Do you know anyone who went shooting and did NOT like it?

[BE Mike]

The ONLY time I've ever seen someone go shooting and not like it, has been when someone who DOES enjoy it takes them, doesn't teach them any basics or practice before handing them gun which is too big, powerful, etc., etc. and afterwards it's completely turned them off from shooting. This is typically a man introducing a woman scenario IME.

You are so right, if your purpose is to have someone enjoy the experience. Some men think that shooting is a macho thing and just have to prove how macho they are and how much a weenie their girlfriend or wife is. If one really wants to have someone enjoy the experience then he should start out the new shooter with a .22 LR. I started out my grandsons with air rifles and air pistols. They really enjoyed the experience and it was an easy transition to firearms. They were really ingrained with safe gun handling procedures. There should be a safe gun handling instruction period before any range time. Proper eye and ear protection should be worn. Centerfire firearms should be introduced gradually.

 

[CitiusFortius]

I think you didn't get my post.
.

You did start it off with "many", which does qualify what you say after that. I glanced over that and focused on the second part.

You are correct, i misunderstood your point of view. I can admit when im wrong.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

The ONLY time I've ever seen someone go shooting and not like it, has been when someone who DOES enjoy it takes them, doesn't teach them any basics or practice before handing them gun which is too big, powerful, etc., etc. and afterwards it's completely turned them off from shooting. This is typically a man introducing a woman scenario IME.

This is my experience as well.

Every time I see those youtube videos I get upset. Those moron boyfriends are not helping the cause.

 

[canav844]

My girlfriend, does hate guns, fine with me being armed 100% of the time; likes the fact that I carry for some of the neighborhoods around here, will come to the range with me, but refuses to pick up a firearm.

And here's why, she's got 2 older brothers, and so when she was about 10, they decided it would be "funny" to tell her how easy it was to shoot a 12. gauge shotgun, took her out but the shotgun that at the time was likely as big as she was and let her shoot it. It knocked her flat on the ground, first and last time she's ever touched a gun, and refuses to so much as try my 10/22. For their cheap laugh, she won't take any step to protect herself relating to firearms now.

 

[cobber]

My daughter was totally freaked out, and I haven't gotten her to go back.

I took her to an indoor range, had a little .22 semi-auto for her, but when we got back to the firing line, two fellows were in the next lane doing rapid fire with a magnum of some description. And their 'accuracy' on target left much to be desired. I'm sure they had a ball, wasting ammo and making tons of noise. Even Dad found the experience painful.

(I now take my AMD-65 with, and any time this nonsense goes on, I just empty a few twenty round mags downrange. Things get quiet after that.)

Going shooting with Dad is not on her bucket list anymore.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

cob, that's terrible.

We are our own worst enemies. What pricks.

 

[cobber]

cob, that's terrible.

We are our own worst enemies. What pricks.

I think she would have enjoyed it, as the .22 was a fun little plinker. Oh well...

 

[Burnsy]

Yes I have, and it's my fault. My best friend is a very large guy. Just under 7 foot and maybe, 350 lbs, could be less, I am bad at guessing weight. Not all muscle but, big dude just the same, I would certainly not want to tango with him.

Showed interest is shooting, so took him and my wife to the range and I figured he would have no problem with my wife's 38 special. She explained to keep it pointed down range blah blah, usual basic safety. She squeezed off two rounds so he would not be startled by the sound (indoor range), ears and eyes of course.

I loaded one round in and he sent it down range, sat it down and refused to shoot it again. I offered my G21 trying to explain that it is louder but the recoil is less snappy and more of a slow push but no luck.

He then rented a 22 and seemed to be "ok" with that but has never shown interest to go back with me since . He seems to be ok with small calibers but maybe I should have rented a full size metal 9mm for him . Really didn't expect him to have a problem with a 38.

 

[Sylvain]

This is my experience as well.

Every time I see those youtube videos I get upset. Those moron boyfriends are not helping the cause.

Yeah I see those videos of guys giving a Desert Eagle .50AE to their tiny girlfriends for the first time.

 

[worddoer]

Many people who went shooting with people who were not responsible gun owners actually had a bad experience.

Either they shot a gun that was too big of a caliber for a first time shooter, with too much recoiled and noise.
They shot without eye and ear protection and got hurt.
Shot themselves or got shot because someone didn't follow the 4 safety rules.
Shot at a target too far away (25 yards and more) and didn't hit anything, therefore didn't have any fun shooting.
Etc ....


If you do things RIGHT (small caliber gun, safety instructions, eye and ear protection, close range target, patient instructor etc) people with have a great time at the range for their first time.
If you do things WRONG it's very easy to give that person a really bad impression and scare them away from guns for the rest of your life.

+1,000,000!!!

My in-laws hate guns. And this is the exact reason why. My father-in-laws father was not a responsible gun owner, some people got minor injuries, and he scared everyone away from firearms.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Well, not technically "shooting," because he never fired a shot. My uncle and I were sighting in our muzzleloaders for deer season and my nephew went with us. We had a .410 shotgun for him to shoot, but he wouldn't even try it because he saw how much my .50 cal muzzleloader kicked when I shot it. I had 150 grains of powder behind it at the time (now only shoot 100 grains). I also shot the .410 to show him it didn't kick that much, but he didn't care. All he could think about was the .50 cal and how much it moved me when I fired it, so he wouldn't even get behind any gun. This was probably 10 years ago. Now he's a guard at the prison, so I'm sure he had to shoot in training for that job.

 

[mac45]

My niece.
Took her out when she was around 12 or 13. She tried a couple of .22's and was just kinda ....meh. She didn't get scared or anything. Actually shot pretty fair for the first time. Just wasn't her thing.

 

[Gary Clay]

I like to shoot but Some of the people that come are unsafe . so I pack up. FAST

 

[LarryC]

My wife is ambivalent about shooting, I am a collector of guns and have a LOT of ammo. I (and our kids talked her into getting her life carry permit) She seems to like my guns, and last year mentioned she would like to have a Beretta like her (late) father brought back from Italy in WW2. So I found a model 1934 9mm Corta (.380), We didn't go to a range but rather my best friends house in the country. I fired the gun a few times to be sure it was ok, then she shot a clip - no problems. A month or so later she mentioned she would like a Derringer like I sometimes carry (Normal carry gun is a Colt Double Eagle 45), so I bought her a 38 special. She says she will learn and get comfortable with the guns and do some more shooting but it has been a couple months and she still won't go out to shoot. Yes, I have explained all the operations of the guns and all safety needs. She is 70 and just doesn't have a great deal of interest.