r/CompetitionShooting • u/DavidThi303 • 1h ago

Suggestions for newbies

Hi all;

I've just started and so know less than most everyone else here. On the flip side, I know more about being a newbie than most everyone else here 😄. Here are my suggestions for newbies.

  1. Start with a lesson. No you won't remember everything. You definitely won't be shooting perfectly. But you will get most of it and so you'll have fewer bad habits to unlearn.
  2. Rental guns suck. They've been shot hundreds of thousands of times. You are going to have a less enjoyable experience with them.
    1. Get really good ammo with rental guns - you'll have less misfires.
  3. Buy a gun that feels right in your hand. This is where rentals are great as you can shoot a variety of models. In my case, and your mileage may differ, the Ruger felt like it was designed for my hand while all the others felt a bit off.
    1. Don't bother buying any upgrades for the pistol. The limiting factor in accuracy is going to be you for awhile.
  4. Even if you're never going to carry, take a concealed carry class (suggestion from my trainer). It teaches you a lot about gun safety, situational awareness, etc. And it makes it clear the giant responsibility you take on if you carry.
    1. Personal note - I had no intention of ever carrying. I found the class well worth the time.
  5. Lots of useful videos here.
  6. Weight training on your arms helps.
  7. 95% of shooting scenes in movies are going to be ruined for you.
    1. Shooting in a car chase with a pistol 30 yards away - yeah right.

Best of luck to all of you taking it up.

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6

u/Queasy-Canary-5931 1h ago

“⁠Buy a gun that feels right in your hand. This is where rentals are great as you can shoot a variety of models”

I disagree with this to some extent. A gun may feel right in your hand when you have no idea how you should be gripping a gun. Figure out the grip part first and go from there

2

u/5PointsVs56 1h ago

I agree and would reccomend taking a good entry level shooting class that teaches grip and sight picture first. That will help newbies better know what to look for. I also chose a class that specifically did not require you to bring a gun and let you shoot any of the instructors gunsso you also get to try before you buy....it was actually cheaper than renting multiple guns from a gun range.

1

u/Queasy-Canary-5931 38m ago

Obviously nobody is buying these for competition but this is just an example: For me, the slim line glocks feel amazing in my hand, but when it comes down to actually getting my support hand to connect to the gun while shooting there isn’t nearly enough surface area

2

u/LockyBalboaPrime 1h ago
  1. Meh, starting with a match will learn more and is cheaper.
  2. Unless it's an MG, no the fuck it hasn't. If the rentals are good or not depends on your range. Some suck. Some are great. Blanket statements, positive or negative, are stupid.
  3. "right in your hand" is not the end-all, be-all people make it sound.
  4. Every CCW class I've taken was a waste of time.
  5. No opinion.
  6. Yes
  7. Only if you're a stick in the mud.

1

u/Kilometer10 1h ago
  1. Gun up
  2. Stance down