Just have to share this

[mktacop]

My wife did not grow up around firearms and has always been apprehensive about them. In the past, she didn’t even want them in the house, and has been less than enthusiastic about me having them. When I got my CHL, she was uncomfortable with me carrying when we were together. No matter how much I have tried to explain that I do so to protect her as much as myself, she has continued to resist.

Whenever I handle my firearms at the house, I make sure that I always follow safety rules, and that I don’t do anything to make her more uncomfortable. She has warmed a bit to having them in the house, but has still been wary of them. A few months ago, she finally went to the range with me (I always ask if she wants to go with me). She didn’t shoot, but she did watch me. Afterwards, she seemed more at ease with them (maybe watching how I handled/fired them at the range eased her mind a little).

Yesterday, I was getting ready to go test some new handloads from boolits I had cast and asked if she wanted to go along. She said that she did, and even packed a snack/drink bag to take along with us. While we were at the range, she helped me pick up a bunch of 9mm brass that was lying around, them recorded the chrono velocities for me while I tested my loads. As I was getting ready to pack up, she announced that she wanted to shoot my 1911, “To see what it is like”. I suggested she start with my .22 pistol. She fired her first 30 rounds ever and did very well with trigger control and aiming (it helps that the .22 has a holographic sight on it). The she decided to shoot my little pocket .380 because she liked how small it was. I tried to convince her that she probably wouldn’t like it due to the recoil seeming harsher due to the pistol’s small size, but she wanted to shoot it anyway. She fired 1 mag and decided that she didn’t like that pistol. She said that next time she would fire the 1911 because her arms were tired and her hand was sore from the .380s recoil (I’ve got some nice, soft loads ready for her first rounds through the 1911, then she can move up to my standard reloads, and then maybe up to the SD loads that I normally keep loaded in it).

As we packed everything up, she was sending the picture of her target to her friends to show off how she had done. I almost lost control of the car driving home when she announced that shooting was a lot of fun and that she might just go get her CHL when her friend takes the class. She also said she wanted to go watch the next time I do an IDPA match!

I think my next step will be to try and find her a pistol of her own….one she picks out and likes the way it feels in her hand. Hopefully then she will WANT to go shoot with me, practice with, and even get her CHL with. I didn’t think she would ever get to this point, so I am completely stoked that she enjoyed shooting!
:bigsmyl2:

[oneokie]

Nice.

[square butte]

My wifes first three targets got put up on the refrigerator front with refridge. magnets.

[ErikO]

After months of practice I can finally outshoot my wife. ;)

May you have that problem after she keeps dragging you to the range and to the LGS as well!

[Olevern]

Congrats on the new convert. Good job!

[725]

You're a lucky man.

[lbaize3]

My best friend and my backup in times of crisis is my wife. She practices with me and helps me reload. She supports my efforts at protecting our home. However I do wish I could persuade her to improve her aim. She would make a perfect score when shooting the CHL target except for the one round she puts down low in the center of the bottom of the man shaped target (you know where I mean.....). And the last time we were at the range practicing, she had all the males present cringing as she shot a tight 20 round group in that low area.

[mktacop]

My best friend and my backup in times of crisis is my wife. She practices with me and helps me reload. She supports my efforts at protecting our home. However I do wish I could persuade her to improve her aim. She would make a perfect score when shooting the CHL target except for the one round she puts down low in the center of the bottom of the man shaped target (you know where I mean.....). And the last time we were at the range practicing, she had all the males present cringing as she shot a tight 20 round group in that low area.

Hilarious! I'm really hoping that she will continue shooting and even get her own gun(s). It would be nice to have a shooting partner more often than I do currently!

[Wayne Smith]

Congratulations! Do you have a range near you where you/she can rent and fire a variety of guns? Around here there are three of them, for cheap one can experience everything from a .22 to a .45 Colt. It's like $7.00 + a box of ammo.

[MtGun44]

Well done! Creating a good environment and being properly supportive has worked
well. Smart lady, too.

Bill

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
WELL DONE ,
CONGRATULATIONS.:Fire::Fire:

[runfiverun]

not pushing things usually gets them done.
as she is looking at guns,remember that you do reload.
the 38's have enough oomph without the recoil to get them going confidently.
but a 44-45 revolver can be made to do the same thing.

[gray wolf]

Now that's the kind of story that makes me go--OH Yeaaaa
Like they say
"""when the student is ready the teacher will appear"""

[shdwlkr]

Congrats
My ex would only go out with me a few times and never would go hunting. Funny thing with the new guy she got her first deer this fall and said it was a one shot kill at around 150 yards with a borrowed 06 no less.
Yes I reminded her that the whole time we were married I tried to get her to go hunting.
Oh well glad she likes shooting and hunting even if it isn't with me.

