Confused female (me) needs advice selecting a gun

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Welcome, ma'am. May I also suggest you take the NRA course, "Refuse to be a Victim", in addition to any other training you recieve?
I agree with try before you buy, find what YOU like, not what WE like. :) I went through 4 revolvers with my wife before we both discovered she likes an auto much better. She now carries either a CZ 2075 RAMI with Hakan Pek grips of a CZ P01 with CZ-USA pearlite pink grips on them. :)
Best of luck, and don't forget, this is also a fun hobby! Have good, productive safe fun.
 
Thank you. Regarding training, interestingly enough when I got my permit to purchase, I asked the folks at the police department if they offered any safety training for guns, or if they knew of an outfit they'd recommend and they said no. I thought that was odd - that the police dept. didn't even know of a place where training was available.
 
I liked the autos and I have handled (not shot) several, but it was almost impossible for me to pull back the slide. I'm strong but I broke my hand a couple of years ago and it no longer operates the way it's supposed to. I don't have any trouble with revolvers and I think I have come to like them better - luckily for me.
 
Point #1 - the police don't go to private trainers to get their training. They'll either do it in-house, or go through trainers that specialize in teaching in law-enforcement circles.

Point #2 - if the department does know of a trainer, their official policy might be not to recommend anyone in particular to avoid appearances of promoting one over another.
 
Point #2 - if the department does know of a trainer, their official policy might be not to recommend anyone in particular to avoid appearances of promoting one over another
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I'll bet you're right about that.
 
as you mill about and seek advice I warn you too listen to everyone, but take what they say with a grain of salt (or two)

Since we love the subject we all tend to be pretty opinionated and except for me (and those that agree with me), they all make mistakes
 
Make sure that you can pull the trigger in double-action on a revolver, before you buy it. Double-action is where you don't cock the hammer first. I say this, because my wife can't shoot a revolver in double-action. She is just not strong enough. She also has trouble pulling the slide back on her semi-autos. But, she has no chance of shooting a revolver in double-action. So a revolver is out of the question for her.
 
miss lead,
once in a while I teach females basic shooting.
Usually the second gun I have them shoot is the S&W J Frame. They quickly become proficient with the gun and they like the little revolver.

As I have them shoot a number of different guns I tell them to keep in mind which one they would eventually want to get.
The little J Frame is a favorite.:)

One thing I impress on the new shooters is, with the revolvers they only have five or six shots to get the job done, so if they choose a revolver they must get accurate and fast with it. Such as a Crimson Trace laser grips helps with this.


I've been teaching my friends daughter to shoot. She is 16 and has been shooting about about 15 times.
Like many/most females she caught on quickly.
This day she beat her Dad and I on this rocking target, using the 38.:)
NG38rockingtarget.gif

A couple months ago the girl was shooting pretty good but just could not run five 3.5 inch steel plates in a row this day.

It was getting late and as we were packing up I told the girl, we weren't leaving until she dropped those five targets (with five shots).

I handed her my Crimson Trace equipped Model 60 (J Frame) and said, "It's getting late, use the laser". She quickly knocked down all five targets.

Her Dad, an experienced shooter who is having a little trouble adapting to the laser said, "Now that's a good argument for the laser".
 
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Springfield- That top view shot view shot you posted of j & k frames was great. Admin should make a sticky of it. No doubt as to which is which
 
Usually the second gun I have them shoot is the S&W J Frame.
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M2 Carbine, just curious - what is the first one you have them shoot?

Your friend's daughter is darling. That gun she's holding in the picture is a .38 J frame?
 
M2 Carbine, just curious - what is the first one you have them shoot?

Your friend's daughter is darling. That gun she's holding in the picture is a .38 J frame?
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That gun is the 3 inch barrel J Frame.
Here she is shooting a Ruger 22/45 and has a 2 inch J Frame holstered. Her friend is shooting a 3 inch J Frame. You can't see it but she has a 45 Kimber holstered (later this 2nd day she was shooting the Kimber :) ).

Funny thing.
I told the girls, after they tore up some silhouette targets, "You girls are making this shooting look entirely too easy, so shoot left handed for a while".
And they did.:D
Lindseyandnatilyshootinglefthanded.gif

The first gun I usually have a new shooter use is a Ruger 22/45 but afterwards they can shoot it, or any other gun whenever they want.

I started teaching my friend's three boys to shoot before they were old enough to pull back the slide on a little Beretta Model 21A. They used the tip up barrel to load the chamber.
The boys could get a good score on the Texas Concealed Carry qualification target with the little gun.:)

I let a new shooter progress at their own speed.
For instance,
This young lady had never touch a gun before. We were short on time the first day she shot, so after she did well with about 50 rounds in the Ruger. I moved her on to the 3 inch J Frame. I told her I was rushing her a little but if she can handle the 38 we'll stay with it.
Within just about 45 minutes she was shooting (very good) while moving right, left and back-peddling.:D
Lindsey.gif

As it got dark and we were packing up I gave her a pocket full of 38 Special, a quick laser introduction and told her to shoot until we are ready to go.
Lindseyshootinglaser.gif

Again she tore the targets up.
I do like teaching females to shoot.:D



.
 
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Those pictures make me want to get out to the range even more than I already did.

Thanks for the link, Ryan. Just glanced at the site quickly - looks like a lot of great information on there. I appreciate that. Look forward to going through it slowly.
 
I've been teaching my friends daughter to shoot
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while it is great that you are teaching the young ladies to shoot I can't imagine why you would take pictures of her wearing that repugnant shirt that she is wearing in post #63 where they are shooting left handed.
 
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I can't imagine why you would take pictures of her wearing that repugnant shirt
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What???
Not a Aggie fan?:D

I don't know where she got that shirt. Her older brothers don't go to A&M.


miss lead,
Keep talking around and maybe you will run across someone in your area that will let you try out a few guns that you are interested in.
When I run across people that express an interest in learning to shoot (sometimes) I'll envite them out the place to try it out. Almost never does anyone "find the time" though.
People are strange. You offer to give them a hundred dollars and they are too lazy to pick it up.:rolleyes:
 
She looks like she is doing really well with her left hand.

BTW, where is your range? Looks sweet!
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It's a little South of Weatherford.

Yeah, those girls do great. Aren't young sharp eyes, steady hands and quick reflexes wonderful.:)


.
 
Keep talking around and maybe you will run across someone in your area that will let you try out a few guns that you are interested in.
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Thank you. I have a friend with lots of guns and a range, and he has been kind enough to invite me out on Tuesday to shoot. I also just called a large gun dealer near me, which has a range, and they said they will allow me to try any of their used guns. I will be much more enlightened this time next week. At least I hope more enlightened and not more confused. I thought buying a gun would be pretty straightforward, but there are certainly many more things to consider than I originally thought and a lot more options as far as guns. One thing is certain, I still want one that's pretty. :)
 
I would say invest in some good hearing protection. Handguns are noisy, and I am darn near deaf from blasting away without hearing protection when I was young. I never even saw hearing protection until I went into the army. Once the damage is done, it doesn't clear up. And, I am sure you will have a TON of fun.
 
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