The NRA does many safety classes. I went through two as a kid, one in school (yes school) and another through a "Grange" which is some sort of group that is part of the Methodist Church both before I was 18.
Then buy a .22, they are cheap and ammo is cheap. I used to sit empty pop/sode cans on a board and shoot them until I ran out of bullets, then would wait for dad to buy me another box of bullets and shoot some more. Then once you have put some time behind that .22 you begin to get a feel for what you do and don't like about it and can use that to make a good choice when you look for your bigger gun(s)

Check out

http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/basictraining.asp
Check out the first steps courrses

Marcy

Christina,

Glad to help out. There is another womens instructional clinic on April 24th in Marriottsville, MD, but it is pistol only. The contact info is Roxanne Byczkowski @ 410-875-0664. Even if you can't make it to either of these courses, I would call the contact people because they probably run the courses every month or two.

Good luck with your quest.

Take care, George

Christina:

I do find it mildly curious that you post questions about how to shoot just prior to your wedding day. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

So do I, Bountyhunter! <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Then again, if you knew my relatives on the guest list, you'd understand why! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the laugh, though!

Christina:

Well listen; if something should "accidently" happen to your husband after you are married, and if he should have a large life insurance policy in your name, PM me, as being of Italian birthright, I can be very consoling. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I couldn't agree with you more. I have many years experience shooting non-professionally much of which is even competative shooting and I still dread the thought of teaching anyone else. As a matter of fact the ONLY person I have ever agreed to teach is my wife and that was only because she would not heed my advice regarding professional instruction. This is the best advice I have seen. Nothing is going to be nearly as effective and safe as professional instruction, particularly when given by someone with a background as a police or military instructor.

The NRA course covers safety well, but probably won't spend as much time as you like on hands on practice, however, it is a good place to start. Most NRA instructors should be able to provide guns to learn with.

After you have ingrained the 4 laws of firearm safety, get yourself a .22. You can buy brand new Ruger 10/22 rifles for >$200 or MkII pistols for >$350, buy lots of .22 ammo and shoot, shoot, shoot.

or as John Ross says (http://www.john-ross.net/newbies.htm)

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE STILL READING

If you have little or no shooting experience but have decided gun skills are a requirement for your disaster/contingency prep, or for your general peace of mind in life, do the following:

If you haven&#8217;t already, read my book Unintended Consequences. If this offends you as a money-making gambit on my part, get it from your library, on interlibrary loan if need be. This book gives some insight into the required mindset, as well as providing a lot of gun info in the guise of an entertaining thriller.

Go to a real gunshop.

Buy a Ruger 10/22 rifle with twenty spare magazines (they&#8217;ll have to order them) and a Smith & Wesson .22 revolver. There are several models of S&W .22s; go to a gun shop and handle them all. Get the one that feels best in your hand. If you have large or small hands, ask the salesman about aftermarket grips (I like the wooden Hogue Monogrip) and try them out.

Buy one full case (Five THOUSAND rounds) of .22 long rifle ammo. Make sure you get ammo with 40 grain PLATED bullets--some of the cheapest promo ammo is unplated and will lead-foul your barrel.

Get hearing and eye protection, and some good gun lube, like Break-Free CLP.

All the above stuff should cost you about $1000.

Find an outdoor spot with a hillside where you can safely and legally shoot.

Find someone who is known as a competent and safe shooter to help you get started and keep you from learning bad habits, like putting your finger in the triggerguard when you pick up the gun. Call the local NRA office for a list of certified instructors.

Get an array of ecologically-sound targets that will move or break when hit. I like Ritz crackers because they&#8217;re cheap, biodegradable, and break when hit. Acorns and pinecones are good, too. So are scrap chunks of pine 2x2s and 2x4s.

On a weeknight, while watching television, load all 20 of the Ruger rifle magazines. They hold ten rounds each. On Saturday or Sunday, shoot one carton (500 rounds) through the rifle and another carton through the pistol, always at targets that do something (like break or hop) when you hit them. Switch between the guns every 20-50 rounds. If you start in the morning, you will finish by late afternoon. If you prefer, shoot 250 rounds through each gun on Saturday and then again on Sunday. If you can&#8217;t go through 500 rounds before lunch, you&#8217;re not trying.

