Wifes First Trip to Range

[MudBugjr]

So I took my wife to an indoor range yesterday for her first time. Her first time to shoot a handgun as well. It was a .380 so not to big for her first. She didn't seem nervous and after some do's and don'ts she fired her first mag. handed me the gun and looked like she hated it. Wasn't nervous with gun just looked liked she wanted to be anywhere else. The range was crazy crowded and she said that is what bothered her. So I hope I'm not the reaosn she acted like she hated it. So Long story short she goes for her permit class in a few weeks which she still is going to. I told her not to do anything because she thought I wanted her to. I think she wants to know more in case she has to ever use one. So next time we will goto the country and shoot by ourselves. I guess I'm asking if I'm a big jerk for taking her yesterday. Or is it shes just really not that interested. She did fire the gun a few more times and actually had great results on the target.

Sorry for the rant.

[VERO1]

Not a total failure. At least she had the desire to be able to protect herself. Now she at least knows the basics and operation of the gun etc. She may never "like" to go shooting. My wife is the same way, she will at least go every now and then. By the same token, she enjoys making quilts and soap. Me, not so much!

[GIJake]

Ditto for my wife's first time. She was shooting my 9mm subcompact XD. Might have been a little too snappy for her. Miraculously, a year later she asked me to buy her a gun for Christmas. I bought her a Bersa Thunder .380 and she immediately loved it. She hasn't put a single round through it, but it's "so cute." I heard her on the phone with a girlfriend bragging about her new "James Bond gun." Strangely, she has still shown no interest in shooting it. I don't get it; just a woman thing, I guess.

[D3vo]

IMHO.. I have never shot a .380 pocket pistol that was fun at the range. Perhaps something 26 to 34oz and in 9mm next time.

I would do this even if its a rented range gun.

Not a jerk at all. I think it was the gun.

[NRA]

My wife will never touch one of my "snakes" I wish she would reconsider because I am afraid if I am not around and push came to shove things would not work out well.

[mikegideon]

My girlfriend is a liberal, and not fond of the idea of guns. With that said, she has been to the range a few times, and doesn't like my little .380 either. She loves the P22, and CZ P01. She also likes my 1911. Oh yeah, she loves shooting an AR15, and is more that willing to overlook its evilness as long as I keep handing her full mags.

Can't talk her into getting a permit, even though I'm sure he could pass the range test with most of my pistols.

EDIT: BTW, I always take her to Stones River. The RSO's tend to make a little fuss over liberal chicks pushing lots of lead.

Edited February 6, 2011 by mikegideon

[Guest JMB]

I never hand a new shooter ANYTHING but a .22. and if it's an indoor range I go on a day when there are normally few people around. Tuesday afternoons work well.

For one thing the noise is distracting and makes it difficult to communicate instructions and answer questions. Then there's the "everyone's watching me" issues.

Get her a Ruger 22 and let her plink for a few months, then see if she's willing to try a bigger caliber, and make that a mild round in a heavy frame, I usually use a .38 sp in a GP100, or a 9mm 1911.

My wife went back and forth between a .22 and 9mm on several different platforms before she finally adapted to a Sig 2022. That gun handles the recoil well, and with changable grips and a short trigger can be easily set up for smaller hands. Chances are she's not going to end up shooting what you shoot, and will eventually settle on what works best for her. It takes time.

Good luck.

[Guest NashvegasMatt]

my wife is the same way... won't touch my: ruger markIV, XDSC.40, 1911, Mosin, or sigma... just the way it is I guess. Worth mentioning is the fact that we heard some ruffling the other night outside, and see was the first to go for the XD.40

[Guest friesepferd]

i've said this before and ill say it again-

I think the worst choice for introducing a female to guns is her husband taking her to a crowded indoor range.

indoor means louder, more confined

crowded means louder, busier, more intimidating, and more louder

hubby who loves guns means pressure

My suggestion always is that if you want your wife to start shooting, then the best situation would be to have someone else teach her to shoot, and prefereably in a calm enviroment- an outdoor shooting range with nobody else there is probably the best.

Its best if someone else does it- preferably female. Or if you can find a handgun class specifically for females thats good too.

I speak from experiance. My ex took me to an indoor range and my experiance was just like that. I didn't hate guns because of it, but I didn't find it to be fun at all.

I later found a laid back shooting club at my school, and now im the biggest gun-nut around. I do everything I can to try and take females out shooting. In an relaxed, outdoor, female-to-female enviroment, I have never had anyone not have fun.

Not to say they have all gotten a permit the next day, but non of them have 'disliked' guns since then.

[MudBugjr]

She liked the gun thought it shot and handled very well. She is signed up for her class in two weeks with the majority of women in the class. She wanted to go shoot so she wasn't shooting for the first time in class and I wanted to make sure the gun ran flawless as well. So I think she might get her permit but don't see her wanting to shoot all the time. As far as the gun I had 3 different ones with us and she wanted to stay with the .380. She said its hers and thats what she wanted and thats what she was going to shoot. So at least shes not a gun hater. well except when I bring one home.

[Guest mikedwood]

I never hand a new shooter ANYTHING but a .22. and if it's an indoor range I go on a day when there are normally few people around. Tuesday afternoons work well.

For one thing the noise is distracting and makes it difficult to communicate instructions and answer questions. Then there's the "everyone's watching me" issues.

Get her a Ruger 22 and let her plink for a few months, then see if she's willing to try a bigger caliber, and make that a mild round in a heavy frame, I usually use a .38 sp in a GP100, or a 9mm 1911.

My wife went back and forth between a .22 and 9mm on several different platforms before she finally adapted to a Sig 2022. That gun handles the recoil well, and with changable grips and a short trigger can be easily set up for smaller hands. Chances are she's not going to end up shooting what you shoot, and will eventually settle on what works best for her. It takes time.

Good luck.

+1