Range Time with wife, and question.

G

GodWeTrust

New member
A while back, I wrote you guys that my wife wanted to do some shooting on our anniversary. The main focus was to get her some range time with our guns because she has never shot anything, but I'm not much better with only a few range trips under my belt.

We arrived about 11:30 am and they stuck on the far right lane. We grabbed a cardboard target and I stuck a dozen 2" red dot targets all over it...just for stuff to aim at. I never thought to tell her that there would be gunfire at the range, but she was jumping at almost every shot fired the first 15 minutes on range.

So, here we go:
Gun #1 is a Ruger SP101. I spent some time repeating some technique pointers (how to hold it, finger off trigger, how to aim it, etc). Since this was her first experience, I let her get her grip, and then I cocked the hammer. Oh, and it was loaded with easy 38 Specials. She did really well. At 7 yards, she was hitting a couple inches high, but soon got it down to ballpark.

Gun #2 is a S&W M&P 9c. I've never shot it, so I threw the first 10 down range. Now, I've done probably 1000 dry fires with snap caps, so I was pleased that my first ten were all on or near that red dot. My wife got a fresh magazine (I've got four) and went to work. The bummer was that she couldn't get the trigger back all the way without the gun shaking like crazy. Her initial aim spot was pretty close based upon me eye-balling from the side, but by the time she pulled the full length, her hand was shaking. In all, we put 60 rounds trouble free rounds through it. My favorite shot of the day was this newbie to pistols shooting 1/2 inch away from the center of the bullseye at 25 yards with the 9c on my first attempt...couldn't be happier with it. Hardly noticed the recoil. Just sweet.

So, we switched to Gun #3, her Taurus PT25. It's a cute little 25 ACP pistol. We got it because she has zero hand strength and couldn't rack my M&P or her brother's Glock. Instead of racking, the first round is loaded into a flipped up barrel. When the first fires, the slides acts like a normal semi-auto. I love that gun! Yes, I shot it first because "gotta see if it will blow up or not." Instead of blowing up, six shots inside of 1 1/2 inches. No issues with cycling. BUT, she couldn't fire it. The trigger is long once again. By the time she got the trigger all the way back, she was straining and shaking again. But worse, most times she couldn't even get it back far enough to release the trigger. "If a bad guy was coming at me, I wouldn't even be able to get it to shoot."

Gun #4 was back to the SP101 for a little .357 action. She shot it one time at my request. She's not a sissy girl, but it was too much recoil for her. Then I knocked off a small box of 158 grain Fusion. I shot some double action and a few with the hammer back. Great gun both ways.

Since this was really about getting my wife some gun time, she was disappointed in her performance. Her best and favorite shots came from the SP101 with the hammer pulled back (single action?). All the other shots were frustrating for her because the trigger pulls were so long. What to do?

When we got home, I switched the M&P backstrap from small, which it had been, to large. The idea here is that might still have some finger strength left at the end of the pull if she had to reach a little further to start with. She agreed, but isn't sold on the idea.

So, now I'm left at square one with her. She needs a gun that doesn't require racking, with a short pull to release on the trigger, without a ton of recoil. Suggestions? (I don't own one, but was thinking a reduced size 1911 where she could pull the hammer back for shot one.)
 
Most women I've observed rack the gun wrong. They try to grab the slide with their non-dominant hand and pull with all their might, usually ending up with a handoff to the boyfriend.

Rather, she needs to grab the slide with her whole hand with thumb pointing at her chest, and PUSHING with her grip hand. Here's a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAlyOgm6p_A&feature=related

Another method...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=300ahac-jFU

I find it hard to believe anyone without a physical ailment couldn't pull a 5# trigger. I think she was just nervous about the BANG and anticipating the noise, hence the shaking.

You may want to consider something like a Ruger 22 of some flavor. The bolt has 'ears' that make it easy to rack with very little resistance, and it has a SA trigger pull. Something like this shorter barrel version would work well.

 
Last edited:
So, now I'm left at square one with her. She needs a gun that doesn't require racking, with a short pull to release on the trigger, without a ton of recoil. Suggestions? (I don't own one, but was thinking a reduced size 1911 where she could pull the hammer back for shot one.)
Click to expand...

Based on what you said before this quote I'm not sure I agree with you. All she needs is practice.

Try this...
At home triple check (of course) that your weapon is empty and you have no live rounds nearby. Have your wife clear the pistol on her own. Now that you are 100 percent sure the weapon is clear have her load one of those snap caps you have. Pick a small point on the wall and have her stand about 10 - 15 feet from it. Have her practice dry firing on that small target. You watch the muzzle as she squeezes the trigger. I'll bet her troubles had nothing to do with strength and everything to do with nerves. This happens to everyone, even the most experienced shooters can let there nerves get to them. The longer trigger pull just makes it more pronounced. Have her practice this many times. It's borring but the more she practices this now the better she will be on the range. Tell her "Remember a long smooth trigger pull while keeping the sights aligned and on target." This is some of the best training for a person who is new to shooting. If you can shoot double action you can shoot single action, however the opposite is not necessarily true.

