A student in the Community Firearms Safety Workshop responds to her first time firing an AR 15 long gun.
Both skilled shooters and
first-timers get a lot from
LCSO Gun Safety training
by Teresa Eubanks, CLJNews.com
BRISTOL, FL – If you grew up around firearms, you’re probably comfortable shooting a weapon but after a few minutes in a gun safety class, you’ll find there’s more to it than just pulling the trigger.
That’s the message that firearms instructors with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office want to share.
Two men and seven women with experience ranging from proficient to “never touched a gun” spent a recent Saturday learning the basics in the classroom and then putting what they learned into practice on the shooting range. They were offered the opportunity to fire their choice of several different weapons, ranging from small handguns to an AR 15 long gun.
Lifelong NRA member Mike Keevil hardly needed a refresher course but wanted to find a way to accommodate the physical changes a recent stroke posed, along with some new challenges he is experiencing with his eyesight. Instructors Sgt. Sidney Johnson and Lt. William “Bucky” Buckhalt showed him how to compensate for his vision impairment using a laser sight. Just recently out of a wheelchair, he was happy to be up and on his feet at the firing range that afternoon. For Keevil, the class wasn’t as much about protection as the fact that, “I just like to shoot.”
This was the third time around for Bristol resident Donna Bracewell, who has attended previous gun safety classes sponsored by the sheriff’s office. “I’ve gotten to where I’m more comfortable with a weapon,” she said, but acknowledges that she wants to learn more and will be attending another class in the future to get more experience.
Johnson and Buckhalt (who happens to be Johnson’s son-in-law) let the group know at the start of the class that they welcomed all questions and wanted to ensure everyone got what they needed in the day-long training, which began at 8 a.m. in a classroom at the sheriff’s office and ended with a late afternoon of shooting at the Blountstown Police Department’s firing range.
“We want you to be comfortable and confident with yourself using a gun,” Johnson told the group at the beginning of the class.
The class started with a little book work and spent some time going through sections of the 160-page NRA Step-by-Step Guide to Gun Safety.
Topics reviewed included the different types of ammunition, hearing and eyesight protection, safe gun handling and loading, firearms storage and cleaning. Instructors had a wide range of firearms on hand and demonstrated the features of semi-automatic and pump-action shotguns, as well bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles, along with several different pistols.
The class had a chance to examine and hold a wide range of weapons as Johnson explained the importance of finding one that is comfortable to hold.
Students were encouraged to handle the unloaded guns, find a grip that fit their hand and hold them up as if to fire. This quickly revealed a first-timer’s mistake: bent elbows. Guns need to be held straight out with elbows locked, otherwise, an intruder could easily disarm you by knocking your elbow away and grabbing your weapon, Johnson explained.
After moving to another topic, he later circled back and had students try their shooting stance again. Past experience had already shown him that new gun owners forget to keep their arms straight. He said it “usually takes about three times” before that tip sticks with them.
Brian Rowan grew up in a small community in Idaho and had no experience with guns but since relocating to Bristol three years ago, he’s become enthusiastic about target shooting. He already had his own copy of the NRA handbook and enjoyed being able to handle, compare and shoot several different guns at the end of the day.
Evelyn Kelsey admitted she found guns intimidating and was taking the class to become more familiar with a weapon. Other class members included Becky Black of Hosford, Amanda Taylor of Blountstown, and Donna Bocus, who moved to Bristol from the Caribbean two years ago to retire. “I was taught to respect guns,” she said. “If you have a gun in the house, you need to get used to it and be aware of what the rules are.”
Bocus seemed timid when looking over the array of guns spread out across a table earlier in the day, but later at the gun range, she stepped up and fired her weapon. When she turned to come back to her seat, she was greeted with hugs and applause from her classmates.
The Community Firearms Safety Workshops are funded through grants and offered free of charge to the public. Sgt. Sidney Johnson said they hope to hold the classes monthly whenever they will not conflict with other community events.
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