Last weekend, as I was helping teach a NRA basic rifle course. I realized just how great it is to be involved with the BSA shooting sports. Granted I wasn’t teaching any youth. I was teaching basic rifle skills to 9 men who really didn’t need the basic rifle course. If they needed anything it was a rifle marksmanship training. The reason these gentlemen were in this class was because they all wanted to become BSA Shooting Sports instructors. Everyone of these men wanted to teach the basic knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for owning and using a rifle safely. They were all looking to teach the next generation of gun enthusiasts. I love that there are men out there willing to give up their precious time to help others learn. It’s even better when it’s teaching firearms safety and shooting skills.
How to become an Instructor
BSA requires all their Shooting sports merit badge counselors to be NRA instructors. Although I’m not sure it needs to be a requirement, it definitely guarantees the instructors know how to be safe and use a firearm. The BSA also instructions for the whole experience of any time rifles are shot in scouting.
To become a NRA instructor you must take at minimum 3 courses to become a trainer for a specific course. This means if you want to teach Rifle Merit Badge you have to take the NRA Basic Rifle course, then you must take the NRA Basic Instructors course, and finally the NRA Basic Rifle Instructors course. It doesn’t matter if you have been shooting guns since you where a kid, or are a professional rifle marksman. You must take all three courses. So when these men finally get through the 30 or more hours of training it takes to become an instructor. They will finally get to be BSA Shooting Sports Instructors. Of course this means they can teach Basic Rifle,, and the Rifle Merit badge. It doesn’t mean they can teach people to be instructors. That take even more training and a trip to NRA. Needless to say it takes a lot of time to become a BSA shooting sports instructor, even more to become a BSA Shooting Sports director.
The Boys Experience
To many boys in Boy Scouts, shooting .22 rifles at Summer camp is the only time they get to shoot a gun. Many of them take the Rifle Merit Badge just so they can shoot a gun. Granted a .22 rifle isn’t much more than the BB guns they shot in Cub Scouts.
It’s great to see the look of joy on the face of a boy as his shoots a rifle for the first time. Many of them go from scared to excited in just one trigger pull. It’s even better when they realize they hit the target and had a good grouping. I can safely say these Boys will never forget shooting rifles at camp. What’s best is that they do it in a safe manor, while learning all the safety rules. It’s never too early for our youth to learn gun safety.
BSA Shooting Sports is Safe
Learning to shoot through the BSA Shooting sports is extremely safe. Not only do the boys repeat the 3 NRA safety rules every time they go out shooting. They also learn how to put them into effect. While instructors watch them closely to make sure they follow all of them. To these boys the safety rules become second nature. They even get to the point were they police the other boys on the gun rules. It’s great to know these boys are learning and acting safe with firearms. Aside from the standard 3 Always rules, they also learn range safety rules, so when they grow up they will be safe when shooting by themselves.
Teaching Marksmanship
The BSA shooting sports also teaches marksmanship. To earn your rifle merit badge you must shoot a qualifying score on multiple targets. You must first five groups of 3 shots that can be covered by a quarter. Then if possible you must adjust your sites, and shoot 5 more groups of 5 that give you a minimum score that is dependant on the target you use. Of course if you can’t adjust the sites which is normally the case with a borrowed rifle. You can shot for 5 groups of 5 rounds that can be covered by a quarter.
This is all done at 50 feet in either the prone or bench rest position. Which sounds easy, however using a bolt-action rifle adds a challenge to new shooters. You move the rifle every time you cycle the bolt. Which mean have to readjust your aim every time you cycle the bolt.
The Underlying Importance
Everyone knows how important gun safety is. They also understand teaching shooting fundamentals to our youth. Few people understand the underlying importance of teaching our youth to love and appreciate firearms. With all the anti-gun sentiment in the US. Causing many youth to grow up not being exposed to firearms in a positive manner. Making it very easy for them to not care what happens with the law, or worse fight for more gun restrictions. Since most people don’t seem to mind new laws until the law affects them. The more Boy Scouts who enjoy the BSA shooting sports, the more future adults will understand the importance of the second amendment and the not restricting it.
Conclusion
If you have the time and the desire, become involved in the BSA shooting sports program. You will become an NRA instructor allowing you to teach NRA classes, but you will also get the joy of teaching future gun enthusiasts how to be safe and responsible gun owners. You may not get any monetary gains, but watching someone shoot a rifle for the first time more than makes up for it. For those who don’t have the time to get certified. Yet, love shooting. Take someone out and teach them. Give them a fun, safe day on the range. Not only will the experience be memorable for them it will be equally memorable for you. Which in the grand scheme of things is what it’s all about.