Some day maybe I will find someone who will stick around and then again maybe I need to become an old coot and live alone, wait I minute I am doing that just not where I want to be which is in the country and out of the city.

[Beau Cassidy]

That reminds me of a former lady friend. While she didn't hate guns, she just disliked them mainly out of ignorance about them. She would become very upset when I carried concealed when we went out. Over the course of a few months she was introduced to guns and shooting by going to the range with me. Every now and then she would carefully shoot something.

Then one day a lady was abducted and raped close to where she worked. The kicker is the lady was lured by another female. Ding. Ding. Ding.... Time to get a pistol and learn how to use it. We took a bunch of pistols to the range for her to try and I even got a little Taurus .380 for her to try. When the dust settled she liked my Beretta and eventually got a stainless one. The features she liked is a larger grip to distribute recoil (she was an engineer), ease of takedown, and she could easily cycle the slide. Before long she was doing double taps at the range and put a thousand rounds downrange in just 2 sessions. She also would frisk me to make sure I was carrying before we went out. Talk about a complete 180!

[mktacop]

not pushing things usually gets them done.
as she is looking at guns,remember that you do reload.
the 38's have enough oomph without the recoil to get them going confidently.
but a 44-45 revolver can be made to do the same thing.

I've loaded up some "soft" rounds for her first time shooting the 1911. I made them a few months ago in the hopes she would get to this point. Hopefully she'll pop them off in the next few weeks!

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

Give it 6 months, and you wish you hadn't egged her on.
She'll be out shootin' your butt and rubbin' your nose in it. :)

Seriously, the lack of pressure on your part is what did it, be patient help when she needs it.
Congrats on getting anew shootin pardner

[Love Life]

After months of practice I can finally outshoot my wife. ;)

My wife with her gen 1 Glock 17 is a dangerous woman indeed.

To the OP: Congrats on the new shooting partner!!

[x101airborne]

Good job on another convert.

My wife never shot a centerfire weapon of any kind till I came around. Now she packs my 625Pd regularly and has killed her first yote and deer with a handfulll of pigs thrown in for good measure.

I bought my wife a couple pistols and a rifle that I thought were right for her. After it was all said and done, she took my 625pd and my remmy 700 308 over her model 67 38 spl and her model 70 257 roberts. There is just no tellin where their tastes will take em and no telling what you will lose. (just kidding) Just saying, buy lots, tell her they are for her to try, and let her decide. Who would think that a young woman would choose a crusty old B$%tard like me, or an ultralite 45 acp revolver. Both of us are lucky.

[littlejack]

Welcome to the CastBoolits.
That is great. Look out though, she may like your gun so well she may want it for her own.
Jack

[missionary5155]

Good morning
My wife (now 37 years) was not against guns at first but very hessitant about holding let alone firing one. Seems her mother instilled the evilness of guns in her mind.
But some years ago my wife decided to give it all a whirl and discovered it really is fun. For near 7 years now she has her own CC semi-auto . I ask my wife randomly if she wants something else of her own and she says .. no, I know I can use anything we have about any time I want..
Mike in Peru

[bobthenailer]

My wife was orgionaly a co worker , she was intrested in learning to shoot and was refered by another co worker , to see Bob he shoots alot . well we hit it off and I proposed to her at the shooting range about a year or so later, i put the ring in her ear plug case . I had to surrender a few handguns that she liked a S&W 63 , 2 1/2" and a 4" 66
IMO a wife that likes to shoot ! Priceless

[mktacop]

It's funny because she says she hates all the "gun shows" I watch on TV, yet lately she will interrupt the shows to ask question or make comments. Then when I aske her if she wants me to back a show up so that she can see a part again, she normally says something like "no, I'm not watching that show". She will admit that she likes "Top Shot", and the shows about trick shots.

[Lively Boy]

Wife said no guns now we own over 20 rifles and hand guns including a hawken 54 cal ml ...wich is hers! congrats! nice to be able to go shooting with the significant other..

[375RUGER]

Few years ago, my wife was very intimidated by my 1911 I was trying to convince her to shoot. I told her it was more comfortable than her snub 38. She finally relented and with full power loads she touched one off. Then proceded to empty the mag and asked for another. Now she has her own, full size 1911 and that is her primary carry gun.
It's always nice when the whole family participates and enjoys such activities.

[mktacop]

I'm hoping my wife does like the 1911 and wants one of her own someday! I could always handle buying another 1911. It would be even easier if that purchase had her blessing!:mrgreen: