So, I went to the range today

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Fully intending to shoot some .22 handguns. Of course, I left them on the inside garage steps, being distracted by putting all my range stuff back in the car following vacation – sorry, secret mission.

I’ll probably remember them tomorrow, but let’s take a look at the next step for beginners – the .22 revolver. Why, an obsolete firearm design that can only hold six rounds? Because it teaches Single Action, Double Action, Double Action Only, all concepts carried over to semi auto hand guns. It also forces slow fire, gun fundamentals, and sight alignment. It also teaches about changing grip – the gas escaping around the forcing cone will definitely hurt, so be aware.

Let’s take a look:

I bought this just south of Fort Campbell on 41 A at a local hardware/convenience store in 1975 for less than 20 bucks. It’s a German-made “RG”. RG had an abysmal reputation – some parts made of pot metal, etc. It was said that there were only two types of RGs – complete junk, or OK. I evidently got the latter. It is still reliable a half century later.

There are three hammer positions – quarter cock, safe like a 1911 cocked and locked; half cocked, for spinning the cylinder and loading; and full cock, for shooting (and where does the phrase, “Going off half-cocked” come from?).

Half-cocked, and loading gate open. I find that having new shooters have a limited amount of ammo makes them concentrate more on fundamentals. There is a time and place for semi autos, but not for a beginner.

“Safe”, so you can carry six rounds, without worrying about having the hammer riding on an empty cylinder.

Ready to go. And understanding that Single Action means manual cocking, and that the only action of the trigger is to release the hammer to fire the round.

Later, instruction on modern revolvers where Double Action means that the trigger first cocks the hammer, then releases it to fire. And then later instruction about SA/DA where you have the choice of either. Finally, Double Action Only, where the trigger pull is required to cock the hammer and release it in order to fire.

So what kind of trigger action is a 1911? Or a Glock?

Bangsticks for Beginners

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Earlier I gave my two cents and preached a single shot bolt action .22 as a great BFB. After all, that’s what I started with and I turned out ok. Christmas, 1964 was the happiest day of my life (I thought at the time), when the very last present I opened was a Sears Roebuck Ted Williams .22 rifle. It shot .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle cartridges, and, boy, did I go through boxes of the stuff.
I had done a complete research project on .22s (at the school library!) to show my folks that I was serious and safe. I still have that rifle today.

You have to hand load a single round in the chamber, close the bolt, and then pull back the cocking knob.

Yes, you get pretty good at fundamentals when it’s a single shot rifle. Of course, the next year I got a little 4 power scope and was off to the races.

And, once I got into rifle accurizing, some fifty years later, I glass- bedded the receiver, free-floated the barrel, added a decent scope and a bipod.

I’ve started several people off shooting with this rifle (including Mrs. Red and Junior). It always starts with The Four Rules, a discussion of the parts of a cartridge and what they do, and then the basics of stance, sight alignment, breathing and trigger pull.

Tomorrow, we’ll take a look at the .22 revolver as a BFB.

Beginner guns

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How about these?

AR-15, M1 Garand, Savage .30-‘06.

No, how about this?

M-4gery. Still no?
Well, yeah. Let’s start with the ubiquitous .22 Long Rifle, a cartridge that’s been around since 1887. It’s the perfect caliber for beginners – no recoil, not too noisy, and inexpensive, but with all the same functionality as larger calibers. I think that starting beginners off with a .22 bolt action rifle is best. Iron sights, a long sight radius, a stable platform, will all get a newcomer started off on the fundamentals. Emphasis on “fun”.
After getting comfortable with the rifle, a .22 revolver is probably the next best step. Learn the difference between single and double action. Get used to the less stable platform of a handgun.

Tomorrow, I’ll do some pix on good beginner candidates. And, by the way, shooting .22 in any platform is just plain fun. It will get new shooters hooked on enjoying the skill and pastime of shooting.

Guns are dangerous, ‘mkay?

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I’m going to do a piece or two on beginner guns, but even before that, gun dangerousness. Yes, guns are dangerous. They are intended to be so. That is their original design principle. So, “gun safety” is a bit misleading.

A gun is a force projector. It is the evolutionary result of throwing stones, throwing spears, shooting arrows. It is designed to inflict potentially lethal force against other beings, human and otherwise. All the other uses of guns, plinking, target shooting, trap/skeet, all are secondary to the basic purpose of a firearm. With that in mind, let’s examine how we can control that force.

First, “The Four Rules”. When followed religiously, they ensure that the projection of that force does not result in unintended results.

  1. Every gun is loaded. Treat every gun that way.
  2. Do not let the barrel of the gun “cover” (point at) anything you are not willing to destroy.
  3. Do not put your finger on the trigger until you are on target and ready to shoot.
  4. Know what your target is. And what’s beyond it.

Discussion:

  1. When handling any firearm, if you treat it as if loaded, you won’t do stupid unloaded gun stuff – looking down the barrel, waving it around, doing quick draws. How many times have you heard, “But I didn’t know it was loaded!”
  2. This means always pointing your firearm in a safe direction. Good example – if you are on the firing line and your gun is pointed toward the ground, is it a safe direction? Maybe. But next time, take a look at where your feet are. Is your gun covering your toes? Another example – some shotgunners have special shoes made with a leather piece on their toe so that they can rest the barrel there between shots. AYFKM? Even shooting bird shot, a negligent discharge will go right through that resting point.
  3. As every veteran heard in basic training, “Keep your booger hook off the bang switch!” Literally, do not let your finger come in contact with the trigger until you are pointing at the target and you are beginning the trigger press. This is sometimes hard to do in practice. Think, most every gun is designed to be comfortably held in the hand and the trigger finger naturally wants to go inside the trigger guard. This is why you really do not want to try to catch a gun if you drop it. Yep, you caught it and it didn’t get dinged or dirty. Nope, you caught it perfectly and contacted the trigger just enough to set it off.
  4. Sure, you know you pinned a target to the tree. Have you considered what happens if you miss? Or if the bullet is not stopped by it? Where will that bullet end up. OK, is that a deer or Farmer John’s red heifer? Do you know that a little itty bitty .22 round can travel 1500 – 2000 yards? That would be over a mile if you haven’t done the math. So make sure that so,etching will backstop your round.

Thinking about it, if you follow these rules, you will likely never have a negligent discharge. Nope, there are no “accidental” discharges.

When I shoot with someone I have never shot with before, I always go over The Four Rules. If they know anything about shooting, they never complain.

Next up, Guns for Beginners. BTW, beginners never set hands on a gun with me until they repeat and explain The Four Rules to me.