Before You Enter
You don’t need to be licensed for a beginner session. You need an ID, closed-toe shoes, to arrive 15 minutes early, and — if you really want to progress from day one — a digital shooting log ready to track what happens. Not 5 minutes early. Fifteen.
The €2 earplugs you kept from the last festival won’t cut it. Get yourself an active headset (Howard Leight, entry-level Peltor), from €35. Your ears will thank you in ten years.
The Four Rules
Any gun is considered loaded. The barrel points only where you’re willing to destroy. Your finger stays off the trigger until the target is aligned. You’re certain of what’s behind the target.
These four sentences are the complete grammar of safety. Learn them before you touch anything. Your instructor will repeat them three times — answer word for word.
Five Common Mistakes
- Anticipating the recoil. You’ll shoot low-left (for a right-hander). Practice dry fire.
- Gripping too hard. Tension = trembling. The grip holds the gun, the finger presses the trigger — separate.
- Staring at the bullet hole. The target is blurry, that’s normal. The sight picture is sharp. Always.
- Shooting too fast. At 25 meters, two seconds per shot is fast. Five seconds is better.
- Talking during others’ shooting. The range is silent during commands — you’ll quickly learn to read the looks.
Document This First Experience
You’ll forget this first session in six months. The caliber, the weather, how the trigger felt, that embarrassing or decent score — gone. Unless you write it down. That’s exactly what PewPewLife — the digital shooting log for sport shooters does: you log each session in 30 seconds, watch your progress build over months, and next time you’ll know what to fix.
What’s Next?
If you’re hooked, get your club membership. €60 a year, insurance included, access to all affiliated clubs. Three sessions at an unaffiliated range costs more than that already.