Help getting past handgun anxiety

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Ultraviolet

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Since you all seem seasoned shooters, I have a question. I was never raised around firearms, and over the last few years grew interested in them for personal protection, mostly for my wife who drives a lot in the southern States. I had fired a couple of .22 handguns and rifles many moons ago. About two years ago we did a shotgun course, since at the time I thought I'd get a shotgun for home defense. Fired .410, 20 gauge and 12 gauge shotguns. Of course there was anticipation, but honestly I was not having any huge issues with the noise.

Most recently we decided to go ahead and buy the handgun for my wife. Went to the range and rented a few guns to try, all 9 mm. We both wore hearing protection. Honestly, the noise and shear violence of the handgun really took me aback, and I ended up not shooting the guns and having a strong sense of fear while being on the range. Initially we were alone but at the end of our range time a few others joined which made things even more unpredictable for me. After the shooting session, in the showroom I still had the extreme 'fight or flight' response.

I'm trying to rationalize this, and have come up with few thoughts:
1. The absolute amount of noise - oddly enough, I perceived the shotguns to be 'quieter' than the 9mm handguns. Maybe this has to do with the closeness of the muzzle, or the fact I was more in control?
2. The fact I could not anticipate the occurrence of the sound. With one gun I could see the hammer move, which at least gave me an idea of when the sound would occur, although I'm not completely sure if this helped or not. Other striker-fired guns did not give the visual clue, which I seemed to do worse with.
3. I realized the anticipation and fear made me tense my body extremely.
4. I wonder in hindsight if I should have gone ahead and shot the guns, maybe the fact that I would be in control would have helped. However, by the time I got a turn I'd degenerated into a heap of fear unable to handle a firearm ;-)

So - here it is - I'm not sure if this proves anyone's point. I'm a forty-odd year old, professionally very successful and highly intelligent person, capable of handling many difficult situations in a variety of areas. I have spent a lot of time researching firearms, probably know and understand more of the theory and physics than the average firearm owner, and am really wanting to get into firearm ownership and shooting. However, the irrational fear of the noise seems to be innate. I have had similar fears in the past of fireworks and thunder - loud bangs just work on my nerves. Before you make fun and refer me to a psychologist - I was hoping to add to the discussion - many people probably have a similar response, and it would be helpful if a better approach could be found than just 'bite the bullet' (pun intended) ;-)
 
I was going to send this as a PM to Ultraviolet, but I thought I'd share it one here in case someone else wanted some pointers. Ultraviolet, you may get more tips if you started your own thread specific to handgun-technique :)

- Double up on hearing protection (put both plugs and muffs on)

- Spend more time on the range. You don't have to be shooting; just being on the range when others are shooting will help your body become accustomed to loud bangs at odd intervals. I've been shooting for about 3 years now, and I think it wasn't until 6 months ago or so that I finally stopped flinching/blinking when large calibers went off.

- Shoot on an outdoor range (if you aren't already). On an indoor range, everything is louder since it is such a small space. Indoors vs outdoors is like night and day noise-wise.

- Use a suppressor. If you can find a range that will rent them; great. If you can find someone local that is willing to share; even better! Suppressors nearly eliminate all of the blast and noise of a gun, and they help tame recoil. They are relatively expensive, but worth every penny and make shooting much more relaxed.

- Take a handgun-specific class (or carefully watch youtube videos from respectable channels about handgun technique). You mentioned that you took a shotgun class, but taking a handgun class will teach you the fundamentals. It is possible that your grip could be improved; this alone can make a HUGE difference. Just last weekend a buddy of mine showed me a new way to grip my FNX45 that made it much more shootable and really cut down on muzzle-flip.

- Shoot smaller calibers more often and work your way up. It may seem emasculating, but I attribute most of my shooting ability to the fact that I have shot thousands of rounds of 22lr through a Ruger MKII.

- Shoot heavier metal-framed handguns like the Beretta M9/92 or CZ75. Weight helps mitigate the amount of felt recoil. When I take new shooters out the heavier guns always come along!