Good luck. Have fun and be safe.
 
Yes, I showed her the right way to rack it when we got it. It's a huge struggle for her to do it the right way, but she can. But in a self-defense moment, no way she'd do it.

And not to be a naysayer, but she wouldn't do the hand exerciser thing.

Love the idea of that 22. She could definitely rack that.

Clarification about the trigger pull thing. First, it isn't recoil anticipation. She didn't shake at all with the revolver when the hammer was pulled back. Aim, fire. Because her hand is small, she's using first pad on her pointer finger. She starts her pull well, but the triggers travel just over an inch. By the time she nears the end of the travel, she's no longer using the stronger muscles of the first couple of joints. That's why switching to the large backstrap might work.
 
Yes, thank you, I will have her try snap caps. They definitely got me ready. I'm a new shooter myself, but have dry fire at wall targets in my bedroom hundreds of times. That might be part of her problem, but not all. I'm telling you, she simply couldn't get the PT25 to fire period. If was pretty frustrating for her.
 
GodWeTrust said:
And not to be a naysayer, but she wouldn't do the hand exerciser thing.
...
I'm telling you, she simply couldn't get the PT25 to fire period. If was pretty frustrating for her.
Click to expand...

Not trying to be argumentative, but I simply don't understand this thinking. If she was frustrated by it, why not do something about it? The only fix is greater hand strength, changing guns is avoiding the problem.

I over-exerted my index finger awhile back trying to get a door open (horrible door design by the way), and was then quite horrified to find that I couldn't fire my USP (LEM trigger, not exactly heavy) at the range the next day. I ended up practicing off hand the whole time. I was further dismayed to find that it wasn't quite normal a couple days later. What did I do about it? Went to town on the Gripmaster!
 
I like using both ear plugs and a headset when shooting. It reduces fatigue and flinching due to other pistols being fired I know it helps a lot of shooters.

The PT22 and Pt25 are both double action pistols if I recall correctly. This makes for a long heavy trigger pull for most new shooters. I would suggest going with a single action pistol. I like shooting .22 pistols and recommend them to most anyone starting out. It is also a lot cheaper to shoot them when you factor in the cost of ammo.

Start out not thinking in terms of self protection for a new shooter but to learn the basics and to enjoy shooting in general. ,22 pistols fill this well in my opinion. You might consider getting a used Buck Mark pistol of any flavor or a Beretta Neos. They are both single action only pistols and easy to operate. I give the nod to the Neos because it is a bit easier to clean.

Keep one thing in mind that taking a new shooter to the range should be fun for the new shooter. Concentrate on what they are doing right and reinforce those things. It make take a bit longer for them to become great shots but the fun factor keeps them wanting to come back. When a new shooter says they have had enough for one day believe them. There will always be another day to shoot again.

I tend to not try to shoot my best when I take a new shooter to the range. I let the groups spread out a bit. I want them to concentrate more on what they are doing and how much they improve. Trying to compete with a more experienced shooter when they first start shooting can be frustrating for most people.

Remember to be safe and keep it fun.
 
My wife would not do the exercises, so that's not a good option. Sorry, not trying to sound stubborn.

Mississippi Dave- What great thinking in your post! Cheaper ammo, no recoil, and fun shooting. Yes, I think that might the ticket. And my 13 year old son would dig it, too.

But I would really like for her to have something "self-defense" oriented if there are other options out there.
 
You don't want to frustrate any new shooter...

In teaching my grandkids ...and I help in some classes with new shooters (I'm not a certified instructor ) ...I just help on the range...

.22 semi-autos like a Browning Buckmark or a Ruger are good guns / easy to rack and manipulate. But many new shooters want to move up in caliber pretty quickly ...and size of their hands, strength, and design of the weapon make a difference.

We often start with revolvers ---like a S&W model 18 with a 4" barrel in .22 / she's already shot the revolver you have with .38spl's and thats fine as well ...but changing the grips can make a big difference on a revolver or a semi-auto. I also like a little shorter gun - like a .357 mag in 4" --like a S&W model 19 or 66 ...with slim grips on it.

In semi-autos / we start with the .22's ....and then go to a Sig 239 ( it has a lighter spring ) so its easy to rack. I also have a 4" 1911 in an alloy frame in 9mm - and that's a nice light gun, not intimidating, to shoot as well. Most new shooters do not like full sized 1911's with 5" barrels - they're a little too heavy and intimidating ( and don't get her anywhere near a gun chambered in .45acp ).

so try some revolvers / maybe a Sig 239 with thin grips / a 4" 1911 chambered in 9mm like the Kimber Tactical Pro II model or maybe one of the Springfield options ...( and get her some good foam ear plugs / and then put ear muffs on top of that ) so its quieter... don't use electronic ear muffs ....go with something that's really taking the noise out... and make darn sure she has fun .... ( different targets, play some games .... ( 3 playing cards on bench ...turn 2 over ...put 2 shots on each card you turn over say under 10 sec or something she can do )...make it challenging but not ridiculous. On a silhouette target --- 2 in chest / 1 in head in under 10 sec or something ....keep it fun ...
 
You have to keep in mind the initial experience. Learn good technique with a .22 and you can apply it to other calibers at a later date. Being shot with a .22 is not going to be any fun by an intruder. I would suggest a larger caliber for self defense. That doesn't have to be right away. Shooting even a single action pistol in .22 will develop additional finger strength with time. It will just take longer and a lot more rounds to do it. Snap caps might be helpful at home. There are plenty of options available to have a lighter trigger pull than what you will find in a double action pistol. Striker fire and single action comes to mind. Double/Single action pistols too. You can carry them decocked and cock them to single action if time permits. When under extreme stress it is amazing how much finger strength a person finds they have.

You might consider something like a Sig P230 in .32 ACP. It has a slide that is easier to rack then most 9 mm pistols. It is small enough to be carried in many purses too. It is what I consider the smallest caliber I would use for self defense. If using the .32 APC round I suggest using a flat nosed full jacket round. It will penetrate enough to get the job done. The HP rounds don't normally expand well in this caliber and may not penetrate enough either. The P230 is now discontinued but they can be found used. The smaller the pistol the more you will feel the recoil.

I find many pocket pistols are not that pleasant to shoot more then a few rounds at a time. The short barrel makes using the sights difficult in most cases too. Not shooting a self defense pistol enough to become proficient with it seems not to be a very smart thing to do in my opinion.

For home defense I prefer a full size pistol or possibly a compact. Sub compacts I don't consider unless that is all there is available. I will normally carry a compact and in winter time a full size pistol. I prefer to carry what I shoot best. Occasionally I also carry a sub compact for the quick trip to the local store.

Half of my trigger time is with .22 pistols. Half of my pistols are also .22s. I try to keep the fun factor in shooting for me as well. A little variety doesn't hurt anything at all.

I would also suggest taking a class to learn shooting. I would suggest this to anyone considering owning or shooting pistols. Learning how to do it safely and how to shoot correctly is very valuable to everyone. You can then practice what you have learned on each and every range trip. You will also become a better shooter faster as well.
 
Ruger MK II's are good guns for women (or men). I see a lot of people hand women small guns. Small guns are hard to shoot well most times so I loaded up my wife some mid range 44 Mag loads and let her shoot a big gun with reasonable loads in it. She's as good if not better with it than I am. Buy her a full size gun to learn on.
 
If her problem is in fact physical and not psychological then she needs to work out that trigger finger. Those Gripmasters are great, and you can check them out at Guitar Center or some other music store. I have the blue (light) one and it really helped my finger strength and dexterity when I started playing bass. It's something she can do while she watches TV or sits in the car at red lights. If you decide to get one, stick with the yellow (extra light) or blue (light). Anything more and she'll start bending the frames of the guns.

If she isn't going to put any effort into this, it may be a lost cause.
 
At first , my wife had trouble racking her M&P. She went to the cornered cat web site and learned the best way for women rack the slide. She would practice while watching tv. If your wife doesn't want to practice, maybe she's just not ready to shoot.
 
My wife has hand strength problems also and does not like recoil or muzzle blast. Her house gun is a 422 S&W 6" not the best caliber but it is better than one she can't shoot. She also has a Kel-Tec P32 that she will carry and can shoot good enough for up close. She also can shoot a full size S&W K frame in 38sp (not her favorite) but most other guns have too hard or long trigger pull for her.

From my experience you can not pick out her gun, only she can do that. Been there done that (several times,am a slow learner). Good luck

P.S. start with a 22lr and let her decide when and what to move up to.
 
i'm with chris. i would get her a 22 target pistol like the ruger or the buckmark. both are extremely easy to rack and have very light triggers with virtually no recoil. i never support 22 for self defense, but because of her specific issue, she would be far more accurate with the 22 than the tiny 32. in my opinion, you have to hit what you are shooting at for it to do any good. she will mostly likely be able to empty all 10 rounds out of a 22 right into the chest of an attacker in a matter of seconds.
 
GodWeTrust,

Forget going to the range for awhile; the noise and, if it's indoors, the concussion off the walls, will still be there.
Instead, start her with an airsoft or pellet gun that simulates your real guns.
Like a blowback with some recoil.
Then she can practice at home with real feedback.
After she's comfortable and successful with the airguns at home, go to an outdoor range, (much less noise).
And do double up on the ear protection.
Betcha' you both will be surprised at the improvement.
 
If she can't pull THE TRIGGER on a Plastic M&P, she is going to be very limited in pistol selection.
I don't find the .22 auto's slides any easier to rack than a centerfire; the soft recoil spring is not much but the mainsprings tend heavy, and in a concealed hammer gun must be overcome.

Maybe she could learn to cock the SP101 herself and shoot single action.
The concept is obsolete in the face of double actions and autos but that doesn't mean it won't work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top