[teter09]

Alright folks, after over a year of dating and being around me, the GF has requested I take her shooting! :thumsup

We've come a long, long way from her mindset of being against firearms when she met me, to then cautious around my handgun when at my place, to her discovering I actively carry to then being appreciative of my awareness and steps I've taken to protect myself (and her)....and now to wanting to learn!

I only possess one handgun, a 9mm. In no way a powerful cartridge when compared to others I've shot, but slightly intimidating to some women I know who have shot it for the first time (but have shot other things).

The GF is new all around to firearms. A BB gun doesn't count in my book, which is all she has used before. I am wondering what is the best way to expose her, yet in a way where she will enjoy it!

I do have my grandfathers tube fed .22 rifle, and was thinking of exposing her to that at first, to then migrate to the 9mm, a single round chambered so she (and I) wouldn't have to worry about accidents before she has had time to learn the 4 laws of gun safety. Don't take that to mean I'd let her slack off on safety, I think of it more as taking a teenager to an empty parking lot to practice driving, learning through correction and experience.

My other thought was to purchase a .22 handgun. By letting her experience that, small kick yet cheap to practice with until she was confident in her abilities to step up (and my own confidence she knows how to handle it). I've wanted a .22 handgun anyways (among others), so this could be a decent way to 'justify' the purchase right now! :dancingbanana

I've checked the range I frequent and a few others, either they no longer rent firearms due to the suicide rate here in Central Florida, or they don't have a .22. :aarg

Thoughts or ideas? Especially aimed at the women....do you think I am being too cautious about the kick of a 9mm for someone 100% new to shooting?

And I readily acknowledge the fact that if I get her hooked....I'll be purchasing that much more ammo and that many more weapons and range time for her! Somehow though, I don't mind!

 

[OrlandoDriver]

hey tetor

Nice to hear your girlfriend is ready to learn, I was at oak ridge last week and they were still renting guns, you might want to give them a call.

http://www.oakridgegunrange.com/

This place totally new only a few months old they had just had this place built, they moved over from oak ridge rd.

 

[fhpdude]

Teter, go with a .22 first.

If all she's ever shot was a bb gun, getting her used to a little noise and a little recoil first will help her overcome any fear she might have (imho).

Get her used to grip, sight picture and recoil, along with gun safety before moving up to defensive calibers.

Start her off close (3 yards or so) so she gets instant positive feedback from those cute little holes in the target. Once she's competent with the gun, let her decide to move up in caliber or to shoot at longer distances.

Whatever you do....don't get all macho with her. Do everything with love and positive support. Yelling and going "no, no, no! You're doing it all wrong!!!" (or words and actions to that effect) will have negative consequences.

Once again, IMHO....and YMMV

 

[MamaBear]

Hey teter,

It's just me but why *not* start her on a 9mm? I don't recall it having a kick to it. It may just be my personality of jumping right in with two feet though. I don't know that I've ever taken baby steps. I believe I shot a .38, 9mm, .40 and .45 on my first trip to the range. It was all new and I didn't know the difference so I just went for all of it.

I'm going to PM you.

 

[Knapper]

I agree with Mamabear - just give her the safety lectures and start off with the 9mm. My first handgun that I ever shot was a .45 as a kid, and I did just fine. She's not going to break her wrist or anything, and the accuracy of the 9mm will probably make her feel better!
It's up to you of course, but I think just let her fire that 9, it's what I'd do.
Jess

 

[TellyDSP]

The following is a post I put on DC. It applies here as well, so I'll just paste it. As for the 22 vs 9, a 9 should be fine. I started my girl on a .22 because I didnt own anything, so I could rent whatever I want. In hindsight, the recoil isnt much different. Honestly, when someone shoots for the first time, they're expecting the recoil of the .577 T-rex. They wont know whether it's 9 or a 22 they're shooting the first time they pull the bang switch. My girl is 5'3" and she shoots my xd9 just fine. The SC is just her size. It's the P3AT that still keeps her on her toes(snappy little bugger).

The Mrs had never fired a gun and had a pretty firm fear of them. She had been brought up to fear them and to think that they could "strike", like a wild animal, at any time. The first thing I did was invite her to the range, where we played with a rented .22. I went over all of the basics of operation and basic safety before letting her touch the gun. I made sure to emphasize that keeping your booger hook off the bangswitch will 99% of the time keep the animal from striking. The other 1% is managing to get something else snagged on the trigger. Regardless, the gun will not shoot itself. I mentally prepared her and then walked her thorough sending bullets downrange. To make a long story short, she walked away with a much greater understanding, and respect, for guns, without the fear of them "striking."

To add to that, we started shooting at 7 yards. I had he just focus on pulling the trigger and firing the gun. We didnt go over aiming until after she felt comfortable with firing. Once we got throguh that, we discussed line of sight and aiming. When she switched to the 9mm, it wasnt an issue at all. Except my ammo cost more. We now put 500+ rounds downrange per trip.

As for rentals, you should call around. I wonder if the ranges would make an exception for someone who already has a firearm at their disposal and a CWP. If you wanted to end it all, you could have left a stain on the carpet months ago.

 

[BobL]

Why not ask her? Since it's not going to be a surprise thing, get her input. You explained it to us just as nicely as you could explain it to her.

Ask her opinion. A 9mm kicks more than a .22, but is a real capable self defense weapon. The .22 will train you in 80 or 90% of everything you'll need to know, but you won't experience the kick from the gun you'll get with the 9mm. Which would you rather do? Or rather do first?

My wife is small, 4'10", and we took an NRA First Steps class together. On the range, we started with a .22 pistol, worked our way through calibers up to a .45, and a .357 revolver. She was not intimidated by any of them, and put holes in the paper from about 10' with every one.

