Wasz
Member
So my girlfriend decided she wanted to try shooting after hearing me talk about it. We discussed it and I sent her the link to Cornered Cat. She did some reading and would ask questions from time to time and I would do my best to answer. Eventually when she said she wanted to go to the range we did. I took a Buckmark .22 with a 6 inch bull barrel (my only .22 handgun). Unfortunately I only have access to indoor ranges so we had to contest with a little noise (we wore earmuffs and plugs). The first trip she kinda decided she didnt want to shoot and asked to just watch me through the glass. Im not 100% sure what it was, but she seemed a little afraid.
I didnt pressure her to do it or try again. She seemed angry that she that backed away from it more than anything. Eventually she asked if we could go again she said she didnt want to let it beat her and she wanted to try it really bad. So we went on Friday at around 1:30 in the afternoon. Only one other person there shooting a .22 so no noise and no one to make her nervous as an audience. (Other than me I guess)
She watched me shoot one magazine, then she did some dry-fire while aiming down range at the target. Seemed like she was starting to screw up some courage. She requests to try "just one" so I show her that I am loading one round into the magazine. Chamber the round and hand her the gun. She lined up the sights and lined them up again, and rechecked that they were lined up right and then after I guess convincing herself that it was going to be alright squeezed the trigger.
The next thing I saw I will never forget. There was a little hole in the 7 ring on the target, and my girlfriend set the gun down (slide still locked open muzzle down range we went over safety at least a dozen times). She turned and looked over her shoulder with this look on her face... the best way I can describe it is when you see a little kid pitch a fit before he or she gets a shot at the doctors. Screaming, crying the whole deal then when its done theres this look. Like "Was that it? Is that all there was? That didn't hurt at all! I got all worked up for this?!?!
Next thing I know shes asking if she can do some more. So I have her help me load up the magazines. By the end of 30 min she went from afraid to shoot to loading magazines, charging the gun and removing empty magazines on her own.
I just kept the magazines loaded and let her do her thing. Turns out the greatest fear became that she wouldn't be able to take her targets home to show off... 
As we headed back to the car, it was all grins. "Aw man that was fun. I can't believe I was afraid of that. When I locked my elbow like this I did a lot better, NEXT TIME Im going to do better." "Oh really? Next time?" I asked her. "Oh yes, next time youre going shooting you better tell me, this was great I want to do it again."
Maybe I created a monster?
I didnt pressure her to do it or try again. She seemed angry that she that backed away from it more than anything. Eventually she asked if we could go again she said she didnt want to let it beat her and she wanted to try it really bad. So we went on Friday at around 1:30 in the afternoon. Only one other person there shooting a .22 so no noise and no one to make her nervous as an audience. (Other than me I guess)
She watched me shoot one magazine, then she did some dry-fire while aiming down range at the target. Seemed like she was starting to screw up some courage. She requests to try "just one" so I show her that I am loading one round into the magazine. Chamber the round and hand her the gun. She lined up the sights and lined them up again, and rechecked that they were lined up right and then after I guess convincing herself that it was going to be alright squeezed the trigger.
The next thing I saw I will never forget. There was a little hole in the 7 ring on the target, and my girlfriend set the gun down (slide still locked open muzzle down range we went over safety at least a dozen times). She turned and looked over her shoulder with this look on her face... the best way I can describe it is when you see a little kid pitch a fit before he or she gets a shot at the doctors. Screaming, crying the whole deal then when its done theres this look. Like "Was that it? Is that all there was? That didn't hurt at all! I got all worked up for this?!?!
Next thing I know shes asking if she can do some more. So I have her help me load up the magazines. By the end of 30 min she went from afraid to shoot to loading magazines, charging the gun and removing empty magazines on her own.
I just kept the magazines loaded and let her do her thing. Turns out the greatest fear became that she wouldn't be able to take her targets home to show off... As we headed back to the car, it was all grins. "Aw man that was fun. I can't believe I was afraid of that. When I locked my elbow like this I did a lot better, NEXT TIME Im going to do better." "Oh really? Next time?" I asked her. "Oh yes, next time youre going shooting you better tell me, this was great I want to do it again."
Maybe I created a monster?
