How to get the Better half comfortable?

[ckeller]

I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts/Ideas on how to make my Girlfriend gun friendly when going out into public or even just at the house. I carry a .45 when I go out now. and I also just bought an Phoneix Hp22. For home protection because I work late nights and have 2 kids at home. She always gives me a hard time when we go out in public and she always says she'd be to scared to actually be pressed to use a gun in self-defense. She won't even go to the range with me to get used to the 22.. HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[sttaffy]

you don't really have to emphasize the life-or-death self defense aspect of shooting, you could emphasize the protection and target plinking / skill side of it.

My girlfriend was not too comfortable at first when I consulted her about a firearm in the house. She was a little freaked out, as a matter of fact. I accidentally scared the bejesus out of her by hitting the slide release on my Glock - she thought I had squeezed one off into the basement. fast forward and it was her idea for me to get a license to carry, and she's interested in target shooting sometime soon. This turnaround was about 4 months in the making, and was unfortunately accelerated by one of our friends being assaulted (3rd one in a year).

anyway, fear of the unknown usually dissipates through knowledge and familiarity. I am giving her a safety and handling course tomorrow, she should know what to do, and how to do it safely if guns are in the house. I keep reemphasizing the deliberate series of events that it takes for a gun to discharge, and all that stuff. I live close to center city, Philadelphia, and there is no shortage of weirdos and creeps and thugs looking to take advantage of people and hurt them and those they love, so I decided not to take that chance and she understands. it was helpful to stress that guns are a tool for safety and protection, not for hurting and killing. once she 'got' this, which was rather quickly, her whole attitude changed from one of apprehension to one of comfort and even a little safety.

I don't know If I'll ever get her to carry, though that hill might be too steep to climb, but she has mace and knows how ot use that, and that's better than nothing.

Good luck. don't pressure, or anything. give her facts and reasons, don't pester or try to change her mind faster than she is willing to change it herself. If she trusts your judgment she'll come around.

[ckeller]

Thanks I'll try that! I'm not trying to rush her. I would just like not go the the "evil eye' everytime I put my gun in the hostler before I walk out the door!

[arks]

You should both enroll in a home defense class. My wife had no interest in sport shooting but was concerned about her safety when I wasn't around. I convinced her to consider professional training. We both took the NRA " Home Safety/Personal Protection Firearms Training Course. It's geared toward the novice but includes a lot of range time utilizing different scenarios that require quick decision-making. It's a good course, and is approved where live-fire training is required (for non-resident licensing).
She now sleeps with my .357 Colt when I'm not home
Oh, and she no longer cares if I CC (I don't OC). I think the training made her less apprehensive about firearms in general.

[BIGSHOVEL]

My wife grew up in the country with five brothers and is not or was not afraid of guns when we met. I have had a lot of help from the media and all of the nut jobs on the news sparking her interest more and more in actually carrying for self protection. I carry every second I am awake.

Sooo on to your help,

Her problem was me in general, she didn't want to hear the fact she should carry or the why's from me. I suggested a NRA beginners course out of town and suggested we make a weekend get away out of it.

Now that sparked her interest. The best fifty bucks I ever spent on a Saturday and I didn't have to do a damn thing, no arguing no fighting, she liked the instructor and the course/class; ALL WOMENS CLASS

We signed her up for the next level course in another town of interest for April.

NOTE: the following Sunday was expensive but worth it. I hate shopping.

Brad

[ckeller]

My wife grew up in the country with five brothers and is not or was not afraid of guns when we met. I have had a lot of help from the media and all of the nut jobs on the news sparking her interest more and more in actually carrying for self protection. I carry every second I am awake.

Sooo on to your help,

Her problem was me in general, she didn't want to hear the fact she should carry or the why's from me. I suggested a NRA beginners course out of town and suggested we make a weekend get away out of it.

Now that sparked her interest. The best fifty bucks I ever spent on a Saturday and I didn't have to do a damn thing, no arguing no fighting, she liked the instructor and the course/class; ALL WOMENS CLASS

We signed her up for the next level course in another town of interest for April.

NOTE: the following Sunday was expensive but worth it. I hate shopping.

Brad

Who doesn't hate shopping.lol But thanks for the info. We were considering taking a course. But I'm sure it would have to be close because of our two kids.

[hgsw67]

Tell her you'de be more comfortable with her having the neccesary knowledge and skill to handle the firearm safely IF anything ever happened to you when you were both out on the road. She would be able to take the gun home legally (not have PD take it for safe keeping being she wasn't licensed) and the training aspect might go a long way to easing her comfort level with you cc'ing as well
hgsw67

[Bug44]

My girl never shot a gun until she met me. She told me we can’t have guns in the house or around the kids (when we have them). I told her straight up, Guns are my life/hobby/passion. I have no problem finding a new girl that accepts that. Boy did she do a 180! She started to loosen up around guns, and I took her out to the range and started her out small. She hates trying new things but I told her if she didn’t like it, she didn’t have to do it anymore... (But you have to try) She shot the .22 and she had a hell of a grouping. I think that helped, I gave her a lot of positive feedback to shooting and she doesn’t mind it anymore... She hates the kick of the big guns. I would say take her out and let her shoot the .22 and praise her for her efforts. She will give in... I carry all the time now and she has no problem. (AND) I have her considering getting a gun for her to carry! WOOHOO All from an anti-gun start... If you can train a dog to piss in the back yard, you can train your better half to at least tolerate you with a gun.

[autotech6506]

I'm going thru the same situation and I can tell you one thing. Don't press the issue. If you try and force it things will only go badly (trust me on this). My reccomendation would be just ask her "hey wanna come to the range with me?" anytime your going to the range. she doesn't even have to shoot if she doesnt want to. just say you just want her there so you can be together. eventually her curiousity will get the better of her and she'll wanna shoot something. Once she gets a few rounds under her belt she will most likely find it alot of fun.

I'm still working on getting the wife to come with me. but this is my plan

[larry0071]

Just whatever you do... dont be a jackass like me... and hand her a 12ga shot gun for her first try.

My wife has not held a gun in years because of that.

She now is interested again. I even went and purchased her a Bushmaster Carbon-15 a couple weeks back.

He dad got her a little .38 pistol, but she has yet to go get a LTC so it sits at home.

When the weather gets warm, we will go shooting as a family and I hope this time she finds enjoyment.

Don't be a dick. Just because I'm a dick... does not mean you should be the same. Learn from my mistake!