Shooting guidelines, as Anya Mueller takes her training to the gun range at Corbon Shooting Complex in Sturgis, SD.

“Lookin good…ok”

As Skipper guides Mueller through the gun range rules and the basics of holding a handgun and aiming, she realizes there is a lot more to it than just point and shoot.

First the stance.

“My foot is forward, my shoulders are up by my ears and that puts the mass, that’s it right there…see that puts the mass of your upper body behind that gun,;”

Then there’s and the grip.

“Your left hand we teach is up high on the gun.”Your left hand, we teach, is up high on the gun…at a 45 degree angle so that when you wrap them around the gun, you have a good high grip on the gun, this effectively lowers the gun in your hand so that you have less muzzle flip.”

Next the sights.

“Very importantly you have to have what is know as sight alignment, and that is where the front sight is centered and level with the rear side apiture the rear side notch.”

Finally the trigger release.

“You want to squeeze the trigger slowly and straight to the rear.”

After the safety glasses are on and the earplugs in… it’s time to put my training to the test…

“Lean forward …a little break in your knees, spread your feet out a little bit further, lean into it, shoulders up by your ears and I want you to shoot the 6…focus intently on the front sight and squeeze the trigger.”

Even though the cold and wind are factors, you must focus on the front sights.

“Make sure that the tip of the front site is level across here, o.k. squeeze gently, ok much better…oh hey I got it …yeah , very good. “

I did successfully hit a few targets, but can tell, more practice is in my future…

“Shoot the 5,…did I get it? You certainly did.”

A ladies handgun class is offered at the Corbon Shooting Complex, a class that Skipper says is a great opportunity for the ladies.