I took my wife shooting for the first time

[Crocodator]

So last week I had some time off, and the wife and I were going to have two days without the kids . I've been getting in to shooting for the last few months, and it was actually her suggestion that we go to the range together on Saturday morning. Keep in mind that she has been ambivalent toward the whole gun thing, so this was a very pleasant surprise to me.

She had never fired a gun before in her life, but her second shot with my 10/22 was right in the bullseye at 25 yards.

I love that woman!

 

[Maxamillion]

Very nice of her to join in the fun. Where did you shoot and for how long?
I have recently purchased my first gun and my wife seems to be warming up to the idea of joining me at the range.

 

[Crocodator]

We were at Wilbur Wright for about an hour and a half. She loved the 22, but did not have fun with my Glock 17. Somehow it bit her on the top of her left thumb and drew blood . I had walked her through how to hold it with the gun empty and then afterwards I tried to figure out how the slide could have gotten a piece of her left thumb all the way down along the trigger guard, but I still haven't figured it out.

Anyway, she went back to the 10/22 for another 100 rounds or so and was smiling again pretty quickly, so it all worked out.

 

[indybuell]

Congrats!

 

[Fixer]

Congrats, glad to hear you didn't take her out and put a 44 mag in her hands for her first experience. See a lot of women turned off to shooting because their significant other starts them out with a centerfire cannon.

 

[DRob]

Look out

You have stepped onto a slippery slope, my friend. Use caution or she may have more guns than you do and will most assuredly outshoot you. Did that. Am there!

As for the pistol bite, I always have a new shooter take a grip with the slide locked back just so they can clearly see what is going to happen when they press the loud lever. Then I suggest that if their hand is in the way when the gun goes bang, they will get blood on my gun and I don't like that.

 

[jumpseatdiva]

Nice to kmow other ladies are out there learning.. My first gun and I still have is a 22 baretta. Nice for target shooting and teaching my 9 yr old granddaughter to shoot. But I love my 9mm . Keep it up ladies..

 

[No2rdame]

I've been trying to get my wife to go shooting for years. She finally bit the bullet and decided to take an NRA basic pistol course. On one hand she still showed some reservation about shooting but at the same time she was ready to purchase a handgun for herself the following day. We're now proud owners of an Xd 9mm and I can't wait to take it out for a little spin.

I also got her to agree to let me get another toy when I cash out my PTO time from work later this month.

By the way Croc, how was the crowd at WW? We're not sure where we want to go the next time we go to the range, looking for somewhere that we don't have to wait forever for range time.

 

[Crocodator]

You have stepped onto a slippery slope, my friend. Use caution or she may have more guns than you do and will most assuredly outshoot you. Did that. Am there!

As for the pistol bite, I always have a new shooter take a grip with the slide locked back just so they can clearly see what is going to happen when they press the loud lever. Then I suggest that if their hand is in the way when the gun goes bang, they will get blood on my gun and I don't like that.

I did exactly the same thing before I put any rounds in the gun, and when she started firing she had her hands positioned correctly. I still haven't figured out how she managed to skin the top of her left thumb. She didn't make a big deal out of it though; I think she was actually more frustrated that she wasn't getting the shots on target as well as she did with the .22. She seems open to taking the NRA basic pistol class (I think she wants to outshoot me) so I think that's the next step.

No2rdame, Wilbur Wright is a fine place to shoot. My first time there I almost walked away and never went back because an idiot started walking downrange while the range was hot. My boys were with me (7 & 9) shooting for their first time, and they both turned to me and said "Dad, he's not supposed to be doing that!".

That was a one-time thing though. I've been back probably a half-dozen times since then and everyone has been friendly and safe. I would still rather find a private range that's close enough to be convenient, but I haven't found a great option in the McCordsville/Greenfield area. For now Wilbur Wright is the best I have come up with.

 

[No2rdame]

Thanks. I'll have to check it out. As far as private ranges I've got a few in mind to investigate that aren't too far from our area, namely Atlanta CC and Hamilton County F&G. Marion County sounds like a good option as well. I just have to prove to my wife that the cost of joining is a good investment.

 

[SSGSAD]

A couple of us guys, are going to W W, Sat. 11 th, around 9 am.... Stop by, and say hello ...

 

[hoosierdoc]

Good for you and great for her! Nothing gives a woman a sense of empowerment like rapidly expanding gas pushing projectiles out of the way!

 

[tricky9914]

I took my girlfriend shooting... She is mean with a 22 - I htink she might even be better than I am :-/ she now tells me she wants a colt .45 for her birthday... God I love her, lol

 

[Crocodator]

A couple of us guys, are going to W W, Sat. 11 th, around 9 am.... Stop by, and say hello ...

I'd love to see you guys there, but my kids have their belt tests tomorrow morning. We may be able to get out to the range afterwards, but it will be afternoon. Have a great time though!

 

[capn willie]

As soon as I can talk her into holding the target, we'll be there

 

[No2rdame]

A couple of us guys, are going to W W, Sat. 11 th, around 9 am.... Stop by, and say hello ...

I'd love to swing by as well, but unfortunately this weekend we'll be out of town visiting my mother-in-law. Let's see, hit the range or visit the in-laws, does anybody care to take a guess as to what I'd rather be doing?

 

[OkieGirl]

She didn't make a big deal out of it though; I think she was actually more frustrated that she wasn't getting the shots on target as well as she did with the .22.

+1 for your wife. Every gal knows there's no crying in range time!

It sounds like it's a bit of a drive for you but we enjoy the public range at Atterbury. It's clean and has enough lanes that we've not had to wait for pistol or riffle time.

 

[Valvestate]

Nothing gives a woman a sense of empowerment like rapidly expanding gas pushing projectiles out of the way!

That's just gross.

 

[usaf64]

I had almost exactly the same experience with my wife. We're in our middle 60's and I just started shooting and buying guns for the first time in 40 years. She's always willing to try new things and I talked her into going shooting with me.

After her and I spending a couple of hours going over safety procedures, loading, aiming, trigger control, unloading empty casings and reloading, we went to the range.

The range was indoors. She shot about 50 rounds with her brand new Ruger LCR in .22 caliber. She was feeling pretty good about the whole thing and was shooting pretty good thanks to the dry fire we did in the garage the day before.

Then, I handed her my .38 special (+P ammo). she took her stance, kept both eyes open, took aim and squeezed one off.

The look on her face was priceless! Her eyes were as big as those of a stomped-on toad frog! She put it down and looked me in such a manner as to make me glad she had put the gun down. Then, I said, "Why don't you go ahead and finish shooting the remaining 4 rounds." Like the trooper she's been for the the last 28 years, she picked it up and blasted away.

Here's the best part. Yesterday, I took her to get her fingerprints taken to get her LTC. When she gets it she'll be taking a couple of classes and when she's ready, she plans to begin carrying.

Not go get too maudlin here , but I've seen it as my duty to prepare her for the day when I might not be around. (Statistics show that the odds are heavy that I'll likely go before her.)

Anyway, I hope some dope-crazed goof doesn't see here and make the mistake that my "German girl" is a pushover. It'll be the biggest mistake and the saddest day of his life.

 

[Hiker1911]

Congrats, that is great about your wife getting into the hobby!

My wife shot a deer with a 30-06 in Texas-years before we met. I still wish I'd have been able to sample some of the meat off that buck.