Hmm, What gun would you buy your signifigant other or, would you?

[flip180]

Well the kid is here and I'm stocking up on the last of guns I wanted. I have fiance I live with that I'd like to buy a hand gun for but, the problem is that she doesn't really get into shooting like I do. I would think that with the right gun and some informal range time, she would see that guns can not only be serious but fun if used responsibly. She has tried out my G26 and 642. Both of which she didn't like. I'm getting a used Bersa .380 that I won on www.auctionarms.com that I had intended on getting for her but, that was one of the last guns I wanted to buy for myself. With the G26 and the 642, it won't be a CCW piece or anything like that but, it is a great little gun to just have for the occasional range free-for-all and would be a good starter gun. If I buy it for her, I don't think that she'll utilize it like I would. Maybe I'll just get it for myself and let her try it out and if she likes it I'll see if I can scare up a good deal like the one I got on this one (98% at 141.00). Has anyone ever had this happen. Wanting to buy a gun for someone else but ended up keeping instead.

Flip

 

[Jim Watson]

If you are trying to sweet talk her into taking up shooting, make it easy.
Get a decent .22 like a Buckmark or Ruger.
Accurate, hardly any recoil, cheap ammo.

I don't know about Bersa specifically, but most blowback .380s have a good deal of recoil. I'd rather shoot a compact 9mm like Kahr or G26.

 

[Black Snowman]

If you really want to get her interested in shooting my vote would be to buy her formal training. If you've already paid she won't want the money to go to waste and she can relax and not worry about ulterior motives if a 3rd party is giving her advice. Big plus if you can find a class with multiple students so she can see other people enjoying it as well.

Hopefully this will increase her interest. Then you won't have to buy her any guns, she'll want to go shopping for them herself and "drag" you along

 

[Ala Dan]

While I haven't had that same scenario happen, years ago
I did purchase a gun as an intended gift; and kept it in my
collection instead. The gun was a NIB 2nd model Colt Match
Target Woodsman. Wish that I had forseen the future and
kept it!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Oracle]

My wife shot a bunch of different guns, and settled on the 9mm Kahr E9. It fits her smaller hands better than most other guns because it's thinner.

 

[Mr Jody Hudson]

what black said... dittos

 

[Majic]

The right gun for her is unfortuantely something you can't pick out. She has to do that. I wish people would understand that and stop trying to force something on someone. Put yourself in her shoes. Do you want someone shoving a handgun in your face and telling you that is what you need no matter what you may think about it?

 

[flip180]

I think I'll go ahead and keep it.

I can believa I really didn't put any real thought in to a .22. She did fire my late Grandfather's .22 Single action and really didn't like that either. That was almost a year though when she was really new to having guns in the house. She has since become more tolerant of me having guns around and even no accepts the fack that I carry. I think I'll try the .22 approach again. I have a Ruger 22/45 in the cabinet that would be an absolute joy to shoot for a newbe. The recoil is benign and would be good to teach the fundametals of shooting a semi auto. The thing to consider now is how to get both of us to the range. Macie is six weeks old. I don't know if I can get ear muffs in that size .

 

[flip180]

"I wish people would understand that and stop trying to force something on someone."

Woah, who said anything about forcing anything on anybody. You make it sound like I'm trying to make her life depend on her liking this gun or shooting in general. I'm just trying to see if it would be feasable for us to find something else to do together. Like I said in my pevious post, she is more tolerant of firearms in general than the last time we went out to the range together. Wow, ease up, take ten, a time out, have a smoke or something.

Flip

 

[444]

Personally, I don't think I would do anything but invite her to shoot when I go. If she digs it, she will go, if she doesn't, Oh Well.
Many times in my life I have tryed to interest someone in something that I really enjoyed or something that I really thought was important only to become very frustrated when they didn't share my vision. Now, I will make a gesture, but from then on, it is up to them.
This applies equally to men and women. Most people that know me, know I am very much into guns. Sometimes someone asks me to take them shooting. I tell them to give me a call whenever the mood stirkes them and that is the last time I mention it.

And, as was mentioned, if she likes to shoot and decides she wants a gun of her own, I would be happy to go with her, give her advice, pay for it: whatever: but, she has to make the first move.

Of course if you are really just looking for an excuse to buy another gun then I think you should go with one that you like.

 

[mcmoyer]

Bought my wife a Ruger SP101 & Glock 19 last year...she's deadly with the Ruger & is practicing like crazy with the Glock.



Buying her CHL class next month.

I'll never forget when I first met her...I overheard her telling someone she slept with a .357 close by...it was LOVE!!

 

[Gunrunner]

Mine loves shooting the Ruger 10/22 and Winchester 9422. Kind of hard to conceal, but at least she likes to shoot em. One time I talked her into trying my HK94, she said it was to big, hung it over her shoulder with the sling and she didn't stop till the 30 round mag was emptied. Wish she'd like to get out and shoot more.

 

[joe sixpack]

Personally, I don't think I would do anything but invite her to shoot when I go. If she digs it, she will go, if she doesn't, Oh Well.

Agreed.

