Henry Rifle Forums

A neighbor woman wants to learn how to shoot for self-defense. My recommendation was if you aren’t going to practice everyday and shoot 10,000 rounds a year not to use a firearm for defense. At any rate she will be here in a few minutes and I’ll just teach her firearm safety and do some plinking.

Here is what we will be shooting plus a scoped CZ up on the 50 yard range.

Sir Henry wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 13, 2025 11:05 am

A neighbor woman wants to learn how to shoot for self-defense. My recommendation was if you aren’t going to practice everyday and shoot 10,000 rounds a year not to use a firearm for defense. At any rate she will be here in a few minutes and I’ll just teach her firearm safety and do some plinking.

Here is what we will be shooting plus a scoped CZ up on the 50 yard range.
IMG_4998.jpeg

That's a good start. Since she's interested in self-defense, I'd suggest that the next session focus on up-close and personal; 5,10, & 15yds with pistol and revolver, starting with .22 and moving up to whatever she can handle well for subsequent sessions. .380, .38spc, 9mm, .45acp, etc. and including self defense ammo (jhp) as well as range ammo. Malfunction drills,& presentation from concealed and open carry, reloads, shooting from various positions, and so on.

I taught firearms for years, LE and civilians. I was very selective in those I accepted as civilian students. My classes consisted of four to five hours of classroom, and four hours on the range. I would break the range into two days if necessary for those who needed it.

Good advice guys. I'd start new shooters on the 22, and move up to the 38/9mm. We did all the basics on the range.

I too asked the students if they honestly would practice on a regular basis. Once a month or so. If not, I strongly recommended a 4" Revolver, in 38 caliber. With good ammo it would do the job, and a 4" helps with recoil.

My students who would practice could come to me for further coaching, or closer ranges for practice. I would usually advise against snubby revolvers or mini autos for new shooters until they became a bit more comfortable after practice and training. Mid size autos or revolvers to start. Glock 19/23s or the Smith k-frame family (and similar in other brands) were favorites.

Good luck Gene. I hope it goes well.

BrokenolMarine wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 13, 2025 12:13 pm

I taught firearms for years, LE and civilians. I was very selective in those I accepted as civilian students. My classes consisted of four to five hours of classroom, and four hours on the range. I would break the range into two days if necessary for those who needed it.

Good advice guys. I'd start new shooters on the 22, and move up to the 38/9mm. We did all the basics on the range.

I too asked the students if they honestly would practice on a regular basis. Once a month or so. If not, I strongly recommended a 4" Revolver, in 38 caliber. With good ammo it would do the job, and a 4" helps with recoil.

My students who would practice could come to me for further coaching, or closer ranges for practice. I would usually advise against snubby revolvers or mini autos for new shooters until they became a bit more comfortable after practice and training. Mid size autos or revolvers to start. Glock 19/23s or the Smith k-frame family (and similar in other brands) were favorites.

She was not a good candidate for self defense and I told her so. Yet I did recommend she take it up as a hobby and just have fun. She was scared of guns and I found out her fear was of recoil and not of being shot. We only shot SV rimfire although I did shoot one hyper velocity through a revolver with a piece of paper beside it. When the paper shattered she realized how important it was to hold a firearm properly.

I’m not going to teach her self defense only firearms safety. Even though it was only the two of us we used military range safety. I think she still had fun especially hitting the gong and spinners. Instant reward.

Excellent. I can understand that. I have taught those students as well, and as you did, started them with the rimfire. Always a chance to move up later if they desire. Good to hear she enjoyed the time.

"Practice everyday and shoot 10,000 a year" In order to CCP?..........That's BS....... To 99% of concealed carriers.........Me included.

The Happy Kaboomer wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 17, 2025 8:40 pm

"Practice everyday and shoot 10,000 a year" In order to CCP?..........That's BS....... To 99% of concealed carriers.........Me included.

I agree that it’s BS to 99% ofCCP. But that is what is needed to react correctly in most firefights. Locally a man shot an intruder who turned out to be his daughter’s boyfriend. He reacted out of fear and not reason. He had never practiced that split second reaction decision making. Even my infrequent plinking at the berm doesn’t prepare me for a firefight because I don’t practice the quick mag changes and other thought processes anymore.

The Happy Kaboomer wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 17, 2025 8:40 pm

"Practice everyday and shoot 10,000 a year" In order to CCP?..........That's BS....... To 99% of concealed carriers.........Me included.

I didn't know any instructors who recommended practicing everyday for anyone, even Law Enforcement Students. After the academy, our Officers got an open range day once a month and 200 rounds of practice ammo for free. Only those in Hazardous Assignments shot more often in "Official Capacity." (SWAT, Warrant Services, etc.) When teaching civilians, I recommended they "Try" and get to the range once a month or every six weeks to keep their skill levels up, and take additional classes if they could, once a year or so to increase their knowledge and skill set. In both LE and civilian classes I'd have the students write out the following sentence:

"In a crisis situation, you will react in the way in which you have been trained."

In the academy, I had them write this on the cover of their spiral notebook in bold marker. I started every day, by having the class read the statement out loud. The first day, we had discussed it's meaning. In my civilian classes, I had them write it at the top of their notepad and we did the same, discussed what it meant.

At the end of the academy, and the end of the day long civilian class, I had them go back to that sentence above and draw a line through the word BEEN. Changed the meaning a bit.

"In a crisis situation, you will react in the way in which YOU have trained."

Now that the formal training was over, your practice, or your next classes, you tube videos, or post (academy) training will determine how you react. Don't practice, put the gun in a drawer and expect it to save you when the time comes, you might freeze.

I was a patrol officer for a good part of my career, a Field Training Officer, and Firearms Instructor. In line with that, (and because I enjoyed shooting,) I competed three weekends a month in PPC and in the occasional Glock Shooting Sports Foundation Match day, which entailed shooting in Multiple matches. Not only a good time, but the chance to meet Glock shooters from around the area and socialize. PPC offered good competition, skill building, shooting under stress, and networking building among the various departments and fellow agencies. So... between matches and practice, "I" shot between eight and ten thousand rounds a year. LOW among the top shooters in the disciplines, but I wasn't in the top tiers.

I had a 50 yard range on the farm and shot several days a week, but wasn't able to shoot every day... those shooting extremely high round counts were retired, and teaching firearms on a regular basis and shooting multiple disciplines, and winning... a lot. PPC, Bullseye, High Power, IDPA, shotgun, etc. They didn't do much else...

A couple pictures from the home range in VA. Set up for practicing the Glock course... and showing the PPC barricades in place..... one at 25 yards, one at 50 yards. New shooters at State Level PPC often struggled at 50 yards until they learned the positions and to control the breathing and trigger. Practice days at home were often ALL shot at 50 yards. We shot Prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing right and left handed at 50 yards. LOTS of practice.

Yeah, I don't shoot near that round count these days....
I still have a range at home however.