Trainers are always looking for ways to be more effective teachers. Usually I present lessons to a group in a classroom and coach students one-on-one on the range. Most of my students have limited experience shooting, and a fair number have none at all. That first lesson can be pretty intimidating for the new shooter.
If you don’t have a range all to yourself, you have to deal with all the noise and distraction of other shooters nearby. If the range officers have placed an AR on one side of you and a shotgun on the other, you’ve got your work cut out for you. You really have to yell to overcome the hearing protection your student is wearing. Screaming “Relax!” at that nervous new shooter rarely works.
Two sets of electronic hearing protection can really help. For a fairly modest investment, it can help you talk back and forth more easily, and do a better job teaching. If the range is really busy and loud, however, it’s often not enough help.
I have come to rely on range intercoms made by Peltor. They’re shooting muffs with speakers and a microphone. They’re designed to be used by shooters who plug into a jack in their booth, and can talk back and forth with a rangemaster at a control panel. The microphones only amplify sound generated close to them, so noise from nearby gunfire is minimized. It’s fairly simple to connect two of them with a spring cord and power them with a couple of AA batteries. You are connected physically by that cord, but have the ability to move around your student. You can speak at a normal volume and still be heard. It saves your voice, reassures the student and and can help you teach more effectively.
An even better option is a pair of wireless headsets. With no cord to deal with, you have much more freedom. The downside? They’re fairly expensive. Would you be willing to buy a pistol to be used for training? If the answer is yes, you can probably afford a pair.
When I do work with groups of shooters on the range, it is most often for security officer qualification. I can have a shooter swap his/her hearing protection for one of my units between strings of fire and be able to communicate during drills. It really helps to be able to coach a shooter who has a problem without distracting everyone else.
If you are the instructor calling the line for a group, you’ve probably seen students turning around to try to read your lips or lifting an earmuff while you’re speaking. One thing that can be a great help is to use a bullhorn. There are compact units that can hang on your belt with a microphone clipped over your shoulder. They’re affordable, easy to use, save your voice, and help shooters stay more focused on the task at hand instead of struggling to hear what’s you’re saying.
Think about making an investment in electronic aids. I believe they really have helped me be a more effective trainer, and have helped both new and experienced shooters get more out of their training.
T.K. Ives
Rifle, Pistol, Personal Protection Instructor
Training Counselor
Chief Range Safety Officer
NRA Range, Fairfax, VA