By Brownie Campbell
A handgun safety and shooting course was taken by eight beginning students on Saturday, May 29th. The course was the first offered by the Dillon County Rifle and Gun Club. It was taught by Ben Snipes. Ben was assisted by his wife, Meagan, and friend, Air Force Military Police Officer, Trey Benton.
Until recently Ben was a scout sniper serving with the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine. Since his discharge in 2013, he has attended and just graduated from Francis Marion University. He is also an adjunct instructor with Paladin Training in Florence, SC.
The students, all ladies ranging in age from 30 to 80, had expressed an interest in becoming more knowledgeable and proficient in the use of a handgun, especially in light of recent events in the county.
The class began with a PowerPoint presentation which included an emphasis on the rules of gun safety, types of guns, gun parts, and the basics of gun handling.
The presentation was followed by in-depth instruction on safety, gun handling, sighting, trigger control, and live firing. After several rounds of live fire, there was a marked improvement in accuracy.My wife, Kathi, stated that when she first stepped on the firing line she assumed she would be able to shoot like Jack Bauer from the television series 24 by pointing the gun, shooting, and hitting the target dead center.
She and the rest of the class soon realized that accurate shooting is much more difficult than it looks on television, but with proper instruction and a lot of practice they would be able to use a weapon to defend themselves and their families.
The ladies commented that Ben, Meagan, and Trey had done an excellent job, and they had a much higher comfort level in handling a weapon, more confidence in their marksmanship, and would like to continue shooting in the future.
It was a job well done by all.
