[Gus Dddysgrl]

Ok so I've read things about "gun for a girlfriend" "first gun for a girl" etc. Well I am a girl and a gun ...well I don't quite yet qualify as a gun nut, but I like them. I know a lot of guys who .... well don't hate guns, but aren't as crazy about guns as I am. So if one wants to ask me out and I want to take him shooting what would be a good one for him to look into? What would be a good first gun and one that would leave him wanting to go shooting more often?

Gus

[El Tejon]

A guy who doesn't like guns? In Pennsylvania? Did they just move from California or somewhere?:confused:

[synoptic]

Rifle or pistol? or does it matter?

I would think an AK or sks would be a good "date" gun. They don't kick to bad (or really at all), fire a fairly decent sized round, and can hold a lot of ammo. An AR-15 would also be good, make him feel macho or something like that.
For pistols I'd say a 1911 of some sort.

[JDSlack]

IMHO:

First, I think going to a range (on a date, or just to introduce someone to how much fun shooting can be) is commendable. The more people that experience the enjoyment of shooting the more people willing to help preserve our rights.

I have introduced several of my son's friends to firearms over the past few years. If the person has never fired a gun before, I have found a .22 pistol to be the way to go. I use a S&W model 41, but any quality .22 pistol or revolver will do. They are very easy to shoot, easy for an instructor/coach to work with, ammo is cheap, and just plain fun. Then I move up to .38 revolvers (my personl choice, because I think a revolver is a good weapon to teach the basicsand the .38 is an easy caliber to master.) After that, I go where the new shooter wants to go, by this time he/she should have some idea of what else they would like to try.

As I said, I have introduced several people to shooting and one never went beyond the .22, he loved shooting it, bought his own pistol and is happy. Others have gone up to magum calibers or large bore autos.

Hope this helps, and good luck

[AZTOY]

Want part of Lancaster are you from? I lived in Lancaster for a few years.

First gun ruger 10/22. :D

[cordex]

I don't think it matters if they're a guy or a girl, if you're introducing them to shooting, start 'em off with a .22 and move up from there.

[Quantrill]

Gus,
Every knowledgeable gun writer I have ever read says to start with a .22, rifle or pistol. Quality firearms make the best impression and have the least problems. I fly in and out of Lancaster Airport often and eat at "Shady Maple" ( my favorite aunt's favorite restaurant. Quantrill

[Chipperman]

Doesn't matter if it's a Boy, Girl, or somewhere in between.
Start with a .22 and move up.

[Meowhead]

Same as the gun for all newbies. Something in .22LR, rifle or pistol...Ruger Mk. II comes to mind.

Else, if the guy should roll his eyes and make remarks like 'forget this toy and gimme a real gun,' hand him a side-by-side coach gun loaded with three-inch magnum slugs.

[keyhole]

I have to agree with everyone, in that a .22 is the best to start out with. I know several shooters whom after getting some trigger time in with .22's, couldn't wait to get something bigger. Really created some monsters, as one now has several .44's, and really loves the thump they provide.:evil:

[lee n. field]

I know a lot of guys who .... well don't hate guns, but aren't as crazy about guns as I am.

Dump him for someone who is. Shouldn't be too hard to find.

Hoplophobes not finding mates -- think of it as evolution in action. :-).

[TallPine]

Start him out with a 44 magnum, or better yet, a .454

That way you'll find out what caliber of guy he is. :D


Gee ... if only I was younger and single ......

[Feanaro]

If he's a real macho man don't start him out on a .22(I know a lot about this. *Macho Man plays in the background), use 9mm, .45ACP, 5.56mm, maybe 7.62mm so you don't offend his ego(guilty, again...). :D

[Kaylee]

Personally, I think the "don't combine firearm instruction and dating" advice goes double this direction. I'd happily go with a feller who already knew what he was doing (and who suggested it), but I think the "gotta look competent for the chick I'm trying to impress" routine from a newbie would be frustrating for the teacher and be counterproductive for the student.

But then, I've always admitted to being old fashioned. :)

-K

[JDSlack]

Kaylee, You bring up a valid point. But I assumed (always risky), by the tone of the original post, that the poster was screening to avoid guys that need to be the "expert" on anything..even things they have no experience in. No slam intended, so please don't take offense. I also know how hard it can be to quickly ID morons like that, I've met quite a few (been accused of it myself), of both genders.

[cordex]

Kaylee brings up a good point. But if the guy can't listen to the lady who knows her stuff, he's probably not worth her time in the first place.

Barefoot Bandit, with the ratio of males to females as it is in the firearms community, I'd wager that if you looked a bit, you could probably find a decent guy in your area that was already prepared to handle firearms safely. Saves you time in training him, and chances are you could find one that can supply his own guns and ammo.

Good deal all around, see?

Introducing your friends (male and female) to guns can be doubleplus good, but I think Kaylee has a point about teaching romantic interests.

[Leatherneck]

I also know how hard it can be to quickly ID morons I can't think of a worse place to do that than at the range. :D

TC
TFL Survivor

[sm]

Agree with a 22lr pistol, 22/45, MKII...etc. Inexpensive to shoot, practice, downright fun.