Good luck, I hope some of what I said helps!
- TNG
 
Ultraviolet, you posted your question 3 pages deep into a 6 year old thread.

I created a new one and moved your question and the response to it. It'll get better attention this way.
 
You're not unusual. Very loud noises are not something everyone encounters while growing up.

The advice you've received still applies. Shoot at an outdoor range. Use plugs AND muffs at first. Start with a .22 auto, then a 9mm. Revolvers are louder than autos. And I agree, shotguns are a lot quieter than handguns.

Keep shooting. You'll soon forget about the noise and concentrate on your aim.
 
Im pretty new and I too, was taken aback by the violence of the gun being fired. Like said above, outdoor range helps tremendously and the more you shoot, the easier it gets. Something I dont even think about now. I always concentrated on seeing the ejection, to make sure I wasnt flinching, until I got used to it all..
 
Definitely find a laid back outdoor range, or maybe a friend or relative has a piece of property you could shoot at? Start with a .22 loaded with standard velocity ammo, move your way up to a .38 or 9mm as you feel more comfortable. Many shooters get discouraged trying to start with too much gun.
 
A couple of thoughts:

1) An outdoor range might work better for you than an indoor range since the noise isn't reflected back at you. Some of them are actually peaceful, pretty places inntheir own right, which can also be calming. Once you are more familiar with the firearm, you'll probably find it less stressful to go back to an indoor range.

2) Suppressors - if you can find someone in your area with one, they can be a big help, though they also add weight to the muzzle making aiming more difficult. I know people who love shooting my suppressed AR15; but are less excited about the same rifle unsuppressed.

3). If you feel like sharing where you are at, I know we probably have members there who would be happy to help.
 
This is a big part of why so many of us advocate .22 handguns when starting out. They are far from silent but they have far less bang and bite and allow you to get used to the whole experience at a reduced intensity level. Of course .22 ammo is hard to find right now so that advice isn't as useful as it would have been 3 years ago.

Outdoor ranges definitely offer a less stressful experience overall.

Depending on where you are you may be able to shoot somewhere with nobody around fairly easily. E.g. in much of the west there is public (largely BLM) land. If you can find a friend who already does that it is much easier to get started. Otherwise it may be better to go to ranges midweek.
 
I didn't even realize it was a 6 year old thread :eek:

Another thing you could do would be to stay focused on the front sight.
 
Lots of good advice so far: small calibers to start, lots of exposure to shooting, better hearing protection. Also, familiarization with one handgun will help you know when it's going to go "bang."

Consider the physics of recoil: the larger the gun relative to caliber, the smaller the recoil. An all-steel .38 Special revolver with a heavy barrel, like a S&W police turn-in Model 10 or 64, will have much less felt recoil than a light polymer-framed 9MM.
 
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Good advice so far.

I will add, get some instruction from a certified instructor. Many of your questions and concerns can be answered on the spot. You will learn safe gun handling practices and get off on the right foot for having shooting be an enjoyable experience and pastime.
 
Your reaction is understandable and perfectly natural.

Next time you go shooting you should bring a long a friend who you trust is responsible and is knowledgeable about guns. If you don't have any such person in your social circle a basic handgun course could be invaluable to you.

I didn't grow up shooting guns as much as others here. Only had a pellet gun as a kid and rarely shot .22's with friends or at camp. Very rarely I shot centerfire rifles and did not shoot a handgun until I was 22.

First suggestion I would make is get very comfortable with shooting a .22 handgun. This will give you a good understanding of basic operation while taking the noise and recoil out of the picture.

When you are ready to move up to something larger dry fire it first. This will give you an idea of what kind of pressure it will take to fire the round and take some of the surprise out.

Once you get a good feel for the gun then you can take it too the range preferably outdoor and even better if its on private property where you can really take your time and not feel self conscious.

A few tips.

Choose a heavier longer barreled weapon.

Stay away from anything bigger than 9mm or 38spl.

.380 might be a good round to try, though its a bit hard to find the ammo at the moment.

