How to Introduce Your Spouse to Shooting - Inside MDT

Posted by Ryan Charlton on 2024 Aug 22nd

How to Introduce Your Spouse to Shooting - Inside MDT

We are all familiar with the "honey do" list and other such questions that pop up during married life. However, when your significant other asks, "will you teach me to shoot?" This can open up an entire can of worms (as well as make it easier to justify that next cool rifle). Having been through just this situation with a wife who's gone from a non-shooter to a keen competitor, here are some tips we've learned along the way.

Safety is always the first topic to cover. With a new shooter, understanding the safe handling of a firearm goes a long way toward building their confidence. Whether it's explaining muzzle discipline, trigger discipline, or what a safe backstop looks like, this is a crucial foundation to begin with.

Keep it fun, especially in the beginning. Provided they're being safe and hitting steel, that's all that matters. They'll pick the processes up along the way as they gain more experience.

Drip feed knowledge. It can be hard to resist the temptation to drop all your knowledge in one go. Focusing on small wins and progression through multiple sessions leaves things open for future training ideas and reduces the risk of being overwhelming.

Focus on fundamentals – let them tweak positions and their approach to a stage to suit their strengths. As long as the fundamentals are sound, they will be able to figure out the rest.

Start with the basics. In the beginning, a new shooter doesn't need to know why different things affect the outcome of the shot; it only needs to know that it has an effect. Something as simple as "If you miss off the left, aim right a bit" can hugely improve the hit rate of a new shooter. When they begin to learn and understand more, you can start to discuss the reasons why it happens.

Be patient! Nobody is going to become proficient in a new skill overnight. Allow them to make their own mistakes and begin learning to figure out the process for themselves. This is what keeps us coming back to rifle shooting - it's a craft with no master.

Respect their opinion. What works for you may not work for your significant other, especially if your height begins with a six and theirs begins with a 5! Shooters come in all shapes and sizes, and it's not uncommon for lady shooters to be more flexible than men and have different strengths when approaching a stage.

Enjoy the process. Watching a loved one develop an interest and skill set in something you also enjoy is a brilliant experience. Especially once they become self-sufficient, and you can both begin to enjoy shooting for the sake of it.

Left to right. Ryan Charlton, Joe Pask and Andrea Charlton!

Always encourage, never criticize. If they make a great trigger press, let them know; if they don't, a gentle reminder of proper technique will help ensure the next one is praiseworthy.

Involve them in everything. If you need to put targets out, take them along and explain what you're looking for when you set them. Likewise, when it comes to cleaning the rifles at the end of the day, an introduction in basic maintenance is a great way to build confidence and learn more about the rifle system.

If you're building towards a competition, consider taking away the time pressure to get all of the

shots off. By keeping a record of their hit percentage compared to shots taken, they can track how this improves as their experience levels increase. It's always better to take only six shots and hit five than rush and miss 8.

Teamwork.

Be proud of them. When you've taught someone a new skill and they go on to develop that, it's a direct reflection of your time and efforts in the beginning. When other shooters notice how good their technique is, that's because you helped them to learn. And if they become competitive, the day they beat you will be a great day all around. We've been close on a few occasions, and the day my wife beats me at a match is coming. I'll be the happiest person at the match that day!

Hopefully, these points will help you successfully introduce not only your spouse but any new shooter into rifle shooting sports. From my own experience over the past three years, it's added a really interesting element to shooting. My wife and I can tackle a stage totally differently and yet come away with the same score due to our individual strengths. Her learning to shoot has led to us spending lots of quality time together, including on road trips across the U.K. and Europe, as well as seeing both of us representing our country at World Championship events.

I will, however, end with a note of caution. Your shooting costs will potentially double, and it's highly likely that her kit will be nicer than yours! She'll also become aware of the true cost of all that Gucci kit… however, she'll no longer care, as she'll want it for herself!

COMPETITION RESOURCES FROM MDT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ryan Charlton is a well-known member of the U.K. shooting community, having worked in the U.K. Gun Trade for over a decade. Ryan is a proficient rifle hunter who loves predator control at night. He has competed in Precision Rifle matches since 2019 and is known throughout the U.K. precision rifle community for his willingness to help new shooters. Ryan was awarded the first Outstanding Contribution Award for his role in growing the sport within the U.K. Ryan was part of the British team for both the Centrefire World Championship in France in 2022 and the Rimfire World Championship in Italy in 2023. He will be representing G.B. again in Colorado this year. He also has a regular column in the British shooting magazine Rifle Shooter, focusing on all things Precision Rifle.

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