Why do guys do this????

[triplebike]

The other day I was at my local indoor range where I'm a member. The folks in the stall next to me (man and his wife) and another man were shooting a semi auto handgun. I believe a 9mm or a 45. When it was the wife's turn to shoot , (it was very obvious it was her 1st time) her husband was standing directly behind her helping (?) her hold the handgun. I'm saying to myself that's not good. Well she pulled the trigger the slide just sliced his hand wide open, blood everywhere. Had to shut down the bay to clean up all the blood. Why do guys do just stupid things when they're trying to teach their wife how to shoot. Also it always seems that they start them off with the biggest handgun they own. I've seen it so many times and you just know that chances are she never going to come back. I always have a 22 in my range bag and when I offer it to the guy to let her try it and she shoots it I always get a positive reaction.

PS - On the way out of the range I heard the wife say " You're going to hospital PERIOD! Had to chuckle a little.

 

[bdickens]

Because they're sexist idiots?

 

[Labguy47]

Good question, I taught 6 women last year to shoot. All enjoyed the .22! Most tried the larger calibers when they where comfortable, then went back to blazing away with the .22. The Ruger 22/45 Lite was a hit with all 6 and has a permanent nitch in my useful guns category.

 

[Captcurt]

The man probably didn't know much more than his wife. Just because he is a male doesn't mean he is Mr. Expert.

 

[triplebike]

I agree, my 22/45 lite is always with me. I haven't found anyone, especially women, who didn't enjoy shooting it. It's my favorite 22 as well.

 

[FROGO207]

I generally like to teach a female how to shoot as after a short while they get the sight picture and begin shooting as good as me.
I have a Heritage Rough Rider and a Ruger MKII that I use to teach newbs how to use a handgun with. That is only after they master the single shot .22 rifle. This all about success with holes in the target and a demonstration of safe handling first and foremost. The next time we go for bigger calibers after a warm up with the .22's.

 

[Scooter22]

Maybe he wanted it to be memorable time. I'll be she will!

 

[WestKentucky]

That’s why I teach everybody on a revolver. Even demonstrating hammer bite from a semiauto can be done on a revolver. Slide bite is unique “You just shot that revolver, now watch how this one works. The top piece moves back and forth to load a new round and it’s sharp fast and powerful. The hammer can bite you, but the slide bites a lot harder so stay lower than it so that it can’t get you. Here hold it with the slide back and see how you need to grip so that your not touching the slide.”

 

[gonoles_1980]

Machoism? I made my wife dry fire using snap caps many times before I took her to the range. Made sure she understood gun safety. I started her with a Ruger Mark I 22lr. I stood back and watched, I let her handle and shoot (she had already had the dry fire practice), I'd only step in if there was an issue. She ended up getting a LCP 9mm later for her carry gun, but she hasn't been firing it a lot lately, so I will probably end up getting her one of the Ruger 22lr revolvers. She also loves to shoot my 44 Mag, 7.5" barrel, I light load 44 spl for her, and the recoil is about the same as the 22lr Mark I that she shoots.

 

[bdickens]

The man probably didn't know much more than his wife. Just because he is a male doesn't mean he is Mr. Expert.

Right on!

In my own totally unscientific estimation, probably 99.6376% of the time a woman is better off learning from a certified instructor who is not her husband/ boyfriend.

I admit, I ignored this advice.

But I didn't drag my [now] wife to the range and just shove a pistol in her hands, either. Before we went, I taught her the 4 rules first. Then I demonstrated and then had her practice the fundamentals and do some dry fire. I also told her what to expect as far as noise & recoil. That way, she had a pretty good idea what she was doing before we went.

She outshot me.

 

[Hartkopf]

Machoism? I made my wife dry fire using snap caps many times before I took her to the range. Made sure she understood gun safety. I started her with a Ruger Mark I 22lr. I stood back and watched, I let her handle and shoot (she had already had the dry fire practice), I'd only step in if there was an issue. She ended up getting a LCP 9mm later for her carry gun, but she hasn't been firing it a lot lately, so I will probably end up getting her one of the Ruger 22lr revolvers. She also loves to shoot my 44 Mag, 7.5" barrel, I light load 44 spl for her, and the recoil is about the same as the 22lr Mark I that she shoots.

I'm a firm believer in instructions and a bit of rehearsal/practice at home for a new shooter before loading up at a range.

 

[.308 Norma]

Why do guys do just stupid things when they're trying to teach their wife how to shoot.

Not all of us do, or did, my friend.

 

[Steve S.]

Because John Wayne did it that way with Lee Meriwether “Windage and elevation Mrs. Langdon, windage and elevation!”