Place your targets no farther than fifteen feet away for the rifle, eight feet for the revolver. When you get so you never miss a fist-sized target at this range, don&#8217;t change the distance, change the speed. See how quickly you can hit ten or six targets. If you start missing, slow down a little. After you&#8217;ve shot half your quota, take some more deliberate shots at 30-50 feet. Notice how the bullet hits in a different spot at different distances. Go back to closer targets. NOTE: DO NOT always cock the revolver to shoot it; pull the trigger double action at least half the time. It is definitely harder to shoot accurately this way, but this is how you will be shooting a revolver in a defensive situation with a close-in assailant, so this is the way you want to do a lot of your practice.

Repeat the above exercise on the next four weekends.

In one month you will almost certainly be several orders of magnitude more proficient than you were before you walked into the gunshop, and a better shot than a sizable fraction of the police officers in this country.

If, after the first week or two, you find this effort a chore, take your guns, spare magazines, and remaining ammo back to the gunshop. You will lose about $250.

If you finish the month excited about your newly earned skills, looking forward to your next shooting outing, and needing more ammo, congratulations. You are now a member of the gun culture. Revise your budget to include $20-$400 per month for ammunition, depending on how much of it is low-cost .22s and how much is more expensive calibers. You are now ready to include more powerful centerfire arms appropriate for defense in your shooting education.

Hi, Christina,

You have already received some very good advice on how and where to learn to shoot guns. If for some reason those approaches don't work, you might want to try the following:

1. Do a search of both the Internet and the yellow pages for shooting/gun ranges/clubs. Contact all that are convenient for you. Ask if they have any programs or instructors for learning how to shoot. If not, ask for any suggestions or referrals they may have.

2. Contact your state's department of fish and game, game and fish, conservation, or natural resources. Ask the same questions as above. If you still do not have any leads, ask for referrals to hunter safety classes. Contact the instructors in the hunter safety program for leads. If nothing else, the hunter safety classes provide a good survey of the information re hunting, guns, conservation, survival, and a wise approach to enjoying the outdoors. The handbook is a pretty good survey of these aspects of hunting. You will also need to take a hunter safety class before you can get a hunting license.

3. Contact the National Rifle Association for the above information. They also have some excellent written materials on hunting and shooting.

4. Visit the ranges in person. Look for any bulletin boards where peoples might post notes re sale of items or services for. Also inquire about any instructional or competitive programs for juniors. Those instructors and coaches may be able to help you.

5. Local sporting goods and gun shops might be able to provide leads.

6. Contact your local police or sheriffs office for the information.

7. Check with your nearest Boy Scout office/store. Determine who are the merit badge counselors for Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting. Ask the counselors for leads. You might want to look at the pamphlets for these merit badges. They can be helpful for beginners. These booklets survey their respective subjects.

You will get a wide variety of responses. Some of them should help.

It is desirable to take instruction from NRA certified instructors. The curriculum should cover guns, ammunition, shooting, safety, proper handling of equipment, and a discussion of applicable laws.

A good way to try using a variety of guns is rent them from the ranges. Many ranges, especially indoor handgun ranges and some shotgun ranges rent guns for use at the range.

As you learn more about shooting, you will have a better idea of what guns are appropriate for your needs. Your teachers can help guide you. If you absolutely cannot get any help without providing your own gun, consider starting with a bolt action rifle in caliber .22 Long Rifle, or a shotgun in 20 gauge. Your body dimensions are of course factors in the proper fitting of yourself with a gun. A gun is a tool which must fit you well, and which you must be able to handle well if you are to shoot it ably. Don't buy a gun that does not fit you and feel good in your hands. I definitely recommend that you not make any elaborate or expensive purchases of before beginning shooting.

Good luck,

John

Rkt88edmo:

What the blazes is the "&#8217;" all about?

I can't discern any prohibited words that match the context in which that gobblydegok is being inserted, or were you trying to pass some sort of virus?

Bountyhunter