Things I've learned while shooting.

These can be things I have learned directly, taught others, or I have seen others learn (before I made the same mistake).

1. A pistol is a pistol and a rifle is a rifle.

2. I don't care what you've heard about shotguns, you still have to aim them.

3. It is cool to catch brass as it is ejected from the gun... but you'll only do it once.

4. Ladies with low cut shirts find out about #3 in places they wish they didn't!

5. When shooting a semi-automatic pistol, one does not wrap one's weak-side thumb over one's wrist.

6. Shooting without hearing protection can hurt.

7. Cleaning up after you have shot is very polite.

8. Pointing a gun at someone will not make the two of you friends.

9. I don't care about caliber debates - I prefer not to get shot with any gun, thank you.

10. The difference between shooting and chess:
Everybody claims to be a decent shooter, but they rarely get out and shoot.
Everybody plays chess, but nobody claims to be an expert.

11. Be wary of the person who says "they shoot a little, but I'm not that good." Same goes for chess players.

12. Shooting is the all-American martial art. There are no belts, few titles, and an armed American can beat an unarmed martial artist of any style any time of day or night!

13. I have never seen a gun go off that was handled properly (ie - as if it were loaded) and where the handler kept his finger off the trigger.

14. Don't drop your gun.

15. Don't reach for your dropped gun until after it lands.

16. Scopes and high-dollar ammo, and high-priced rifles can help accuracy... about 1%. The other 99% is how much you shoot and how much you learn from it.

17. People at gun shops are there to sell you a gun, FIRST. They are not necessarily experts.

18. Some Range Safety Officers (RSO's) think they know much more than they really do know.

19. Persons who have never shot before should still listen to RSO's.

20. Family members will listen to you help them, then completely ignore your suggestions. After that, an RSO can tell them the same thing and they never forget it for life.

21. People who like to shoot are just like everybody else that likes to do something. They will talk to you about it. They will invite you to shoot. They will act just like people who like to go bowling, or like photography, or anything else. Please don't take this as a threat to your ego. We are not challenging you in any way. Just smile and nod like you do to other people who have interests you don't personally care for.