

It may be more of an exercise in frustration than anything.

These air rifles are not toys.
They can teach the basics of trigger control, breathing, sight picture.
Which you need to learn.

just my 2 cents.
 
This will give you the proper sight picture for aiming at a target. This is an excellent representation of what your eyes should be focusing on. You can practice this with a common stick with a staple rear sight and a finishing nail on the end. Just to "see" the focus point and peripheral vision involved.

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=55

I love my 10/22. I bet you can find a Marlin .22LR for under$60. Go to a bar at 1am and offer to buy an old .22 rifle. Some drunk is going to be out of money and looking for a deal.LOL. That's how my uncle got most of his guns anyway.
 
Last edited:
Firearms can easily become an obsession. (They've been mine since I was a munchkin). I commend your openness about being a beginner! I also suggest you start by enrolling in a basic Hunter Safety Course. The cost is minimal, and the few hours you spend will not only provide some great basic instruction on safely handling and shooting guns, it will also give you an overview on firearms in general.

I agree with the .22 rifle advice. I personally like the Savage Mark II series (find one with an "Accutrigger"). Illinois has some peculiar regulations. There are some "hoops" you'll have to jump through before you can purchase a firearm/ammunition. Any firearms dealer will help you with that process.

Be safe! Have fun!

PC
 
Last edited:
A lot of good advice here already and my recommendations will echo theirs. A good air rifle is a good place to start and get repetitions after you've gotten some basic marksmanship instruction. I would seek out competitive shooters for guidance. Go to a competition that intrigues you, show an interest in learning and I would bet you'll find a mentor or three - more is better.

The learning curve is long and can be steep. There are many paths, each one with its own nuances and depth that take most of us decades to piece together.

Be safe, have fun.
 
PeterCartwright said:
Firearms can easily become an obsession. (They've been mind since I was a munchkin). I commend your openness about being a beginner! I also suggest you start by enrolling in a basic Hunter Safety Course. The cost is minimal, and the few hours you spend will not only provide some great basic instruction on safely handling and shooting guns, it will also give you an overview on firearms in general.

I agree with the .22 rifle advice. I personally like the Savage Mark II series (find one with an "Accutrigger"). Illinois has some peculiar regulations. There are some "hoops" you'll have to jump through before you can purchase a firearm/ammunition. Any firearms dealer will help you with that process.

Be safe! Have fun!

PC
Click to expand...

The Hunter Safety course is definately the way to start. Come spring I could set you up with a variety of fun guns to shoot.:54:;)
 
Id start with a .22 rifle. Then move on from there. Cheap ammo, so you can put the time in. Most of all, have fun. Train as much as you can. Hunter safety is a must, then some range time with someone experianced is always a good idea.
 
I agree with the getting training.
Do not try and teach yourself to shoot. You will learn far to many bad habits that will take you much longer to unlearn.
Appleseed is a great program. Or find someone who can teach you one on one.

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk
 
NRA has basic courses in Handgun, Rifle, and Pistol. They do not get much into actual marksmanship, but do give a lot of basic information. Take at least one of them, all three if you have time.

The Appleseed shoots are a good way to learn rifle shooting, and there are a lot of good instructors training in handgun shooting. A harder job is getting instruction on shotgun shooting. Skeet, trap, and Sporting Clays shoots at ranges are all possible ways to connect and get someone to coach you a bit.
 
I have to agree with everyone that said proper training first. After you get some training it doesn’t matter what you shoot, even an air gun. The only thing I would say is whatever you shoot needs to be accurate so you can work on technique and see improvement.


Anyone that has had to teach people to shoot will tell you that people that listen and haven’t shot before usually do the best because they don’t have any bad habits to unlearn.


Also just because they are family or work at a gun shop doesn’t mean they know anything about proper shooting.
 
I learned on a Daisy BB gun before I graduated to a Ruger 10/22. Those Daisy BB guns will get you lots of shooting for pennies. You can do it in the backyard or basement if you make a BB trap to shoot into, then if they aren't deformed, you can reuse the BBs. I've used some BBs 10-15 times while shooting into soft targets. For a real rifle, a .22 is basically ideal. Love my Ruger, still have it and it still knocks down empty 20 gauge shells out to 50 yards reliably.
Once you can hit what you're aiming at, then its time for a Mosin!
 
Honestly, if you don't plan on hunting large game, a .22 is all you will ever need. I shoot my .22's (pistols and rifles) more than the rest of my other firearms combined.
 
I skipped on a gun show today. I hardly shoot my Ruger so No sense in getting A 308 Win or a Mossin. North end of canandaigua lake in CNY today and tomorrow just for knowing.
 
First things first learn gun safety. Most important rule. Muzzle control. If u are careful of where the the muzzle is pointing, even if you have an accendental discharge, no one gets killed.
 
Looks like a bunch of good advise up there!

I'll look into the courses and Appleseeds, it's nice to have a jumping off point!
 
The NRA courses can be extremely helpful. If it's a hassle to get to a range, Airguns are an excellent idea at first, as you can shoot them indoors easier, they're quieter, and ammo is cheap.

For firearms, I recommend a .22 at first. Cheap, fun to shoot and you get all your fundamentals down. I know a guy who just had to have a humungous .500 caliber hand cannon as his first gun, and he's shot it exactly once in 2 years....


Think about what kind of ranges you have access to, how often you want to shoot, and whether you are interested in hunting, target, or plinking.
 
I agree with the .22 rifle recommendation. Get a bolt action, not a semi auto. It will force you to slow down and make every round count. Get professional training in proper handling and safety, they will also teach basic shooting fundamentals.

Mastering fundamentals on a .22 bolt action will transfer to any other rifle you will ever shoot. Ammo is cheap and you can have a blast out to 100 yards with it all day. I would start at 25 yards and work on trigger pull and breathing technique, get good at short range and move to 50 yards when you are ready. It is all about trigger pull and breathing technique.

If the wind is on my side and I do my part my .22 bolt action Savage with shoot sub 1/2" groups all day at 100 yards :)
 
I would recommend iron sights vs a scope when learning to shoot. The front sight needs to be the main focal point for your vision. The rear sight and the target will be fuzzy and slightly out of focus. If you focus on the target or the rear sight you will either miss the target or your shots will be all over the place.

Three other pistols you might want to check out are the S&W 317, the Beretta 87BB and the Browning Buckmark. While you are shopping for a handgun after making sure it is unloaded and pointed in a safe direction, close your eyes and bring it up to a shooting position. Open your eyes and see where it is pointed. Some will point better than others and will feel more natural. With all of the variations in human anatomy and gun designs what may be naural for one person will be awkward for another.

I shoot semi auto pistols better than revolvers. My wife shoots revolvers better than semi auto pistols.

An ironing board makes an easy and portable shooting rest. There is a lot going on when learning how to shoot. Having a stable platform takes a variable out of the equasion. Once you are accurate from a rest and have learned trigger control and a proper sight picture then advance to shooting sitting, kneeling and prone. After that shoot and move.

Socks or sand bags filled with rice are much lighter than when filled with sand.

Dry firing is a good way to learn trigger control, sight picture and muscle memory. Make sure you use a snap cap when dry firing a .22 rimfire or you risk damaging the gun.

In my opinion a proper sling makes shooting a rifle much easier.

Another option is see if there is a local IDPA club in your area. They are usually very friendly and are a good source for information.

http://www.idpa.com/clubs.asp



Beretta Model 87BB
Picture051.jpg


S&W Model 317
Picture011.jpg


Anschutz Model 1361E .22lr single shot
Picture074.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top