The first training conversation can look very wide. In it you can decide on subjects to be learned, on training equipment and how to recognize a problem before it becomes a safety risk. Useful questions to an instructor in this first conversation are therefore quite basic and not necessarily 'technical' in nature. Rather they aim to reveal to the instructor what you don't know yet and what you must never learn by trial and error.
Start with your purpose and experience
Some initial ideas on where to start would be to describe why you are in need of training. This can range from someone with no prior knowledge of handguns, someone returning to shooting after a long hiatus or even someone trying to improve their safe handling of a gun currently in their home. The instructors need to know where you are starting from in order to give you the best possible training.
Useful questions include:
– What should a new student be able to do safely before live practice?
– What skills will you, as a new student, be able to perform safely in order to continue with live practice shooting?
– How should I prepare for gun training if I have little to no prior experience with handguns?
– What would I do in the classroom if I were to get confused, anxious or find that I am not physically able to complete a skill?
If there are any aspects of your physical being that you feel may impact your ability to use firearms safely then let the instructor know. This can include any degree of visual or hearing impairment, arthritis, Parkinson's, limited hand strength, previous injuries to hands, fingers or arms, or any other physical limitations which may impact your ability to use firearms safely. Instructors can only work with the information they have been given so it is imperative that you are totally honest when discussing your physical limitations.
Ask how safety is handled from the first minute
Ask for an overview of how safety is covered in your training. Will you learn how to safely hold and manipulate a handgun in a safe and controlled environment? How will your instructor communicate with you in the shooting house? What will happen if you do something unsafe with a firearm in the training environment? Will you be able to pause and have your firearm unloaded or even set aside if you are unsure of something?
Does the instructor expect students to be safely handling firearms throughout the session? How will the student and instructor know that a firearm is not safe to be used for practice? What procedures will the instructor have in place to manage distractions that may cause a student to point a firearm in an unsafe direction?
Inquire as to the environment in which the training will take place. The rules as to requirements and procedures can vary greatly from location to location, and even from facility to facility. Ask the training provider for the current rules as applied in the specific location where the training will take place, and subsequently review the official government guidance for that location as well.
Clarify equipment and fit before you buy
As a first time handgun owner, you can easily spend hundreds of dollars on various pieces of equipment for your gun. Find out during the consultation if different handgun controls, different grip sizes, different weights, sight pictures etc. are going to be discussed for storage as well as for use. You can ask for characteristics of different models without being pushed into buying a certain gun.
Even if you own a handgun prior to your first firearms safety training session, you should ask the instructor if the handgun you own is suitable for a beginner to practice with. Ask the instructor if there are any features of your handgun that could cause problems for a beginner, such as an uncomfortable grip, excessive reach to the trigger, or other safety concerns.
You should also ask about storage of firearms, and of ammunition, as well as who will control access to these. Laws on storage of firearms and on ammunition often vary. These requirements can even change while you are waiting for your first training session. So make sure to check with the correct government department for the most up-to-date information on the requirements in your state or region.
Discuss warning signs and routine checks
Again, a beginner to firearms does not need to become an armorer. Therefore, in this portion of the session, the owner's manual for the firearm should be reviewed. The various parts of the firearm that need to be checked for proper operation before use should be discussed. Normal cleaning of the firearm as opposed to parts that require repair by a gunsmith should also be covered.
Unusual wear or damage such as cracks or bulges; parts that are loose or missing; controls that are not functioning properly; difficulty loading a magazine or having a magazine that will not release from the firearm; unusual changes in the firearm's behavior or function. Stopping use of the firearm immediately and maintaining it in a safe configuration until it can be taken to a gunsmith for inspection and repair as recommended by the manufacturer.
Ask what normal maintenance items a firearm owner should check prior to using a firearm and how to identify whether something needs more than normal cleaning or if it needs to be taken to a gunsmith for repair. Ask what can be done by an owner to check for damage and what needs to be left to a qualified gunsmith. Ask what NOT to do for any permanent modifications.
Find out how progress will be measured
Make sure that the instructor evaluates performance in safe handling of the firearm, proper loading and unloading, grip and stance for proper shooting posture, sight use and trigger pull for accurate shooting. Be sure that all of these skills are taught in a sequence that makes sense to you as a student, and can be practiced between sessions.
Ask how practice will be structured for between sessions. If the program includes dry fire practice with a firearm that has been unloaded completely and has all of the ammunition for that firearm removed from the environment, then there should be a way for the student to confirm that the firearm is unloaded before starting practice and to verify that all of the ammunition for that firearm has been removed from the environment after practice.
Don't expect a good training session to keep going when fatigue, frustration or repetitive mistakes are encountered. The instructor should be able to switch to a correction mode within a few minutes. After that, it's time to go home and practice dry firing until the next session.
Leave with a safe, practical next step
Reiterate to yourself what you will remember from the first session of your handgun training – the way in which you are to keep the firearm secured; the special equipment you will need; and the unusual symptoms of malfunction which will require you to cease use of the handgun and immediately seek the safest form of assistance to check it for malfunction and to have it repaired.
Ask the instructor what questions you can ask at the next session of training and what he or she wants you to start recording about your equipment and any problems you have with it. Should a firearm develop a problem while you're using it, write down as many details as possible about what happened, cease to use the firearm in question and then seek out the advice of either the manufacturer or a competent gunsmith.
A good first consultation will go more than just covering basic shooting fundamentals; it will empower the student to ask questions, establish a sense of awareness to potential problems, and establish a realistic and safe road to taking on the responsibilities of firearms ownership.