Interesting development with my wife over the past couple days

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TarpleyG

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My wife went with two other friends/co-workers to a conference for the past few days and the subject of CCW/guns came up with one of them. Turns out she and her husband are getting their CCW and have guns and shoot from time to time.

My wife is okay with guns but she doesn't enjoy it. Imagine that. Anyway, there was some talk of attending a CCW class at the next gunshow and I suggested that my wife attend as well. I ordered the paperwork packet over a year ago for her but she won't practice and I don't want her to take the class until she gets some more range time in.

I am thinking that having a new friend that is interested might get her interested. Now, time to schedule some range trips for the four of us. Wish me ruck.

GT
 
I wish you luck.
Funny how things come about and work out, lets hope this does.
Maybe in the near future you can report back she has her CCW. Maybe soon you'll hear "honey me and my friend went shopping today at the gunstore...look what you bought me". ;)
 
" ... but she doesn't enjoy it."

Perhaps what she has to shoot isn't to her liking? Just a thought.

Women have a different stature than do us guys & just perhaps, what offerings she's had to date aren't particularly suitable for her = she doesn't "like it."

Possibly provide various platforms to more suit her likes & I'll bet there's something out there that she'll like to shoot. After "priming the pump," so to speak, I'd bet she'll come around.

Too, I like your "don't take the class till more range time" comment. You most certainly want her to succeed right off.

Safety first, some schooling regards legal ramifications, etc. & very important that she can place her shots where intended (within reason).

As with kids, or any other newby-type, initial success is a very important milestone. Set easily acheiveable goals.

Build from there.
 
I have thought about the type/style of gun she has been using. She used to shoot my PPK but I sold it a while ago. Our last trip out together she shot a P-11 and a 12 ga. Talk about a wake up call. She didn't want to shoot any 1911s at all even though I offered those up first. I think she would have done better with them. I just bought a P-32 and she likes the feel of it. Maybe that'll be more to her liking. We'll see in a couple of weeks when I try and get her to go with me. I also have a S&W 22A which is way too big for her and I have the target grips on it which is even worse nto to mention the 7" bbl and a 42mm red dot. Big .22 by anyone's standards so that's out. I might look for a Buckmark or a Ruger.

One other thing. As noted before, my wife teaches so when she gets her CCW, unfortunately, she will not be able to carry all that much. Even though law allows most CCW in school parking lots, she can't because of her employer. So, she will be limited to carrying places outside of work or to and from. She hates the idea of having to wear a holster. I doubt she would ever wear one. So now the question is how do I get her carrying in a safe and secure manner? We all know purses are big targets but what else can I do?

GT
 
Wives and cats hard to herd.

But they come to bait.

Suggest not letting her think you are pushing her. More like supporting her ideas. Her new shootin friends really good bait.

Gently, insure that she makes informed decisions.

Time and tenderness are on your side.

Like the old bull said...."Let's walk down."

Sam
 
First & foremost the firearm absolutely be accomodating to what The Lady feels is right for her.

It is as important as dress size & "how it makes me feel/look."

The Ladies are more difficult "to fit" than are we guys. Holsters are even more silly as the manufacturers don't provide for The Ladies' body styles/fit/form/function, etc. & they're missing out on a huge market!

Firts off = you want Your Lady to get into shooting, right?

Take her to a shop that has a ton of offerings & allow (better yet, cajole her into) handling everything they have to offer & let her pick out something that feels nice in her hands - something she is willing "go with."
A suitable caliber that won't kick her eyes into next year would be a plus. You want thins to be a very pleasant experience. A BB/pellet gun wouldn't be a bad choice at this stage, although I'd betcha some configuration of a .22 or .38 light target load could be right in there.

First things first, no? You want her to be comfortable with the weight/grip with whatever she likes. The rest will come.

After an accommodating trip or so with what she feels comfortable with, she will be more accommodating to something else. Custom stocks may be in order.

BTW, The Wife is already Way Cool with her own rifles/handguns (Smith 66/19s) but we have had the dickens to find any sort of holster apparel for her.

But that's for later, I'd guess at your stage.

Give her everything she needs to make her feel coofortable with where you'd like her to be.

Only problem is = you'll be at twice the "gun budget" once you break that barrier.

The Ladies like to shoot, perhaps more than do we. They're merely more pragmaticabout it all.

So very :cool:
 
Here is what my husband did to keep me interested in shooting. He kept our first practice periods fairly short, about an hour to an hour and a half. We would shoot about 50 to 100 rounds.

I think the most important thing is to learn to hold the gun properly. Achieve a quick, sure sight picture. Press the trigger in such a way no time is wasted and your sight picture is not disturbed. In less than five minutes you can show her how to do each of these three things, but it will take a lot of practice after you do.

