Posted on January 10, 2009 - by Amanda

How To Handle a Gun

This has been one of our most popular posts so we are re-publishing it for our new audience. (Ed.)

For our first post we thought that it would be great to start with something a lot of women are uncomfortable with. Shooting guns.

First the disclaimers. Reading this post does not qualify you to step into Annie Oakley’s shoes. Reading it should prepare you for the practice necessary to do so. The Complete Woman is not responsible for anything stupid you do with your new-found knowledge.

Firearm basics

There are three basic types of guns you will encounter. The rifle, the shotgun, and the handgun or pistol. A rifle shoots a fairly small bullet extremely long distances, very accurately. A shotgun shoots either a very large bullet or a bunch of really tiny ones called “shot” short distances with limited accuracy. A pistol shoots a medium sized bullet fairly short distances with varying degrees of accuracy. Rifles generally come as lever-actions, bolt-actions and semi-automatic or fully automatic. These names simple designate how the cartridge is put in the chamber between shots.

The lever-action is commonly seen in western movies. Like this:

Bolt actions are seen in more recent sniper type movies. They look something like this:

And of course semi-automatic and fully automatic rifles are often used in recent war movies like Black Hawk Down. They look like this:

Pistols are available either as revolvers or semi-autos. On the left is an old-west type revolver, in the middle is a newer revolver and on the right is a semi-auto.

Shotguns are almost always pump-action and look like this:

but there are both semi-auto versions and breech-loading versions.

Size Matters

Calibers are generally a description of the diameter of the bullet expressed in tenths, hundredths and sometimes thousandths of inches. The higher the number the bigger the bullet and, usually, the more gunpowder behind it. Two of the most intimidating things about shooting a gun are directly related to the caliber. The loud noise and the recoil or “kick”. So it is often best to start out with smaller caliber guns and then work your way up to the gun you wish to familiarize yourself with. This way you won’t be easily intimidated by the sound and feel of the larger guns.

The 22 caliber is the smallest and most inexpensive gun. The identical cartridge is fired both from rifles and pistols. It has a barely noticeable recoil and makes only a small bang. It is a great place to start for beginning shooters. The first time you go shooting it is great to fire both a 22 rifle and a 22 pistol just to get the feel for handling them. If you enjoy pistol shooting the next natural step is up to a 38 caliber pistol if you want a revolver or a 9mm or 40 Smith and Wesson (the 9mm and the 40 S&W are essentially the same cartridge though they are not interchangeable) if you prefer the semi-automatic style. The 38 caliber is a pleasant cartridge to shoot but it is our own experience that the 357 magnum (the same bullet as the 38 but with quite a bit more powder behind it) is a far more enjoyable and satisfying gun.

Why Bother

There are several different reasons to start shooting and to own a gun. Rifles and shotguns are often used for hunting. Rifles for big game hunting and shotguns for birds. Pistols are commonly owned for self-defense and all guns are enjoyed for recreational shooting. It is incredible fun to just go out to the range and blow things up! Pistols and shotguns are also both commonly used for self or home-defense. This is very common in the west where I live although it is less socially acceptable elsewhere. Out here it is completely normal for an average citizen to obtain their Concealed Weapons Permit and carry a gun with them everywhere. I don’t recommend doing this unless you are ready and willing to put in some intense time becoming intimate with the details of gun laws and gun handling. Recreation is a legitimate use of the knowledge you gain here today.

Safety

Safety is always a concern when you are handling a deadly weapon. At home guns should be kept far out of reach of small children. If older children live in your home they should understand how dangerous guns are and that they are not to handle them. If you have any doubt that your child will leave the gun alone then keep it locked up! Accidents happen. When you are at the range you must observe basic gun etiquette. Always keep the gun pointed down when people are moving about. Always wait until you have visually and verbally checked to make sure no one is downrange before you fire. Always remember that carelessness is inexcusable.

Most people use some form of hearing protection when they are shooting recreationally. Earmuffs are effective but unfashionable. Earplugs are also effective and much more attractive. Please buy your own pair and don’t share them…that’s just gross. Protective eyewear is also worn but not by everyone. Some feel that the aesthetic tradeoff isn’t worth it and just use their sunglasses.

Basic Technique

There are a myriad of positions and holds people use when firing different guns. Offhand is the most used. Offhand just means standing up and shooting without any support. With a heavy rifle it can be difficult to hold the gun steady but with a pistol it is fairly simple. Just raise the weapon, look down the sights, take a deep breath, let it out most of the way, then hold your breath and fire, gently squeezing the trigger. Yes squeeze the trigger. Do not pull it. Do not jerk it. Be gentle. Be gracious. Be womanly. You will have better accuracy than if you try to cowgirl your way through it. Fire a couple more shots the same way and then go check your target and find out how well you did.

Common problems include not aligning your sights properly, allowing the gun to “walk” up as the recoil pulls the gun barrel higher and higher, and of course, closing your eyes at the last second and wincing as you pull the trigger.

If your gun has iron sights (and most do) your sight picture should look like this. The big circle is the bullseye of the target.

Where To Go

Most communities in the Western United States have many areas where one can go shooting. There are abandoned gravel pits, myriad uninhabited foothills or indoor ranges. If you live in a densely populated area indoor ranges will likely be your only option and you can find one in the yellow pages. They often rent guns too. If you do live out West then check with an experienced shootist for your local options. If you are shooting out of doors at an unofficial range make sure that you are shooting into a large dirt background. The side of a steep hill or the end of a gravel pit will effectively stop bullets and prevent ricochets.

Targets

Fun targets include: old bowling pins, full beer or pop cans, photos of ex-boyfriends, old televisions and balloons.

Keep practicing and enjoy the smell of gunpowder in the air. Feel free to leave any questions on this topic in the comments.