A few above post are mentioning supressors, but they might be hard to rent/borrow depending on where you're living, they are a nice to have, but you can get a long without them.

A lot of getting comfortable with a weapon or guns in general just comes down to repition. You'll be nervous the first few times; they're guns after all and are very dangerous when misused. A few times out and you will get more comfortable; do see that you never lose respect for the weapon though.
 
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I shot .22 LR guns when I was young, and got a .45 ACP when I was 17.

I never felt it was "violent", so I just don't understand that.

Loud? Sure, because we were to ignorant to wear hearing protection back then.

Try a .38 Spl with light target loads. That will have much less "blast" and noise, as well as less recoil. Millions of shooters have learned on light .38 Spl loads. It is a logical next step after .22 LRs.

There are other good choices, but the .38 Spl pistols are available in many different styles and all kinds of factory ammo is available for them.
 
Ultraviolet,
If you lived close I would take you down to an outdoor range and start you with hearing protection and a a 22 pistol with 22 shorts. Moving up I would include 22 lr first in a rifle and then in a pistol. Next step would be 38 special cat sneeze load of Trailboss and a Winchester 94 Trapper rifle changing slowly into a 357 mag pistol with the same light load. Semifinal step would be to teach you how to load your own 38 special light loads. final step would be full Hornady factory critical defense factory ammunition. by the end of acclimatization you would be shooting sessions of 50-100 your reloads and 5-6 of full defense loads. If 9mm bothers you a full 357 mag may be too much.

blindhari
 
You know, I've never shot at an indoor range....I imagine the noise would be quite a bit more noticeable in an enclosed area, even with protection. And on that note - Muffs are better than plugs, but both together is the way to go for maximum protection.

+1 to what vamo said about suppressors. Between cost and red tape, the thought of owning one is quite daunting to me. And it's a darn shame - every person ought to be able to mount one on their home-defense gun at the very least.

I'll confess I have a bit of a flinch. I notice it moreso with rifles than handguns. But I can still turn in a decent performance with them.

It could be really helpful if you had a trusted friend or relative to help you along your path. Of course finding one could be tricky, if you don't know one already - going around telling everyone you're buying a gun may not be the wisest thing to do, you know. :/

Agreed with the others in starting with a .22 - or maybe even a BB or pellet repeater like http://www.amazon.com/Smith-Wesson-Airgun-Black-Medium/dp/B002U93HMW or http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Smith_Wesson_M_P_R8_CO2_BB_Revolver/2459

Now I'm somewhat old school. I really like revolvers - particularly in the role of "first handgun." Just NOT a short-barreled "snubbie," particularly a lightweight one! Something along the lines of a 4" .38 like http://www.ruger.com/products/gp100/ maybe?
 
Have you taken a course on proper grip, stance, and safety? These three things will give you a much better sense of control, both mentally and physically. A 4-6 hour NRA Basic Pistol course will do wonders.
 
UV, my experience was in some ways similar to yours but in other ways very different. If anything I write is useful to you, you're welcome to it.

Although I had a lot of rifle experience, including non-combat army, I was pretty fearful of the first time I shot a handgun. It was the pre-internet days and all I had heard was the B.S. from the anti-gun crowd about how incredibly dangerous handguns were.

As it happened, I was alone at an outdoor range when I first shot the WW2 vintage revolver I inherited from my dad. It was steel frame and shot a pretty weak round, the .38 S&W. I did have a different reaction. I got a thrill from the bang and immediatly thought, "What's the big deal about handguns?" If I had been shooting 9mm from a polymer pistol indoors it might not have been such a positive experience for me.

I also jump about a foot in the air if there is a sudden thunderclap with no warning or if a transformer blows up outside. I think that's pretty normal and with my VAST VAST knowledge of psychology and physiology (not) I think that's something different than what you are experiencing with handguns.

Good luck, you're looking for answers and that is the first step to finding a solution.
 
I suggest you purchase a CO2 pellet pistol, and there are reasons beyond the noise.

