Sights and Handguns for Training

Question
These more-or-less related questions might seem a little off the wall.  Please bear with me.  My goal is to outfit a 60+ beginner with useful equipment.

Do you have an opinion on using laser sights (i.e., pointers) for initial firearms familiarization?  Related question:  Are there any laser pointer sights that are useful in daylight at 25 yards?

Do you have an opinion on the concept of using a relatively low-powered handgun such as a .32 ACP to give a beginner an introduction of the recoil of cartridges larger than .22lr?

Although I have had guns for many years, I have never used one of the "red dot" sights such as the Tru-glo.  Is this type of sight useful for a beginner?

Thanks


Answer
Hi Gordo.

For any beginner I highly recommend that they take at least one firearms safety class prior to buying any handgun. This is to keep them safe but also to let them learn about all of the different firearm parts and options before they make an investment. Also, most classes provide hands-on training so the students typically get to try a variety of firearms and see what works best for them.

I teach a basic handgun class where I do use a laser bore sighting device to demonstrate the basics of sight alignment. I simply slip the laser tool inside the barrel of an unloaded and disabled handgun, then allow the students to take turns lining up the standard sights so they align with the target and the red dot from the laser. I pre-adjust the laser tool in advance for the specific distance so the students will see the red dot centered directly on top of the front sight post when their site picture is properly aligned. I also use this tool to show them that their point of aim will be in constant motion and that it is impacted by their stance, grip, and breathing. I do not use a laser on the range since I want them to focus on the front sight and not the target. You can buy a decent laser bore sighting kit at Walmart for under $40.

Regarding recoil: I have found that most practical handguns do not have significant physical recoil such that it would cause a problem for the average shooter to safely operate and control the handgun. Most people are bothered primarily by the noise and the shockwave from the cartridge firing, and not by the physical movement of the handgun which is usually minimal. So for beginning shooters I make sure that they are wearing very good ear protection which is typically a pair of over-the-head-band muffs with an NRR rating of 25 or better. For sensitive individuals I will also encourage them to insert a pair of foam ear plugs under the muffs. This generally works well but you have to speak very loudly so they can hear you at the range. The more expensive muffs have electronic noise filters which can amplify voices but shut out the loud noises so I keep a few pairs of these on hand for my students to borrow during class.

With proper hearing protection I have found that even small thin children as young as 10 years old can shoot a .38 Special cartridge from a 2" revolver with ease and comfort. I do take a .22 LR revolver and some low-noise target loads just in case someone is very sensitive but I have never needed to use it. I believe it is more important for the students to learn the fundamentals of shooting and safety off the range first, preferably with lots of hands-on practice using unloaded and disabled guns or other safe training aids. Once they are comfortable with the basics then the actual shooting is rarely a problem. The biggest issue is getting them to slow down, breathe and relax, focus on the front site, and gently squeeze the trigger for each shot. After you are on the range for a short time then your body reflexes kick in and you start to tense up, speed up, and/or acquire bad habits so I am constantly reminding them to take it slow and easy.

I have used a few "red dot" sights which are typically colored fiber optic tubes of glass or plastic that allow ambient light to pass through them. These can help somewhat since they are generally more visible than the black or gray steel bladed sights on most firearms, but they should not be necessary and they don't do much on certain ranges which are dimly lit due to overhead cover or shade. If I have a particular firearm where the sight blades are hard to see then I will usually apply a few drops of sight paint or nail polish which comes in bright neon colors and can be easily removed or reapplied as needed. When I do this I usually only highlight the front sight since this is where I want the students to focus.

Hope this helps.

Bob