A few hours on the range and a few more of dry firing homework -- before she will be able to do them passably well. After that it is simply just getting more practice to develope speed.

She is lucky if she has a friend who likes to shoot. Perhaps her friend will spend some time with her to give her some encouragement. As she develops more self confidence she may start to love to shoot.

Good Luck Mrs. Toro


__________-_______________________
Galations 4: 22,23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
 
Thanks Toro. We have worked on some of that already. She does a tremendous job when we finally get to the range. Gun safety is good, she shoots well, etc. She just doesn't appreciate like I do. To her, it's work.

On a slightly different note, her plan is to take the CCW class at a local gun show in November. Anyone know what the actual firing-the-weapon part consists of? Anyone remember or is anyone a FL instructor? Reason I ask is that I would like to tailor her practice to that and also because the wording on the gun shows site does not indicate wheter she will need to bring a gun or not. Could go either way.

GT
 
May I add one suggestion? Speak with the gun shop owner to inform him of your plan...(having her handle as many guns as possable). He may have a preferance for the day or evening. This project may take a little more time than usual and he may need to plan around your visit. Just a thought. I hope you have good success and she finds a new hobby.
Mark.
 
Let me give you some suggestions:

First, as always, double up on the hearing when you go to the range. Plugs AND muffs.. It's a big difference..

Second, go into detail, how a gun works. Take it apart, explain where bullets go, how it's fired etc.. The more you know, the less you are intimidated.

Third, Get a revolver for her to shoot if you can. .22LR is the best, but a 38SPL from a 3-4" is GREAT. Almost no recoil and only 1 item to operate, the trigger.. Semi's are difficult for newbies..

Forth, "Do you have any questions?" Should be asked of her very often.. And a lot of encouragement.. "Doing great!"

Fifth.. Start the target at 3 feet!! Trust me on this!! Difficult to miss, and it will boost their confidence! Then start moving it out.

A .22LR + target 3 feet away = big smiles..

Like a drug dealer, the first one is easy and free :evil:

Good luck! Keep us up to date!
 
twoblink,

Already done all this a couple of times sans the revolver part. As stated, she shoots very well and is not that recoil sensitive. She handled the shottie very well IMO last time out. I also had her double up on ears because that is one thing she said that bothered her from before. Seemed better this lat time out.

Like I said, she is proficient, she just equates shooting to work. I wouldn't mind if she didn't take it up as a hobby, but I want her to be interested enough to practice at least once a quarter so she stays sharp.

GT
 
She shoots it better than I do. I even had her doing double taps from the pistol lying on the bench. That'll most likely become her gun when she gets her CCW unless she wants something smaller.

GT
 
Well, after a well deserved trip to the range, it looks like we'll be getting another 1911. Wife likes them. We will probably look at something along the lines of the Springfield Micro Compact for her when she is ready.

GT
 
Well, after a well deserved trip to the range, it looks like we'll be getting another 1911. Wife likes them.

What's not to like about the 1911.........your wife has good taste.;)
 
If you have a newbie going to the range with you, don't punch paper.

People, punching paper is boring if you're not an accuracy buff.

Take dynamic targets: old fruit is best. Charcoal briquets are good, clay pigeons work nicely. Whatever. Get something that breaks, or bursts, or moves, or does something when hit by whatever y'all are going to be shooting.

Remember that cleaning up torn-up drink cans or busted glass isn't fun either, so stay away from shooting that sort of thing unless your range doesn't mind.

Take a couple of .22s - a rifle and a wheelgun, if you can get your paws on them. Although a friend of mine swears by a lever-action .357 loaded with .38 Special and a S&W four-inch .38 to break in new shooters.

Anyhoo, knock together a target stand with some scrap two-by-fours, so that you have about a three-foot wide, four-inch deep ledge at about three-to-four feet off the ground.

Place this target stand at about five feet from the firing line, closer in or further out, as the shooting ability changes, lay your apples/cantaloupes/oranges/briquets/clay pigeons/lollipops/whatever on top of the wood target stand, and let your newbie blow things to bits for a while.

LawDog
 
From Lawdogs'

Reactives are great for first-timers.

Watching stuff break, as opposed to seeing holes in targets = can be a good thing.

Clay birds at 15 FEET & I'd guess filled gallon jugs at 20'wouldbe even better.

Shoot 'N Sees at 10 feet wouldbe as good.

If wanting to "register" hits = agood thing, thebetter reactive targets the batter.

Something/ANYTHING to register the stimulii, the better, huh?
 
Lab & Sam are right...

My wife likes to shoot anyway. However, the way I got her to practice more was to take her to the gunshop and say, Hon--I'll buy you any gun with which you'll practice. Worked like a charm.

KR
 
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