"That Gun's Too Big for You!"

R

RPGamingGirl

New member
First a little backstory:

I was driving through the country the other day and came across a big, bright, shiny shooting range. I have no immediate need to visit a range, having a big back yard and no neighbors close enough to bother, but i thought what the heck, i could go in and see what they had to offer.

The guy behind the counter seemed nice: an older guy, Vietnam vet from what he said, and he did obviously know his stuff. I asked about his CCW, tactical, and self defense classes. We engaged in some friendly conversation, he asked what i did for a living (i'm a housewife) and what i was interested in firearms-wise.

However, a few things he said were a bit...well, contradictory. But not blatantly so. Example: I live just over the state line, and i mentioned that i had tried to buy a handgun in his state before, but was surprised to learn that it wasn't legal for a non-resident. He said, "That's not true at all! You can absolutely buy a firearm in this state if you're a resident somewhere else. I ship all over the country!" But he didn't specify that he couldn't sell me anything but a hunting rifle and hand it to me over the counter that very day. I think he should have mentioned that specifically.

He's running a business and he's also a dealer. I totally get that. He has classes and merchandise to sell, and that's really tough in rural America. But the whole thing kind of reeked of salesman-ness and that made me a little uncomfortable.

Then he asked what i shoot at home (i obviously wasn't carrying), and i told him i have a Sig Sauer SP 2022. He actually winced and said that was way too big for me. I was shocked, because i have absolutely no trouble at all carrying, chambering, shooting, or cleaning the thing. And i'm only vaguely interested in concealed carrying. Also, i'm not exactly a small lady at 5'6" and about 150 lbs.

Having never prepared a retort for such a statement (because no one that knows me has ever even joked that my gun was too big), I told him, "Well it seems to shoot just fine," but he proceeded to bring out several .380s for me to look at. I did politely look them over and handle them, and ask a few questions because i was trying to figure out why i "needed" one of these tiny things (which do not fit comfortably in my big-for-a-chick hands, btw), and the best i can figure is that he is one of those guys that really pushes concealed carry (which i admittedly couldn't do with my SP 2022), and/or wanted to sell me something.

So what do you think? Honest guy making an honest living? Should i be offended? Was he right? Discuss, please.
 
It is certainly not legal for him (or anybody) to sell a handgun directly to an American Commoner from a different state. And since the subject was handguns, the fact that he could sell you a rifle or shotgun was not relevant.

I wonder what he would have done if you had whipped out the money for one of those little .380s. Backpedaled fast, if he were smart.

I know a number of Lady shooters, mostly through IDPA. All have learned that pistols are kind of like dogs, the big ones are usually friendly and manageable, the little ones are yappy and nasty-mean.

Favorite quote: I let an inexperienced woman shoot a variety of guns with basic instruction. She did best with the .45 and said "I've got to show this target to my ex-boyfriend. He is a deputy and says a .45 is too big for a woman."
Of course I had cheated. The loads were light and the gun was fully accurized. Hard to miss with once she understood sight picture and trigger squeeze.
 
Of course I had cheated. The loads were light and the gun was fully accurized. Hard to miss with once she understood sight picture and trigger squeeze.
Click to expand...
Oddly enough I've never found it particularly hard to miss things with even my most accurate guns. ;)

...pistols are kind of like dogs, the big ones are usually friendly and manageable, the little ones are yappy and nasty-mean.
Click to expand...
Well stated.

Then he asked what i shoot at home (i obviously wasn't carrying), and i told him i have a Sig Sauer SP 2022. He actually winced and said that was way too big for me.
Click to expand...

This comes up a lot. I would ignore it and go with works for you. I've seen some very small women shoot really large handguns really well. My step-mom for intance could shoot a Contender VERY well and was usually contending for match wins while my Dad & I were simply trying for class wins (Hunter's Pistol Silhouette.)
 
Shoot what you like, and don't take any offence from anyone for anything is the best way.

Remember, you can TAKE offence, but no one can GIVE offence unless you allow them to.
 
My daughter has ran into some of that is to big your you lady types until she empties her 45 into the target. She just laughes at them.
 
"Way too big" is relative. I'm 5'9" and even when I was a 150# 19-year-old, I was carrying the M-60 and shot my issue .45 in brigade level competetions. As a considerably older, fatter man, I routinely shoot my .44 Mag Super Blackhawk 7 1/2" one-handed with full house loads.

As far as out of state buying, he said that he could sell to you "...if you've got someone for me to ship it to..." implying, at least to me, one FFL to another which is completely legal.