[Subby]

Gus,

I'm a paltry 4 hour drive away on US 30.

Sub

[blades67]

Take whatever you have. Keep the targets close and fun will be had by all.:D

[QuickDraw]

Gus,
1.Already know how to shoot
2.Own my own guns
3.Willing to relocate ;)

QuickDraw

[mummac]

Gus,

In lancaster, is the Green Dragon flea market still around? That place was pretty neat. The Amish sell some good food there. Shoo fly pie from there is awesome. Oh and pickled bologna.

[Croyance]

Four hours and seventeen posts before anybody insinuated that they were available? Everybody must be out enjoying the weather.

[S_O_Laban]

Croyance, LOL:D

[Skunkabilly]

Gus I second (sixth?) the .22LR.

How about picking up a .22 conversion for dad's Glock 19 so you can practice for cheap since you like the platform?

In general, women are better listeners than men. If you're teaching him safety and he's not listening, well, this will be very general, but he won't learn as quick, and may have some problem learning to shoot from a lady. Kind of like a lady teaching a guy how to drive stick :D (heck if I know how to drive stick! Like shotguns, I'll pay extra and not move my hands so much)

[Delmar]

Gus,
I think you may just have hit on an ideal way to find out just how big of an ego your prospective date has. When I was dating, it was always in my mind that shooting was a hobby to be shared just like any recreational endeavor, and if they turned their nose up at it, I looked elsewhere. Shooting is a life long passion for me and I will share that with my love-not make compromises around it.

As the only sidearms I own are 1911's, I used to frequent a pistol range which rented out everything from .22 revolvers to 454 Casulls and Desert Eagles.

Mrs Delmar grew up around guns-her father was a hunter so she wasn't squeemish at all about firearms, but didn't have any experience with them. I took her to the range on our 3rd date and rented a 22 for her, but she kept eyeballing my 45 and the next day went out on her own and bought an Officers Model!
We worked on her technique with downloaded 45 ammo I made and she rapidly became a very good shot and always looked foreward to range time. One of the best groups I saw her shoot is the day we went out to her parent's place and she absolutely smoked her father popping tin cans off the fence posts.
Sadly, Mrs Delmar passed on after only 8 years of marriage to disease recently, but I would recomend you find a good range which rents a variety of firearms-you'll find out quickly where their head is and how much ego is contained between the ears.

[Gus Dddysgrl]

O:) Yeah I too was wondering how long it would take for one of you guys to insinuate that you were single. ;)

Maybe someday we'll have a thr picnic here and all go to the range if you live close enough.

AZTOY-hmmm I live in the most ghetto section of Lancaster. Right downtown. So it's kinda hard to step out back and go shooting cause the next house is only like 10 yards behind ours and next door is about 2 feet away.

Mummac-yeah the Green Dragon still is around and tons of people are still coming. The Amish are driving me nuts, and no I'm not Amish and please don't ask.

Subby and QuickDraw- are we gonna fight over this one ;)

Heehee well I'm gonna go round up a bunch of guy friends and see how many of them actually shoot, surprisingly many who I know don't.

Gus

[AZTOY]

AZTOY-hmmm I live in the most ghetto section of Lancaster. Right downtown. So it's kinda hard to step out back and go shooting cause the next house is only like 10 yards behind ours and next door is about 2 feet away.
SORRY


Heehee well I'm gonna go round up a bunch of guy friends and see how many of them actually shoot, surprisingly many who I know don't.



Now if thing are still the same most of the guys are siting on the porch drinking 40oz and smoking blunts. :neener:

[jthuang]

A guy who doesn't like guns? In Pennsylvania?

Come to Philadelphia (where I currently reside) or Pittsburgh (lived there in summer of '93) and you'll find PLENTY. :fire:

Best starter gun: .22 LR revolver. .22 LR is the ideal beginner's round -- cheap, widely available, negligible recoil and fun to shoot. Easier to teach someone on a wheelgun than an auto.

Justin

[TheLastBoyScout]

First off, I'm adding my name to the list of single PA THRers :p

Second, when I took a bunch of my friends up to the range, they liked the .22's, but they LOVED the AR15. It doesn't kick much more, and the black rifle has such a macho factor for people who have never shot before.

[cordex]

and the black rifle has such a macho factor for people who have never shot before.
That's great and all, but I think that a new shooter should learn basics and safety before they get to play Rambo with a black rifle.

Gus,
Maybe someday we'll have a thr picnic here and all go to the range if you live close enough.
A pox on your Statehouse! A pox I say!
PA doesn't recognize my carry permit, so unless I dish out the $$ for a Florida permit, I'll have to gracefully bow out.

[TheLastBoyScout]

That's great and all, but I think that a new shooter should learn basics and safety before they get to play Rambo with a black rifle.

True, but I don't trust a new shooter with a .22LR unsupervised and without safety training. If the shooter is going to be instructed in safe gunhandling and watched like a hawk regardless of what he's shooting, is there a difference?