virginiatuck
Regular Member
I took a couple of friends to the range. It was her first time shooting; he'd been shooting before but something like 15 years ago and not that much.
Several weeks ago, she was talking about getting a firearm "just for the house" and "just for when he's away." And he said "I don't really want one, but you can get one if you learn to use it and take some classes." I agreed with that and also offered to take them to the range in the mean time; just to introduce them to it. After several postponements, which were probably equally attributable to nervousness, apprehensiveness, and just bad timing; they finally went with me tonight.
After work today, I met them at their house so that we could take one vehicle. He wasn't home from work yet, so she and I talked about, what else, firearms. She pointed to my sidearm and said, "so, I take it you have your permit?" I proceeded to explain where one may or may not carry according to the law, when and where a permit is or is not required, reciprocity/recognition, etcetera. Normally when I see them I'm CC for one reason or another. I think they were a little surprised that I was OC. In fact, they didn't even know that I regularly carry until now.
Once he got home, we got in the car and left. On the way to Blue Ridge Arsenal (BRA), since the closer Silver Eagle Group (SEG) is now closed on Tuesdays, we discussed the rules; general firearm safety as well as range safety rules; several times over to make sure it sunk in. After arriving at BRA, I paid for the lane and such. While I had paper plates and markers, and a few basic bullseye targets, I told them to pick out some targets from the wall since I figured it would be more fun for them to shoot at those. They picked out a couple of the armed zombie/skeleton targets with the fluorescent kill-zones and one of the classic, hairy-knuckled, Reagan-faced, bad guy with a gun targets.
After we got to the lane, I spent about 20 minutes reviewing the safety rules again, explaining and demonstrating the mechanics of each firearm, what to do and what not to do, and having them go through the motions themselves with the firearms unloaded. Once they demonstrated that they could properly handle the firearms dry, it was time to load up and start shooting.
She was first. Since she'd never fired a handgun before, I was worried about the possibility of her having a dangerous reaction to that first "kick" and accidentally discharging a second round somewhere other than down range. So I provided her a magazine with a single round. That first round went well, so I let her go with a full magazine. He was next. Again, all went well. Between the two of them, they proceeded to sling 140 rounds down range. The BRA employee was a nice guy and didn't throw us out right away after they closed and let my friend finish the last of the magazine before we cleaned up.
After BRA, we went to get some dinner. On our way to our undetermined location, we talked some more about OC and CC. She started asking me about requirements to get a concealed handgun permit, too. As we got closer to our dinner destination area, I mentioned that there are a few places that I know for sure we can not go (Sweet Water Tavern and Jackson's). They said "how about Glory Days?" I said, "yeah, Glory Days would be great." We went to the Glory Days, Sterling, near the intersection of Rt. 7 and Dranesville Rd.
We hung outside for a few minutes while I got a light from someone and fed a nasty habit. My friends must have been a little bit uncomfortable as they let me know when someone was staring at me; they kept looking around at everyone as if to see what their reactions were to the presence of my sidearm. One guy who was burning one outside asked what I was carrying and mentioned he intends to get his concealed carry permit, but doesn't carry now. There was this other guy, however, walking out of another store who stopped in his tracks and stood there looking at me for an inordinate amount of time before finally moving on.
We went inside and got a table. After we'd finished eating, our waiter came over and asked me what I was [packing] (I believe that's the word he used, it wasn't "carry"). The staff may have been talking about it because he wasn't around when we came in and I was sitting strong-side-in. Anyway, after I told him, he told me he had a Kimber 1911, I believe it was; and he carries concealed sometimes. He asked me if I always carry openly and why I didn't carry concealed. I basically told him that sometimes I do and sometimes I don't; and that open and concealed carry each have their merits; and that I'm not dressed for concealed carry tonight anyway. He said, "well you could have a jacket on or something." I said "are you kidding, in this heat and humidity?" He chuckled in seeming agreement and went to get our check.
Upon leaving, I borrowed another light from someone outside and had that after-dinner coffin nail. Yet another person came up to talk to me about my sidearm and his own (that he was apparently not carrying) and how he has been meaning to get his concealed carry permit. I told him it's not a requirement to open carry and he said he knows, he just wants the permit "just in case." He asked about the ranges around the area and said he likes the NRA range.
By the time we got back to their house, my friends had progressed from "just for the house and when he's not home" and "I don't care, as long as you get training; it's not mine" to "I could carry in my car when I drive long distance to visit family down south;" "I could carry in my purse if I get a permit;" "I'd feel a lot safer wherever I went;" and "when can we go again?" And as an added bonus, they got to see that most, if not more, of the people we encountered tonight, from Chantilly to Sterling, have a positive interest in firearms.