Now, maybe his sales pitch would have used a little work--in your place I would have replied, "I dunno, I've been shooting it regularly for____ years and it seems to fit nicely."--but he was more than likely on the up-and-up.

Were you in KS, OK, or AR?

ed
 
My significant other greatly prefers my colt 1911 .45 over the nasty little popguns. She has named my .380 LCP "the mean little bastard."

She shoots my full-size Sig 9mm as well as I do, but is not very good with a small revolver (yet).

Stereotypes and knee-jerk reactions are frequently way off base in our sport. :)
 
My daughter is the same as Tony's.
Pulls out her .45 and drills a target.

If she's in a nasty mood she'll look at a guy that says her gun is too big and ask if he thinks the same thing about her boobs. She's from New York. What do you expect.

You should have smacked him up side the head with his little .380.

AFS
 
In the past especially before WWII it was a common comment that women have a very delicate nervous system so should not even think about shooting anything bigger than a 22 !!:rolleyes:
That kind of comment reminds me of a metallic silhouette shooter who was no more than 5'2" lightweight who shot her M29 as well as the average guy !
Learn how to handle recoil and the other factors , pick a gun that fits you , practice , and make the guys walk away grumbling !:D
 
Just ask my son. It's never too big! :D

20091diopter017.jpg
 
As far as sales across state lines, there may have simply been a misunderstanding there. You can indeed buy a handgun from another state, but the handgun must be shipped to an FFL in your home state and you will fill out the 4473 and go through the NICS check there.

As far as the gun being too big for you, well I just really don't know what to say about that. I suppose perhaps he meant that the gun was too big for a CCW, but I've known many people who had no trouble routinely carrying guns the same size or larger than your Sig. If he meant that the gun was too big for you to shoot well, then he's obviously incorrect. I have found that you cannot judge what a persona can or cannot shoot just by looking at them. I've known slightly-built women who could handle a .44 Magnum without issue and big burly men who couldn't shoot anything more than a 9mm.
 
My boss at the indoor range I worked at was very female, a wonderful woman of about 5 foot nothing, and her carry gun was a 44 Special revolver. We also had a very special competitor in our IDPA style matches who walked with great difficulty after having survived a broken back years before, also about 5 foot nothing and 100 pounds soaking wet. Her carry pistol was a full size 1911, and I personally watched her clean many a target with it.
So if I had been standing near you two when that was said, you would have heard a snort from my direction.
 
The dealer lacked personal skills, but he was correct that he could sell to anyone even from another state. The caveat is that he has to ship/transfer the gun to a dealer in the buyer's home state. From that point it is the home state dealers responsibility to see that the buyer is legal and to follow the home state's laws.
 
"So what do you think? Honest guy making an honest living? Should i be offended? Was he right? Discuss, please."

Probably sniffed a bit too much Agent Orange because he's surely not making any sense at all.
 
and he did obviously know his stuff. I asked about his CCW, tactical, and self defense classes. We engaged in some friendly conversation
Click to expand...

I think I'd take the above and forget about being offended.

Plus he took out the toys and let you handle 'em. That has to count for something.

It might be fun to come back with the Sig and shoot a target or two for him but I'd only do it if I thought it would be fun. And be prepared, it STILL might not change his mind that the pistol is too big for you.
 
When my size 4 wife was shopping for her first gun, a 300+ lb sales man tried to sell her a .22 (WMR or some such?) revolver. I was a bit put off by his condescension, but was later told by the shop owner that the salesman carried one himself because he believed in it and disliked shooting anything larger than 9 mm.
 
I have made that recommendation to some ladies as well,,,

But not just because they are female.

In several cases I have made the same recommendation to males.

It's when I start explaining how a semi-auto pistol works,,,
If their eyes start to glaze over when I show them how to rack the slide,,,
They are definitely prime candidates for my "A revolver might be the gun for you" speech.

It really doesn't have anything to do,,,
With whether they have a Y chromosome or not.

My friend Jane paid attention to my initial lesson on semi-auto's,,,
So I let her fire every one I have in my cabinet,,,
I also let her fire all of the revolvers as well.

She made her own decision as to what gun to buy as her first weapon.

The gun shop guy was making a fundamental error in judgement,,,
But it might have been his personal experience driving him.

Who knows why his attitude is this way?
And in reality, who cares why.

Deal with him in the future or not,,,
It's your decision where to spend your money.

Aarond

P.S. Take your Sig in someday and destroy a target for him.

.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top