Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
 
  HomeHelpSearchLoginRegister  
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Understanding wife (Read 667 times)
Preacher
Full Member
***
Offline


Proud Firearm Supporter

Posts: 68
PA
Gender: male
Understanding wife
Oct 29th, 2009 at 2:04am
 
I have a great wife. She very seldom gives me a hard time about something I really want to do. When I purchased my first firearm and brought it home she was a little uneasy, yet supportive. She knew I wanted to purchase a gun because we had talked it over for a while; nevertheless she was surprised when I actually brought one home. Since then, I’ve joined a shooting range, paid for and took a personal defense course, got my CCW, purchased books, gun safes, another weapon, etc… (You know – I caught the bug!). For all you experienced gun nuts (yet good husbands) – what is the best way to get your wife to continually understand, support and feel good about your new gun enthusiasm? I plan to take her out to the shooting range and have her shoot a few rounds.  Any thoughts? 
Back to top
 

NRA Member
PA CCW

‘‘No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms (within his own lands or tenements).’’ — Thomas Jefferson
 
IP Logged
 
JohnC
Senior Member
****
Offline


NRA Certified Firearms
Instructor

Posts: 199
Re: Understanding wife
Reply #1 - Oct 29th, 2009 at 11:31am
 
This is what I do.

New Shooter.

First be aware that most new shooters are slightly intimidated by the gun. 
It is the can hurt you mentality.
Give a brief explanation to allay this fear.

Here is the first time firing process I go thru with new shooters.

“Take your time. Explain, Dry fire, Do Not Rush the first shot”
“Make sure the gun has been made safe.”

Safe Gun:
Start with the smallest gun available.
If a small gun is not available prepare shooter for the recoil of the larger gun.
i.e Make sure they have a firm grip.

Explain and demonstrate how the gun works including the safeties.
Let shooter handle and become familiar with the gun(s)

Semi:
   Rack and release slide –Mag out.
   Rack and release slide Mag in. (Lock back and release.)
   Engage and disengage the safety.
   Inserting and dropping the magazine.
   Dry Fire – Mag out.
   Dry Fire – Mag In

Revolver-Double action:
   Cylinder - Open and close
   Hammer - DA & SA
   Trigger   - DA & SA
   Dry Fire - DA
   Dry Fire - SA
      
Revolver-Single Action
  Cylinder- Open and close the loading gate.
  Hammer.
  Trigger
  Dry Fire

Loaded Gun:
It is important that the shooter place the first shot on the target.

Following all Gun Handling safety rules:

From a distance of two yards.  (Depending on the rules of your range)
Load the gun with one cartridge.
Isosceles position only.
Fire at the target.
Bullet should impact the target.
Some will be in the bullseye.
This makes the shooter feel good about themselves.

Do this a few times with one cartridge.
The wait and additional explanation relaxes the new shooter.   

NOTE:
Most female shooters, due to their smaller frame and body strength,  need a little more
attention paid to the firmness of the grip.

I have been known to change this a little depending on the individual.

You will do just fine.

Be Safe!
JohnC

p.s. Comments Welcome.

Back to top
 

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents..." --James Madison
 
IP Logged
 
Jim Dykes
Junior Member
**
Offline


Proud Firearm Supporter

Posts: 25
Winston-Salem, NC
Gender: male
Re: Understanding wife
Reply #2 - Dec 6th, 2009 at 3:18pm
 
These are all good advice.  Unfortunately, the BEST way to get her support is to have someone trying to force their way into your home in the middle of the night.  Hopefully, you will never get that support!  I would contend that the next best is to let her know that you have decided to become armed so that you can protect you and her. 

Jim
Back to top
 

LTC Jim Dykes
US Army Retired
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants" - Thomas Jefferson
 
IP Logged
 
Dave49
Moderator
*****
Offline


Proud Firearm Supporter

Posts: 530
Reading, PA
Gender: male
Re: Understanding wife
Reply #3 - Dec 6th, 2009 at 3:31pm
 
You know your wife better than I do.  You might want to listen to the 911 tape on Deadly Force issues.  If you think it's appropriate, knowing your wife, you might want to have her listen and point out the length of time it took for the police to arrive afteer the call was made.  Not to be critical of the police in any way but to point out that things can happen that the police cannot respond to in a timely manner.  Therefore it becomes incumbent on us to be responsible for our own self defense. 

