Converting another one...

**PennsyPlinker** · August 15th, 2009, 08:49 AM

Yesterday I had the pleasure of exposing yet another person who had never held a gun to the fun of the gun. This lady grew up in a liberal household, and is very much liberal in her own views. Now before you libs jump on me to remind me that not all libs are antis, in this case that was the case. It has taken close to a year, but she has gotten comfortable with ownership, carry, open carry, and finally, she literally pulled the trigger at the range.

After some brief instruction, we started her off with a .22 revolver, and then moved to a Ruger Mk II.

She shot with those two for a while, and after watching our daughter shoot the Ruger Redhawk .44 mag, she decided to give it a try. She was not thrilled with the Redhawk, and went back to the .22s for a while, but it did not scare her. She just didn't care for the noise.

She got a real kick (figuratively speaking of course) out of the AR with a .22 conversion kit. I think that was the highlight of the day for her. She proclaimed the day a lot of fun at the end, although I don't know how soon she will be buying her own EBR. But this is how we do it, one step at a time.

**Kimba** · August 15th, 2009, 08:53 AM

I think I see a little smile starting there!

**ungawa** · August 15th, 2009, 09:18 AM

Excellent work!

Imagine what a sad place the world would be without the .22 rimfire.

**Guns4Fun** · August 15th, 2009, 09:37 AM

Good job Pennsy.

I agree, getting them out shooting helps displace the myth that guns / gun owners are bad. I'd imagine it's hard for them to go shooting since it's been ingrained into them for so long. It takes a lot of courage for them to put their fears aside and give it a try.

Me on the other hand, I have a hard time being in the room with an anti / lib for more than 10 minutes. So good job on your part on being persistent.

It is weird to me, growing up around guns all my life, that their are people so afraid of an object. For me and my family (I’m sure yours and others as well) shooting is so natural that it's like waking up in the morning - it's something that you expect to do.

**ErSwnn** · August 15th, 2009, 10:55 AM

It does feel good to bring some education to someone doesn't it?! Not from a "chalk another one up for us" position, but to help someone overcome a bias often fueled by mis or disinformation. It's an opportunity to broaden someone to new experiences that the idea of had frightened them. For many of us firearms are our niche in helping another see things in a different way. I will always get a glow when I take a newbie out and they nail the target. They just get that huge smile and that's the moment they understand me better....and have found the same thing inside themselves. This is just fun! Nothing at all with being a tough guy, nothing to do with paranoia...just some fun outdoors and a joyfulness in an accomplishment. Then we move onto the zombies.

**xxthe_beastxx** · August 15th, 2009, 11:22 AM

I can imagine the thoughts going through an anti's head the first time they are receptive enough to actually give shooting a chance.

That gun was loaded and sitting on the table and it didn't go off by itself.....
I picked it up and nothing happened until I squeezed the trigger......
The bullets went exactly where I aimed and told them to go.......
WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WAIT.............
The bullets and the gun require human interaction to operate.......
metal and polymers aren't evil.....
but there could be evil in the hearts of men.......

Oh silly me, blaming an inanimate object for the bad things that happen in the world.

Great job Pennsy and as always thanks for a great story. I hope you friend continues to shoot after her first experience.