Who Taught You How To Shoot?

[FNSafari]

Me and some skeet shooters. I got my first firearm, an Ithaca 37 12 ga. with a PolyChoke when in high school. I had to take an NRA hunter safety course per my folks first, wise idea. NOONE else in the family did any shooting or hunting, just me. I sort of struggled over the next 6 years with the shotgun, until I graduated college and got a job in a chem lab. I met a manager who belonged to a local skeet club and started shooting there. With the help of many of the local shooters my success at skeet and bird hunting improved significantly. I shot a lot of competitive skeet until I took up rifle shooting, IBS registered score matches. I got advice on equipment and technique from many but one still has to follow the advice and shoot, shedding some advice and following some, making the best fit your style.

Over the years though, I have found most other shooters gladly willing to share advice and counsel. We are a small community and its in its best interest to do so.

 

[cw308]

My father started the ball rolling , then in the military . In civilian life I got into benchrest shooting then of course , reloading. Keep them clean and lubed.

 

[bennett ford]

Learned the basics from Roy, Gene, and particularly anybody who shot rifles in 1940s movies. Started shooting a Red Ryder BB gun in 1947. Got my first gun (mod 24 Savage ) Christmas of 1950. I was introduced to competitive shooting in 1959 and never looked back. I have now shot rifle matches of one sort or another in seven consecutive decades. WHAT A RIDE!!

 

[XTR]

My dad, 4 yrs in the Corps in the late 50s. His last billet was as an instructor on the pistol range at Lejune. started me at about 6. Trying to do the same for my sons.

 

[Savage243]

Jack Writer and Lanny Bassham.

Not a bad pair to learn from.

 

[jimmymac]

Many great stories here for a guy with insomnia. Thanks for sharing...

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

^^^^JImmy, you are so correct. I've read every one of the previous posts and what a great book this compilation of "life lived learning" would make.
I enjoyed it when our gun club held "Family Range Day" every August at our range. I normally handled the .22 pistol shooting:

I took that part of the event over and started having the kids shoot 're-active' targets like balloons, eggs, charcoal briquettes, crackers and other bio-degradable stuff, except for one 'zombie' target. Behind the zombie target I stapled a zip-lock bag of green dish soap, so when one of the kids hit that bag, the dish soap would run down the back board. Surprisingly enough, even some of the kids Mom's wanted to shoot that target.
The kids sure like shooting at swinger targets and clay pigeons much than just a plain 'ol bullseye target. Never seen so many smiling kids, except for that special day.

Dennis

 

[coldboreshot]

My grandfather. He was an NRA police instructor for his agency and for the Boy Scouts. My experience began at age 5 with a .22lr target rifle. At age 6, 1911 .45 (under his guidance of course). The first time I shot the .22lr target rifle was a day when he took the nuns from the orphanage on an outing to the shooting range as he took them on various outdoor activities. That day was my beginning. Prone at 50yards. Later, he continued my instruction again when I joined the scouts. That first line experience provided me the opportunity to further enhance myself through self teaching.

 

[shoobe01]

1. Badly self-taught. Learned nothing notable from e.g. Boy Scouts despite shooting there.
2. Then learned a very 19th century way to shoot from this club in the small town I went to college in
3. Then at the USPSA (later also IDPA) et al action shooting clubs, their related training days, and even Gunsite when I went there with some of them.
4. Then... etc. More bits and pieces from Jim Crews, Larry Vickers, and many others I took training from (or know at least a little online) and tried stuff out with over the last 20 years or so
5. It is likely I'll learn entirely new things next weekend (ELR class), and may change everything about how I shoot just a little bit, again.

 

[chefmossy]

Boy Scout camp. Lester Pratt ran the rifle range. You followed the rules or you didn't shoot. If you wanted to learn and were serious he would teach you. I have no idea how many rounds I shot at that range. 10 cents for 5 rounds.

 

[DB13]

U.S.Army