Taking wife shooting for the first time--which guns?

M

MikeGoob

New member
Background:
Wife grew up with brothers who had guns, but she never shot them and knows nothing really about them.

I have:
.38/357 Snubby with Crimson Trace grip
9mm Kahr with Crimson Trace Grip
.45 compact
40/.357 sig

Should I just work up the size and have her shoot all calibers? Should I disable the crimson trace grips? Should I just rent a full size 9mm?

I have a shotgun and AR too but I'm thinking, should those be left out until another time?
 
None of the above if I had to choose the 38SPL with mild target wad cutters. If the AR15 is a full sized and can be adjusted for LOP my second choice would be that.
Do you have access to an air pistol?
Before learning to manage recoil the student should be well versed in safety, sight alignment and trigger control. Just my opinion.
 
Thanks for the input! I do plan on spending time at home first, learning the gun controls and safety PRIORITY NUMBER 1!

So rent a 22 first?
 
Go to a range that rents and either rent a 4"+ 22lr revolver or a 4"+ .38 spc in a gp100/686 like size frame gun. Revolvers are a lot easier to manipulate and will have her worrying less about the function and focussed more on the fun of shooting. My wife really enjoyed fioring .38 specials out of the S&W 686 we rented. Big enough boom to thrill her, but tame enough not to scare her with the heft of the frame it was fired from.
 
Keep it simple ...and make sure she has fun....and you'll be fine.

Sure, rent a .22 .../ let her shoot it ...( I'd probably leave the .40S&W, .357 Sig and .45 acp out of it for now )....

.22 / soft loads in a revolver in .38 spl is good / 9mm can be good...it depends on what fits her hands ( not your hands )....but keep the recoil to an absolute minimum / double up her ear plugs and ear muffs...
 
My better half is just about a sharp shooter.
(Due to my expert tutilage, natcherly).
She learned the basics in the privacy of our home with airguns.
No big boomers making her jump.
Or having to look over her shoulder worrying if she's going to break a range rule and get yelled at.
When she was completely comfortable and competent with the airguns, we then went over the workings of her new .22.
And the range rules for our local club.
When she was comfortable and competent with that, then we went to the range.
There, wearing double ear protection to reduce flinching at all the racket, she proceeded, over the following couple of months, to work her way up to 9mm, with ease and confidence.
Now, she can shoot just about any handgun very well.
But she still prefers her dot scoped .22, and is scary accurate with it.
 
Yes, my better half is easily bored with paper targets, so we use a bunch of different steel swingers and knockdowns, along with clay birds mounted on cardboard backers.
The Birchwood Casey World of Targets aren't expensive and work great.
 
If you can rent or borrow a .22, start there. I also find that reactive targets (like a steel dueling tree) goes a long way towards engaging a new shooter.
 
Go to a range that rents and either rent a 4"+ 22lr revolver or a 4"+ .38 spc in a gp100/686 like size frame gun.
Click to expand...

Those are good starting places. A full-sized 9 mm is also an easy gun for most people to shoot.

Revolvers are a lot easier to manipulate and will have her worrying less about the function and focused more on the fun of shooting
Click to expand...

I have been married for 30 years and raised two lovely daughters to adulthood. They all shoot semis fine and much prefer them to revolvers. Women operate lots of things more complicated than semi-automatic handguns, and have just as much aptitude for learning about firearms as men.
 
Okay, maybe my advice sounds a tiny bit extreme, but it's quite simply that I'm not in to spending money poorly. What I mean is... I think it's a travesty to have a small cache of handguns and to not own a .22LR chambered handgun among them.

For new shooters, absolutely. And for long seasoned shooters -- for darn sure.

The amount of skill building and pure joy I get from .22LR handguns is immeasurable.

Thus, I would consider it a royal waste of money to "rent" one of those. Rather, you should buy one.
 
Don't want to develop a recoil flinch before gettings Started!

Nothing beats a 6" revolver with mild loads to build confidence and develop good shooting habits before introducing the flinch factor.

With a 6" barrel she will have more success on paper which will build confidence. 22LR makes a loud bang, but no recoil. The revolver will also seem very simple and uncomplicated to her, again instilling confidence. Then she can work her way up after developing the basics.

I started my very petite wife that way on my Ruger Single Six. her favorite now is my 6" GP100 with .38 target loads in it.
 
Thanks for all the advice!
I used to have a .22 long before I met my wife. Mostly my collection slimmed down to be for CCW and my use only. Hopefully we'll get her into the habit soon :)
 
I agree with a .22. A Buckmark or Ruger MK whatever, or a .22 revolver (Rough Rider?) everyone needs a .22. :) With a revolver you can start her with .22longs which don't even need ear covers, have no kick and are more fun than a bb gun. A buckmark will last a lifetime.

.38 snubs have a pretty sharp recoil. A FS nine is ok for someone who isn't afraid of the noise. I believe most females can handle a .45, but it is a move up gun after they havesome training. NRA tries to start people with .22's.

The AR is also a great option. Low recoil, fun to shoot. Safer to shoot. Of your current guns I'd probably start there.

Do you know any shooting couples? Another girl makes it fun for new women, gives someone to relate to other than just being dragged to the range by hubby.

Or get a video camera and give her a .500 Smith and post the fun on youtube! :D Do it that is if you wanted a divorce. :D
 
LOL no I want her to get into shooting! not divorce me!

We might get her sister to come along but she is more afraid of guns for some reason.
 
My wife is somewhat sensitive to noise, and prefers outdoor locations to indoor locations due to the lower noise levels outside. (Reduced echo, increased attenuation.)

She is also competitive by nature, and relatively new to shooting, so she prefers to shoot when others are not around to watch her.

Your wife may not be affected by either factor, but you might want to verify.

Meanwhile, I agree with the advice to check pax's website, and with the advice to use guns that afford max controllability for your wife, with min recoil / flash / bang.
 
Another vote for a .22 pistol and some reactive targets.

This time of year, crab apples are plentiful, free, and explode when hit with .22lr.

Hedge apples (Osage Orange fruit) are available in the plains states ...... I remember shooting them as a kid ..... along with milkweed and yucca pods .....

Clay pidgeons are fairly cheap, and fun to shoot for new shooters ......

After Easter every year, we have an Easter Egg Hunt, using leftover dyed Easter Eggs ......

Use your imagination ......
 
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