Whatever happened to learning how to shoot?

[TaxMan]

Been away for a while, but spent the morning reading this thread. All
100 posts! I think that the original question is one I should have asked
when I first signed up on the forum. There are not many places to go for
any "formal" teaching. Therer are two standouts, but they are not close to
me. Ed Shell for his long range rifle, and Doctor Bob for bullseye pistol and
Oympic level (if you dare) 3 position rifle shooting are the two that come
to mind. The NRA "basic" classes teach little about anything that would be
considered advanced. Going to Continental and Freestate only reinforce the
sad fact that 90% plus can't fire a pistol or rifle with any consistency. It is
quite a side show to see somone with thousands in firearms, and zero $$
spent on how to use them. Maybe better days are comming.

 

[huesmann]

When you can't see the target around your front sight post, then you can use an optic.

 

[booker]

To me, it seems like mostly model building.

A lot of younger folks enjoy building the rifles, learning all the specs and details of the equipment, trying different stuff and seeing how it looks. Comparing to other people's builds. The fact that is shoots and has some utility/function is secondary.

Seems to be a trend. There are a lot of people who are "into" photography, but really they are into photography kit. They buy fancy lenses and high-end bodies, or they go old school and get huge collections of esoteric film equipment from 1930-1965. They build up this collection of gear and then take a few hundred photos a year, never really working on their composition or technique. (As it happens, marksmanship skills of breath control and trigger manipulation translates to taking sharper photographs!)

Generally speaking, it seems to me that younger folks seem to fetish-ize their stuff. Their iPods, their sneakers, their watches. How many people have you seen with a $3000 Breitling pilot's watch, who don't have the first clue about how to use the rotating logarithmic slide-rule bezel for time-rate calculations? Point of Origin, what's that!?

It is what it is... it's consumption, from domestic retailers, so that's good for the economy. As long as they are safe and responsible, it's just people doing what they enjoy, so I try not to judge even if it isn't my personal cup of tea.

 

[hvymax]

I like to keep my guns very simple, just back up sights and a nice optic is all i need.

I am really digging on some offset irons lately.

 

[KMK1862]

Been away for a while, but spent the morning reading this thread. All
100 posts! I think that the original question is one I should have asked
when I first signed up on the forum. There are not many places to go for
any "formal" teaching. Therer are two standouts, but they are not close to
me. Ed Shell for his long range rifle, and Doctor Bob for bullseye pistol and
Oympic level (if you dare) 3 position rifle shooting are the two that come
to mind. The NRA "basic" classes teach little about anything that would be
considered advanced. Going to Continental and Freestate only reinforce the
sad fact that 90% plus can't fire a pistol or rifle with any consistency. It is
quite a side show to see somone with thousands in firearms, and zero $$
spent on how to use them. Maybe better days are comming.

The Internet is a wonderful resource. I've never attended any formal marksmanship training. I've had safety training and some basic instructions on how sights work (BSA merit badge). My shooting has improved a lot through watching YouTube videos, reading articles and the forums, and then going out the range.

Formal training would be better/optimal, but the 'net can give you a good start. As with anything else, if you want to be good, you will find a way to make yourself good.

 

[BlueHeeler]

To me, it seems like mostly model building.

A lot of younger folks enjoy building the rifles, learning all the specs and details of the equipment, trying different stuff and seeing how it looks. Comparing to other people's builds. The fact that is shoots and has some utility/function is secondary.

It is what it is... it's consumption, from domestic retailers, so that's good for the economy. As long as they are safe and responsible, it's just people doing what they enjoy, so I try not to judge even if it isn't my personal cup of tea.

+1

There are so many different aspects that add to the fun of firearms. One is aspect is improving personal marksmanship, but so is experimenting with different set-ups. I personally like learning the mechanical functioning of firearms as much as shooting. Then there is the history behind each of the firearms. If some person wants to put a tactical espresso machine on an M4, more power to him.

I have been letting the noobs shoot the MKII with red dot after they understand safety and iron sights. It is painful to say, but they shoot MUCH better more quickly with the red dot because simply it is a more intuitive sight system. Plus a lot of them have played Call of Duty.

 

[JoeRinMD]

I have been letting the noobs shoot the MKII with red dot after they understand safety and iron sights. It is painful to say, but they shoot MUCH better more quickly with the red dot because simply it is a more intuitive sight system. Plus a lot of them have played Call of Duty.

I'm so glad this point was made, because it's exactly what I've done. When I take newbies to the range, I start them with the Mk II outfitted with a red dot. The low recoil of a bull barrel .22 topped with a RDS makes it so much easier to instruct. It literally becomes "put the red dot over the target, and squeeze the trigger." There's no issue with explaining sight alignment or sight picture. Just put the dot on the target. Then...after they get comfortable shooting, I have them try conventional iron sights. A couple of months ago, I took one young lady from never having shot before, to comfortably shooting a .45 acp in a single session! And, best of all, she wants to go more often and buy her own gun!

Joe

 

[booker]

I was skeptical... until I shot a Glock 17 with a 4-MOA JPoint. I was faster on target, faster on follow-up, and I believe I had better overall situational awareness.

While I don't own one myself at this point, I'm sold on the reflex sight as a primary or secondary sighting system for any weapons platform.

A point to note, a quality unit is built very sturdy, and aids rather than impedes manipulations such as one-handed snag-technique for pistol clearing and charging.