Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
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    Default Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    We keep a loaded Glock 17 at home for our "home defense" gun. The only problem is that my wife has never been out to shoot it. So, I tried taking her to the range and it was a DISASTER! Out of a new box of 9MM, two rounds were fired...one of those rounds was fired by me. There was crying, and yelling and I thought that for a second I was going to be left there on the range clutching my bleeding mid-section. Fortunately, my wife can't drive a car with a standard transmission so I was permitted to live.

    Long story short...I could use some advice on training a female with some...interesting...views on guns (not against them...but definitely not a fan of them).

    Thanks.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    My advice: get someone else to do it. Men do a notoriously horrible job teaching their significant other to shoot.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    Quote Originally Posted by springfield24 View Post
    There was crying, and yelling and I thought that for a second I was going to be left there on the range clutching my bleeding mid-section.
    There's your problem. You have to make it enjoyable and fun. New female shooters, in my experience, tend to feel a lot better about shooting when you are cool, calm, collected, and focused on safety rather than yelling about fundamentals the first time they use a firearm.

    The best advice I can offer, if she's willing to give it another try after that experience, is to buy or rent a .22 pistol. Women (and plenty of male first-time shooters, too) often have trouble racking the slide on defense caliber semi-auto pistols, and even though 9mm isn't much, the recoil can be intimidating to people with small frames and hands.

    If you can't make it safe, educational, and enjoyable, pay for an instructor who can.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    I would probably start with having her get used to handling it unloaded around the house and some dry fire practice.

    Personally, when I first got a gun, I went right to the range, bloodied my thumb with the slide, and barely hit the target. I didn't even finish off the box of 50. So, I went home and didn't take it to the range again until I spent a couple weeks walking around the house with it, getting used to holding it and training my muscle memory to keep my finger outside the trigger guard along the slide, keeping a proper grip to allow for non-injurious slide operaton, and dry firing a lot with a penny sitting on top of the slide to train me to squeeze the trigger without jerking or moving the gun while doing so. My next range outting was much more enjoyable.

    You could also look into a formal basic handgun safety course at a local range, some even have female only classes.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    Quote Originally Posted by kcr121 View Post
    There's your problem. You have to make it enjoyable and fun. New female shooters, in my experience, tend to feel a lot better about shooting when you are cool, calm, collected, and focused on safety rather than yelling about fundamentals the first time they use a firearm.

    The best advice I can offer, if she's willing to give it another try after that experience, is to buy or rent a .22 pistol. Women (and plenty of male first-time shooters, too) often have trouble racking the slide on defense caliber semi-auto pistols, and even though 9mm isn't much, the recoil can be intimidating to people with small frames and hands.

    If you can't make it safe, educational, and enjoyable, pay for an instructor who can.
    Break her in slowly with gun safety, range rules, do's & don'ts & maybe a few rounds downrange. Give her time & don't force her.

    I used to tell my wife that she needs to go to the range with me so she knows how to use the guns, just in case. She'd dutifully go along, shoot a few rounds, then go to the truck & read a book. It just wasn't her idea of fun.

    One day, out of the blue, she asked me if she could get her own gun. We shopped, got the one she decided on (A S&W 642, so I didn't have a problem with that.), & now she loves to shoot.
    "It's hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong."
    Thomas Sowell

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam-12 View Post
    My advice: get someone else to do it. Men do a notoriously horrible job teaching their significant other to shoot.
    BINGO!

    As a woman I can tell you that I have had a few arguments with my SO at the range while learning to shoot. It can be very frustrating. Send her to a class thats low pressure and fun, someone mentioned an all female class. It may make her more comfortable. If you have a female friend that shoots or someone used to teaching children to shoot that understands how to deal with delicate situations that may also be a good option that doesn't cost any more than maybe a box of ammo and a beer.

    Good luck with it. Just remember, she needs to learn at HER PACE not yours. The main goal is for her to enjoy it and want to do it. Not to have it as a chore. Another idea would be for you two to enroll in a class together, have fun at the class, then go out for a nice dinner afterwards to make it a fun and rewarding evening.

    Keep us posted on how it goes for you.

    Nikki
    Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free! ~Les Mis

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam-12 View Post
    My advice: get someone else to do it.
    Completely agree.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    I've taken my wife and a couple of other ladies to the range, and all had a good time. Every time I started out with a .22 and focused on safety and hitting the target. Lots of encouragement. If you were trying to teach tactics at that point, you were toast going in. Actually the ladies generally seem to take to it better -- most of us guys think they should instinctively know this stuff. A couple of the ladies were shooting .357 Magnum -- and liking it -- by the end of the session.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    Which range do you go to? You could swing out my way and I have a .22 rifle and pistol I could train her with. When I'm teaching someone new to shoot, I always start out with a .22 rifle. I also usually put up a "fun" target like a picture of a dart board or bowling pins and tell them to try for a high score or something so its fun. You have to show someone how to enjoy a firearm before you teach them how they can use it to save their life in my humble opinion. You also want them sitting and in the shade so they're as relaxed as possible. You have to crawl before you walk. Send me a PM if you want to stop out Sunday or some evening next week. My range is always open.
    In America arms are free merchandise such that anyone who has the capital may make their houses into armories and their gardens into parks of artillery. - Ira Allen, 1796

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Any Advice For Teaching A Woman To Shoot?

    I've taught 3 to shoot so far, my wife and 2 daughters. I believe they have to 'want to' learn. Based on how quickly things went south it doesn't sound like your wife wanted to. Offer to take her when she wants but really let it be her decision. Work on #1 and 2 below while she makes it her decision.

    Some things I did:
    1. Work on grip and stance at home (unloaded of course)
    2. Handle the gun and dry-fire at home (unloaded of course)
    3. Try and get to range when it isn't too crowded.
    4. Double up on ear protection (foam plugs covered with muffs)
    5. Start with a .22 if possible. I know many disagree with this but when they can get the concept of pressing the trigger, hitting the target and not fearing the gun is going to wrench out of their hands and hit them in their head, they are MUCH more comfortable.
    6. From there, go at their own pace...

    Good luck!

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