I don't know your living situation, but if you are a typical home owner in a suburb you likely have a backyard or a garage that can be used for shooting the pellet gun. Pick up a pellet trap along with the pistol, and hang a heavy piece of canvas or a blanket behind it as a backup.

Some more info about a home range:

http://youth.nra.org/documents/pdf/youth/NRA_HomeAG_web02.pdf

http://www.pyramydair.com/article/When_you_have_an_airgun_home_IS_the_range_October_2006/33

Google will get you dozens more articles.

Being able to shoot at home, with a quiet gun, will likely relieve a lot of the anxiety you're experiencing. There won't be other shooters so no one will be popping off with a loud magnum when you're not expecting it. You'll be in complete control of the situation, with no worries about range time if you want to quit for a while and get a cup of coffee.

Furthermore, CO2 pistols, cartridges, and pellets are cheap, so you can fire hundreds and hundreds of rounds to practice.

When you're comfortable with the pellet pistol, then's the time to step up to a .22 and begin working your way up in calibers.
 
Yes!

Even the top level championship shooters revert back to .22 training to get over an occasional flenching episode.

They just don't admit it much!

rc
 
Welcome to THR! :D

I, too, started shooting relatively late in life and at an indoor range. And I, too, was very rattled by the violent noise of the range as well as by the muzzle blast when I first shot my buds 9mm. Like many who haven't actually shot before, my "exposure" to guns was what I saw on TV & in the movies. But I quickly discovered an actual firearm discharging is far far louder. After that 1st 9mm round went off, my hand was shaking like Barney Fife's.:eek:

Anyhow, eventually my mind accepted that as long as the safety rules are strictly adhered to, the noise is all bark and no bite, at which point it didn't bother me any longer. Matter of fact, an active shooting range is actually quite relaxing to me. Concentrating on my shooting, and the process of making a good shot helps filter out the noise as well.

Shooting at an outdoor range isn't quite as loud overall, but your gun will still bark plenty. Starting off with a .22 is good advice. As RC indicated, even expert shots shoot a lot of .22. I spent my first year and a half shooting .22 exclusively, and looking back, it paid big dividends.
 
After you've mastered the .22 (as others have suggested) and you're ready to move to a center fire, you might try shooting some .38s (as others have suggested). If you're still flinching, you might try leaving a few of the charge holes blank and closing the cylinder without looking at which ones. If you are flinching, you'll notice it when you pull the trigger on an empty. That's how I discovered what I was doing wrong when I first started shooting handguns.
 
I have struggled with flinching at the sound of round being fired. But I sense that your anxiety is more than just flinching. Not sure if I have any advice of value, but I suggest finding an outdoor range. Try to go when you are alone (this is a luxury I have at our conservation club). Use a small caliber. And then practice. Focus on your technique and concentrate on that. Being alone might help any "safety" anxiety that might be there. Focusing on the technique might keep your mind off the "bang". As the comfort level improves go to the range with someone you trust, but when it isn't busy.

Hopefully the anxiety lessens and the comfort level increases. But always remember to be safe!
 
An indoor range in close proximity to other handguns is like the perfect breeding ground for flinching. Even at an outdoor range I still notice a big muzzle blast a few feet away.

There has been lots of good advice in this thread so far, and I'm proud of my fellow THR members for their helpfulness.

The advice about buying a CO2 pistol and practicing at home with pellets is pure genius. I was going to join the chorus and tell you to start with a 22, but the pellet gun idea is a good one because you can shoot in your garage if you need to.

Shooting on an outdoor range is also good advice, as is doubling up on the hearing protection. The good news is that you can desensitize yourself to the noise eventually. Hey, if they can train dogs and horses to ignore gunfire then people can train themselves too!

Hang in there---this is a problem that can be solved.
 
Outdoors I use regular hearing protection (muffs) but at an indoor range you have to double up with plugs and muffs or it can overwhelm you. You're getting a lot of good advice here, I'd follow some of it and take it slow. You don't need to be shooting .454 Casull next week. :)
 
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