BEGINNER'S GUIDE - GETTING STARTED
Four overall rules apply to the handling and shooting of guns to make sure that no one gets hurt by accident. It is imperative that you are a responsible gun owner and set a good example of gun ownership for your children, family, and friends.
- Treat every firearm like it is loaded, even if you have checked and it is not loaded.
- Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction, never point your weapon at anything you are not willing to destroy.
- Know your target, know what it is and what is behind it and the capabilities of your firearm and ammo. Never fire a shot towards anything you don’t know what is behind it.
- Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
If you are just getting started, ask a friend that is knowledgeable about firearms or a professional instructor to train you. Most gun owners are willing to pass along their knowledge and help you learn basic handling, gun safety, and target practice shooting; you will want to start by learning how to operate your rifle safely.
It is best to start with a low-powered gun. The best rifle for this is the inexpensive .22 long rifle. The ammunition for the .22 is inexpensive and the rifle has a minimal muzzle flash and noise. We suggest starting out with the .22 so that you will not be intimidated by the weapon. If you start with a loud, heavy-kicking gun, you will get in the habit of flinching, and will not enjoying your target practice. Once you are comfortable with
with operating a rifle, you can start to practice using larger caliber guns.
You will want to choose a weapon that is reliable and comfortable. When shooting a gun, you should wear ear protection to protect your hearing from high decibel sound and eye protection to protect your vision from accidents caused by ejected shell casing debris.
If you are apprehensive about handling firearms, you could start practicing with a pellet gun that uses a spring or CO2 to propel a tiny pellet. Pellet guns are similar in basic safety practices, and marksmanship skills to using a rifle and they are inexpensive and quiet. It is a fun way to learn how to shoot a gun, learn the safety rules and grow to enjoy shooting.
The best way to get started is to talk to your friends and see if they would be willing to teach you.