Taking a carry class without having shot a gun before is just setting up future problems especially if the new shooter is even slightly nervous about guns.

I think it stands a decent chance to impede shooting prowess and progress since a Carry class in general is not the place to build shooting fundamentals. It can be done, and I've seen a couple good instructors spend the time and attention trying to do the best they could with the time available, but it's not optimal.

Not to be too harsh but it's each of our responsibility to take an active part in our own education. She was paying for the class, you or she should have clarified or specified. A little forethought and communication could go a long way. Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance as they say.

If the instructor, knowing she had no experience and having been asked to shoot a .22 demanded or insisted ona 9mm, then it's another issue.

All my new shooters start with a 22 then, when they are ready, they move up to larger caliber..........generally a full size with some weight to minimize recoil. Once they are ok with the larger caliber then maybe a lighter weight gun.

*everyone* that we start, starts we a .22. Sometimes a rifle, sometimes a pistol but it is a .22. The 9mm with grip tape, tungsten guide rod, and light loads is a maybe.

The only time I have someone scared/hurt of a larger caliber, is when I handed a friend a bolt action .308 after we had been shooting semi-auto .223 all day. I handed him the rifle, then handed him a shell, he load the rifle. He has enough experience with these things to have known better, but he didn't put it into his shoulder well enough. I was looking at him thinking "hmm he isn't holding that right, nah he knows what he is doing". 10 seconds later we were trying to figure out if we had to take him to the hospital to get the gash in his forehead stitched or not. I still feel bad that I didn't say something.

Hmm... sort of a random story.

Old thread, but simple answer.

Whoever the "teacher" was, should have never let her pull the trigger the way she was set up. Anyone could see she'd either fall over backward, catch the scope with her face, or at the least hurt her shoulder.

Won't beat a dead hourse, but the filmer and "helper" behind her didn't do her any favors. pathetic supervision of a new shooter...