I'm also going to teach them how to clean guns. And they can start with mine. :banana:
Several weeks ago, she was talking about getting a firearm "just for the house" and "just for when he's away." And he said "I don't really want one, but you can get one if you learn to use it and take some classes." I agreed with that and also offered to take them to the range in the mean time; just to introduce them to it. After several postponements, which were probably equally attributable to nervousness, apprehensiveness, and just bad timing; they finally went with me tonight.
After work today, I met them at their house so that we could take one vehicle. He wasn't home from work yet, so she and I talked about, what else, firearms. She pointed to my sidearm and said, "so, I take it you have your permit?" I proceeded to explain where one may or may not carry according to the law, when and where a permit is or is not required, reciprocity/recognition, etcetera. Normally when I see them I'm CC for one reason or another. I think they were a little surprised that I was OC. In fact, they didn't even know that I regularly carry until now.
Once he got home, we got in the car and left. On the way to Blue Ridge Arsenal (BRA), since the closer Silver Eagle Group (SEG) is now closed on Tuesdays, we discussed the rules; general firearm safety as well as range safety rules; several times over to make sure it sunk in. After arriving at BRA, I paid for the lane and such. While I had paper plates and markers, and a few basic bullseye targets, I told them to pick out some targets from the wall since I figured it would be more fun for them to shoot at those. They picked out a couple of the armed zombie/skeleton targets with the fluorescent kill-zones and one of the classic, hairy-knuckled, Reagan-faced, bad guy with a gun targets.
After we got to the lane, I spent about 20 minutes reviewing the safety rules again, explaining and demonstrating the mechanics of each firearm, what to do and what not to do, and having them go through the motions themselves with the firearms unloaded. Once they demonstrated that they could properly handle the firearms dry, it was time to load up and start shooting.
She was first. Since she'd never fired a handgun before, I was worried about the possibility of her having a dangerous reaction to that first "kick" and accidentally discharging a second round somewhere other than down range. So I provided her a magazine with a single round. That first round went well, so I let her go with a full magazine. He was next. Again, all went well. Between the two of them, they proceeded to sling 140 rounds down range. The BRA employee was a nice guy and didn't throw us out right away after they closed and let my friend finish the last of the magazine before we cleaned up.
After BRA, we went to get some dinner. On our way to our undetermined location, we talked some more about OC and CC. She started asking me about requirements to get a concealed handgun permit, too. As we got closer to our dinner destination area, I mentioned that there are a few places that I know for sure we can not go (Sweet Water Tavern and Jackson's). They said "how about Glory Days?" I said, "yeah, Glory Days would be great." We went to the Glory Days, Sterling, near the intersection of Rt. 7 and Dranesville Rd.
We hung outside for a few minutes while I got a light from someone and fed a nasty habit. My friends must have been a little bit uncomfortable as they let me know when someone was staring at me; they kept looking around at everyone as if to see what their reactions were to the presence of my sidearm. One guy who was burning one outside asked what I was carrying and mentioned he intends to get his concealed carry permit, but doesn't carry now. There was this other guy, however, walking out of another store who stopped in his tracks and stood there looking at me for an inordinate amount of time before finally moving on.
We went inside and got a table. After we'd finished eating, our waiter came over and asked me what I was [packing] (I believe that's the word he used, it wasn't "carry"). The staff may have been talking about it because he wasn't around when we came in and I was sitting strong-side-in. Anyway, after I told him, he told me he had a Kimber 1911, I believe it was; and he carries concealed sometimes. He asked me if I always carry openly and why I didn't carry concealed. I basically told him that sometimes I do and sometimes I don't; and that open and concealed carry each have their merits; and that I'm not dressed for concealed carry tonight anyway. He said, "well you could have a jacket on or something." I said "are you kidding, in this heat and humidity?" He chuckled in seeming agreement and went to get our check.
Upon leaving, I borrowed another light from someone outside and had that after-dinner coffin nail. Yet another person came up to talk to me about my sidearm and his own (that he was apparently not carrying) and how he has been meaning to get his concealed carry permit. I told him it's not a requirement to open carry and he said he knows, he just wants the permit "just in case." He asked about the ranges around the area and said he likes the NRA range.
By the time we got back to their house, my friends had progressed from "just for the house and when he's not home" and "I don't care, as long as you get training; it's not mine" to "I could carry in my car when I drive long distance to visit family down south;" "I could carry in my purse if I get a permit;" "I'd feel a lot safer wherever I went;" and "when can we go again?" And as an added bonus, they got to see that most, if not more, of the people we encountered tonight, from Chantilly to Sterling, have a positive interest in firearms.
I'm also going to teach them how to clean guns. And they can start with mine. :banana:
