29 year old holds a gun for the first time yesterday

[Darrin]

I spent the afternoon yesterday with my ex-girlfriend. We are working on maintaining a friendship after the relationship.

While we were together, she was sooooooooo against guns. I only had one gun, a Winchester .22lr bolt that was not only my first gun, but my Dad's first gun. (at a minimum, a 60 year old rifle) Thanks to her attitude towards guns, when we lived together, my gun had to live at a friends house because I couldn't afford nor justify a safe at that time. :banghead: Really sucked.

After we split, I went from 1 gun to 4 guns. (5 if you count the pellet gun) I've also been shooting at a rate of almost once a week for the last 3 or so months. Yesterday, my ex and I were talking about shooting. She mentioned something about going to the range with a couple THRer's. *cough*cough*oleg*cough* Anywho, when I mentioned my intentions of going to the range yesterday, (guns were in the car), she said she wanted to see them.

My first reaction was . So I bring in my P22 and 9mm for her to see. I hand her the P22 and the look on her face was priceless. I guess you just have to understand how much she hated guns. She even had me show her how to rack the slide on both guns! Later, while in the parking lot of her apartment, I showed her the shotgun in the trunk. She held it briefly and said, "Wow. It's pretty................heavy." I just laughed and quickly put it back in the car.

Big thanks to Oleg for working with this girl, he was able to get her thinking and interested. I just happened to witness seeing her hold a gun for the first time. As I understand it, Oleg will have the honor of her first shoot.

Now that I think about it, 2 good things happened yesterday: I get to keep a good friend and the RKBA becomes stronger by +1.

 

[OEF_VET]

You've gotta love it when open-mindedness wins out. Congrats to Oleg, you, and your ex. After taking her to the range, the next job will be getting her to the store to buy one (or more) of her own.

 

[WAGCEVP]

Converting one soul at a time

Great job , Darin and Oleg! Job well done guys! Darin , start her off with something thats "not so heavy"....

 

[Feanaro]

One anti at a time.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Some never grow up. Some do.

 

[Oleg Volk]

The original plan was to have her tag along this weekend but we ended up with other friends getting onto the bandwagon before she could confirm. We can only watch one newbie at a time, and Betty and I would have one each to watch tomorrow.

If you, Darrin, have a chance to take her to the range first, I think that would be great. I might not have a chance to do that till late June.

 

[Combat-wombat]

Good job

 

[cool45auto]

 

[SquirrelNuts]

I take a lot of females shooting for the first time. It is good to convert them. Most of them were neutral about guns, or were on the fence. Now they all love it. I make sure they can recite the four rules before I will let them touch a gun.

-SquirrelNuts

 

[Sunray]

No offense, but it seems to me that she's not that much of an ex to start with. Not that it's any of my business, but it sounds like she has come to grips, so to speak, with your hobby. I think she's decided that she'd rather be with you than not and that she has decided to learn about your hobby rather than lose you. Geezuz, I feel like Dear Abby. Time to tell her about the gun safe and the female specific shooting courses you're going to look into for her.
This one doesn't need to be converted. She did it all by herself. And for Pete's sake, when she shoots better than you do, shut the hell up. It's normal.

 

[Bowlcut]

Knowing what little I know....uhhhhhh ....uhhhhhh......uhhhhhh.....

Rather speachless there Darrin....dang. I guess its.......something.....i guess.....

Im thinking about going to the range sunday...today...if you want to go call me. Any Nashvillians wanting to head to cheatum county free range speak up, havent made my mind up yet and it is almost 1:30am

 

[Darrin]

I'm up for Sunday, but have to be somewhere by 4:30ish. I'm itching to pull another 100 rounds of 12 gauge and I have my P22 back. S&W replaced both mags and the recoil spring, we'll see......

Dear Abby, I mean, Sunray, guns had nothing to do with us being together nor being apart. That's all I've got to say about that.

Between this and taking my nephew to the range for the first time (in a week or two), this is one heck of a summer so far!

 

[general]

I spent the afternoon yesterday with my ex-girlfriend. We are working on maintaining a friendship after the relationship.

Now that I think about it, 2 good things happened yesterday: I get to keep a good friend and the RKBA becomes stronger by +1.

Way to go!
You sound like a REAL High Road kinda guy!

 

[Darrin]

Golly! Thanks General!

 

[Al in Md]

Anyone else happen to notice an increase in guns owned when there is no significant other in your life? In this case it was an anti attitude, many times it is also financial. I know I am only stating the obvious but when I only answer to myself I buy what I want and can afford. Al

 

[Darrin]

Al, the first gun I bought after our separation was my 9mm. First thing I thought of was, "Well, I couldn't do this about 3 months ago...."

Actually, my ex probably would drop a load in her pants if she knew about the .380 I almost bought right after we moved in together. I didn't want to buy a new to me gun and immediately hand it over to my buddy.

 

[Darrin]

An amusing update

I spoke with my ex today and she proceeds to tell me about the dream she had last night. It was about her shooting in competitions! She then continued by saying she was even beating me!!

I just found that to be dang funny! Having gun dreams before ever shooting one! This is definitely a 180 from the extreme anti side. , I mean,

 

[happy old sailor]

took a non shooting lady, just a friend, to our little home range today. my daughter in law was there working with a G17. have been coaching my usta be a non shooter DIL for about five years.

would you believe my DIL took over the instruction, went thru and demonstrated, all i had been telling her for those years.

they got along famously. the lady friend ended up stating that this was the most enjoyable outing she had had in years, and, that now she understood the attraction. she only shot a .22 revolver this time.

my weekend contribution to RKBA. every chance i get.

 

[wendy]

Darrin
Congrats! We need more women shooters, IMO.

My best friend who is 31 and has never shot has decided to
give it a try. She even applied for her FOID card.

Anyone else happen to notice an increase in guns owned when there is no significant other in your life?

Al in Md
I would have to agree! I have had a LOT more
money to blow on fun stuff over the past few months

 

[twoblink]

Start out with a nice .22LR, and work your way up. The problem most have is starting someone (female, small framed especially) out with a BIG gun, and they flinch forever and fear guns after that.

I took a girl who was totally scared but excited, she freaked when she heard how loud the guns were (NOTE: DOUBLE UP ON THE HEARING FOR NEWBIES. PLUGS + MUFFS!!)

I had her start on a .22LR, which she said felt like a BB gun. Then moved up to a .38Special, and then finally a .40SW. At the end, she wanted to keep shooting the .40SW, she thought the .22LR was a bit of a toy now, and got totally over her fear.

Congrats!! Winning them one at a time is the way to do it. Also, for every female converted, that's like 10 men converted in my book..

did I mention..

DOUBLE UP ON THE HEARING? It's the "secret sauce" on make newbies permanent gun nuts.

 

[Darrin]

Wendy, thank you!

Twoblink, I have my Walther P22 and a Winchester bolt .22 rifle, so she'll get to try a rifle and pistol. It's funny how she keeps mentioning wanting to shoot my shotgun! We'll see about the 12 gauge. I am a little worried about her shooting my 9mm because of A) Her short fingers and B) My 9mm's doublestack mags. We'll see how she does with the p22 first.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

"For every woman converted, that's like 10 men converted in my book"
'Blink, I can definitely understand the logic behind that statement. Sometimes the women can be the toughest nuts to crack. (their inner gunnut) Everyone has it..........

 

[twoblink]

I bought a Ruger SP101, because the revolvers seemed a bit more natural in most women's hands. The grip is fairly small, and although it's a 2" barrel, 38spls are pussycats in it. Recoil is very very mild with good rubber grips.

One thing about converting women "Bring out their inner tacticalness, as Skunk would say" is that women have the "go to bathroom in group syndrome.." Which I have found applies to shooting as well!

I took one woman shooting, and before I knew it, 6 of her friends were jealous and they wanted to go too!..

 

[Oleg Volk]

If yesterday's range trip is any indication, twoblink's advice is right on. Glock 17 .22 Advantage Arms conversion was popular with everyone, incl. an 8yo but the 9mm was a lot to handle even for the adults. Same with Sig 239. We forget how much we take for granted as far as recoil control and familiarity with the blast and report. Also, start at a short range -- 3 steps was about right. Eventually, we moved up to 20 feet for the adults, 10 feet for the kids.

 

[obiwan1]

I'm curious as to why you put up with her "anti" crap during your time together. You are a gunner and can't change that. During my single life (MANY years ago) I found out that if you put up with someone trying to change you, you will get very frustrated. The relationship probably won't be worth it. I found out that if you explain who/what you are (a gunner, skydiver, or anyother thing that some people may object to), it eliminates much frustration and some wasted time with people that you could ultimately never bond with.

Note: I'm not talking about "recreational sex" here, only possible "relationships"

On the other hand, congrats on your convert!