Newbies, Broken Guns and RT*M

[1894]

So, recently a friend of a friend (whom I still haven't the pleasure of meeting) was having issues with her XD. Seems her man had no trouble racking the slide of the gun he told her to get, but she could only get it to go about 1/2" back. Her opinion was that something was wrong with the recoil spring. She'd avoided a couple trips to the range with her girlfriends because her gun didn't work and was frustrated with the entire experience. She was about to send it to a smith. My friend asked me to take a look at it before she did.

Having never handled this particular model, I downloaded the Owner's Manual prior to receiving it.

When I got the gun, I was prepared for a live round in a locked up action. Really wasn't looking forward to any part of this problem (recites the 4 rules in my head), but I'd already said ok...

What I got was a cleared, perfectly functional pistol. Even had the chamber flag in. Turns out she wasn't engaging the grip safety... She has no issues now.

If you know any newbies, please take the time to help them. I know sometimes we like to get ahead of ourselves, but there IS a reason they still send those little, neatly folded and stapled packets of TP with the tools and toys we love so much.

I consider IKEA furniture a personal challenge - a Gauntlet thrown. But no one's going to get hurt if my bookshelf resembles that tower in Pisa.

Please. I beg you. Read before you wipe. Also, you have my permission to throat punch obnoxious boyfriends. Rant off.

 

[GarySTL]

Good job! I hope she has a good time shooting with her friends.

 

[hso]

the gun he told her to get

A BOYfriend will always ignore the woman's needs and tell her what the boy thinks she should get without even finding out what it is she needs. A MAN friend would ask her if she knows about THR and recommend joining here and finding out that there are enough different types of guns that HER gun needs to fit HER instead of some boy?

You may want to show her about the push through instead of pulling the slide back since it uses stronger muscle groups.

 

[JTHunter]

About 10 years ago, my mother, then in her early 70s, asked me to help her learn to shoot. Her husband was going into dementia and would be no help in an emrgency and she wanted something to keep around the house.

We started off with my Ruger .22LR/.22 Mag revolver and she had no trouble with either round but did have trouble pulling the hammer on this SA pistol.

Next, we tried my .380 and again, she shot well but couldn't work the slide.

Some time later, we were browsing guns at a shop we go by on our way to our old hometown in Southern Illinois. They had 2 revolvers she liked and fit her small hands. For obvious reasons, they would not let her shoot the new one but the other was an SP101 snubbie in .38 Special. The shop had a little range on their back lot and they took us out back to let her test it. From about 20 feet, she put her first shot in the 10-ring and the second in the bull. She looked at me, then the clerk and said "I'll take it!"

She has some acreage and also has a Marlin 60/Glenfield rifle that we have put a cheap holosight on that she uses on the local "varmits" (snakes, muskrats, turtles) as the latter 2 are digging holes in the lake's dam.

She's almost as good with that holosight as I am with a scope! I feel like Dr. Frankenstein - - "I think I've created a monster!"

 

[1894]

HSO - spot on about the boyfriends. I like to use the analogy that it's like buying a new pair of shoes. No matter the purpose, if it don't fit, you're gonna be miserable... Also, great video. I teach everyone that method and tell them to play around with different ways when they dry fire. But, I'll definitely share the video. I usually send new people to http://www.corneredcat.com/ first (yes guys can learn a lot there too), then tell them to come here with questions. It saves time.

JTHunter - Yeah, A somewhat similar story would describe why I no longer have my beloved sp101. She loved it - and was good with it. One day, I'll be old and wise enough that I won't do stupid stuff when a pretty girl smiles at me. Hopefully, I'll be six feet under before that happens Until then, Let's make more monsters!

 

[hso]

I always send folks to Kathy's site, but that video is the best for push through that I've seen.

Women are so much better to train than men because they've not swallowed a bunch of garbage about technique and are more willing to listen and learn. Little to fix and quicker to pick up the best technique.