My Fiancee started out afraid of guns, but now shoots IDPA with me and suggested going to Gunsite for our honeymoon
Here is my sure-fire method for turning women on to guns.
After a few dates (making sure you actually like her before trying to convert her), mention that you shoot. Don't bring up your latest mall-ninja escapade or go into gratuitious detail about the last M4gery you cooked up, but casually lay it out there. Gauge her reactions, and always offer to take her to the range, even if she seems scared or hostile.
If she goes, make sure you spend a few moments on the basics of safety and marksmanship off the range, where it is quiet. At the range, try to get a stall away from the guy testing his hot load .454s. Good eye pro and EXCELLENT ear pro are a MUST! If she doesn't feel safe, she will be more uncomfortable. Good 29+ decible ear pro will dramatically reduce the perceived discomfort, especially from neighboring shooters.
You are gonna need a .22LR to start. No matter what she says, start on the .22. Try to keep the ranges SHORT (5 meters tops), you want to build up her confidence, not bust her down with long range marksmanship. Shoot N-C targets help. Make sure you load and chamber rounds for her, don't distract her from shooting or make her feel that guns are "too complicated".
Here is the important part. While you are making her shoot a .22, ALWAYS bring a spectrum of other stuff. I like a.38/.357 revolver, 9mm pistol, and a .45. Let her see them in the bag early on, but let her curiosity work on her. Don't mention them AT ALL.
You are waiting to see if she tires of the .22 and gets interested in what else she can shoot. If she starts looking at another shooters gun or at your bag, ask if she wants to jump up in caliber. That is a SURE sign of a budding gun nut!If she sticks with the .22 and isn't interested in anything else, she is probably just tolerating the experience for your sake and you will have work harder on her later (or move on completely).
Anyway, gradually advance her up the calibers, making sure she can see how much bigger each cartridge is (for some reason, this visual feedback is very gratifying). If she finds something she can't shoot well, move on quickly so she doesn't get frustrated. For some reason, I find that 5" steel 1911s and large revolvers are PERFECT for intro shooters with close supervision. They don't recoil much, and tend to be easy to hit with.
Once you are out of time/ammo, make sure you complement her on how well she did, how fast she moved up the calibers, and how impressed you are with her willingness to try something new. Offer her the target as a momento.
Then you swing by the gun counter on the way out so she can see if any of them catch her eye (remember, shopping is an instinct with the fairer sex). Make sure you get a confirmation for a second range trip and you are GOLDEN!
I've done this several times with a 100% success rate. Keep it simple, do the manual work for her, and don't swamp her with gun nut-level detail and a wonderful relationship can blossom!
some of you may think this is a bit condecending, but remember that the target is inexperienced and uninterested in firearms, probably a bit unwilling at first. This is a familiarization technique only!
but seriously its not that difficult ya just need to look around. even if they dont like guns, if they like you they will either get over it ,or, hopefully, grow to like guns too.