Doc,
do you think this is a good idea?
Back to top
 
David J. Leonti  
IP Logged
 
oldfella
Moderator
*****
Offline


Proud Firearm Supporter

Posts: 524
Tennessee
Gender: male
Re: Understanding wife
Reply #4 - Dec 6th, 2009 at 5:48pm
 
Me - I would get her a .22 shooter... she'll love it!
Back to top
 

NRA - Life Member
GOA - Life Member
Pro-Gun Forums
WWW  
IP Logged
 
PX
Senior Member
****
Offline


"Laus Deo"

Posts: 218
Gender: male
Re: Understanding wife
Reply #5 - Dec 7th, 2009 at 10:34am
 
JMOfartO:

"Vanity, thy name is woman",

Just get her a pistol of her own with her name on it... Smiley

Jesse

...
Back to top
 

"Don't Cry because it's over, Smile because it happened"....
 
IP Logged
 
Preacher
Full Member
***
Offline


Proud Firearm Supporter

Posts: 68
PA
Gender: male
Re: Understanding wife
Reply #6 - Dec 7th, 2009 at 10:32pm
 
Actually, over the Thanksgiving holiday we traveled to Virginia to visit family. A group of us (my brother, sister, cousins and my wife) went to the shooting range. Out of the 11 of us that went only 4 had ever shot before. It was fun and exciting to see my wife, sister, brother-in-law, etc… shoot for the first time and really enjoy themselves. I don't know who had the most fun since I had a blast watching and teaching them to shoot for the first time! We shot my Glock 26 and rented a .22 revolver. My wife and sister felt very comfortable with the small caliber. The other men shot a Glock 22 and another 9mm. It was great! Grin
Back to top
 

NRA Member
PA CCW

‘‘No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms (within his own lands or tenements).’’ — Thomas Jefferson
 
IP Logged
 
Hisgrooviness
Junior Member
**
Offline


Proud jpfo supporter

Posts: 29
Re: Understanding wife
Reply #7 - Feb 5th, 2010 at 9:55am
 
I have owned for a few years, but she never really had an interest, but only tolerated the idea.  Then some home invasions in the area that led to the inevitable self defense thoughts.  She read an article I printed off from jpfo.org.  She finally asked about guns, gun safety and whether or not she should learn to shoot...

So, I unloaded, checked and rechecked the handgun and let her hold it.  I let her know about muzzle control and finger off the trigger safety stuff but in a non-condescending way I hope!  She manipulated the slide, inserted and removed the mag, holstering, etc.  We dry practiced.  She became familiar with it and unafraid of it after a few days.

We visited a local range and watched people of all sorts shoot and we talked about what we saw that was "good" or "bad" in regard to safely handling a weapon.  We left and went out to eat and it ended up being a nice date night!  We talked about it a few more days, and then...

THEN we went to the range!  She had fun.  We went back the very next weekend.  She was becoming a gun person, and hopefully a safe one.  I still wanted her to know how serious self defense was and get good training.  Well, as a member of Front Site and having a "Free for a 1st Timer" certificate, yup we both went to Front Site!  She doesn't even blink now when I remove a weapon from the holster and put it on the night stand or visa-versa in the morning, and she is no longer uneasy about it.   

She likes the way my AR looks and wants to shoot it.  Jeeminy-Christmas, life is good. 

Nice to know that if I'm face down and being beaten (or insert whatever scenario comes to mind here) she'll have at least a better chance of saving her life and maybe mine than she had before!  Isn't that why we do this?

Back to top
 

If the NRA doesn't compromise then Obama and Michael Moore don't lie.
 
IP Logged
 
Roger47
Newbie
*
Offline


Proud Firearm Supporter

Posts: 19
Connecticut
Gender: male
Re: Understanding wife
Reply #8 - Mar 7th, 2010 at 8:39am
 
My wife is supportive of my interest in guns but she has no interest in them herself.  I can't get her to go to the range or take a course to get her permit.  We do almost everything together but guns and training with guns is the exception.

Roger47
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print