Your GF might well like the 9mm.



BobL

 

[Rvrctyrngr]

Borrow a 4" Smith Model 629 Mountain Gun with full-house loads. Everything after that will feel like a bb gun to her. :rolf

Yeah, I know....shut up, RCR :smack

 

[Steve48]

Hmm, you have several potential solutions, but one of them includes getting a new gun! There's a question here??

By the way, the Shooting Gallery, Oakridge, and Rieg's in Orlando all still rent guns.

 

[Red Dawg]

That'd be the direction I go too, rent a couple and see what she likes.

 

[Soverign]

Buy her a Walther 22 or Sig misquote 22.
Its only about $300 and will be a great plinker.
Just dont do what I did with my wife 15yrs ago, 22 strait to a 45. It took almost 10years for her to go to the range again with me.

 

[bqqueen]

The first gun I shot was a 38 special revolver. We use the 22 more at the range because the ammo is cheap and we fire off between 3 -500 rounds when we go.

I got used to the big bang first and the 22 seems so quiet in comparison.
Whatever she is comfortable with, but I am happy I started out with a bigger caliber first.

 

[shark52]

I took my wife to the range and let her shoot my 9mm and now she wants to go all the time. She loved shooting it. Am considering a 22 for her for the range but hey I might want a .45 for myself. Time will tell, she doesn't carry but I want her to be comfortable with the weapons I own just in case.

 

[Orange Boy]

I have introduced three ladies to shooting, one of which was my 81 year old Mom! I always go for the .22 revolver. Sometimes the gals want to move right up to something more powerful during the initial session and sometimes they practice with that .22 for weeks. It's a good, safe, minimal recoil introduction and it's also good that they can usually get some decent hits on the target. I also highly recommend earplugs under the headphones. My GF was more shaken by the guy next to us firing the .357 magnum than anything else. My Mom wasn't bothered by the noise at all though...she's pretty hard of hearing.

 

[TalonDJ]

Buy the .22.

She MIGHT be fine with the 9mm... or she might just be 'sorta ok' with it. But that is not the goal is it? the goal is to make her LOOOOVE shooting. Go for the .22. If it is an auto get some snapcaps too. Get some 9mm ones too while you are at it. That way you can do the whole briefing and some load/unload/dryfire drills at home before going. Saves time. Plus it ups the overall comfort level. That is the key. You want her walking away knowing shooting is fun, safe, easy, and fun. Do have her shoot some 9mm too though.

Oh, another reason to have 2 guns is so you can, once you see she has the technique down and is not unsafe, can step away and shoot your own gun. Breathing down someone’s neck hurts the fun and confidence building.

I would do this:
-Get the .22 and bring the rifle.
-Start her on the rifle.
-Once you know she is ok with it you go shoot a few mags through the .22.
-Get her started on the .22 pistol. Start from a bench rest position if possible.
-When she is good with that go shoot your 9mm and get out of her hair for a minute.
-Switch her to shooting unsupported if she was not already
-You go back to the 9mm.
-Then, let her fire some 9mm.
-If she likes it and is ok go shoot the .22 some more yourself.

Don'ts
-Don't load anything for her
-Don't give unnecessary advice. as a rule bite your tongue on every other thing you were going to say (if it is not a safety thing)
-Don't hover at her elbow

Also, if you can bring her to buy the .22. have her pick out some hearing and eye protection and also try out the grip of the .22 ahead of time.

Good luck! Teaching women to enjoy shooting guns is great ;D I have taught quite a few including my wife.

 

[SGB]

I prefer to start all newbie's on a .22. If her first experiance is unpleasant it will most likely be her last. While the 9mm isn't exactly punishing it's her perception that one must worry about. Better to start with the .22 and allow her to progress as she feels comfortable.

Best to err on the side of caution.

 

[Tic26]

I started the wife out on a 9mm. Taurus mil pro...but before bringing her out there we did dry fire training. Site aquisition, breathing, etc..etc...she did ok...she liked it enough where I purchased her a bersa 380 (fits her hand better)

 

[ron8903]

That'd be the direction I go too, rent a couple and see what she likes.

This is sound advice.

 

[Timbal]

Personally, I'd go with the .22 first, since after all you only get one chance to make an impression. On the off-chance that she doesn't like 9MM, it could sour her to the entire thing. Best to start slow, IMHO.

Second, I own a Walther P22, great plinker, but the default sights are a bit large. If you're not terribly into pinpoint accuracy, by all means use the P22. Lots of folks here and elsewhere swear by the Ruger series, though. On the plus side of owning a Ruger, there are tons of aftermarket stuff that you can get if you want to use it for competitions and the like. Not so much for the P22 (Not taking into account suppressors, which the P22 likes) :thumsup

 

[brownie]

teter09, didn't see this posted question of yours till just now.

It can go either way really. It wouldn't hurt to start her training with a 22 but at the same time I've taken many women shooting with their first handgun bought at the shop in 9mm and none of them have had a problem learning trigger control, sight alignment and handhold skills.

My wife, who had never shot handguns before we met started on my SA govt 45acp I was carrying at the time. I didn't even think to start her on a 22 because I know other women who can easily handle a 45 and shoot in competition. My wife was also willing to shoot a handgun with me and had no apprehension when we went to the range [ she thought shooting a handgun would be fun so her attitude was positive ].

I find the women who buy their own gun at the shop [ they have a positive attitude toward learning to shoot ] take to the 9mm very well and don't remember one person having a problem with recoil in several different makers renditions.

See you in a few weeks sir.

Brownie