 

[Dunross]

The man probably didn't know much more than his wife. Just because he is a male doesn't mean he is Mr. Expert.

Right in one.

 

[Crazy Horse]

It's a hustle. You scare her so that she doesn't want to go again. If she likes it, then you'll just have to spend more money...…… gotta buy extra ammo, more guns for her & they have to match in color..... etc.etc. ;-)

 

[huntsman]

I was at a class when a guy sliced open the web of his right hand, he left to go to the emergency room and missed half the class,

over confident, rookie mistake or just careless sometimes people get bit by their own guns.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Some people think that shooting is just pulling the trigger on a gun. Safety is number one, then proper grip. Once someone has those two down, teaching them to shoot is pretty easy.
If you have to help someone hold the gun, then they are not ready to start shooting.

 

[GBExpat]

I think that around women (even their wives) most guys, by default, tend to be somewhat macho morons who do way too much of their critical thinking with their small heads.

 

[MikeInOr]

I have taken several people out for their first time shooting a gun, both male and female. Rule #1 - It is One-on-One... no third person, no group of guys etc. I guess I am lucky to have enough woods around me with some pretty well recognized safe shooting spots because I prefer to not have ANY unnecessary distractions!

I pretty much always start with a .380 (Browning 1911-380) or a .22lr. For the most part I concentrate on showing them the proper and safe operation of multiple handguns so they can form an idea of what the difference between a SA, DA, DA/SA, DA revolver.. etc is. One of the things I have noticed is most people need to be shown how to properly rack the slide on a pistol when they are first starting... especially when they get into the larger pistols with heavier springs. I sometimes forget the little things that you don't know when you are new which is why I insist on One-on-One.

One thing that I find is that I pretty much NEVER get to shoot when I am helping out someone new.

The biggest difference that I have found between male and female newbs is women are much more forth coming about what their actual gun experience is where men seem to feel like it is some kind of flaw to admit they weren't born with innate knowledge of how to properly handle a firearm.

What I think the OP saw can probably be summed up as "The blind leading the blind".

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

The man probably didn't know much more than his wife. Just because he is a male doesn't mean he is Mr. Expert.

^^^^^^ THIS.

I do a shooting class for ladies once a week. It's free and we get a lot of first time shooters.

I am not going to hold the gun for them.

As far as "why do they give them big guns" well... I usually hand out service sized auto's in 9mm.

We want as much grip with as little recoil as possible.
99% of ladies (so far) can handle 9mm, no sweat.

With 22's I end up clearing jams more than they actually shoot. It can develop bad habits too (bang. click. rack. bang. click. rack).

I don't see a noticeable difference between men and women getting started.

 

[roval]

i felt bad that an elderly couple was at the range and the husband was teaching his wife to shoot a shotgun in case they had a home intruder. the lady shoots the 12 gauge loaded with buckshot from the hip and it comes flying back and causes a skin tear on the lady. "that's enough of that " is what she immediately says.

she couldn't shoulder the gun due to a bad shoulder .

 

[Jack Ryan]

Same reason "guys" take their 8 year old deer hunting on youth weekend.

 

[Captcurt]

That’s why I teach everybody on a revolver. Even demonstrating hammer bite from a semiauto can be done on a revolver. Slide bite is unique “You just shot that revolver, now watch how this one works. The top piece moves back and forth to load a new round and it’s sharp fast and powerful. The hammer can bite you, but the slide bites a lot harder so stay lower than it so that it can’t get you. Here hold it with the slide back and see how you need to grip so that your not touching the slide.”

My Hi-Power Practical will teach you about hammer bite.

 

[Captcurt]

i felt bad that an elderly couple was at the range and the husband was teaching his wife to shoot a shotgun in case they had a home intruder. the lady shoots the 12 gauge loaded with buckshot from the hip and it comes flying back and causes a skin tear on the lady. "that's enough of that " is what she immediately says.

she couldn't shoulder the gun due to a bad shoulder .

My friend was going to take his 35 year old daughter turkey hunting. Bought her new camo and boots. She had never shot anything bigger than a 22 rimfire. He hands her a 12ga with a 3" turkey load and let her shoot it. Game over. She has not been in the woods yet.

 

[Spats McGee]

Few of my shooting pet peeves (of which I have several) bother me more than boneheads who hand their wife/gf/so/child their Lautenboomer 2.0 (like a Desert Eagle .50 cal) for the new shooter's first outing. I guess they think it'll make for a funny YouTube video, but it's a pretty sure way to ensure that the person never goes shooting again. My first choice for new shooters is a bolt-action .22 rifle. Slow, deliberate, and it's somewhat more difficult for them to sweep me with the muzzle. We can move on from there, assuming that the person can take some direction.