mek42
Member
Tell her that she can put her first target on the fridge.
When (not if) she manages at that first trip to the range to shoot better than you do with your own firearm, offer to frame the target for her. Heck, frame both targets so that she can forevermore show off how much better a shot she is than you.
Don't be afraid to keep the visit to the range short. You can always go back again later.
The first time I took my wife to the range, we did the eye dominance thing and sure enough, she's left eye dominant. It made things interesting trying to show her what little I knew of offhand stances (we took my 10/22 to shoot with). Shortly after this trip we went to Gander together and she bought herself a shooting shirt - "If at first you fail ... Reload!".
Anyway, I started by showing her how to operate the safety systems of the 10/22 (including how to lock the slide back to prove it is empty), place a magazine into the 10/22 and then charge the first round into the firearm. I would then hand her magazines that I loaded with a single round until she was comfortable shooting them one at a time - if a panic reaction happened it would probably happen after the round is fired and then there wouldn't be any more live rounds left. After a while of this I showed her how to load the magazines herself and let her go to town.
Oh, also, definitely make sure to check that the weapons are clear every time you handle one and tell her what you are doing - encourage her to do the same. I've been known to tell people that I always assume the ammo gnomes have stopped by when my back was turned and loaded the weapon. Demonstrating responsibility (safety) never hurts.
Good luck!
When (not if) she manages at that first trip to the range to shoot better than you do with your own firearm, offer to frame the target for her. Heck, frame both targets so that she can forevermore show off how much better a shot she is than you.
Don't be afraid to keep the visit to the range short. You can always go back again later.
The first time I took my wife to the range, we did the eye dominance thing and sure enough, she's left eye dominant. It made things interesting trying to show her what little I knew of offhand stances (we took my 10/22 to shoot with). Shortly after this trip we went to Gander together and she bought herself a shooting shirt - "If at first you fail ... Reload!".
Anyway, I started by showing her how to operate the safety systems of the 10/22 (including how to lock the slide back to prove it is empty), place a magazine into the 10/22 and then charge the first round into the firearm. I would then hand her magazines that I loaded with a single round until she was comfortable shooting them one at a time - if a panic reaction happened it would probably happen after the round is fired and then there wouldn't be any more live rounds left. After a while of this I showed her how to load the magazines herself and let her go to town.
Oh, also, definitely make sure to check that the weapons are clear every time you handle one and tell her what you are doing - encourage her to do the same. I've been known to tell people that I always assume the ammo gnomes have stopped by when my back was turned and loaded the weapon. Demonstrating responsibility (safety) never hurts.
Good luck!
