What is a NRA Assistant Instructor’s Purpose?

I had a great time at the range the past 2 nights assisting my NRA Certified Instructor Phil Scarano with his NRA Basic Shooting with Pistols class. As a NRA Assistant Instructor, it was my job to ensure every student is following the 3 basic rules of pistol shooting when outside on the range, which are: 1. Always, point the firearm in a safe direction, 2. Always, keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, and 3. Always, keep your firearm unloaded until your ready to use it.

I had the opportunity to observe students during live fire outdoors on the range’s firing line. This experience allows instructors to see if each student is learning the 5 basic fundamentals of pistol shooting, which are aiming, breathing control, hold control, trigger control, and follow through. In the beginning, the two most important are aiming and trigger control. It was awesome to see how each student was able to improve after several tries at live fire. The more a student practiced the above 5 fundamentals the better they got. New students also quickly learned how important it is to allow time for the firearm to recoil after pulling the trigger for each shot. I am looking forward to helping again, so more students can learn about the basics of firearms.

Are you new to shooting or need a refresher? Please feel free to email: Phil Scarano via: HunterSafetyNYS@gmail.com for a list of his upcoming courses. Hope to see you in the next class and then out on the range soon!