My wife has no idea I've even bought a handgun yet, but when she returns from Florida, and starts packing to prepare for our move, she will.
I don't think she will have a problem with it, but I could be wrong. And
in the event she doesn't have a problem and is interested, I'd probably start with a 22lr as well.

cheers, ab

 

[Majic]

You didn't say word for word that you were forcing the decision on her, but if you read your post you will see you said you were buying the Mak with the intention of giving it to her without her prior approval. Then you justify the purchase by wanting one yourself and only then if she likes it you will get another one. So I still stand by my post. If purchasing a firearm for someone else then let them choose. It's not up to you to make the choice of the right handgun for them.

 

[flip180]

There's always got to be one to lend some negativity to a topic

[image deleted]

Flip.

 

[Gordy Wesen]

You'll get flamed asking that question around here. I learned my lesson a long time ago.
In either event, I just got my wife a S&W325.

 

[White Horseradish]

I got mine an SKS. Now she can't say I only buy toys for myself.

 

[flip180]

It seems that alot of people get flamed just for asking any question period. There are those that have the "why don't you use that search button and find out for yourself" type and there are those that try to steer a topic into a needless negative debate that goes on and on until a moderator decides that the topic has no more relavent value and locks it. It is easy to try to inflate ones own or deflate someones ego over the internet especially in an open forum. I grow tired of responding to those types and won't waste my energy doing so.

Flip.

 

[Billmanweh]

I just took my girlfriend to the gun show and let her handle a bunch of different handguns and she liked the SIG 226 the best, so that's what I got her.

 

[TK73]

Talk to the lady you live with about what kind of handgun appeals to her most. Then locate a shooting range where she can rent the model she's interested in.

If she isn't particularly interested in firearms, but still decides to own a gun for protection and occasional shooting, and let you make the choice for her, why don't you get her nice S&W Military and Police .38 revolver (M10 or 64) with an slick action job and some grips that fit her well.

The M&P is the most "combat tested" revolver in the 20th century and countless police officers and civilians survived deadly confrontations because they had this sidearm on hand. To get a good one won't cost an arm and a leg.

I can hardly imagine she'll seriously turn that gun down. Still, if she does, the worst thing that happens is that you'll have one of the greatest revolvers for home defense in your house/apartment...

My girlfriend isn't particularly interested in guns either, but she's decidedly pro. Every time I talk about being interested in acquiring a new gun she broadly smiles and says something along the lines "yes, a boy must have his new toy once in a while..."

 

[pax]

I would not buy her a gun.

However, I would consider buying myself a gun that she is apt to like, and introducing her to it IF she wanted to go to the range with me.

I wouldn't tell her beforehand that the gun was "for her," nor would I put any expectation or pressure upon her to like it. I'd just allow her to shoot it when she came to the range with me.

If she loved it, then I'd give it to her -- but not right then. Not until we'd gone to the range at least a couple more times and made sure she actually did like the gun and wasn't just putting me on.

If she didn't fall in love with the gun, then I'd keep it for myself or trade it away in favor of another gun she might like.

Under no circumstances would I give a gun to her if she disliked guns, or if she had given me any reason to believe she didn't want one.

Oh, and the bit about getting "flamed" for asking about buying your wife/girlfriend/significant other a gun? The big issue is whether you are treating her like an adult human being who is entitled to decisions and opinions of her own, or like a child for whom other people have to make decisions. Even a newbie deserves some respect.

pax

(Edited to add PS about the baby: Congrats! Finding a sitter isn't hard, the hardest part is leaving "for the first time." It does get easier... If you do take the little one to the range with you, be scrupulous not just about noise, but about lead. Don't let the binky fall on the ground, don't feed the kid at the range, don't let your hands touch the baby's face until you have washed them well. Change the child's entire outfit as soon as you can after leaving the range. Once she starts crawling, take your shoes off before entering the house after you have been to the range. Kids are a lot more sensitive to lead than adults are, and the smaller the kid the more this is true.)

 

[Mr Jody Hudson]

What Pax said!

I asked a couple dozen women today, when we met at a Community Watch meeting. Pax summed it up perfectly well... The advice is valid and doing it another way has a high risk of her not liking the shooting sports for herself... and for her finding less affinity for you and your shooting fun too.

 

[Golddog]

.22 revolver

.22 K frame. Every novice should start there. Simple operation, no difficult slide to fool with, no recoil, nice trigger, no jams or failures to ignite, less noise.

 

[SgtGunner]

My wife was marginally interested in shooting when we met. She shot a;ot as a kid with her older brothers. She never had her own gun before , so I decided to buy her a gun. My first course of action was to ask what SHE wanted or what SHE would like. I expected her to want some cheesy .380 or "cute" gun.

It blew my mind when she answered, "honey, I think I want a 4 inch Stainless .357 magnum. At that moment I knew it was love. She got her Model 66 shortly thereafter.

About 3 years later, she says, "honey I want a 9mm." I should have learned, but I again assumed she'd want some compact "gurlie" lookin 9. She says.....how bout a Silver Chrome Hi Power??, and make sure you take the stupid mag disconnect safety out, so it can have a nice smooth trigger job done.

This is the true definition of a good woman......

 

[bytor94]

I just bought my boss her first gun, a Sig 232. She had a chance to fire one prior and did quite well with it. She fired a 4.5" group at 10 yards. Not bad but she hadn't fired a gun in 33 yrs!!!! I really have to watch my step around the house now.

Now I just have to get her over the idea that she hasn't needed to carry a gun all of her life, so why start now. She did get used to me carrying daily very quickly though.

Scouts out!