Tip on getting the wife to shoot.

[SlipperyShooter]

Sign her up for a formal class.

My wife comes from a hunting family, but she still "doesn't like guns" and I had a heck of a time with all aspects of gun ownership (justifying having them, making purchases, safety with the kids, etc, etc).

Nothing worked until I scheduled a "date" with a local Gun Shop. They offer a "Handgun 101" class that is mostly classroom and some shooting. It covers safe handling, loading, unloading, storage, escalation of force, basic shooting stance, gun laws, concealed carry, etc.

I literally had to force her to go (found a babysitter, etc). Imagine her surprise when instead of 20 redneck hillbillies we found ourselves sitting with: a retired cardiologist and his wife, three female real estate agents, two college graduates, a middle-aged husband and wife, and three couples our age. More women than men!

She not only gained "comfort" being in the same room as 20 handguns, but she ACTUALLY enjoyed herself. She had told me a million times that "if someone breaks in, I'll just shoot them. I don't need to practice." I still remember the terror on her face when she realized that she literally couldn't pull the 12 pound trigger on my S&W Model 60.

Her competitive side kicked in during the shooting and when she switched to a Mark II 22LR, she just ate the middle out of a black circle at 7 yards. She actually enjoyed it! I said "you're doing really well" to which she replied "I'm not about to let these people beat me."

She even agreed to get her concealed carry permit the next day (mostly as a "legal cover" in case she ever needed to transport a handgun).

It was probably the best Saturday we ever spent together, both from an enjoyment perspective and from a "lessons learned." Oh, and she also said "I think we need to buy a new gun so I can pull the trigger."

She is now the proud owner of a S&W M&P 9mm. We're heading to the range next week........

 

[Fred Fuller]

Sounds as if you have successfully broken the ice. Now you just have to keep up the momentum.

Point her to Kathy's website at http://www.corneredcat.com/ .

Find out if there are 'ladies only' nights at any range or gun club near you, and be sure she can attend whenever she wants. Handle the babysitting etc and give her a night out.

Get her a subscription to Women and Guns. http://www.womenandguns.com/

hth,

lpl/nc

 

[rrflyer]

gf bought herself a 45xd not to long ago. Ever since my reloading costs have doubled!

 

[hamourkiller]

Let Wife unit catch you with girl Friend Unit? It's worked in the past!

 

[RobTzu]

@ hamor... lol. Night my wife meet my girlfriend. I do not think that would be too safe.
I just asked my wife point blank if she wanted to go shoot, and she said yes. She bugs me to go to the range now, she is a decent shot. No Marksman, but can hit a man sized target if its in the house.

 

[birdshot8's]

hamourkiller wrote:
Let Wife unit catch you with girl Friend Unit? It's worked in the past!

that was my idea also.

 

[tasco 74]

very good slip... getting her her own gun is a great idea... my spousal unit inherited her dads service gun from when he was a town cop here... a cute little colt det spl .38 spl... since then she wants to go to the range and shoot every now and then..... i load some pretty mild .38 swcs for her to shoot from the classic revolver from beloved father.... she has shot my model 27 with some factory loads in it and says it's too much.....

 

[mbt2001]

Good for you!

I had to engage in a philosophical debate to change my wifes mind.

Finally, someone threatened to kill me and we had an unexpected intruder in the back yard. She, like almost all girls, is practical and switched sides.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I taught my (future) Wife to shoot. She liked shooting but wasn't as crazy as I was about it.

I told Her if She ever beat me in any kind of shooting contest I would give Her the gun she used and I'd have a trophy made for Her.

Usually at the end of shooting with friends we would make up an informal shooting contest to shoot up what ammo we had left.
Those contests were a lot of fun.

One day my future Wife and I had a contest shooting at Christmas tree lights.
She beat me.
I was as proud as can be when I gave Her the gun and trophy.

Her favorite gun was the M1 Carbine.

 

[Sunray]

"...She beat me...gave Her the gun and trophy..." Good for you. I know more married guys who get really angry when their wives out shoot them than you can shake a stick at. Women are inherently better shots than men are. I think it has to do with the way their arms bend. Mind you, they don't have John Wayne and Roy Rogers to live up to either.
"...instead of 20 redneck hillbillies..." She may have thought just that. That's likely why she was reluctant.
"...the 12 pound trigger on my S&W Model 60..." Needs a trigger job anyway.

 

[smitty42]

Any wife will, you just got to make them mad enough!! LOL

Smitty

 

[MachIVshooter]

Imagine her surprise when instead of 20 redneck hillbillies we found ourselves sitting with: a retired cardiologist and his wife, three female real estate agents, two college graduates, a middle-aged husband and wife, and three couples our age. More women than men!

Sometimes realizing that shooting is a hobby with no gender, race, occupational or lifestyle bias is all that is needed.

I'm very fortunate in that my girl did not need any nudging. In fact, today she got to try out her (early) birthday present, a LNIB satin hardchrome Tanfoglio BTA 90 9mm that she picked out earlier this week. (I don't wanna hear it from anyone 'bout PPG, because she hates muffs and it's her choice as an adult. Plugs are good enough.)

And after emptying the AR-10 carbine.

 

[WoofersInc]

Finally got the wif to go shooting one day. I had a S&W 22A that I was having her use. There were some other peope in the same area of the desert and we started talking. I let the guy shoot some of my toys ad he then said have your wife try this. He had a Walther P22 that was suppressed and also had a red dot sight. The red dot is what did it. She started making consistant hits and got hooked. She now has her own P22 and the S&W is wearing a red dot also. Make it fun and easy the first few times and they will want to do more. She also asked me recently about getting a suppressor for her P22 as she thouht it was cool....

 

[WoofersInc]

Finally got the wife to go shooting one day. I had a S&W 22A that I was having her use. There were some other peope in the same area of the desert and we started talking. I let the guy shoot some of my toys and he then said have your wife try this. He had a Walther P22 that was suppressed and also had a red dot sight. The red dot is what did it. She started making consistant hits and got hooked. She now has her own P22 and the S&W is wearing a red dot also. Make it fun and easy the first few times and they will want to do more. She also asked me recently about getting a suppressor for her P22 as she thought it was cool....

 

[Chem Geek]

Be sure to try all aspects of shooting, as sometimes one is a lot more enjoyable than others. Also, be sure she has something that fits her, and that she chose.

I started shooting before my fiancee, and after a little convincing, she was game to try it out. Shooting paper with pistols at the indoor range was not her idea of fun. I progressed very quickly when I started, and she wanted to do better than she was doing, but didn't want to put the time into it.

I got her to try plinking plastic bottles outside, which she enjoyed. Then she joined me at a plate shoot just to watch. Well the friendly guys there said watching is not an option, at least give it a try. Fortunately a friend was kind enough to lend her a P239 (I only have a P226, way to big for her tiny hands), and that made all the difference. She could hit the plates pretty easily, and since the pistol fit her hands she didn't feel like it was out of control.

Then we tried rifles. She was instantly hooked, and now loves to go shooting. We're living in different cities as I finish my degree, and anytime we visit each other, it's a must to go plinking with the 22LR rifles.

I have high hopes (hopefully not just a pipe dream) that when she gets her own 9mm that fits well, she'll try IDPA with me.

 

[dralarms]

piss her off enough and she will shoot. , just kidding, Let her warm up to in in her own time, I've been married for 22 years and just got my wife to get her carry permit so sometimes it takes a while.

 

[mekender]

the biggest bit of advice i could give is to not push it... she will come around, but it will take time and the more you push, the harder she will resist...